Note 8 — MEMOIR OF THEODORE HOOK.
Reading edition
It may seem strange that he should have been capable of thus making sport to the Philistines out of his own calamity and disgrace; but it is stranger still that he is said to have in fact adopted some hints from a version of Allan's suicide, which found favour with the lowest only of his political haters, and the circulation of which in a street broadside had seemed to give him very serious annoyance. We quote some verses of this doggrel, just to show that Hook had to take as well as give:—
"Then Hook says to Allan, 'We're blown, my poor nigger, We at last are found out to be loose in the figure; We have sacked it and spent it, and cannot repay, So let's e'en hop the twig in the old Roman way!' 'O massa!' says Allan, 'whatever you do, It will comfort my heart to accompany you. That there grog at the governor's! O, what a goose! Which is best, steel or lead, or a drop of the juice?' 'First a drop of the juice this here bottle contains— And then barkers, like gemmen, to blow out our brains! Here they are, fill your glass, to that bed-room retire— Make ready, present, and when mine goes off—fire!' Humble Allan then manfully emptied his glass, And with pistol on cock to the bed-room did pass; In a moment he heard massa's bang, and the nigger In his mouth clapp'd the muzzle and drew back the trigger. Then the beaks tumbled in, black and bistre and yellow, And found Hook in great horror beside the poor fellow. His own bullet of course perforated the floor— And the peacher could now be cross-questioned no more."