RETALIATION.

A POEM.

FIRST PRINTED IN MDCCLXXIV. AFTER THE

AUTHOR'S DEATH.

Dr. Goldsmith and some of his friends occasionally dined at the St. James's Coffeehouse. One day it was proposed to write epitaphs on him. His country dialect and person furnished subjects of witticism. He was called on for RETALIATION, and at their next meeting produced the following poem.

See an account of the origin of this poem in Northcote's Life of Reynolds, p. 126. Garrick wrote, off hand, with a good deal of humour, an epitaph on Goldsmith. Dr. Bernard also gave him an epitaph. Sir Joshua sketched his bust in pen and ink. This prompted the poem of the Retaliation.

RETALIATI

d, when Scarron his co

guest brought his dish united; andlord supplies us v ach guest bring himse best dish:

Hints for this poem might have been suggested by Pope's poem to Mr. Thomas Southern, on his Birthday (v. Warton, ii. p. 352); and by Motteux's Prologue to Farquhar's Inconstant,' see vol. ii. p. 10, ed. 1772.

Ed.

7dean shall be veniso plains;

Burke shall be tong Will shall be wildfo Dick with his pep

savour:

Cumberland's swe

RETALIATION.

old, when Scarron his companions invited, h guest brought his dish, and the feast was

united;

ur1landlord supplies us with beef and with fish, each guest bring himself, and he brings the best dish:

2dean shall be venison, just fresh from the plains; [brains;

3 Burke shall be tongue, with the garnish of r 4 Will shall be wildfowl, of excellent flavour, d 5 Dick with his pepper shall heighten their

savour:

[tain, r 6 Cumberland's sweetbread its place shall ob

The master of the St. James's coffeehouse, where the ctor, and the friends he has characterised in this poem, asionally dined.

Doctor Bernard, Dean of Derry, in Ireland.

Mr. Edmund Burke.

Mr. William Burke, late secretary to General Conway, 1 member for Bedwin.

Mr. Richard Burke, collector of Grenada.

5 Mr. Richard Cumberland, author of the West Indian,' Fashionable Lover,' The Brothers,' and other dramatic

eces.

And Douglas is pudding, substantial and plain:
Our Garrick's a salad; for in him we see
Oil, vinegar, sugar, and saltness agree:
To make out the dinner, full certain I am,
That 9 Ridge is anchovy, and 10 Reynolds is lamb;
That 11 Hickey's a capon, and, by the same rule,
Magnanimous Goldsmith a gooseberry fool.
At a dinner so various, at such a repast,
Who'd not be a glutton, and stick to the last?
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.

12 Here lies the good dean,13 reunited to earth, Who mixt reason with pleasure, and wisdom with mirth :

7 Doctor Douglas, canon of Windsor, an ingenious 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.

OF GOLDSMITH

ad any faults, he has le
est in six weeks I could
tume have declar'd, and it
boots was cursedly cu

9 Counsellor John Ridge, a gentleman belonging to the Irish Bar.

10 Sir Joshua Reynolds.

11 An eminent attorney, whose hospitality and good humour acquired him in his club the title of honest Tom Hickey.'

12 Here lies the good dean] See a poem by Dean Bernard to Sir J. Reynolds, in Northcote's Life of Reynolds, p. 130. 13 Vide page 63.

lies our good 14 Edmu

such,

arcely can praise it, o born for the universe, party gave up what w fraught with all lear throat,

uade 15 Tommy Tow too deep for his heare of thought of convincin dining;

gh equal to all thing Lice for a statesman a patriot too cool; f d too fond of the righ short, 'twas his fate, u eat mutton cold, an

e had any faults, he has left us in doubt, east in six weeks I could not find 'em out; some have declar'd, and it can't be denied 'em, slyboots was cursedly cunning to hide 'em.

ere lies our good 14 Edmund, whose genius was such,

scarcely can praise it, or blame it too much; o, born for the universe, narrow'd his mind, 1 to party gave up what was meant for mankind. ugh fraught with all learning, yet straining his throat, [vote: persuade 15 Tommy Townshend to lend him a o, too deep for his hearers, still went on refining, I thought of convincing, while they thought of dining;

ough equal to all things, for all things unfit, O nice for a statesman, too proud for a wit; a patriot too cool; for a drudge disobedient; d too fond of the right to pursue the expedient. short, 'twas his fate, unemploy'd, or in place, sir, eat mutton cold, and cut blocks with a razor.

Here lies honest 16 William, whose heart was a mint, [in't;

hile the owner ne'er knew half the good that was

4 Vide page 63.

5 Mr. T. Townshend, member for Whitchurch. See Walpole's Letter to Lord Hertford, p. 6.

6 Vide page 63.

F