Soon as through Paris the fad tale was spread Forth rufh'd the fea-nymphs from their filthy cells, 35 With frantic fury and terrific yells. His breathless corpse they bathe in tears of brine, 40 this entire line, on account of the pun which it contained; but we rely upon the fuperior good taste of the Under-Secretary for the prefervation of it in all the fubfequent editions he may print of this incomparable Eclogue; and to confirm him in the virtuous refolution here recommended, we beg he will confider that punning is fanctioned by fome of the highest authorities of antiquity. CICERO himself was no inconfiderable punster in his time; witnefs his famous line O, Fortunatam, natam me coufule Romam!· And with regard to the fafety of this amufement, (which confidering the Under-Secretary's favorite occupa ion is by no means an object to be defpifed), we have the word of JUVENAL. Nec unquam Sanguine caufidici maduerunt roftra pufilli. SAT. X. Ver. 28.] Or BEAUCHAMP's dinner. DRYDEN, Why BEAUCHAMP? does not all the world know that his name is no longer BEAUCHAMP but YARMOUTH? Was it for this that he quitted his friends after nine long, long years of tedious oppofition? Was it for this he was drawn by fix white horfes into Mayence? Is it for this he receives four thousand pounds per ann. to be drawn out again by faid white horses? To be called BEAUCHAMP! Me thinks we hear him in his own mild accents exclaim---" Oh fie Mr. RoSF. Ver. 32 to 38.] Soon as through Paris. Extin&tum nymphæ crudali funere Daphnim For 45 50 For finoaking ruins leave their fmoaking board, Mourn, fcribblers, mourn your occupation loft IMITATIONS. Ver. 51 to 54.] Loud his fad death, ye kindred tygers, roar! Interitum montefque feri fylvaque loquuntur, Yerfe 59 to 70. Mourn, fcribblers mourn. Spargite humum foliis, inducite fontibus umbras, 55 60 65 Et tumulum facite, et tumulo fuperaddite carmen! NOTES. 2 Ver. 66.] Chalmers refcued from eternal fleep. Chalmers, a writer in the fervice of administration, and fuppofed to be joint author with Mr. Rofe of a certain pamphle written not long ago, and circulated by orders from the Treafury, highly and perfonally injurious to three illuftrious perfonages, and feveral of the most distinguished noblemen and gentlemen in the country. With Alfred's letters ftruggling into books, ROSE. 70 75 Burgefs! the accents of thy potent profe, And his own venom glow in Sheffield's breast; Ver. 71.] Fer. 74.1 Ver. 75 to 80.] IMITATIONS. Burgefs! the accents. Tale tuum carmen nobis, divine poëta, For Marat loved my song, Amavit nos quoque Daphnis. Hung between heaven and hell. High on a throne great Marat, &c. Ver. 67.] Alfred's Letters. NOTES. A dull, tedious, infipid collection of Effays, firft published in a newspaper [we forget which], belonging to administration: So uncommonly ftupid, that many people fuppofe the under-secretary to have written them himself. Ver. 76.] Unbreeched Philosophy. The poet, doubtless in this expreffion, has his eye upon that immortal perfonage, Anacharfis Cloots, or the Orator of the Human Race, who ends one of his fpeeches to the National Affembly of France, with declaring-" Mon Coeur eft tout Francois, et mon ame eft Sans Culottes." Sees 1 Sees cream-fac'd Stanley turn on Fox his heels, 90 Whence caitiff fcience, whipt and banish'd flies, VARIATIONS. Verfe 87, 88.] Originally these two lines flood thus: IMITATIONS. Ver. 89, 90.] O bend propitious! Sis bonus o felixque tuis! Ver. 95.] There flame thy altars. En quatuor aras NOTES. Ver. 88.] Bold Berkeley's cackle. 100 This orator, whether to gratify any private pique of his own, or to pay his court to the Duke of Richmond, we know not, has lately given himself the air in the Houfe of Commons of faying impertinent things to Mr. Fox. In particular, he diftinguifhed himself last feffion, by an attempt to fix upon Mr. Fox fome connexion or correfponding intereft with the French General Dumourier. It failed, indeed, although nothing could be better in-' tended; and this noble Commander, as we may remember, was obliged to apologize for his misbehaviour. We are fupremely glad to hear that he is now employed on a fervice fo admirably fuited to his talents as that which is alluded to in this and the preceding line. Spies, affidavits, dungeons, whips, and axes, 105 There Tommy Tyrwhitt crowns the festive dance. 110 Nor IMITATIONS. Ver. 106.] So fhall it never join his brother boughs. Hom. II. A. Now by this facred fcepter, hear me fwear, On the bare mountains left its parent tree; Ver. 110.] There Tommy. Ver. 104. Sallantes fatyros imitabitur Alphefibaus. NOTES. Next Watson, hapless elf! Shark-bitten one, but now a fhark himself. POPE Brook Watfon's adventure with a fhark is too well known to require any particular statement of it in this place. Some incredulous perfons, indeed, have imagined the whole ftory of our worthy alderman's competition with this voracious monster, to be allegorical. On the authority of the Rolliad, however, we beg leave to maintain the contrary; and we further take this opportunity of congratulating the public, on his late appointment to the lucrative poft af Commiflary to the British forces; a fituation in which we make no doubt, but that the worthy, independent, ci-devant member for the City of London, will foon contrive to be even with his old enemy, the fhark, and ready to attack him in his own way! Ver. 109.] Here a lank troop with Porchefter advance. Another mifnomer! Who does not know that Earl of Caer |