A Century of Parody and Imitation

by Unknown

Next at Millbank he cross'd the river Thames;

Thy hatch, O Halfpenny![4] pass'd in a trice,

Boil'd some black pitch, and burnt down Astley's twice;

Then buzzing on through ether with a vile hum,

Turn'd to the left hand, fronting the Asylum,

And burnt the Royal Circus in a hurry—

('Twas call'd the Circus then, but now the Surrey).

Who burnt (confound his soul!) the houses twain

Of Covent Garden and of Drury Lane?

Who, while the British squadron lay off Cork