The Press. — London, England, 1853-08-06 00:00:00

THE PRESS. 324 ELEGY TO THE MEMORY OF AN UNFORTUNATE LADY. (AFTER POPE.) " What beckoning ghost" along the trading streets Affrights the placid shopman whom it meets ? 'Tis she !—but why that strange and glassy eye, Which shrinks if DAwsoN, or police, go by? Oh ! wretched woman—poor Hungarian—tell, Is it a crime to write what's apt to sell?* To scribble books, which, nonsense though they be, Are good as others' nonsense that we see ? How is't, yo powers ! that European flood, Or hot volcano, flings on us its mud? At every breaking wave, or roaring fire, (Still eddying fiercer, and still roaring higher) ; Sometimes, indeed (as " Progress" makes increase), Some plundered gentlemen come here, for peace ; Live in retirement ;—better fortune wait, Cursed for their luck, by factions of the State.f But in huge swarms the " patriots" still pour ; Kicked out for roaring, they come here to roar ; Gather the idle hordes who love a brawl, And stare at them, as tigers of Bengal. How edifying when they can't agree, And fights disturb the strange menagerie ! " Sir, you're no noble !" " Sir, I say you lie !" " A fig for you, sir !" " Woman, you're a spy !" The sober public sees the fellows fight, And thinks, when both cry " Rascal," both are right ! From these, perhaps (e'er Nature bid her die), Fate snatched poor BECK, or VON BECK, to the sky.: As into air the thoughts of OSBORNE flow, Or, as from Wow:is orations hearers go— Or, as from young O'CoNNELL fly the " Tail"— Or, as he bolts, whom would make his bail ! So, the poor BECK left cell and gaol behind, And pass'd beyond the reach of patriot kind. But thou, thou English dabbler in her fate, Thou peddling agent of another's hate, By " costs," if not by shame, thou bast been hurt— And taxed as reservoir for foreign dirt. Sure, if true feeling lives upon this ball, Thy cockney audience from thy class shall fall ; Nor gaping youngsters gather to be taught Home-bred impertinence, and borrowed thought;— Fancies from others stolen, and disguised— By all who know not their first sources, prized— Which, spoiled and altered, they think thine, and good, As gold has, sometimes, painted, passed for wood.§ The simple cockney, prodigal of ear, Should pause and think of the poor victim's bier, — And know thy penny laurel, sprung from mud, To have (like Polydoro's) its roots in blood ! The simple youngster, innocent of school, Knows not a tripod from a cutty-stool! He does not look at modern Muse to soo If she's a slut that apes a mystery : If with a Pythian attitude she stand, Tho simple youngster bows and thinks her grand— Admires her attitude, reveres her look— Nor, at the sacrifice, suspects the cook. What do they teach, then (poor unhappy shade!), Thy cruel tortures, and thy rites unpaid? Thy dubious " Von," thy taint of being " spy,"ll The first fond flattery, and the final lie ? • The Atheneum attributed part of the opposition to Beck, or " Von Beck," to the jealousy of a rival Hungarian author. ♦ The kindness of her Majesty to the Orleans Princes provoked Cobden's sneer the other day. He forgets that those gentlemen have a distant relationship with her Majesty, through an English King from whom they descend; but his party generally know no more of royal ancestry than they do of their own. " Beek, or Vos Beck."—The good English public don't remember that on the Continent the noble" only implies " gentility" of blood—not that you are anybody in the state; or, indeed, that you may not be a billiard•marker. When the French were at Malta, the people saved some church ornaments by painting them over in this fashion. II Mr. 'What au uproar is made by these fellows when some blackguard is set to watch blackguards, in older to preserve the safety of an established Government! Yet they can me " spies" themselves ! SATURDAY, " By foreign hands thy dying eyes were closed," Where drunkards yelled, and fagged policemen dozed. Death, the black magistrate, " dismissed the charge," And thou (in DAWSON'S spite) wert set at large ! What though Kossirrii had left his mother's friendllT To a hard life, and to a wretched end— What though, thy service done, thy chances past,— Tpy party and thy friends turned tierce at last, — Yet to thy grave shall straying wanderers come, And decent English ponder at thy tomb. Thus shall they muse upon thy dreary fate, And bless the fortune of a settled State ! Muse on the " patriot," and the " patriot's" friend, A rebel's kindness and a rebel's end ; And " KOSBUTH'S eloquence" shall vapid be Beside the moral that is breathed by thee! 5 See trial. 4 rw.+ ~► SUPERNATURAL STATISTICS. THE facilities of communication which distinguish the present epoch have extended of late, as is well known, to the world of Spirits. The power of the Mesmeriser increases daily, while the Rappers place us in direct correspondence with the departed. We understand that this new medium of obtaining information has not been lost upon her Majesty's Government. Lord JOHN L RUSSELL has had several inter views of lath with the Spirit of our ancient Constitution, while Sir JAMES GRAHAM, on the other hand, has consulted, through the medium of Mrs. HAYDEN, the Spirit of the Age. Before the ceremony was con cluded, however, we hear that the Right Honourable Baronet got several raps over his knuckles, and was at one time, probably from some passing ill humour, almost of opinion that the process was a " large measure" of imposture. The Ghost of JOE MILLER is said to have appeared to Captain BERNAL OSBORNE, and to have mournfully reproached the gallant officer for his silence. Mr. GLADSTONE'S nights, we hear, have been very much disturbed by a brace of apparitions—the Spirit of Progress and the Ghost of the Conservative Cause. At times, we understand, the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER has talked very wildly, and much alarmed Mr. HATTER and Mr. Wasos ; but as, fortunately, there were no reporters present, no very great mischief has been occasioned. When the access is at the height, it is found that the presence of Lord ALFRED HERVEY has a very soothing and tranquillising effect; while, on the contrary, when the excitement has been succeeded by extreme depression, Dr. PHILLIMORE has successfully cheered the Right Honourable Gentle man. Among the " black spirits and white," an old woman, supposed to be one of the witches in Macbeth, is in the habit of haunting the principal apartment of the Prime Minister in Downing-street. Lord PALMERSTON, during the spring, appeared to be very much under the influence of the Spirit of Englishmen ; but of late, we are sorry to say, it would appear that that Spirit was laid—whether in the Red Sea, or the Black, is yet unknown. _ _ Lord CLARENDON for a long time has had no spirits at all at his command, but has run about town wringing his hands, and whimper ing over his scrapes. But recently, we hear, he has tried to raise the " Spirit of the East." _ . The Duke of NEWCASTLE, being universally acknowledged to be no conjurer, has not, consequently, received any supernatural assistance in the transaction of his official duties, but has carried on affairs merely by the aid of his Under-Secretaries. The Duke of ARGYLL has entirely trusted to a Spirit of his own, with whose aid he intends to put down Lord DERBY. Sir WILLIAM MOLESWORTH, though he has become a Conservative, does not yet believe in spirits ; but we are gratified to state, that he has shown, on several occasions, a less incredulous and obdurate temper than of yore. He consulted Mrs. HAYDEN whether she thought he could send a message to Mr. BENTHAM, and whether that departed sage could see him in his state dress as a Cabinet Minister. He has practised too, more than once, at the tables, and has undoubtedly succeeded in turning not only his hat, but his coat. Lord ELCHO is entirely devoted to the Spirit of Ideal Beauty, and never condescends to speak to any one else. When not in communion with this Spirit, he is generally absorbed in reverie on himself, being, according to his own estimate, the nearest approach to the Ideal he has yet encountered. Mr. FITZROY, in trying to lower the cab fares, surpassed all his colleagues, for he contrived to raise the Devil. i E