Knight of the White Elephant of Burmah William McGonagall

God prosper long our noble Queen, And long may she reign! Maclean he tried to shoot her, But it was all in vain. For God He turned the ball aside Maclean aimed at her head; And he felt very angry Because he didn’t shoot her dead. There’s a divinity that hedges a king, And so it does seem, And my opinion is, it has hedged Our most gracious Queen. Maclean must be a madman, Which is obvious to be seen, Or else he wouldn’t have tried to shoot Our most beloved Queen. Victoria is a good Queen, Which all her subjects know, And for that God has protected her From all her deadly foes. She is noble and generous, Her subjects must confess; There hasn’t been her equal Since the days of good Queen Bess. Long may she be spared to roam Among the bonnie Highland floral, And spend many a happy day In the palace of Balmoral. Because she is very kind To the old women there, And allows them bread, tea, and sugar, And each one to get a share. And when they know of her coming, Their hearts feel overjoy’d, Because, in general, she finds work For men that’s unemploy’d. And she also gives the gipsies money While at Balmoral, I’ve been told, And, mind ye, seldom silver, But very often gold. I hope God will protect her By night and by day, At home and abroad, When she’s far away. May He be as a hedge around her, As He’s been all along, And let her live and die in peace Is the end of my song.

All hail to the Rev. George Gilfillan of Dundee, He is the greatest preacher I did ever hear or see. He is a man of genius bright, And in him his congregation does delight, Because they find him to be honest and plain, Affable in temper, and seldom known to complain. He preaches in a plain straightforward way, The people flock to hear him night and day, And hundreds from the doors are often turn’d away, Because he is the greatest preacher of the present day. He has written the life of Sir Walter Scott, And while he lives he will never be forgot, Nor when he is dead, Because by his admirers it will be often read; And fill their minds with wonder and delight, And wile away the tedious hours on a cold winter’s night. He has also written about the Bards of the Bible, Which occupied nearly three years in which he was not idle, Because when he sits down to write he does it with might and main, And to get an interview with him it would be almost vain, And in that he is always right, For the Bible tells us whatever your hands findeth to do, Do it with all your might. Rev. George Gilfillan of Dundee, I must conclude my muse, And to write in praise of thee my pen does not refuse, Nor does it give me pain to tell the world fearlessly, that when You are dead they shall not look upon your like again.