dining-room; on horseback, as at Trafalgar Square, for example, where
I defy any monarch to look more uncomfortable. He turns up in sundry
memoirs and histories which have been published of late days; in Mr.
Massey's "History;" in the "Buckingham and Grenville Correspondence;"
and gentlemen who have accused a certain writer of disloyalty are
referred to those volumes to see whether the picture drawn of George is
overcharged. Charon has paddled him off; he has mingled with the crowded
republic of the dead. His effigy smiles from a canvas or two. Breechless
he bestrides his steed in Trafalgar Square. I believe he still wears his
robes at Madame Tussaud's (Madame herself having quitted Baker Street
and life, and found him she modelled t'other side the Stygian stream).
On the head of a five-shilling piece we still occasionally come upon
him, with St. George, the dragon-slayer, on the other side of the
coin. Ah me! did this George slay many dragons? Was he a brave, heroic
champion, and rescuer of virgins? Well! well! have you and I overcome
all the dragons that assail US? come alive and victorious out of all the
caverns which we have entered in life, and succored, at risk of life
and limb, all poor distressed persons in whose naked limbs the dragon
Poverty is about to fasten his fangs, whom the dragon Crime is poisoning
with his horrible breath, and about to crunch up and devour? O my royal
liege! O my gracious prince and warrior! YOU a champion to fight that
monster? Your feeble spear ever pierce that slimy paunch or plated back?
See how the flames come gurgling out of his red-hot brazen throat! What
a roar! Nearer and nearer he trails, with eyes flaming like the lamps of
a railroad engine. How he squeals, rushing out through the darkness
of his tunnel! Now he is near. Now he is HERE. And now--what?--lance,
shield, knight, feathers, horse and all? O horror, horror! Next day,
round the monster's cave, there lie a few bones more. You, who wish to
keep yours in your skins, be thankful that you are not called upon to go
out and fight dragons. Be grateful that they don't sally out and swallow