The Poetry Corner

A Hymn Of Welcome After The Recess.

By Thomas Moore

"animas sapientiores fieri quiescendo." And now-cross-buns and pancakes o'er-- Hail, Lords and Gentlemen, once more! Thrice hail and welcome, Houses Twain! The short eclipse of April-Day Having (God grant it!) past away, Collective Wisdom, shine again! Come, Ayes and Noes, thro' thick and thin,-- With Paddy Holmes for whipper-in,-- Whate'er the job, prepared to back it; Come, voters of Supplies--bestowers Of jackets upon trumpet-blowers, At eighty mortal pounds the jacket![1] Come--free, at length, from Joint-Stock cares-- Ye Senators of many Shares, Whose dreams of premium knew no boundary; So fond of aught like Company, That you would even have taken tea (Had you been askt) with Mr. Goundry.[2] Come, matchless country-gentlemen; Come, wise Sir Thomas--wisest then When creeds and corn-lords are debated; Come, rival even the Harlot Red, And show how wholly into bread A 'Squire is transubstantiated, Come, Lauderdale, and tell the world, That--surely as thy scratch is curled As never scratch was curled before-- Cheap eating does more harm than good, And working-people spoiled by food, The less they eat, will work the more. Come, Goulburn, with thy glib defence (Which thou'dst have made for Peter's Pence) Of Church-rates, worthy of a halter; Two pipes of port (old port, 'twas said By honest Newport)[3] bought and paid By Papists for the Orange Altar![4] Come, Horton, with thy plan so merry For peopling Canada from Kerry-- Not so much rendering Ireland quiet, As grafting on the dull Canadians That liveliest of earth's contagions, The bull-pock of Hibernian riot! Come all, in short, ye wondrous men Of wit and wisdom, come again; Tho' short your absence, all deplore it-- Oh, come and show, whate'er men say, That you can after April-Day, Be just as--sapient as before it.