Page:Poets of John Company.djvu/111

As Bob, your eldest born, alas! his cash at Rouge et Noir gages,
Let Billy broil in Bundelcund to balance Bobby's mortgages.
Thus, think no more, my friend, of sinecure or chancery,
We'll humanise the Hindoos with our younger sons.

Quick, though be quick, all the youngster's doubts anticipate,
Heat, tigers, liver, cholera, in that far land;
Words, a few words, somewhat plausible will dissipate
Such triflng fears which never in his way should stand:
If you find your rhetoric unequal to effect or do it.
Hold your tongue, and let your friend the I—H—D—r—ct—r do it:
He with glance paternal, which unused to gibe or scoff is, Sir,
Will humbug as sublimely as a trained recruiting officer.
Trust, trust to him (hang your sinecure or chancery,)
He'll dispose to best advantage of a younger son.

Hark! only hark! with what bland and cool complacency
He numbers o'er the blessing of the great C. S.—
Tells what they were, just perhaps by way of decency
Allowing now they may, indeed, be somewhat less;
"Still though credit, fame, rupees, and such like things in millions
Wait for ever on the E—t I—n C—y's civilians:
If, dear Bill, you keep from debt, you soon may see yourself in stone
Immortalised by Chantrey like our great Mountstuart Elphinstone."
Sure, this is better. Sir, than sinecure or chancery,
Thus to gudgeonize at second-hand a younger son!

"Then as to fortune why, convinced of this, dear Bill, I am.
About twelve years will see you home, quite at your ease:
Since, too, we've done away the College of Fort William,
Both marriages and debt are much on the decrease: