Tally ho to the Fox

‘On June 27, 1806, Scott wrote his “Health to Lord Melville”, the Tory governing spirit of Scotland, whom the Whigs were impeaching.  James Ballantyne sang this lay at a public dinner on Lord Melville’s acquittal.  The Princess of Wales was saluted in this song, which contained the words “Tally ho to the Fox” (C.J. Fox).  This does not appear an amazing indiscretion, in a parcel of party verses, but the Whigs were greatly shocked…’

Walter Scott’s Tory sentiment is evident in the text above, which comes from Andrew Lang’s “Sir Walter Scott”.  Whig Charles James Fox did not last much past June of 1806, dying the following September (13^th).  Fox was opposed to the war with Napoleon, who he met three times in 1798.  Fox was, therefore, at odds with William Pitt (the younger) who had pushed for war with France.  Pitt died earlier, in January of the same year.