Then France rolls out rough words across the strait: "To treat
with you confederate with the Tsar,

II

"Presumes us sunk in sloughs of shamefulness from which we yet
stand gloriously afar!

I

"The English army must be Flanders-fed, and entering Picardy with
pompous prance,

II

"To warrant such! Enough. Our comfort is, the crime of further
strife lies not with France."

SPIRIT OF THE PITIES

Alas! what prayer will save the struggling lands,
Whose lives are ninepins to these bowling hands?

CHORUS OF RUMOURS

France secretly with--Russia plights her troth!
Britain, that lonely isle, is slurred by both.

SPIRIT SINISTER

It is as neat as an uncovered check at chess! You may now mark
Fox's blank countenance at finding himself thus rewarded for the
good turn done to Bonaparte, and at the extraordinary conduct of
his chilly friend the Muscovite.

SPIRIT OF THE PITIES

His hand so trembles it can scarce retain
The quill wherewith he lets Lord Yarmouth know
Reserve is no more needed!

SPIRIT IRONIC

Now enters another character of this remarkable little piece--Lord
Lauderdale--and again the messengers fly!

SPIRIT OF THE PITIES

But what strange figure, pale and noiseless, comes,
By us perceived, unrecognized by those,
Into the very closet and retreat
Of England's Minister?

SPIRIT OF THE YEARS

The Tipstaff he
Of the Will, the Many-masked, my good friend Death.--
The statesman's feeble form you may perceive
Now hustled into the Invisible,
And the unfinished game of Dynasties
Left to proceed without him!

SPIRIT OF THE PITIES

Here, then, ends
My hope for Europe's reason-wrought repose!
He was the friend of peace--did his great best
To shed her balms upon humanity;
And now he's gone! No substitute remains.

SPIRIT IRONIC

Ay; the remainder of the episode is frankly farcical. Negotiations
are again affected; but finally you discern Lauderdale applying for
passports; and the English Parliament declares to the nation that
peace with France cannot be made.

RUMOURS [concluding]

I

The smouldering dudgeon of the Prussian king, meanwhile, upon the
horizon's rim afar

II

Bursts into