Handbill carrying two satirical political poems, 'A New W[h]ig Song, To a Barbarous OLD Tune.' and 'The Ballad of the Burgesses, To BOBBING ADAIR. | Tune - "ROBIN ADAIR." '

Two pages, printed on the recto of the first leaf and verso of the second of a yellow wove-paper bifolium. Leaf dimensions 22.5 x 14.5 cm. Grubby and creased, but with text clear and complete. The first poem, 'A New W[h]ig Song', begins 'In our town there's a street, with a chapel and shop, | Where a gay pole once hoisted of late is let drop, | There a fam'd Barber deals with his w(h)ig as he wills, | From full bottom'd P----r to little scratch M--ls.' References to 'shot-yellow A---r [Adair]' and 'M----y, the close button'd Barber'. The second poem, 'The Ballad of the Burgesses', begins 'With W-s why walk you - Bobbing Adair? | With M-y why walk you - Bobbing Adair? | How does Jeremiah do? | L-g, C-l, N-t, too, | Why don't they walk with you - Bobbing Adair?' Asks 'Shall we follow John Bright? | Broad-sconc'd Quaker torch-light, | With "Republic" in sight' and 'Shall we vote for John King? | Who has stript for the ring, | And goes against every thing'. The subject of the poem is more likely to be Robert than Sir Hugh Adair. From the context and typography the item probably dates from the 1850s. Scarce: no copy on COPAC or WorldCat.