His horse, who never in that sort Had handled been before, Away went Gilpin, neck or naught; He little dreamt, when he set out, The wind did blow, the cloak did fly, Then might all people well discern A bottle swinging at each side, The dogs did bark, the children screamed, Up flew the windows all; And every soul cried out, "Well done!" As loud as he could bawl. Away went Gilpin - who but he? His fame soon spread around; "He carries weight!" "He rides a race!" ""Tis for a thousand pound!" And still as fast as he drew near, And now, as he went bowing down Down ran the wine into the road, Most piteous to be seen, Which made his horse's flanks to smoke As they had basted been. But still he seemed to carry weight, With leathern girdle braced; For all might see the bottle necks Still dangling at his waist. Thus all through merry Islington, And here he threw the Wash about, At Edmonton, his loving wife Her tender husband, wondering much To see how he did ride. "Stop, stop, John Gilpin! Here's the house!" They all at once did cry; "The dinner waits, and we are tired: " Said Gilpin- "So am I!” But yet his horse was not a whit For why? - his owner had a house So like an arrow swift he flew So did he fly - which brings me to Away went Gilpin, out of breath, The calender, amazed to see His neighbor in such trim, "What news? what news? your tidings tell, Tell me you must and shall- Or why you come at all?" Whence straight he came with hat and wig A wig that flowed behind, A hat not much the worse for wear, He held them up, and in his turn, "But let me scrape the dirt away Said John," It is my wedding day, So turning to his horse, he said, "I am in haste to dine; "Twas for your pleasure you came here, You shall go back for mine." Ah! luckless speech, and bootless boast, For while he spake, a braying ass Did sing most loud and clear; Whereat his horse did snort, as he And galloped off with all his might, Away went Gilpin, and away Now Mistress Gilpin, when she saw Into the country far away, She pulled out half a crown; And thus unto the youth she said, That drove them to the Bell, "This shall be yours, when you bring back My husband safe and well." The youth did ride, and soon did meet Whom in a trice he tried to stop But not performing what he meant, Away went Gilpin, and away Went postboy at his heels, The postboy's horse right glad to miss Six gentlemen upon the road, Thus seeing Gilpin fly, With postboy scampering in the rear, They raised the hue and cry:— "Stop thief! stop thief!- a highwayman!" Not one of them was mute; And all and each that passed that way Did join in the pursuit. And now the turnpike gates again Flew open in short space; The tollmen thinking as before, That Gilpin rode a race. And so he did, and won it too, Nor stopped till where he had got up He did again get down. Now let us sing Long live the King, And Gilpin, long live he; And when he next doth ride abroad, MISCHIEFS OF THE ANTI-USURIOUS LAWS. BY JEREMY BENTHAM. (From the "Defence of Usury.") [JEREMY BENTHAM, a great English jurist and social philosopher, was born at London in 1748; graduated from Queen's College, Oxford; was called to the bar, but gave up practice for literature, inheriting a fortune in 1792 which enabled him to work independently. His working out of utilitarianism has had enormous influence on all later speculation and much practical legislation. He wrote, among other things, "Fragment on Government" (1776), "Defence of Usury" (1786), "Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation (1789), “Rationale of Judicial Evidence" (1827), “The Constitutional Code" (1830).] IN THE preceding letters, I have examined all the modes I can think of, in which the restraints imposed by the laws against usury can have been fancied to be of service. I hope it appears by this time, that there are no ways in which those laws can do any good. But there are several, in which they cannot but do mischief. The first I shall mention, is that of precluding so many people altogether from the getting the money they stand in need of, to answer their respective exigencies. Think what a distress it would produce, were the liberty of borrowing denied to everybody; denied to those who have such security to offer, |