Afterwards she goes to the _Hotel de Veal_, and buys some _sieve_
jars to keep _popery_ in.
Hook was a strong Tory, and some of his best humour was political. One
of his squibs has been sometimes attributed to Lord Palmerston.
"Fair Reform, Celestial maid!
Hope of Britons! Hope of Britons!
Calls her followers to aid;
She has fit ones, she has fit ones!
They would brave in danger's day,
Death to win her! Death to win her;
If they met not by the way,
Michael's dinner! Michael's dinner!"
Alluding to a dinner-party which kept several Members from the House on
the occasion of an important division.
Among his political songs may be reckoned "The Invitation" (from one of
the Whig patronesses of the Lady's Fancy Dress Ball,)
"Come, ladies, come, 'tis now the time for capering,
Freedom's flag at Willis's is just unfurled,
We, with French dances, will overcome French vapouring,
And with ice and Roman punch amaze the world;
There's I myself, and Lady L----, you'll seldom meet a rummer set,
With Lady Grosvenor, Lady Foley, and her Grace of Somerset,
While Lady Jersey fags herself, regardless of the bustle, ma'am,
With Lady Cowper, Lady Anne, and Lady William Russell, ma'am.
Come, ladies, come, &c."
There is a sort of polite social satire running through Theodore Hook's
works, but it does not exhibit any great inventive powers.
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