IMPROMPTU, SUGGESTED BY A VIEW, IN 1766, OF THE SEAT AND RUINS OF A DECEASED NOBLEMAN, AT [Written at Denton in the spring of 1766. See Nichols' Select Poems, vol. vii. p. 350, and W. S Landori Poemata, p. 196.1 OLD, and abandon'd by each venal friend, Here H——————d form'd the pious resolution On this congenial spot he fix'd his choice; Earl Goodwin trembled for his neighbouring sand; Here sea-gulls scream, and cormorants rejoice, And mariners, though shipwreck'd, dread to land. Here reign the blustering North and blighting East, No tree is heard to whisper, bird to sing; 10 Var. V. 2. Form'd] Took. MS. V. 3. A] Some. MS. V. 9. Dread] Fear. Nichols. * Dallaway, in his Anecdotes of the Arts, p. 385, says, that this house was built by Lord Holland as a correct imitation of Cicero's Formian villa, at Baiæ, under the superintendence of Sir Thomas Wynne, Bart. afterwards Lord Newborough. See Gent. Mag. vol. lxxvii. p. 1116. Yet Nature could not furnish out the feast, Here mouldering fanes and battlements arise, 15 “Ah!” said the sighing peer, "had B—te been true, Nor M―'s, R―'s, B-'s friendship vain, Far better scenes than these had blest our view, And realiz'd the beauties which we feign: "Purg'd by the sword, and purified by fire, 20 Then had we seen proud London's hated walls; Owls would have hooted in St. Peter's choir, And foxes stunk and litter'd in St. Paul's." V. 14. Turrets and arches] Arches and turrets. MS. MS. V. 18. M—'s, R—'s, B-'s] Shelburne's, Rigby's, Cal craft's. Ms. Nor C―'s nor B-d's promises been vain. Nich. V. 19. Better] Other. MS. Grac'd our view. N. V. 20. Beauties which] Ruins that. MS. Horrors which. N. V. 21. Purified] Beautified. MS. V. 23. Would] Might. MS. Should. N. V. 18. These initials stand for "Mungo's, Rigby's, Bradshaw's. See Heroic Epistle, v. 95; and Verses by Lord Holland in returning from Italy, 1767, in Asylum for Fug. Pieces, ii. p. 10: THE CANDIDATE: OR, THE CAMBRIDGE COURTSHIP.* [See character of Lord Sandwich in "Chrysal." See Scott's Lives of the Novelists, i. p. 169; Davies. Biog. and Lit. Anecdotes; Churchill's Verses on Lord Sandwich, in Candidate and Duellist; "From his youth upwards," &c. Cradock's Memoirs, vol. i. p. 117. 148. vol. iv. p. 163. 223; Miss Hawkins's Anecdotes, p. 239; Bell's Fugitive Poetry, v. xvi. p. 93. 172; Wilkes. Letters, i. p. 211. ii. p. 220; Walpole. Letters to Lord Hertford, p. 51-65. 102. by which it appears that Warburton had dedicated his Sermons to Lord Sandwich, but expunged his name for Pitt's. I have seen "A letter of advice from Alma Mater to her beloved son, Jemmy Twitcher, 1764."] WHEN sly Jemmy Twitcher had smugg'd up his face, With a lick of court whitewash, and pious grimace, "Lord! sister," says Physic to Law, "I declare, Such a sheep-biting look, such a pick-pocket air! Not I for the Indies:- you know I'm no prude,But his nose is a shame, and his eyes are so lewd! "But, Rigby, what did I for thee endure, See, see, with Gower caballing where they stand," &c. * These verses were written a short time previous to the election of a high-steward of the University of Cambridge, for which office the noble lord alluded to (Lord Sandwich) made an active canvass. V. 8. Nose] In all editions printed by mistake "Name." 4 Then he shambles and straddles so oddly - . I fear No-at our time of life 'twould be silly, my dear." "I don't know," says Law, "but methinks for his look, 'Tis just like the picture in Rochester's book; Then his character, Phyzzy,- his morals-his life When she died, I can't tell, but he once had a wife. They say he's no Christian, loves drinking and W g, 15 And all the town rings of his swearing and roaring! His lying and filching, and Newgate-bird tricks; Not I-for a coronet, chariot and six.” 20 Divinity heard, between waking and dozing, Her sisters denying, and Jemmy proposing: From table she rose, and with bumper in hand, She strok'd up her belly, and strok'd down her band [ing! "What a pother is here about wenching and roarWhy, David lov'd catches, and Solomon w-g: Did not Israel filch from th' Egyptians of old Their jewels of silver and jewels of gold? The prophet of Bethel, we read, told a lie: He drinks-so did Noah;-he swears V. 9. 25 so do I: "That babe of grace Who ne'er before at sermon show'd his face, Heroic Epistle, 125, note. See Hurd. Obs. on this word, in Cradock. Memoirs, vol. i. 117; and Anecdote, p. 164.* V. 16. But see Cradock. Memoirs, vol. iv. 166. To reject him for such peccadillos, were odd; Besides, he repents for he talks about G** [To Jemmy] 'Never hang down your head, you poor penitent [The concluding couplet is too gross to give. ED.] * "From recollection I am sure Lord Sandwich was aware of Gray; for about the time he offered himself as high-steward, contrary to his usual maxim of not seeing an enemy on public occasions, he once said to me, 'I have my private reasons for knowing his absolute inveteracy."" Cradock. iv. 223. EXTRACTS. PROPERTIUS, LIB. III. ELEG. V. v. 19. "Me juvat in primâ coluisse Helicona juventâ,” &c. IMITATED. LONG as of youth the joyous hours remain, 4 Or roused by sprightly sounds from out the trance, I'd in the ring knit hands, and join the Muses' dance. Give me to send the laughing bowl around, 10 |