Part 17 (1/2)

Attend while I _sings,_ how, in ev'ry station, Masquerading is practised throughout ev'ry nation: Some mask for mere pleasure, but many we know, To lick in the _rhino,_ false faces will show. [1]

Tol de rol, etc.

III

Twig counsellors jabb'ring 'bout justice and law, Cease greasing their fist and they'll soon cease their jaw; [2]

And patriots, 'bout freedom will kick up a riot, Till their ends are all gain'd, and their jaws then are quiet.

Tol de rol, etc.

IV

Twig methodist phizzes, with mask sanctimonious, [3]

Their rigs prove to judge that their phiz is erroneous. [4]

Twig lank-jaws, the miser, that skin-flint old elf, From his long meagre phiz, who'd think he'd the pelf.

Tol de rol, etc.

V

Twig levees, they're made up of time-_sarving_ faces, With fawning and flatt'ring for int'rest and places; And ladies appear too at court and elsewhere, In borrow'd complexions, false shapes, and false hair.

Tol de rol, etc.

VI

Twig clergyman--but as there needs no more proof My chaunt I _concludes_, and shall now pad the hoof; [5]

So n.o.bles and gents, lug your counterfeits out, I'll take brums or cut ones, and thank you to boot.

Tol de rol, etc.

[1money]

[2bribing]

[3See]

[4methods]

[5walk away]

THE FLASH MAN OF ST. GILES [Notes]

[b. 1790]

[From _The Busy Bee_].

I was a flash man of St. Giles, [1]

And I fell in love with Nelly Stiles; And I padded the hoof for many miles [2]

To show the strength of my flame: In the Strand, and at the Admiralty, She pick'd up the flats as they pa.s.s'd by, [3]

And I mill'd their wipes from their side clye, [4]

And then sung fal de ral t.i.t, t.i.t fal de ral, t.i.t fal de ree, and then sung fal de ral t.i.t!

II

The first time I saw the flaming mot, [5]

Was at the sign of the Porter Pot, I call'd for some purl, and we had it hot, With gin and bitters too!