EPILOGUE.' THE sages for authority, pray, look But, like the violet, when decay'd in bloom, And show-my fingers tingle at the thought- 1 ["I recovered the above with some difficulty. I believe it was never spoken, but written for some play, afterwards withdrawn, in which Mrs. H. Siddons was to have spoken it in the character of Queen Mary."-Extract from a Letter of Sir Walter Scott to Mr. Constable, 22d October, 1824.] In vain did fate bestow a double dower False ministers, false lovers, and false friends. It charms alike the castle and the hovel, 1 Even you forgive me-who, demure and shy, INSCRIPTION FOR THE MONUMENT OF THE REV. GEORGE SCOTT. To youth, to age, alike, this tablet pale '[This young gentleman, a son of the Author's friend and relation, Hugh Scott of Harden, Esq., became Rector of Kentisbeare, in Devonshire, in 1828, and died there the 9th June, 1830. This epitaph appears on his tomb in the chancel there.] Art thou a youth, prepared on life to start, But let submission tame each sorrowing thought, THE BANNATYNE CLUB. I. ASSIST me, ye friends of Old Books and Old Wine, Who left such a treasure of old Scottish lore One volume more, my friends, one volume more, II. And first, Allan Ramsay, was eager to glean His III. ways were not ours, for he cared not a pin How much he left out, or how much he put in ; 1 [Sir Walter Scott was the first President of the Club, and wrote these verses for the anniversary dinner of March, 1823.] The truth of the reading he thought was a bore, IV. Correct and sagacious, then came my Lord Hailes, But left out some brief words, which the prudish abhor, One volume more, my friends, one volume more; more. པ. John Pinkerton next, and I'm truly concern'd One volume more, my friends, one volume more, more. VI. As bitter as gall, and as sharp as a razor, Little Ritson came out with his two volumes more. But one volume, my friends, one volume more, more. 1 [In accordance with his own regimen, Mr. Ritson published a volume entitled, "An Essay on Abstinence from Animal Food as a Moral Duty. 1802."] 2 [See an account of the Metrical Antiquarian Researches of Pinkerton, Ritson, and Herd, &c. in the introductory Remarks VII. The stout Gothic yeditur, next on the roll,' more. One volume more, &c. VIII. Since by these single champions what wonders were done, What may not be achieved by our Thirty and One? Law, Gospel, and Commerce, we count in our corps, And the Trade and the Press join for one volume more. One volume more, &c. IX. Ancient libels and contraband books, I assure ye, We'll print as secure from Exchequer or Jury; Then hear your Committee, and let them count o'er The Chiels they intend in their three volumes more. Three volumes more, &c. X. They'll produce you King Jamie, the sapient and Sext, And the Rob of Dumblane and her Bishops come next; on Popular Poetry prefixed to the first volume of the Border Minstrelsy.] 1 [James Sibbald, editor of Scottish Poetry, &c., "The Yeditur," was the name given him by the late Lord Eldin, then Mr. John Clerk, advocate. The description of him here is very accurate.] 2 [David Herd, editor of Songs and Historical Ballads. 2 vols. He was called Greysteel by his intimates, from having been long in unsuccessful quest of the romance of that name.] |