Author: William Young

Publication: A New Song on the Spirit of the Times

Publication type: Broadside

Featured individuals:
King William IV (1765-1837)
Henry Brougham (1778-1868)
Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey (1764-1845)
Joseph Hume (1777-1855)
Robert Peel (1788-1850)
John Russell, 1st Earl Russell (1792-1878)
John Spencer, Viscount Althorp (1782-1845)
Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington (1769-1852)
Charles Wetherell (1770-1846)

No full copy of this poem is available.

This poem has a set tune, and its title is:
Johnny Cope.

Archive/Library: National Library of Scotland
Classmark(s): RB.l.54(42); ABS.10.206.02(12)

This poem is written, we are told, by 'Widow William Young' of Hawick, aged 70 years.  This poem commends the pro-Reform Whigs and the broadly pro-Reform King on their efforts and repeatedly states that they should be applauded by Caledonia.  That said, the poem does also note that 'old England and Ireland too / determinedly Reform pursue'.  The Tories are then attacked from trying to claw 'rights from Caledonia'.  A date is handwritten on the poem 'August 1832' but it is not clear if this relates to publication or not - most likely, it would have been published around this time as the speaker does adopt a celebratory tone, and the Reform Bill had just passed.