Punch (13.1847)

218

PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.

THE MUSTERING OF THE HOBBIES.

A LAY OF MODERN BABYLON.

H )! Bfllamy, be stirring; The pheasant, in the eop?e-wood,

Ho ! Gossf.t, don your shorts ; May peck his wheat in p*ace ;

Ho ! Gornfy, point your pencils; The covey, in the turnips,

Ho ! Punch, leave meaner sports ; May wax in safe increase ;

Ho ! all vc morning papers, The hare may hi-jve the greyhound,

Rouse your reporting corps; The rabbit mock the ball ;

Ho! Tadpoles, and ho ! Tapf.rs, For Parliament has summoned

The Game is up once more ! The great guns and the small.

There on " Middle Ages" ridetfi
Lord John in antique steel ;
There dark Disrafli shaketh
His pointed lance at Pffl ;
There on the British Donkey,

In the British Lion's skin,
Half errant-knight, half mountebani,
Pale Sibthokpe dashes in.

Their armour all of paper, But not only from the home-farm, ( From cotton-mill and colliery,

Their arguments of wind Not only from the hall,

Their ateed wall-eyed on his best side, Cattle-show or Quarter Sessions,

And on bis worst, stone-blind Ploughing-match or county ball;

From furnace, forge, and mart,
Troop in the Sons of Industry,
All grave, and grim, and swart.