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 XIIE 
 
 CELEBRATED 
 
 ETON BOY, 
 
 AND 
 
 SING-SONG PLAY-HOUSE PIGEON. 
 
 TIIEAThlGAL SOIJIB. 
 
 iUbat JtUgin;K 
 
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 A/C33 
 
 THE ETON BOY. 
 
 Little Charles Kean, an Eton Boy, 
 His opening talents tlitl employ 
 In books, and works, and bealtliful joys. 
 And the usual life of Eton boys. 
 
 Master Charles Kean left Eton School, 
 Convinced that he ^Yas born to rule ; 
 And being left bis course to choose. 
 He put his feet in his Fathei-'s shoes. 
 
 " The sock and buskin" urged their claim ; 
 He started on the road to fume ; 
 And the fii'st applause that be fairly won. 
 Was in the part of the dutiful son. 
 
 For twenty years of study and stiife. 
 He toil'd at the work of an Actor's life ; 
 He found the fortune that he sought, 
 Aud gained the height for which he fought. 
 
 Charles Kean was an Actor of high degree, 
 When he married the beauteous Ellen Tree ; 
 Aud he not only know the way to woo. 
 And mamtiji' a Wift.', Imt a Theatre too : 
 
 6:29858
 
 And so, Cliarlos Keaii, The Eton Boy, 
 Eecame tlic Manager of the Roy- 
 -al Oxford Street Theatre, calFd " Pbincess's," 
 And famed for its beautiful scenes and dresses. 
 
 " Our most religious and gracious Queen" 
 Shew'd favour to Mr. and Mrs. Kean, 
 By every means that became her state ; 
 And little Charles Kean grew very great. 
 
 The Wigans and Keeleys came in for their share, 
 With Tlarley, Miss Heath, and Carlotta Leclercq ; 
 And the grace of The Court was attributed, partly, 
 To Wright, and to T. P. Cooke, and Bartley. 
 
 There Royalty sat, in curtaiu'd state ; 
 The Noble and Gentle came (early or late), 
 The general Publick throng'd the Pit, 
 The Clergy of course in Stalls would sit, 
 (Thougli looking rather shy and sinister 
 When seated by a Dissenting Minister) 
 
 Where they heard ev'ry word and they watched ev'ry look, 
 Saw The Actor's best touches, and purchased his Book, 
 Iniprov'd the occasion, exciting the fancy 
 By all that a Clergyman feels that he can see, 
 
 Observed the Tableaux, with the two-legged Dancers, 
 
 The grand Episodes, with the four-legged Prancers, 
 
 And with Dukes, Lords, and Ladies, and Members of Parliament, 
 
 Saw what ]\Iiss Heath, and Carlotta, and Harley meant. 
 
 Charles Kean was Director of Windsor Plays, 
 
 The sovereign Chief of those Festive days ; 
 
 And though his own Sovereign fail'd not to thank her Cliief, 
 
 He made his own Pullick his best pocket handkerchief.
 
 When he perform'il one act, that shows, 
 
 As a grief to his friends, and a jest to his foes : 
 
 " Ah me ! that act" — He was ask'd to play 
 
 (In honour of her Marriage Day), 
 
 When our own Princess was going away ; 
 
 And he snub'd the good Mitchell, and said him nay. 
 
 But the subject is properly brought to a stop 
 By the timely descent of the " One Act Drop." 
 
 Now, larger and larger the " Eton Boy" grew. 
 As Manager — Actor — and Editor too ; 
 For he printed such Notes to the Plays he revived, 
 So deep to the Poet's true meaning he dived. 
 That, by sure degrees, he became nothing less 
 Than an Archaaological xV. S. S. 
 
 •'o*- 
 
 But he long had been going at such a rate. 
 That he found his expenses far too great ; 
 And very reluctantly now confesses 
 He ceases to manage " The Royal Princess's." 
 
 It may be the attraction ceases 
 
 Of Shakspere's gorgeous Easter-Pieces, 
 
 Or that TuK Bard has no more Plays, 
 
 To shew to these culighten'd days 
 
 The sort of thing that the Press will praise : 
 
 Be that as it may : The tawdry stales, 
 
 The tinsel is tarnish'd, the Budc-Light pales. 
 
 And the very remarkably bright career 
 
 Of '• The Ptoyal Princess's" will close this year. 
 
 See ! now the Season's neariy ended, 
 
 The poor Frec-List is guile susi)cndcd, 
 
 And every Play-Bill touchingly speaks 
 
 Of liual arrangements, and " i''ovv Last Weeks."
 
 G 
 
 So, bring the Velvet Curtain down, 
 In style to fascinate the Town ; 
 Autl make, by way of Preparation, 
 A grand Triumphal Demonstration. 
 
 A Banquet's the tiling, 
 
 Charles Kean as the King, 
 
 And I\Irs. Charles Kean 
 
 In the part of the Queen ; 
 Th' attendant Lords by Eton Boys, 
 Who all were born to make some noise ; 
 And to honour the favorite Eton Boy, 
 Bring forth a Titled Hobb-e-de-hoy, 
 Who, having been bred at Eton School, 
 Will kmdly consent the Feast to rule. 
 To flatter the Actor, and play the fool : 
 Arrange a Committee of Schoolboy Elves, 
 And let the Committee commit themselves, 
 By making the ninnies 
 Come down with the guineas ; 
 And then, when they calculate how much the Tin is, 
 
 A grand Presentation 
 
 From friends of all station 
 Shall glorify Ivean in the face of the Nation. 
 
 The Curtain falls. — Again it rises 
 On one of ^Ir. Kean's surprises. 
 As stands the Manager before us, 
 To speak in character, as " Chorus." 
 
 Descend ye Nine — 
 
 Descend, and Dine : 
 Bring actual goblets and real wine ; 
 With delicacies out of season. 
 That may bespeak '" the Feast uf Itcason ; "
 
 And, to promote " tlie flow of Soul," 
 Come on ! my true and trusty Cole. 
 " Open locks. 
 Whoever knocks ? " 
 Potent is tlie good Strong box ; 
 Douhly potent "box and Cox!" 
 In toasts and in speeches, that terrible word, 
 The name of Maceeady shall never be heard, 
 Nor in all to be printed hereafter, be seen 
 The smallest allusion to Court or to Queen, 
 As having assisted at Shakspere Revivals ; 
 As named with The Publick or quoted as rivals ; 
 For that would be " robbing My People and me, 
 And me, most especially " — all will agree. 
 
 Eton Boys rise I no shirking nor shuking ; 
 " Life consists of Eton and drinking :" 
 Fellow-boys, shout ! and Call-boys, call 
 To the Banquet at St. James's Hall, 
 That generous PubUck, who found me small, 
 And made me great, and rich, and tall : 
 John Ox will lead — John Bull will follow. 
 And beat all opposition hollow. 
 
 Ye Band of Brothers, Happy Few, 
 Press-men of the chosen crew 
 Joy attends both rac and you ! 
 Be to the Great Occasion tmc. 
 And chronicle for distant times, 
 In lofty prose and loftier rhymes, 
 How the Etonian Wine-cup flow'd. 
 How the Shakspercan Spirit glow'd 
 At my Historic Emsode.
 
 8 
 
 Tis jiast, " Tjik SYMi>osirM'"s over ami done, 
 Aiul (he Manager's Ending is fairly begun : 
 The Chairman said well what he promised to say, 
 Of " the Popular Boy," as the Guest of the day ; 
 He spoke of the Actor — the Husband— the Friend, 
 Whose management prospers, and draws to its end ; 
 He touch'd on the principal points of his life. 
 He glanced at the charms of his excellent wife, 
 And found a good word for the Royal acclaim. 
 That graced his " Revivals," embellished his fame, 
 And sped the success that attended his name. 
 
 But the " Guest of the day" 
 
 Had nothing to say 
 Of the Lamp that had cheered and illumined his way, 
 
 As night after night, 
 
 So constant and bright, 
 It shone with a steady, diffusive ray ; 
 For Sirs. Charles Kean was presiding alone, 
 With a special " St. James's," and Court of her own, 
 AVhere no other Majesty came " near the throne." 
 
 Now, God bless The Queen, in her love fur the stage. 
 
 And all that may fairly illnstratp tlie Page ; 
 
 The shapes and the scenes that imbody to sight 
 
 The treasures of fancy, to gladden the light ; 
 
 And bless all the words that the Poet designed. 
 
 To strengthen the weak, and enligliten the blind ; 
 
 And let them come in the fulness and force 
 
 That spring from the Fount, and are fed at the Source : 
 
 Unminglcd and free be the stream as it flows. 
 
 Nor tramraell'd by tinsel nor cumber'd with shows.
 
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