Specimens of Beat!). 



No. I. 

 A BOROUGHMONGER'S. 



" An old wolf, long the terror of the forest, being sorely hurt while wrathfully pursuing 

 a doe, that would not admit his tyranuical claim to her carcase, his parasite, the fox, went 

 elsewhere, and the other animals, finding him without defence, and powerless, began to 

 balance their accounts. Had he fifty legs, instead of four, they would all have been broken 

 by those to whom he had played the same ugly trick when in his prime. The goat battered 

 bis ribs ; the boar ripped open his loins ; the stag gored him in the paunch ; and a troop 

 of jackalls, of whose den he had taken forcible possession, began their breakfast upon him, 

 while he was yet alive. What then 1 This was but the retaliation of the innocent weak 

 upon the guilty strong ; which, as thou livest. shall ever come to pass. The dying lion 

 deserved to be ignominiously kicked. Why? He had taken the ASS'S foal from its mother's 

 teat." Polish Fable, attributed to KRASICKI. 



" HE lies, a reforming rascal ! I'm not at death's door, am I ? 

 Answer me truly, and tell him at once, face to face, that he's a lying 

 Republican Whig. Tell him so, Dawson, and I'll do something hand- 

 some for you. He a physician ! a ranting, radical rapscallion ! Who 

 sent for him ? Let him go croak elsewhere ! why, if I'd let him, he'd 

 poison me in a prescription, out of party spleen a speech-making, inno- 

 vating ferret ! Tell me that I'm delirious and dying, indeed ! Who 

 took me from the hustings ? Call my fellows, and carry me back ! 

 Hand me my crutches ! How stands the poll ? Bravo, shout shout, 

 my lads we're a hundred a head ! Three cheers for the loyal Orange, 

 and a groan for the beggarly Blue ! Hurrah ! Hurrah ! Hurrah !" 



The patron of the borough now dropped on his pillow again, and for a 

 few moments remained calm. 



"This is a terrible scene, Mr. Dawson," said the physician. 



" Awful," replied the apothecary -, " he won't believe that his end is at 

 hand." 



Had we not better retire >" 



" You can do as you please, Dr. Clavering j but Sir Jacob has been 

 my friend, and I shall remain ; for, since the result of our consultation 

 transpired, his very servants have deserted him j even Warbery, his 

 confidential agent, has just gone out to give his vote for the opposite 

 party. Hark ! the Blues are shouting to welcome the recreant. Sir 

 Jacob hears them, he revives again." 



" What an expression of horrid joy his face assumes," whispered 

 Clavering. 



" Hurrah ! Another plumper ! " cried the dying Baronet. " To the 

 Poll ! To the poll ! Flock up ! Flock up ! Warbery, tell Smith if 

 his sons don't come to my nominee's booth within an hour, I'll eject him. 

 Remind him of his old mother's bond. Talk to me about the hag's 

 being bed-ridden, indeed ! I say, let judgment go, if they don't come up. 

 The Smiths ! The Smiths ! Room for the Smiths, there all seven 

 of 'em ! I dreamt the villains had voted for the new party at the head 

 of a regiment of my tenants the daring vagabonds ! It struck me to 

 the heart ! my crutches tottered beneath me j and when I came to myself, 

 there I was on a flock-bed, in the wretched poor-house. But it's a lie 

 dreams are lies the curse of life, Dawson. It's a lie, I say !" 



