348 Laudes Carbonarium, or [OCT. 



and my friend, and I don't care a for no man !" Here I remembered 



that he held the first godlike penchant, in common with the Jupiter of the 

 ancients, to whom libations of wine were always offered neat. Never- 

 theless, the first article of his creed was rather an unhandsome glance at 

 me, who happened to have something of that sort before me just then. 



It has been remarked by sages (and I believe them for once in a 

 way), that when a man cannot contain himself for joy, the turbulent jubi- 

 lance of his heart does naturally break forth in song. A grim associate 

 accordingly soon called out for one : each and all echoed the cry, " a song, 

 a song!" one adding, by way of rider, " and let's have a jolly coalbox 

 to it!" Incontinent, a question arose in my mind whether a toper's song 

 be really worth any thing without a chorus. I have often noticed its bliss- 

 ful effects in increasing good humour, and how mightily it favours the 

 honest endeavours of the singer to please his hearers ; for who can help 

 applauding a chaunt, in the hubbub of which his own lungs have been so 

 powerfully exerted ? But before I could settle the question aye or no, 

 enter the spouse of one of my consociates an actual Coalheaveress 

 on an errand. Here was an opportunity for display of gallantry, and it 

 was not lost. Their attentions were all on the alert in a moment. One 

 poured out cordial gin for her; another made room, and insisted she should 

 sit down ; others filled both her hands with pewters of beer till she was 

 distracted with choices. She stood for one delicious moment, in pleased 

 bewilderment and happy hesitation as inactive, for the time, as the ass of 

 the logicians between his two bundles of hay. 



This interruption in the flow of affairs once past, " the fun grew fast 

 and furious." The first call was answered by my friend the wag; and 

 his song was something about crossing " the wide ocean for to chase the 

 buffalo." One reason why I have remembered the burden of it possibly 

 is, because I thought at the time the idea expressed somewhat of the least 

 patriotic; but the song that succeeded made an ample amends, by its 

 redeeming anti-Gallican qualities. The latter was sung by a thick-set, 

 brawny, husky-voiced, under-sized man, who looked as if he had been 

 newly dug out of the bowels of the earth, and who performed the promise 

 of Bottom to the very letter. " I will roar you as gently as any sucking- 

 dove." The chorus is all I can recollect ; it ran tk somehow so :" 



" For no rebel Frenchmen, sans-culottes, 



Or sons of tyrants bold, 

 Shall conquer the English, Irish, or Scots, 



Or land upon our co o oast, 



Or land upon our coast." 



A petty spirit of criticism might point out a slight dissociation of rhyme 

 from reason in this nervous lyric ; but as it was given with befitting spirit, 

 this trifling flaw was no ways perceptible at the time. " The harmony" 

 I use the established erroneous phrase went on unceasingly ; and muchp 

 very much hot breath was turned into good melody; insomuch that 1 

 began to quake for my character at my lodgings ; and as a good name is 

 better than riches, I determined to seize the first opportunity that offered of 

 slipping away unperceived not knowing but that the ceremony of taking 

 leave here might be as tiresome as an ambassador's at court ; and 1 had, 

 moreover, now seen enough of the real nature of these excellent people to 

 establish favourable ideas of them in ray heart of hearts firmly and for 

 ever. I could not miss observing that the landlord of the house was the 



