206 OLD BOG** 



Btruction to Protestantism did' not ensue from the sanction of the first 

 estate to the legislative enactment in question— and, what is still more 

 wondrous, the Pope remained in Italy, — the Pats observed surprising 

 moderation,— gridirons were not put in requisition to broil a Pro- 

 testant tit-bit, — nor bonfires prepared to scorch the heretical disciples of 

 Martin Luther. But no sooner was this affair so happily determined, 

 and consequently the nervous system of the political Bogyites some- 

 what tranquillised, than the ever-fertile field of pohtics produced another 

 monster, in the^form of the celebrated Russell Purge, alias the Reform 

 Bill — that mighty torch which fired the magazine of Boroughmongering 

 corruption ! If ever any thing merited the appellation of a coup-dc' 

 Bogy, it was the latter. For of all the violent assaults which our hero 

 had, within the last score of years, perpetrated against the disordered 

 imagination of ultra-Toryism, of which he is a perpetual tormentor, 

 none ever inflicted a shock like this, — it seemed as though it were a 

 condensation of terrorism's electric fluid. 



To describe the dismay it produced among those before alluded to 

 would be impossible, if we may judge from their mournful declarations on 

 the subject. Nothing short of chaos and universal ruin was to ensue 

 from this outrageous attack on the constitution — " Let this revolu- 

 tionary measure but pass," exclaimed these faithful disciples of Bogjism, 

 " and the sun of England is set for ever." But in spite of this timely 

 warning, hundreds of heedless men composing the majority were indis- 

 creet enough to act in direct opposition to it. And what has been the 

 result cf this rash proceeding ? Why, that the sun of England has not 

 yet taken its final exit ! Enough has now been stated to show the ex- 

 traordinary connexion existing between Bogy and the affairs of politics. 

 Let us therefore discontinue our description of him in his political capa- 

 city, otherwise it will become a mere summary of public events — a thing 

 entirely foreign to our purpose — nevertheless, it is impossible to refrain 

 from citing his last imposing character in this department, — "The fear- 

 ful crisis." Day after day were we told by the diurnal effusions of po- 

 litical information, that the fearful crisis "had arrived!" — Here was 

 intelligence to provoke gnawing and gnashing of teeth — here was a 

 diabolical attack of newspaper artillery against the nervous system ! In 

 short, it was an atrocious attempt " to fright the isle from its propriety." 

 After waiting, then, in dread suspense and fretful anxiety, for several days, 

 fully expecting to witness the horrors of a national catastrophe, we 



