The only art her guilt to cover, FROM THE ORATORIO OF THE CAPTIVITY. SONG. THE wretch condeman'd with life to part, Still, still on hope relies ; And every pang that rends the heart, Bids expectation rise. Hope, like the glimm'ring taper's light, And still, as darker grows the night, SONG. MEMORY! thou fond deceiver, And turning all the past to pain; Thou, like the world, the opprest oppressing, THE CLOWN'S REPLY. JOHN TROTT was disired by two witty peers, To tell them the reason why asses had ears; An't please you," quoth John, "I'm not given to letters, Nor dare I pretend to know more than my betters, Howe'er from this time I shall ne'er see your graces, As I hope to be sav'd, without thinking on asses. EPITAPH ON EDWARD PURDON.* HERE lise poor NED PURDON, from misery free'd, Who long was a bookseller's hack: *This gentleman was educated at Trinity College, Dublin: but having wasted his patrimony, he enilsted as a footsoldier Growing tired of that employment, be obta ned his discharge, and became a scribbler in the newspapers. He translated Voltaire's HENRY RETALIATION:* A POEM. OF old, when Scarron his companions invited, Each guest brought his dish, and the feast was united; If our flandlord supplies us with beef, and with fish, Let each guest bring himself, and he brings the best dish: Our Dean shall be venison, just fresh from the plains; Our Burke shall be tongue, with the garnish of brains; His *Dr. Goldsmith and some of his friends occasionally dined at St. James's Coffee-house.....One day it was proposed to write epitaphs on him. country, dialect, and person furnished subjects of witticism. He was called on for RETALIATION, and at their next meeting produced the following poem. The master of St. James's coffee-house, where the doctor, and the friends he has characterized in this poem,occasionally dined. Doctor Bernard, dean of Derry in Ireland Our *Will shall be wild fowl, of excellent flavour, And Dick with his pepper shall heighten the savour: Our Cumberland's sweet-bread its place shall obtain, And Douglas is pudding, substantial and plain, Our **Garrick's a sallad; for in him we see Oil, vinegar, sugar, and saltness agree: To make out the dinner, full certain I am, That Ridge is an anchovy, and ‡‡Reynolds is lamb; That SSHickey's a capon, and, by the same rule, * Mr. William Burke, late Secretary to General Conway, and Member of Bedwin. Mr Richard Burke, collector of Grenada. Mr. Richard Cumberland, author of the West Indian, Fashionable Lover, the Brothers and various other productions. $ Doctor Douglass, Canon of Windsor, (now biskop of Salisbury) an ingenious Scotch gentleman, whe has no less distinguished himself as a citizen of the world, than a sound critic, in detecting several literary mistakes (or rather forgeries) of his countrymen; particularly Lauder on Milton, and Bower's History of the Popes. **David Garrick, Esq. tt Councellor John Ridge, a gentleman belonging to the Irish bar. ++ Sir Joshua Reynolds. $$ An eminent attorney. Here, waiter, more wine, let me sit while I'm able, Till all my companions sink under the table; Then with chaos and blunders ́encircling my head, Let me ponder, and tell what I think of the dead. Here lies the good *Dean, reunited to earth Who mix'd reason with pleasure, and wisdom with mirth; If he has any faults, he has left us in doubt, 'em, That sly boots was cursedly cunning to hide 'em. Here lies our good *Edmund, whose genius was such, We scarcely can praise it, or blame it too much; Who, born for the universe, narrow'd his mind, And to party gave up what was meant for mankind. Though fraught with all learning, yet straining his throat, To persuade Tommy Townshend to lend him a vote; Who, too deep for his hearers, still went on refining, And thought of convincing, while they thought of dining; * Vide page 89. † Vide page 89. + Mr. T. Townshend, member of Whitchurch. |