Hold thy breath lightly, while I outpour to thee, in gentle diction, my
prediction of events. Behold the Hieroglyphic Interpreter of the symbols
of the present and the future; and what a _posse_ of things—both _in
posse_ and _in esse_—it closes and discloses under its mystic mantle.
Imagine thyself, for a moment, like the topmost sails of some goodly
vessel,—the moon-raker—the star-gazer—the sky-scraper of the
Firm-i-meant; and peruse what my prophecy doth, by a ruse, foretel. See
the signs of my designs. Now, high in the mid-heaven, behold _Albertus
Sagittarius_ as the Cupid Archer, driving his love-dart through the
window of that constellatory hotel, known in great and little Britain by
the sign of the _Virgo_ and _Crown_. Behold the _Miss_ is _hit_. This is
portentous of hymen; but other high men, lo! are typified in those
dejected falling stars, pursuing their downward decadence from the
court-yard of the palatial Inn. Now, then, shall marriage spread wide
its pinions among people of all opinions, and the cord of con-cord shall
be tied. See that gorgeous hecatomb of _hearts_, which the young _trump,
Love_, fires and inspires with fame and flame. He, behold, is the
rightful Duke of _Victoria; husbanding_ his resources, and yet setting
the tide of conquest through the world. Baby linen becomes shortly at a
premium, and my art foresees a prevalence of _Sun_ and _Air_!
_Whirled_ into fire, see the political _world_, and _ire_ burst from the
soil of _Ire_-land. In fancy, I behold the flames, now in _in_-fancy,
mount and swell. Jack _Frost_ sits melancholy mad, and burns his fingers
by the blaze he essays to raise; but there are other _Jacks_ that want
_roasting_, which the courteous Reader will _smoke_. The _broils_ are
not over; and, though the fierceness of the fire of politics will not
evaporate the Thames, yet, from Westminster to the Tower, it shall send
forth a _hissing noise_.
But sit thou lightly on thy throne, Victoria! for the tumult shall be
_tumultum in parvo_; and thy people, convinced that it was _infra dig._
to abandon the _spade_ for the pike, and assume the habits of the
_rake_, will leave the fields of speculation for those of agriculture;
and their sons and daughters, emulating thy good example, will betake
them to arts of _husband_ry, cast away their _divisions_ for
_multiplication_, and thus enjoy the Irish _sunshine_ of a genial
_reign_.