Limited Liability
SOME seven men form an Association(If possible, all Peers and Baronets),They start off with a public declarationTo what extent they mean to pay their debts.That’s called their Capital: if they are waryThey will not quote it at a sum immense.The figure’s immaterial—it may varyFrom eighteen million down to eighteenpence.I should put it rather low;The good sense of doing soWill be evident at once to any debtor.When it’s left to you to sayWhat amount you mean to pay,Why, the lower you can put it at, the better.
They then proceed to trade with all who’ll trust ’em,Quite irrespective of their capital(It’s shady, but it’s sanctified by custom);Bank, Railway, Loan, or Panama Canal.You can’t embark on trading too tremendous—It’s strictly fair, and based on common sense—If you succeed, your profits are stupendous—And if you fail, pop goes your eighteenpence.Make the money-spinner spin!For you only stand to win,And you’ll never with dishonesty be twitted.For nobody can know,To a million or so,To what extent your capital’s committed!
If you come to grief, and creditors are craving(For nothing that is planned by mortal headIs certain in this Vale of Sorrow—savingThat one’s Liability is Limited),—Do you suppose that signifies perdition?If so you’re but a monetary dunce—You merely file a Winding-Up Petition,And start another Company at once!Though a Rothschild you may beIn your own capacity,As a Company you’ve come to utter sorrow—But the Liquidators say,“Never mind—you needn’t pay,”So you start another Company to-morrow!