The National Register.
London, England, 1821-06-24 00:00:00

A satirical poem has just appeared under the title
of " My Note Book, or Sketches from the Gallery of
St. Stephen's"—Our readers, doubtless remember
a work of extraordinary genius and ability, entitled
" The Rejected Addresses" in which the style of
the living writers 'was admirably imitated, and we
think " My Note Book" abounds with equal poise..
It is from the pen of a gentleman, who is attached
to one of the daily papers as a parliamentary re-
porter, and none but a gentleman accustomed as he
is to the manners of the different members, could
have so faithfully pourtrayed them. We may be
allowed a momentary digression from the immediate
subject of our observation to allude to the qualifi-
cations necessary to form a good parliamentary re•
porter.—ln the first place, nature must have been
lavish to him mentally and corporeally—his percep-
tion roust be correct—his ear and eye quick—end
his constitution. of such power as to enable him to
endure the privation of sleep'„by night, frequently
fi)r weeks together—his education must have been
liberal, and his clasical acquirements extensive—as
to a perfect knowledge and practice of stenography;
though necessary, it is of so minor importance us
to scarcely deserve mention. We have thus di-
gressed
for the sake of enabling our readers properly
to estimate the character, and acquirements of a
class of laborious members of society to whom the
lovers of a newspaper are incalculably indebted—
but to return to sly Note Book—of which the least
praise, is not, that its author appears to have exer-
cised a degree of political impartiality that is really
astonishing—in his preface he says " I have seen
enough of Tories, Whigs, and Radicals, to make
me reject the opinions on which they advance their
respective claims to constitutional purity"—and be i
has followed up this dee(agittion, by an equality of
rie.icule levelled tat all parties.—it is with ranch plea-
sure
we perceive from the " FINIS pro tens," that
we are likely to be again delighted by his pen—
and we now proceed to give a sew extracts, premis-
ing—that if we did not think it unfair to the Au-
thor, we believe we should please all classes of our,
readers by continuing them, till we had copied tiie
whole book. The following debate is suppose' "a
to
take place on the presentation of a petition, Vont-
plaining of the Milan Commission) from Co sentry,
by the worthy member for that city.
A DEBATE.
HERE shall I now by prejudice unsway'd,
The slave of none in politics who trade,
Describe the doughty senatorian right,
‘Vhich called forth all the formidable in'ight
Of fierce opponents, never known to lap,
When urg dby 11'...t-r, or provok'd by• g-gge,
The deems inspires ; lo I P-ts.r in hi plaeo
Displays the volume of his ample f ace,
And shows an index,-what shall ire my rhyme ?-
A country clock that " takes no n ate of time,"
E'en such a face displays to pub lie view,
To prove the works inside are r,ever true.
With parchment roll soon on the floor he's seen,
The dauntless champion of his injur'd Queen :
His wig awry, his fists inf,icting blows
To shake the table unde r Dyson's° nose.
Yet warmer still lie wa.,tes while he reads
A labour'd list of C-st-r-gh's misdeeds,
Sent up from CoverAvy his anal to prove,
He talks of motio43, W-Is-nt cries out "maser
He swells, he tirAms, impatient tSr debate,
Sly whining 13,-Int protrudes his powder'd pate;
V. bile from die bench, where W-1-b-f-rce and Co.
Their side.), pates in meek seclusion chew,
A sidel.mg glance he casts, but to descry
A stupid scowl from P-t--r's stupid eye.
P-t-r proceeds resistless in his course:
P-t-r is cheer'd-he raves, till he gets hoarse ;
In vain to order does D-c2k M-t-ii rise,
So D-c-k ,its down, and P.-t-r still defies
All interruption, while the Sp-r bland
In accents mild gives him to understand
No bre.ch of order yet had taken place ;
I'm sure, trays P-t-r, standing near the mace.
And looking most complacently at p.c.-kJ
I'd be the last against the house to kick :-(a laugh.)
him languriAc now, sir, cannot be too bold.
The hune.t truth is now what must be told ;
I'll let it out, the matter I'll not mince,
I'll make a base administration wince.
I know home facts, yes, that I do, Vni sure,
The noble laint may think himself secure,
But all his actions, soon, must conic to light,
And, goodness gracious, what a horrid sight I
\\'h° sent out 1,--cli P who sent out C-k and B-wn,
And P-w-l„ too, to take the falsehoods down,
Which ev'ry wretch in Italy could bring?
The ministers have done the very thing.'
A moment's pause, and now does P-t-r's throat
Resume its croaking with an alter'd note;
In elegiac tenderness he melts;
Thus hail dissolves, when hail no longer pelts
" My friend," he cries, " whose loss we all deplore ;
My dear lamented friend, who's now no atoms._
Poor Sheridan there P-r looks so droll,
A grin he wrenches from old \l'... ley