The Rolliad Part 19

All this, and more he told, and every word 135 With silent awe th' attentive striplings heard, When, bursting on their ear, stern PEARSON's note Proclaim'd the question put, and called them forth to vote.

IMITATIONS.

Ver. 1. Prima Syracosio dignita est ludere versu, Nostra nee erubuit sylvas habitare Thalia.

c.u.m canerem regis et praelia, Cynthius aurem Vellit, et admonuit, &c. &c.

Ver. 11. Nunc ego (namque super tibi, erunt, qui dicere laudes Vare, tuus cupiant, et tristia condere bella) Sylvestrem tenui meditabor arundine musam.

Ver. 18. ---------Si quis tamen haec quoque, siquis Captus amore leget, te nostrae, Vare, myricae Te nemus omne canet, &c.

Ver. 23. ---------Chromis et Mnasylus in autro Silenum pueri somno videre jacentem.

Ver. 29. Aggressi, nam saepe senex spe carminis ambo Luserat, injiciunt ex ipsis vincula sertis.

Ver. 35. Addit se sociam timidisque supervenit aegle, aegle Naiadum pulcherrima.

Ver. 39. ----------Quid vincula nect.i.tis? inquit, Solvite me pueri---- Carmina quae vultis cognoscite, carmina vobis; Huic aliud mercedis erit.

Ver. 43. Tum vero in numerurn faunosque ferasque videres, Ludere, tum rigidas motare cac.u.mina quercus.

Ver. 55. Nec tantum Phbo gaudet Parna.s.sia rupes, Nec tantum Rhodope miratur et Ismarus Orphea.

Ver. 57. Namque canebat, uti magnum per inane coacta, Semina terrarumque animaeque marisque fuissent, Et liquidi simul ignis: Ut his exordia primis Omnia, et ipse tener mundi concreverit orbis.

Ver. 62. Incipiant sylvae c.u.m primum surgere------ Jamque novum ut terrae stupeant lucescere solem.

Ver. 68. --------------------------c.u.mque Rara per ignotos errant animalia montes.

Ver. 69. Hinc lapides Pyrrhae jactos---------- Ver. 78. ------------Saturnia regna.

Ver. 81. Caucaseasque refert volucres: Ver. 82. ------------Furtumque Promethei.

Ver. 84 ------------Hylan nautae quo fonte relictum, Clama.s.sent ut littus Hyla, Hyla, omne sonaret.

Ver. 88. Pasaphaen nivei solatur amore juvenci.

Ver. 89. Ah virgo infelix quae te dementia cepit?

Ver. 93. Praetides implerunt falsis mugitibus agros.

Ver. 96. Et saepe in laevi quaesissent cornua fronte, At non, &c.

Ver. 99. Ille latus niveum, &c.

Ver. 101. ------Claudite nymphae Dictaeae nymphae, nemorum jam claudite saltus, Si qua forte ferant oculis sese obvia nostris, Errabunda bovis vestigia.

Ver. 106. Tum canit Hesperidurn miratam mala puellant.

Ver. 108. Tum Phaetontiadas musco circ.u.mdat amarae Corticis, atque solo proceras erigit.

Ver. 109. Tum canit errantem------Gallum, Aonas in montes ut duxerit una sororum, Utque viro Phbi chorus a.s.surrexerit omnis; Ut Linus haec illi divino carmine pastor Floribus, atque apio crines ornatus amaro, Dixerit; hos tibi dant calamos, en accipe, musae, Ascraeo quos ante seni, quibus ille solebat Cantando rigidas deducere montibus ornos, &c. &c. &c.

Ver. 127. Quid loquar--Scyllum quam fama secuta est Candida succinctam latrantibus inguina monstris ------------------------gurgite in alto Ah timidos nautas canibus lacera.s.se marinis.

Ver. 132. Aut ut mutatos Terei norraverit artus: Quas illi Philomela dapes; quae dona paravit, Quo corsu deserta petiverit, & quibus ante Infelix sua tecta supervolitae erit alis.

NOTES.

Ver. 42. _To fair Pomana_, &c.] We are sorry to inform our readers, that the promise which Mr. Jenkinson here intimates in favour of the lady was, we fear, but the promise of a courtier. Truth obliges us to declare, that having taken some pains to enquire into the facts, we were a.s.sured by the lady herself, that she never received any other gift, present, or compliment what-ever from Mr. Jenkinson.

Ver. 68. Our Poet, for so careful a student of the Court Calendar, as he must certainly be, is a little inaccurate here. The Lords of the Bed-chamber were in truth thirteen, and seven only were added.

The numbers in the text were probably preserved as more euphonius.

Ver. 101. _Good Macpherson_, &c.] This Ingenious gentleman, who first signalized himself by a bombast translation of poems which never existed, is now said occasionally to indulge his native genius for fiction in paragraphs of poetical prose for some of our daily papers.

Ver. 106. _Hesperian gold_.] The American revenue, which the late Mr. Grenville was to have raised by his celebrated Stamp Act. Mr.

Jankinson, who was himself the author of that act, here delicately touches an the true origin of the American war; a measure in which, however unseccussful, we doubt not, he will ever be ready to glory.

Ver. 110. SIR. CECIL's poems to Caelia are well known; and we are persuaded will live to preserve the fame of his talents, when his admirable letter to the Scottish reformers, and his pamphlet on the Westminster Election, shall be forgotten.

JEKYLL.

----------------------------miserabile Carmen Integrat, & maestis late loca questibus implet.--VIRGIL.

Jekyll, the wag of law, the scribblers pride, Calne to the senate sent--when TOWNSHEND died.

So LANSDOWNE will'd:--the old hoa.r.s.e rook at rest, A jackdaw phnix chatters from his nest.

Statesman and lawyer now, with clas.h.i.+ng cares, 5 Th' important youth roams thro' the Temple squares; Yet stays his step, where, with congenial play, The well-known fountain babbles day by day: The little fountain:--whose restricted course, In low faint Essays owns its shallow sourse. 10 There, to the tinkling jet he tun'd his tongue, While LANSDOWNE's fame, and LANSDOWNE's fall, he sung.

"Where were our friends, when the remorseless crew Of felon whigs--great LANSDOWNE's pow'r o'erthrew?

For neither then, within St. Stephen's wall 15 Obedient WESTCOTE hail'd the Treasury-call; Nor treachery then had branded EDEN's fame, Or taught mankind the miscreant MINCHIN's name, Joyful no more (tho' TOMMY spoke so long) Was high-born HOWARD's cry, or POWNEY's prattling tongue. 20 Vain was thy roar, MAHON!--tho' loud and deep; Not our own GILBERT could be rous'd from sleep.

No bargain yet the tribe of PHIPPS had made: LANSDOWNE! you sought in vain ev'n MULGRAVE's aid; MULGRAVE--at whose harsh scream in wild surprise, 25 The _speechless_ Speaker lifts his drowsy eyes.

Ah! hapless day! still as thy hours return, Let Jesuits, Jews, and sad Dissenters mourn!

Each quack and sympathizing juggler groan, While bankrupt brokers echo moan for moan. 30 Oh! much-lov'd peer!--my patron!--model!--friend!

How does thy alter'd state my bosom rend.

Alas! the ways of courts are strange and dark!

PITT scarce would make thee now-a Treasury-clerk!"

Stung with the maddening thought, his griefs, his fears 35 Dissolve the plaintiff councellor in tears.

"How oft," he cries, "has wretched LANSDOWNE said; _Curs'd be the toilsome hours by statesmen led!

Oh! had kind heaven ordain'd my humbler fate A country gentleman's--of small estate-- 40 With_ Price _and_ Priestly _in some distant grove, Blest I had led the lowly life I love.

Thou_, Price, _had deign'd to calculate my flocks!

Thou_, Priestley! _sav'd them from the lightning shocks!

Unknown the storms and tempests of the state---- 45 Unfelt the mean ambition to be great; In_ Bowood's _shade had pa.s.sed my peaceful days, Far from the town and its delusive ways; The crystal brook my beverage--and my food Hips, carnels, haws, and berries of the wood_." 50 "Blest peer! eternal wreaths adorn thy brow!

Thou CINCINNATU's of the British plough!

But rouse again thy talents and thy zeal!

Thy Sovereign, sure, must wish thee _Privy-seal_.

Or, what if from the seals thou art debarr'd? 55 CHANDOS, at least, he might for thee discard.

Come, LANSDOWNE! come--thy life no more thy own, Oh! brave again the smoke and noise of town: For Britain's sake, the weight of greatness bear, And suffer honours thou art doom'd to wear." 60 To _thee_ her Princes, lo! where India sends!

All BENFIELD's here--and there all HASTINGS' friends; MACPHERSON--WRAXALL--SULLIVAN--behold!

CALL--BARWELL--MIDDLETON--with heaps of gold!

Rajahs--Nabobs--from Oude--Tanjore--Arcot-- 65 And see!--(nor oh! disdain him!)--MAJOR SCOTT.

Ah! give the Major but one gracious nod: Ev'n PITT himself once deign'd to court the squad.

"Oh! be it _theirs_, with more than patriot heat, To s.n.a.t.c.h their virtues from their lov'd retreat: 70 Drag thee reluctant to the haunts of men, And make the minister--Oh! G.o.d!--but when!"

Thus mourn'd the youth--'till, sunk in pensive grief, He woo'd his handkerchief for soft relief.

In either pocket either hand he threw; 75 When, lo!--from each, a precious tablet flew.

This--his sage patron's wond'rous speech on trade: This--his own book of sarcasms ready made.

Tremendous book!--thou motley magazine Of stale severities, and pilfer'd spleen! 80 O! rich in ill!--within thy leaves entwin'd, What glittering adders lurk to sting the mind.

Satire's _Museum_!--with SIR ASHTON's lore, The naturalist of malice eyes thy store: Ranging, with fell Virtu, his poisonous tribes 85 Of embryo sneers, and anamalcule gibes.

Here insect puns their feeble wings expand To speed, in little flights, their lord's command: There, in their paper chrysalis, he sees Specks of bon mots, and eggs of repartees. 90 In modern spirits ancient wit he steeps; If not its gloss, the reptile's venom keeps: Thy quaintness' DUNNING! but without thy sense: And just enough of B------t, for offence.

On these lov'd leaves a transient glance he threw: 95 But weighter themes his anxious thoughts pursue.

Deep senatorial pomp intent to reach, With ardent eyes he hangs o'er LANSDOWNE's speech.

Then, loud the youth proclaims the enchanting words That charm'd the "n.o.ble natures" of the lords, 100 "_Lost and obscured in_ Bowood'_s humble bow'r, No party tool--no candidate for pow'r-- I come, my lords! an hermit from my cell, A few blunt truths in my plain style to tell.

Highly I praise your late commercial plan; 105 Kingdoms should all unite--like man and man.

The_ French _love peace--ambition they detest; But_ Cherburg'_s frightful works deny me rest.

With joy I see new wealth for Britain s.h.i.+pp'd_, Lisbon's a froward child and should be whipp'd. 110 _Yet_ Portugal'_s our old and best ally, And _Gallic_ faith is but a slender tie, My lords! the_ manufacturer'_s a fool; The_ clothier, _too, knows nothing about wool; Their interests still demand syr constant care_; 115 Their _griefs are_ mine--their _fears are_ my _despair.

My lords! my soul is big with dire alarms_; Turks, Germans, Russians, Prussians, _all in arms!

A n.o.ble_ Pole _(I'm proud to call him friend!) Tells me of things I cannot comprehend. 120 Your lords.h.i.+p's hairs would stand on end to hear My last dispatches from the_ Grand Vizier.

_The fears of_ Dantzick-merchants _can't be told; Accounts from_ Cracow _make my blood run cold.

The state of_ Portsmouth_, and of_ Plymouth Docks, 125 _Your Trade--your Taxes--Army--Navy--Stocks-- All haunt me in my dreams; and, when I rise, The bank of England scares my open eyes.

I see--I know some dreadful storm is brewing; Arm all your coasts_--your navy is your ruin. 130 _I say it still; but (let me be believed) In_ this _your lords.h.i.+ps have been much deceiv'd.

A_ n.o.ble Duke _affirms, I like his plan: I never did, my lords!--I never can-- Shame on the slanderous breath! which dares instill 135 That I, who now condemn, advis'd the ill_.

Plain words, _thank Heav'n! are always understood: I_ could _approve, I said--but not I_ wou'd.

_Anxious to make the_ n.o.ble Duke _content, } My view was just to seem to give consent, 140 } While all the world might see that nothing less was meant._" } While JEKYLL thus, the rich exhaustless store Of LANSDOWNE's rhetoric ponders o'er and o'er; And, wrapt in happier dreams of future days, His patron's triumphs in his own surveys; 145 Admiring barristers in crouds resort From Figtree--Brick--Hare--Pump--and Garden court.

Anxious they gaze--and watch with silent awe The motley son of politics and law.