The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 45
It Would not do Now
It Would not do Now.
The Rev. R. W. Vanderkiste, of Sydney, whose welcome contribution appears in another page of the Year Book, writes:—" I can distinctly remember fifty years ago, and I remember one thing amongst others, which much impresses me with the good the temperance reformation has effected. I remember, almost as well as if it occurred yesterday, there stood a man in the streets of London, singing a song, and there stood I in the crowd gaping and listening, instead of hurrying off to school. And whatever do you think he was singing as he offered the printed song and many others, ever and anon for only a ha'penny? Well it was about one
' John Brown, a farmer, and highly respectable,
Always in spirits, and never dejectable;
One of those men who would never annoy himself.
But with his pipe and his glass would enjoy himself.'
As the song went on, the teetotallers got hold of John Brown and persuaded him to sign the pledge. From this time his misery and failure in every way commenced. At last he died, and a post-mortem took place; and as the song expressed it:—
'They opened his body, and there besides blowgalls,
Found his inside was stuffed full of tea-leaves and snowballs.'
Then the crowd would hold out their halfpence and become the possessors of this very popular song. Now, such a song would not prove a paying speculation at all. Thanks to the Divine blessing on the information spread by the temperance reformation since I was a little boy."