A Treat for the London Poor

From St. Paul’s Cathedral the return journey will be by way of Cheapside, London-bridge, the Borough, St. George’s Circus, Westminster-bridge, and back to the palace. The poorer classes on the south side of the water will thus have an opportunity of seeing their Sovereign and witnessing the day’s spectacle. — Melb. Argus.

They will troop in loyal thousands from the putrid purlieus where Foul Disease and Crime and Famine have their pestilential lair; They will crawl from fetid alley, they will creep from courts obscene, When they hear the joyous tidings of the passing of their Queen.
 * She has reigned—aloft, sublime—
 * Sixty years—let joy-bells chime!

And these God-forgotten wretches were her subjects all the time!

They are hungry; they are ragged; they are gaunt and hollow-eyed; But their frowsy bosoms palpitate with fine oldcBritish pride; And they’ll belt their rags in tighter, and they’ll hoarsely cry “Hooray!” When their good Queen’s circus passes on Sexagenary Day.
 * O the thunder of the drums,
 * And the cry of “Here she comes!”

Will be better than a breakfast to the natives of the slums.

All their woes will be forgotten on that ever-blessed day When they see the Kings and Princes and the Lords in broad array, Clad in brand-new dazzling uniforms with golden lace agleam— O their Hunger and their Misery will vanish like a dream!
 * Lust of eye, and pride of life,
 * In that pageant will run rife,

And “The Dials,” drunk with joy, at night will dance upon its wife.

Sixty years their gracious Queen has reigned a-holding up the sky, And a-bringing round the seasons, hot and cold, and wet and dry; And in all that time she’s never done a deed deserving gaol— So let joy-bells ring out madly and Delirium prevail!
 * O her Poor will blessings pour
 * On their Queen whom they adore;

When she blinks with puffy eyes at them they’ll hunger nevermore.