And Lord Macaulay wrote of Lilliburlero:—“The verses and the tune caught the fancy of the nation. It was especially the delight of the English army.” Whilst Sterne also mentions it in “Tristram Shandy,” as the favourite air of Uncle Toby, who had been a soldier in the army of William III.
The following imitation alludes to the attempts being made in 1798 to bring about the legislative union of England and Ireland, but which did not actually take place until 1801. At that date the Irish Parliament was induced, by bribery and fraud to consent to its incorporation with that of Great Britain. The parody is a somewhat remarkable prophecy of what has actually occurred.
The New Lilla Bulero.
Ho, broder Teague, dost hear de decree?
Lilla bulero, bulen, al ha,
United men we shall all of us be,
Lilla bulero, bulen, al ha.
Lero lero, lilla bulero, lilla bulero, bulen al ha,
Lero lero, lilla bulero, lilla bulero, bulen al ha.
Says England, since Union’s de ting dat you want,