Such, such emotions should in Britons rise, How chang'd from him who made the boxes groan, If there's a Senior, who contemns this age; Let him to night his just assistance lend, And be the Critic's, Briton's, Old Man's Friend. 10 15 19 MACER: A CHARACTER. [First printed in the Miscellanies of Swift and Pope (1727), and interpreted by Warton to mean James Moore-Smythe (see Dunciad, Bk. II. v. 50). But Bowles thinks it more likely that the character was intended for Ambrose Philips, called 'lean Philips' by Pope (see Farewell to London, p. 472); who borrowed' a play from the French, and translated' the Persian tales. Mr Carruthers completes the identification by showing a note prefixed to this character on its first publication and speaking of Macer's advertisements for a Miscellany in 1713, to refer to such an advertisement actually issued by Philips in the London Gazette in 1715. Philips, see Dunciad, Bk. III. v. 326, et al.] W WHEN simple Macer, now of high renown, [The borrowed play, The Distrest Mother, was, as Carruthers says, from Racine, not, as Bowles says, from Voltaire. It is the Andromaque, and the epilogue was ascribed to Addison.] As to 5 ΤΟ 2 [John Crown, who wrote 12 tragedies, 6 comedies, and a masque, in little more than a quarter of a century, died about 1698. As a sample of a borrow'd play, see Geneste's account of Crown's version of Part I. of Henry VI.] So some coarse Country Wench, almost decay'd, In a translated Suit, then tries the Town, 15 20 25 [From the Miscellanies. UMBRA. The original of the character has been variously sought in Walter Carey (a F. R. S. and Whig official), Charles Johnson and Ambrose Philips. 'Umbra' must in no case be confounded with the 'Lord Umbra' of the Satires.] C LOSE to the best known Author Umbra sits, "Who's here?" cries Umbra: "only Johnson","—"Oh! 5 But cries as soon, "Dear Dick, I must be gone, 10 15 TO MR JOHN MOORE, Author of the celebrated Worm-Powder. That Woman is a Worm, we find E'er since our Grandam's evil; The Learn'd themselves we Book-worms name, The Blockhead is a Slow-worm; The Nymph whose Tail is all on Flame, Is aptly term'd a Glow-worm: The Fops are painted Butterflies, That flutter for a Day; First from a Worm they take their Rise, And in a Worm decay. The Flatterer an Ear-wig grows; Thus Worms suit all Conditions; Misers are Muck - worms, Silkworms Beaux, And Death-watches Physicians. That Statesmen have the Worm, is seen, Ah Moore! thy Skill were well employ'd, The Worm that never dies! O learned Friend of Abchurch-Lane1, Since Worms shall eat ev'n thee. Our Fate thou only canst adjourn SANDYS' GHOST; OR A PROPER NEW BALLAD ON THE NEW OVID'S METAMORPHOSES. AS IT WAS INTENDED TO BE TRANSLATED BY PERSONS OF QUALITY. [From the Miscellanies. It is obviously not by Gay (see St. 13). Sir Walter Scott, quoted by Roscoe, explains the ballad to refer to a translation of the Metamorphoses published by Sir Samuel Garth (and written by several hands, of which Pope's was one), to supersede the old translation of George Sandys, who died in 1643.] E Lords and Commons, Men of Hear how a Ghost in dead of Night, Wit, YE And Pleasure about Town; Beware of Latin Authors all! Nor think your Verses Sterling, Though with a Golden Pen you scrawl, And scribble in a Berlin: For not the Desk with silver Nails, With saucer Eyes of Fire, In woeful wise did sore affright A Wit and courtly 'Squire. Rare Imp of Phoebus, hopeful Youth Ah! why did he write Poetry, That hereto was so civil; And sell his soul for vanity, To Rhyming and the Devil? 1 [Abchurch (properly Upchurch) Lane, Lombard Street.] A Desk he had of curious Work, Now as he scratch'd to fetch up Thought, With Whiskers, Band, and Pantaloon, "Ho! Master Sam," quoth Sandys' sprite, "I hear the Beat of Jacob's Drums3, Poor Ovid finds no Quarter! comes 4 In Haste, without his Garter. "Then Lords and Lordlings, 'Squires and Knights, See first the merry P. Wits, Witlings, Prigs, and Peers! Garth at St James's, and at White's, Beats up for Volunteers. "A Metamorphosis more strange "To what' (quoth 'squire) 'shall Ovid change?' THE TRANSLATOR. Egbert SANGER served his apprenticeship with Jacob Tonson, and succeeded Bernard Lintot in his shop at Middle Temple Gate, Fleet Street. Lintot printed Ozell's translation of Perrault's Characters, and Sanger his translation of Boileau's Lutrin, recommended by Rowe, in 1709. Warton. His numbers such as Sanger's self might use. 5 ΤΟ THE THREE GENTLE SHEPHERDS. F gentle Philips will I ever sing, OF With gentle Philips shall the valleys ring. And from all wits that have a knack, God save ye1. 5 10 LINES WRITTEN IN WINDSOR FOREST. [LETTER to a Lady (Martha Blount) in Bowles, dated by Carruthers, LL hail, once pleasing, once inspiring shade! ALL Scene of my youthful loves and happier hours! And gently press'd my hand, and said "Be ours!- At Court thou may'st be liked, but nothing gain: 5 1 [By Wycherley.] 2 [By Rowe.] 3 Henry Carey. Roscoe. The author of 'Sally in our alley' and a dramatist. But there was also a John Carey, a contributor to the Tatler and Spectator, and Walter Carey. Car ruthers. [These four lines seem to have suggested Canning's well-known epigram on Hiley and Bragge.] 5 Curll said, that in prose he was equal to Pope; but that in verse Pope had merely a particular knack. Bowles. |