1800.7
The Fruits of the War
“Shillelagh”
The Spirit of the Public Journals, III (1800), pp. 112-113,
reprinted from TheMorning Chronicle.

    Says John Bull to Pat,
    What would you be at?
For religion and law we are waging this war:
    With what pleasure we pay,
    Some new tax ev'ry day,
In support of this holy, benevolent war!

    Arrah, Johnny astore,
    You have come down galore
But what are the fruits of this same blessed war?
    Your house burnt and sack'd
    The poor sorely rack'd,
Are these the good fruits of this same holy war?

    A weight of taxation,
    Of grief and vexation,
Are, indeed, my dear Johnny, the fruits of this war.
    Compell'd ev'ry day
    Some new impost to pay,
Is part of the fruit of this excellent war!

    While the rich are all carving,
    The poor are all starving —
Alas, my dear Johnny, what fruits of the war!
    Religion's a fig
    Without the tithe-pig:
Is this, master parson, the fruit of the war?

    Attempt to petition,
    They call it sedition —
To stop the career of this prosperous war;
    And if you but reason,
    Why then 'tis high treason —
And to prison, my boys, till the end of the war!