While thus we resolv'd, and the Pasty delay'd,
With looks that quite petrified, enter'd the maid;
A visage so sad, and so pale with affright,

Wak'd Priam in drawing his curtains by night.

But we quickly found out,-for who could mistake her?-
That she came with some terrible news from the baker:

And so it fell out; for that negligent sloven,
Had shut out the Pasty on shutting his oven.
Sad Philomel thus-but let similes drop-
And now that I think on't, the story may stop.
To be plain, my good Lord, it's but labour misplac'd,
To send such good verses to one of your taste:
You've got an odd something—a kind of discerning—
A relish a taste-sicken'd over by learning;

--

At least, it's your temper, as very well known,
That you think very slightly of all that's your own:
So, perhaps, in your habits of thinking amiss,
You may make a mistake, and think slightly of this.'

"The leading idea of the 'Haunch of Venison,' is taken from Boileau's third Satire (which itself was no doubt suggested by Horace's raillery of the banquet of Nasidienus); and two or three of the passages which one would, à priori, have pronounced the most original and natural, are closely copied from the French poet :

'We'll have Johnson and Burke-all the wits will be there;
My acquaintance is slight, or I'd ask my Lord Clare.

Molière avec Tartuffe y doit jouer son rôle,

Et Lambert, qui plus est, m'a donné sa parole.'

'My friend bade me welcome, but struck me quite dumb,
Withings that Johnson and Burke would not come.

A peine étais-je entré, que ravi de me voir,
Mon homme, en m'embrassant, m'est venu recevoir;
Et montrant à mes yeux une allégresse entière,
Nous n'avons, m'a-t-il dit, ni Lambert ni Molière.'

But, to be sure, Goldsmith's host, and his wife 'Little Kitty,' and the
Scot, and the Jew, with his chocolate cheek,' are infinitely more droll
and more natural than Boileau's deux campagnards. The details of the
dinner, too, overdone and tedious in Boileau, are touched by Goldsmith
with a pleasantry not carried too far."-CROKER.

THE CAPTIVITY.

An Oratorio.1

IN THREE ACTS.

Written in 1764, but never set to music, or even published by its author. It is here printed from the original manuscript, in Goldsmith's handwriting, in the possession of Mr. Murray, of Albemarle Street, com pared with the copy printed by Messrs. Prior and Wright, in 1837. have adopted the most poetical readings of both copies.

For this Oratorio Goldsmith received at least ten guineas. In Mr. Murray's collection is the following receipt in Goldsmith's handwriting :

I

"Received from Mr. Dodsiey ten guineas for an Oratorio, which he and Mr. Newbery are to share.

"October 31st. 1764."

"OLIVER GOLDSMITH.

Mr. Murray's MS. is the copy sold by Goldsmith to James Dodsley

THE CAPTIVITY.

ACT I.

Scene I.-ISRAELITES sitting on the Banks of the Euphrates.
First PROPHET.

Recitative.

YE captive tribes, that hourly work and weep,
Where flows Euphrates, murmuring to the deep-
Suspend awhile the task, the tear suspend,
And turn to God, your father and your friend:
Insulted, chain'd, and all the world a foe,
Our God alone is all we boast below.

Chorus of ISRAELITES.

Our God is all we boast below,

To Him we turn our eyes;
And every added weight of woe
Shall make our homage rise.

And though no temple richly drest,

Nor sacrifice is here;

We'll make His temple in our breast,

And offer up a tear.

VOL. 1.

Recitative.

That strain once more: it bids remembrance rise,

And calls my long-lost country to mine eyes.

F