the taste more than doubtful We cannot, however, leave these examples of misapplied Parody without quoting by far the best specimen we have met with-namely, "Old England's Te Deum," by Sir Charles Hanbury Williams. A form of words consecrated for centuries to religious uses, and in which men have poured forth praise and thanksgiving to their Maker, cannot be parodied without wounding feelings deserving of respect, and shocking hallowed associations, and herein we deem this and all other parodies on such subjects misplaced and inexcusable; but Sir Charles was a wit and a man of fashion of the early part of the last century, and we may be thankful for so clever a specimen of his comic powers, which will as well bear quotation as the following: "We complain of Thee, O King, we acknowledge Thee to be an Hanoverian. "All Hungary doth worship Thee, the Captain Everlasting. "To Thee all Placemen cry aloud, the House of Lords and all the Courtiers therein. "To Thee, Carteret and Bath continually do cry. "Warlike, warlike, warlike Captain General of the Armies! Brunswick and Lunenburgh are full of the brightness of our coin. "The venal companies of Peers praise Thee. "The goodly fellowship of Ministers praise Thee. "The noble Army of Hanoverians praise Thee. "The Holy Bench of Bishops throughout the land doth acknowledge Thee. "Thine honourable, true, and steady son. "O King, spare thy people of England. Day by Day we sing ballads unto Thee. "And we bawl against Hanover, ever world without end. "Vouchsafe, O King, to keep us this year without thy Hanoverians. "The Lord have mercy upon us; the Lord have mercy upon us. "O King, let thy Mercy lighten our Taxes, as our credit should be in Thee," "Parody! Westminster Review. NBH White сор |
