To be plain, my good lord, it's but labour misplac'd, To send such good verses to one of your taste: You've got an odd something-a kind of discern ing A relish a taste-sicken'd over by learning; At least it's your temper, as very well known, your own: So, perhaps, in your habits of thinking amiss, You may make a mistake, and think slightly of this. DR. GOLDSMITH and some of his friends occasionally dined at the St. James's coffee-house.-One day it was proposed to write epitaphs on him. His country, dialect, and person, furnished subjects of witticism. He was called on for RETALIATION, and at their next meeting produced the following poem. RETALIATION. Or old, when Scarron his companions invited, Our dean shall be venison, just fresh from the plains, Our Burke shall be tongue, with the garnish of brains, Our Will shall be wild fowl, of excellent flavour, And Dick with his pepper shall heighten the sa vour: The master of St. James's coffee-house, where the Doctor, and the friends he has characterised in this poem, occasionally dined. * Dr. Bernard, dean of Derry in Ireland. 3 Mr. Edmund Burke. 4 Mr. William Burke, late secretary to General Conway, and member for Bedwin. 5 Mr. Richard Burke, collector of Grenada. Our Cumberland's sweet-bread its place shall ob tain, And Douglas is pudding, substantial and plain: 5 Who'd not be a glutton, and stick to the last? 1 Mr. Richard Cumberland, author of the West Indian, Fashionable Lover, The Brothers, and other dramatic pieces. T Dr. Douglas, canon of Windsor, an ingenious Scotch gentleman, who has no less distinguished himself as a citizen of the world, than a sound critic, in detecting several literary mistakes (or rather forgeries) of his countrymen; particularly Lauder on Milton, and Bower's History of the Popes. 3 David Garrick, Esq. ♦ Counsellor John Ridge, a gentleman belonging to the Irish bar. 5 Sir Joshua Reynolds. 6 An eminent attorney. |