RETALIATION. OF old, when Scarron his companions invited, Our dean + shall be ven'son just fresh from the plains; * The master of the St. James's coffee-house, where the Doctor, and the friends he has characterized in this Poem, occasionally dined. + Doctor Bernard, dean of Derry, in Ireland. Right Hon. Edmund Burke. § Mr. William Burke, late secretary to general Conway, and member for Bedwin. || Mr. Richard Burke, collector of Grenada. Our Cumberland's* sweetbread its place shall obtain ; And Douglas + is pudding, substantial and plain : To make out the dinner, full certain I am, Mr. Richard Cumberland, author of the Weft-Indian, Fashionable Lover, the Brothers, and other dramatic pieces. + Dr. John Douglas, now bishop of Salisbury, a native of Scotland, 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. David Garrick, Esq. § Counsellor John Ridge, a gentleman belonging to the Irish bar. Sir Joshua Reynolds. Then, with chaos and blunders encircling my head, Here lies the good dean*, re-united to earth, Who mixt reason with pleasure, and wisdom with mirth : If he had any faults, he has left us in doubt- such, We scarcely can praise it, or blame it, too much; To persuade Tommy Townshend to lend him a vote; * Vide page 69. + Ibid. Mr. T. Townshend, member for Whitchurch. Though equal to all things, for all things unfit, Here lies honest William*, whose heart was a mint, While the owner ne'er knew half the good that was in 't; The pupil of impulse, it forc'd him along, His conduct still right, with his argument wrong; The coachman was tipsey, the chariot drove home; Here lies honest Richard, whose fate I must sigh at ; Alas, that such frolic should now be so quiet! What spirits were his! what wit and what whim! Now breaking a jest, and now breaking a limb +! * Vide page 69. + Mr. Richard Burke; vide page 69. This gentleman having slightly fractured one of his arms and legs, at different times, the Doctor has rallied him on those accidents, as a kind of retributive justice for breaking his jests upon other people Now wrangling and grumbling to keep up the ball! Now teasing and vexing, yet laughing at all! In short, so provoking a devil was Dick, That we wish'd him full ten times a day at old nick; As often we wish'd to have Dick back again. Like a tragedy queen he has dizen'd her out, His fools have their follies so lost in a crowd Adopting his portraits, are pleas'd with their own. * Vide page 70. |