the peasantry of Scotland. His Corn-law Rhymes contributed not a
little to that overwhelming tide of popular opinion and feeling
which resulted in the repeal of the tax on bread. Well has the
eloquent author of The Reforms and Reformers of Great Britain said
of him, "Not corn-law repealers alone, but all Britons who moisten
their scanty bread with the sweat of the brow, are largely indebted
to his inspiring lay, for the mighty bound which the laboring mind
of England has taken in our day."

Hands off! thou tithe-fat plunderer! play
No trick of priestcraft here!
Back, puny lordling! darest thou lay
A hand on Elliott's bier?
Alive, your rank and pomp, as dust,
Beneath his feet he trod.

He knew the locust swarm that cursed
The harvest-fields of God.
On these pale lips, the smothered thought
Which England's millions feel,
A fierce and fearful splendor caught,
As from his forge the steel.
Strong-armed as Thor, a shower of fire
His smitten anvil flung;
God's curse, Earth's wrong, dumb Hunger's ire,
He gave them all a tongue!

Then let the poor man's horny hands
Bear up the mighty dead,
And labor's swart and stalwart bands