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1810.3
The Disastrous Administration
Anon
The Morning Chronicle (February 19, 1810)
Oh! for disasters, JOHN BULL loves disasters,
Without them he'd never be mellow,
Then grant us disasters, and very bad masters,
To make him a fine happy fellow.
When Cintra Convention[1]
was made, it was thought
By some grave thinking codgers of State,
That JOHN would feel sore, and turn Ministers out—
But he loved them the better for that.
Oh! for disasters, &c.
&c.
An Inquiry was made, our honour to save,
But it proved, that things went as they should
do,
That Sir ARTHUR was bold, and Sir HARRY was brave,
And DALRYMPLE did all that he could do.[2]
Oh! for disasters, &c.
&c.
Next they sent gallant MOORE[3]
with an army so good,
To beat BONAPARTE in Spain,
But as they forget to supply it with food,
The army was marched back again.
Oh! for disasters, &c.
&c.
But 'twas thought that Sir ARTHUR was abler than MOORE,
And to fight had a far better mind;
So he fought and he conquer'd—and fled as before,
And left half his army behind.[4]
Oh! for disasters, &c.
&c.
Thus PERCEVAL finding, the worse he succeeded
The more he was praised by JOHN BULL,
Determined to please us as much as we needed,
And at Walcheren gave us our full,
Oh! for disasters, &c.
&c.
Again we inquire, and again we shall see,
That all things went just as they ought,
That the Minister's plan was as wise as could be,
And that CHATHAM most gallantly fought.[5]
Oh! for disasters, &c. &c.
Since then we're more pleased, the more we're annoyed,
God send, that we all may be undone,
That our navy be sunk, and our army destroyed,
And BONY be master of London,
Oh! for disasters! JOHN BULL loves disasters,
Without them he'd never be mellow,
Then grant us disasters, and very bad masters,
And make him a fine merry fellow.