KNIGHTS OF BOMBASTES.
WE noticed, last week, the vast increase of late in the number of Knights. There is one order, however, which bids fair in point of number soon to overtop the whole of the rest; we allude to the order of Bombastes, so called from its patron saint. The crest is a cur, with his teeth deracinate, his tail retorted, and the motto of the saint, issuant from his mouth,—"Bow-wow-wow." The first and most valiant of the Knights of this noble Order is the Marquis of Polyfioisbos. This nobleman, when clad in the full insignia of the order, is very terrible to behold. Ile has been known to challenge a Lord Chancellor on the woolsack ; and only a few days ago, he alarmed a whole array of elderly ladies and waiting gentlemen with gold sticks, by thundering the motto of St. Bombastes in the ears of the King himself. The next Knight, in respect of merit, a soldier, is as famous for his "solid jaw" as the noble Marquis is for his "slack jaw." The exploits of this second Knight have hitherto been confined to the Lower House of Parliament; where he has on several occasions bow-wowed with great vigour and effect. The last-dubbed Knight is a person of great versatility of talent,—poet, orator, historian, editor, critic—quarterly, monthly, weekly, daily—nothing comes amiss to him. His acquaintances call him Lord Penny-a-lineem; but the insinuation in the title is unfounded, it being a well-known fact, that his regular charge is three halfpence a line. This gentleman has been long an aspirant for the honours of Bombastes ; and in his management of clerks and subalterns, of which he has had great experience during the last twenty years, he has practised the bow-wow style so sedulously, that he is now as perfect in it as the 'Marquis himself. He gave the first specimen of his powers, subsequent to his knighthood, on Monday last; when he hurled a bow-wow across the table of the House of Commons at a young gentleman from the borough of Liverpuddle, that almost scared him out of his wits. Although there can be no reasonable doubt of the honour and valour of the Knights of Bombastes, yet, we grieve to say it, in- sinuations have been circulated which bring both into question-
" Still Envy Merit as its shade pursues."
It has been whispered, that the bow-wowing of these great men is—shall we write it?—" all my eye ;" that the watchword of Bombastes and the invocation of St. Martin are on a par; and that if the valiant Knights had really a mind to prove the value of their arguments by the sharpness of their weapons, they would be more careful of delivering messages in the hearing of those who were sure to intercept their effects. The calumny, we assert upon authority, is unfounded. The Knights of Bombastes are valiant knights, and the world will have speedy and ample proof of it. The next time that one of them is compelled by the insults, whe- ther of Lord or of Commoner, to utter the terrible bow-wow, it has been ordered that an immediate adjournment shall take place to the Speaker's Garden, and that the quarrel shall be settled there an a regular manner, without let or molestation. Sir Realm
PEEL is to see fair play ; and Sir CHARLES WETHERELL, who has experience in such matters, is to keep the lists, and take care that none of the Knights run away. When an accident occurs, Captain GORDON emmgages to read, 1hr the edification of the House, a chap- ter from the Lamentatiens, without note or continent ; and Mr. PERCEIA r. stands pledged to fast twenty-four hours for every man that Nis.
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