Scene,—The Marquis of Salisbury’s House, Arlington Street.
Northcote. Are we all met?
Salisbury. Pat, pat; and this is a marvellous convenient place for our rehearsal. This stuffed settee shall be our Speaker’s chair, these tongs the Mace, and we will do it in action as we will do it before the House.
Northcote. Salisbury——
Salisbury. What say’st thou, bully Stafford?
Northcote. There are things in this comedy of Jingo and Whisky that will never please. First, Jingo must draw his sword, which Radicals can never abide.
Lord John Manners. By’r lakin, a parlous fear.
Hicks-Beach. I believe we must leave the killing out when all is done.
Salisbury. Not a whit. I have a desire to make all well. Write me a prologue, and let the prologue seem to say we will do no harm with our swords, and for the more better assurance tell them that I, Jingo the Foreign Secretary, am not Jingo, but Salisbury, who barks more than he bites. This will put them out of fear.
Giffard. Well, we shall have such a prologue, and it shall be written for six and eight.