Ii

The public felt no great surprise When Cicero Brick did advertise A course of lectures--five or six,-- O, what a notion of Cicero Brick’s!

St. James’s Hall, in Regent Street, For these orations he said was meet; The first oration that he spoke Two dozen heard it--what a joke!

The next time ten, the next time four, And then the public came no more; But Cicero Brick--this who shall blame?-- Spoke the oration all the same.

“Read my advertisement,” quoth he, “And tell me what you in it see About the oration’s being heard! It says, ‘delivered.’ I keep my word!”