RETALIATION. OF old, when Scarron his companions invited, Each guest brought his dish, and the feast was united: If our landlord * supplies us with beef and with fish, Let each guest bring himself, and he brings the best dish. Our deant shall be venison, just fresh from the plains, Our Burket shall be tongue, with a garnish of brains, Our Will § shall be wild-fowl, of excellent flavour, And Dick with his pepper shall heighten the sa vour: Our Cumberland's ¶ sweet-bread its place shall obtain, And Douglas** is pudding, substantial and plain : The master of St. James's coffee-house, where the doctor, and his friends he has characterised in this poem, occasionally dined. + Doctor Bernard, dean of Derry in Ireland. Mr. Edmund Burke. Mr. William Burke, late secretary to general Conway, and member for Bedwin. Mr. Richard Burke, collector of Granada. Mr. Richard Cumberland, author of the West Indian, Fashionable Lover, the Brothers, and other dramatic pieces. ** Doctor Douglas, canon of Windsor, an inge Our Garrick's a salad; for in him we see Here lies the good dean,|| re-united to earth, Who mix'd reason with pleasure, and wisdom with mirth : If he had any faults, he has left us in doubt; such, We scarcely can praise it, or blame it, too much; nious Scotch gentleman, who 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. + Counsellor John Ridge, a gentleman belonging to the Irish bar. Sir Joshua Reynolds. An emiment attorney. Ibid. 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 yote; Who, too deep for his hearers, still went on re fining, And thought of convincing while they thought of dining: Though equal to all things, for all things unfit, Here lies honest William, whose heart was a mint, While the owner ne'er knew half the good that was in't; The pupil of impulse, it forc'd him along, His conduct still right with his argument wrong; his own. Here lies honest Richard, whose fate I must sigh at! Alas, that such frolic should now be so quiet! What spirits were his! what wit and what whim! Now breaking a jest, and now breaking a limb; Mr. T. Townshend, member for Whitchurch. + Vide page 191. Mr. Richard Burke; vide page 191. This gen Now wrangling and grumbling to keep up the ball; That we wish'd him full ten times a day at old Nick ; As often we wish'd to have Dick back again. To draw men as they ought to be, not as they are. Like a tragedy-queen he has dizen'd her out, His fools have their follies so lost in a crowd Here Douglas + retires from his toils to relax, tleman having slightly fractured one of his arms and legs, at different times, the doctor has rallied him on those accidents, as a kind of retributive justice for breaking his jests upon other people. * Vide page 191. + Ibid. But now he is gone, and we want a detector, lecture; When satire and censure encircled his throne, New Lauders and Bowers the Tweed shall cros over, No countryman living their tricks to discover; And Scotchman meet Scotchman and cheat in the dark. Here lies David Garrick, describe him who can, An abridgment of all that was pleasant in man; As an actor, confest withont rival to shine: As a wit, if not first, in the very first line: Yet, with talents like these, and an excellent heart, The man had his failings, a dupe to his art. Like an ill-judging beauty, his colours he spread, And beplaster'd with rouge his own natural red. On the stage he was natural, simple, affecting; 'Twas only that, when he was off, he was acting. With no reason on earth to go out of his way, He turn'd and he varied full ten times a-day; The Rev. Dr. Dodd. + Dr. Kenrick, who read lectures at the Devil Tavern, under the title of The School of Shakspeare.' James Macpherson, esq. who lately, from the mere force of his style, wrote down the first poet of all antiquity. |