Says Milton, would not prove more valuable to its possessor than an absolute knowledge of certain numbers which lie hidden in the Wheel of Fortune till Fate declares to the enraptured ears of the adventurer, who has founded his hopes of success on them, their union with certain large sums of money, viz. Twenty, Ten, or Five Thousand Pounds; for there are many such sums yet in the wheel, yet to be determined, yet to be gained by hazarding a mere trifle.
He, who life’s sea successfully would sail,
Must often throw a sprat to catch a whale.
Apply this proverb then; think, ere too late,
What fortune, honour, and what wealth await
The very trifling sum[484] of one pound eight.
“Bish,” of course, imagined, or wished, the public to be amazingly surprised at his popularity, and therefore indulged them with this song:
WHAT’S THE MATTER?
By Quintin Query, Esq.
Tune.—“O Dear, what can the Matter be?”
“O dear, what can the matter be?”
To tell, who can be at a loss?
The people are running by dozens to Bish’s,
To make out their dreams, and fulfil all their wishes,
And try to come in for the loaves and the fishes,
At 4, Cornhill, and 9, Charing-cross.
“O dear, what can the matter be?”
I’ll tell you, good friend, if you wish;
The people are trying dame Fortune to cozen,
And the old women’s tongues are eternally buzzing,
About lucky numbers, 19 to the dozen,
And all they can talk of is Bish.
“O dear, what can the matter be?”
I dare say you’re dying to know;
The horns blow about, be it rainy or sunny,
The walls they are cover’d with bills all so funny,
To shew you the way how to finger the money,
And you all know that “makes the mare go.”
“O dear, what can the matter be?”
The bellman he rings such a peal?
To tell those whose fortunes are rusted with rickets,
To call at good luck’s (that is, Bish’s) two wickets,
And a transfer obtain for 500 Whole Tickets;
How conceited they’d make a man feel!
“O dear, what can the matter be?”
For joy you’ll be dancing a jig;
For good luck most folks are delighted to choose a day,
And a lucky day surely must be a good news day,
Then the day of all days is the very next Tuesday;
Then, Misfortune’s black Monday a fig!
“Bish,” on another occasion, treated the “gentle public,” like so many children, with another optical delusion.
FORTUNE’S GALANTY SHOW.
Tune.—“GALANTY SHOW.”
O pretty show, O raree show, O finey galanty show, O pretty galanty show!