1

from an humorous application, in a dif. the essays themselves ; and not like the
ferent sense to what it bears in the au- parch-work of random tranllations.
thor, but of which not the least trace · In the mear time I Mall only add,
can appear in the vertion. For this rea- that if any Nobleman, Gentleman, or
lon I have determined to give entire new Rich Citizen, is' ambitious to have his
translations, or rather imitations, of all name prefixed to either of these volumes,
the mottos and quotations, adapted to he is defired to send in proposals, to-
the present times. And these, Í Aalter gether with a liit of his virtues and good
mytelf, will reflect an additional beauty qualities, to the publisher; and the De.
on mv work; as some of them adınit of dication shall be disposed of to the best
epig:ammatic turns, while others afford bidder.
toum for livel; and picturesque allutions None but principals will be treate
to modern manners. In this dress they ed with.
will at least appear more of a piece with

T

N° LXXII. THURSDAY, JUNE 12, 1755.

VERSUS INOPES RERUM, NUGÆ QUE CANORÆ.

Hor.

WHAT THOUGH OUR SONGS TO WIT HAVE NO PRETENCE,
THE FIDDLE-STICK SHALL SCRAPE THEM IN TO SENSE.

TH
"He managers of our Public Gar- now reduced to certain rules of art; and

dens, willing to make their in- the Ballad-miker goes to work by a
mer diversions as compleat as poble, method as regular and mechanical as
are not content with Jaying out beauti- a carpenter or a black linith.
fal walks, and providing an excellent Swift, in his Voyage to Lauta, de.
band of music, but are aifo at much ex- scribes a machine to write books in all
pence to amuse us with the old English arts and sciences: I have alto read of a
Entertainment of Ballad-finging. For inill to make vertes; and reinember to
this end they not only retain the best have seen a curious table, by the asfitt-
voices that can be procured, but each of ance of which the most illiterate might
them allo has a poet in ordinary, who amuse themselves in composing hexame-
is allowed a taled lalary, and the run of ters and pentameters in Latin : inven
the Gardens. The productions of thee tions wonderfully calculated for the pro
petty laureats natu:ally coine within motion of literature. Whatever gentle-
my notice as Critic: and, indeed, whe- men of Grub Street or others are ambi-
ther I am at Vauxhall, Ranelagh, Mary- tions to enlist themelves as hackney for.'
bone, or even Sadler's Wells, I in- nettrers, are desired to attend to the fola
dulge myself in many remarks on the lowing rules, drawn from the practice
poetry of the place; and am as attentive of our modern Song.writers : a fet of
to the Sungs, as to the C scade, the Fire- geniuses excellent in their manner, and
works, or Mits Isabella Wilkinson. who will probably be hereafter as much

Ballads seemn peculiaily adapted to the known and admired as Garden-poets, as genius of our people; and are a fpecies the celebrated Taylor is now famous of composition in which we are fuperior under the denommation of Water-poet. to all other nations. Many of our old I must beg leave positively to contraEnglish Songs have in them an affecting diet any reports intinuacing that our kemplicity; and it is remarkable, that Ballas- makers are in pofleffion of such our best writers have not been alhamed a machine, mill, or table, as above-mento cultivate this branch of poetry. Cow. tioned; and believe it to be equally false, ley, Waller, Roscommon, Rowe, Gay, that it is their practice to huttle certain Prior, and many others, have left be- quaint terms and phrases together in an hind them very elegant Ballads : but it hat, and take thein out at random. It putt be confeited, to the honour of the has, indeed, been asserted on fome just present age, that it was referved for our ground, that their productions are tomodern writer's to bring this kind of ially void of ferie and expression, that poetry to perfection. Seng-writing is they have little rhyme and leis reason,

X 2

and

and that they are, from beginning to tine in Love for Love, when he talks end, nothing anore than nonsensical rhap- of turning poet, orders Jeremy to get Sodies to a new tune. This charge I do the maids together of an evening to not mean to deny: though I cannot but Crambo: no contenuptible hint to onr lament the deplorable want of taste, that Ballad-makers, and which, if properly mencions it as a fault. For it is this made use of, would be of as much ser. very circumstance, which I, who am vice to them as Bythe's Art of Poeprofeffedly, a Connoisseur, particularly try. adınire. It is a received maxim with Fearing left this method of Song-writ. all composers of mutic, that nothing is ing ihould one day grow oblolete, in

melodious as nonsense. Manly sense order to prtlerve to posterity fome idea is too harsh and stubborn to go through of it, I have put together the following the numberless divisions and sub-divi- dialogue as a specimen of the modern fons of m dern music, and to be trilled manner. I muft, however, be ingentiforth in e.otchets and demiquavers. For ons enough to confess, that I can claim this season, thought is to cautiously no farther merit in this elegant piece, sprinkled over a modern Song ; which than that of a compiler. It is a Cento it is the buliness of the hnger to warble from our most celcbrated new Songs ; into sentiment.

from which I have carefully culled all Our Ballad-makers for the most part the sweeteft fowers of poetry, and bound flide into the familiar stile, and affect them up together. As all the lines are that easy manner of writing, which (ac- taken from different Songs set to difte. cording to Wycherly) is easily written. rent tunes, I would humbly propose,

Seeing the dangerous consequence of that this curious performance should be , meaning, in words adapted to music, sung jointly by all the best voices, in the

they are very frugal of tentiment: and manner of a Dutch concert, where every indeed they buiband it so well, that the man fings his own tune. I had once fanie thoughts are adapted to every song, come thoughts of ashxing marginal reThe only variation requisite in twenty ferences to each line, to inform the Ballads is, that the last line of the stanza

reader by note, at what place the Song, be different. In this ingenious line the whence it is taken, was fiuft sung. But wit of the whole long confifts; and the I mall fpare myself that trouble, by deauthor, whether he mall die if he has bring the reader to look on the whole ' not the lats of the mill,' or ' defeives picce, as ariling from a coalition of our « to be reckon'd an ass,' turns over his molt eminent Song writers at Vauxhall, dictionary of rhymes for words of a fi. Ranelagh, Marybone, and Sadler's milar round, and every verfe jingles to Wells: alluring him, that this mort the lanic word, with all the agreeable dialogue contains the pith and marrow, variety of a set of beils eternally ringing or rather (to borrow an expression from the laine peal.

the Fine Lady in Lethe) the Quinsetence The authors of love songs formerly and Emprity of all our modern Songs. wasted a great deal of poetry in illustrating their own paflion and the beauty

A PASTORAL DIALOGUE of their mistress; but our modern poets content themselves with falling in love with her name. There cannot be a

CORYDON AND SUSAN. greatcr misfortune to one of these rhymers, than a mistress with an hard name :

Sibo AH! whither fo faft would my Cory. such a misfortune sends them all over

dun go? the world, and inakes them run through Step in, you're nothing else to do. all arts, sciences, and languages, for Cir. They lay l'm in love, but I answerg correspondent terms; and after all, per

No, no; haps, the name is so harsh and untract. So I wish I may die if I do. able, that our poet has as inuch diffi

Once my heart play'd a tune that went pitty 'culty to bring it into verse, as the cele.

pactie, braters of the Duke of Marlborough

And I figh'd but I could not tell why. were puzzled to reduce to rhyme the Now let what will happen, by Jove i'll be uncouth names of the Dutch towns

free. taken in Queen Anne's wais. Valen. Sido O fys, thepherd, fye, Mepherd, f,e.

Can

BETWEEN

Gor. Though you bid me begone back again, No more let your anfwer be no.

Yet, Sukey, no matter for that. Suf. The deuce fure is in him to plague The women love killing as well as the men. maid fo: Saf. Why, what a pox would you be at? I cannot deny you, you know..53 You told me a tale of a cock and a bull; Upon my word he did.

CXORUS BY BOTX. Cor. Ifwear I meant nothing but playing the No courtiers can be so happy as we,

fool. Bas. Very fine ! sery pretty, indeed. I

Who bill like the sparrow and doye.

I love Sue, and Sue loves me, Bar. Come, come, my dear Sukey, to church Sure this is mutual love.

let us go ;

No LXXIII. THURSDAY, JUNE 19, 1755.

-S2CERNERE SACRA PROFANIS.

HOR.

WHEREVER GOD ERECTS AN HOUSE OF PRAY'R,
THE DEVIL ALWAYS HAS A CHAPEL TNERE.

Dero.

W

ALKING the other day in pervert the original intent of epitaphs, many oftentatious monuments erected to justice to the virtuous and the good. kings and warriors, I could not help But by the present practice, the reputaobserving a little fone, on which was tions of men are equally confounded this pompous iofcription : * Eterna Me- with their dust in the grave, where there

máris Sacrum-Sacred to the Eternal is no distinction between the good and • Memory of '. The name of the the bad. The law has appointed learchers person to whom immortality was thus to enquire, when any one dies, into the secured is almos obli:erated; and,'per- the cause of his death: in the same manhaps, when alive, he was little known, ner I could with, that searchers were and foon forgot by the small circle of appointed to examine into his way of his friends and acquaintance.

living, before a character be given of I have been used to look upon epitaphs him

upon the tomb-ftone. as a kind of Aattering dedications to the The flatteries that are paid to the dedead; in which is set down a long cata- ceased are undoubtedly owing to the sogue of virtnes that nobody knew they pride of their survivors, which is the were poffeffed of while living, and not same among the lowest as the highest lec a word of their vices or follies. The of people. When an obscure grocer or veracity of these pusthumous encomiums tallow.chandler dies' at his lodgings at mav, indeed, be fairly suspected, as we Ilington, the news-papers are stuffed are generally told, that the disconfolate, with the same detail of his virtues and wilow, or weeping fon, erected the mo. good qualities, as when a duke goes out Rument in teftimony of their affiction of the world: and the petty overseer of for the loss of the kindeft husband, or a little hamlet has a painted board stuck molt affectionate father. But what up at the end of his wickered turf, with dowager, who enjoys a comfortable a distich setting forth the godliness of jointure hy her good man's decease, his life, in humble imitation of the 'no. would refuse to let her hand to it on his bleinan, who reposes under a grand mau. tomb stone, that he was the beft of hus, soleum erected to his niemory, with a bands, though perhaps they had parted long list of his titles and heroic deeds. beds? Or what beir would be lo base The great, indecd, have found means and ungrateful, as not to give a few to separare themselves even in their graves good words to a crabhed parent after from the vulgar, by having their ashes his death, in return for his estate? deposited in churches and cathedrals,

By the extravagant praises which are and covered by the most superb monuthus indif riminately lavilhved on the ments: but the false pomp of the moashes of every pertos alike, we entirely nument, as well as the grofs flattery of

the

"P

the infcription, ofren tends only to make cutting the thread of life. Could one
the decealed ridiculous. : In my late of the last century see a winger rignie
visit to Westminster Abbey, I could not blowing a truinper on the top of a irod
but remark the difference of Take, dern monument, he would be apt to
which has prevailed in' fetting up thiele mittake it for an arch-angel, and be
edifices for the dead. In former times naturally put in mind of tiat awful
it was thought sufficient to clap up the time, ' when the trumpet thalı sourd,
buft or statue of the deceased, let round " and the dead Mall rise.' But the de-
perhaps with the emblems of their me- fign, we are told, is very different, and
sits, their employment, or flation of life. this winged messenger is no other than
Shus, if any lady was remarkable for the ancient personage of Fame, who is
her virtue and piety, it was pointed out proclaiming the virtues of the detutet
by two or three litile chubby-faced che- round the world.
rubims, crying for her death, or holding It has been recommended, on a dif.
a crown over her head. The warrior ferent account, to have a separate place,
was fpread out at tull length in a com- distinct from our churches, for the recep.
pleat fuit of armour, with the trophies tion of our monuments. I could with to
of war hung sound about him; and the fee such a scheme put in execution: for
Bilhop was laid Hat upon his back, with the present absurd inixture of the several
his coifed head refting on a stone obje&is of the Pagan and Christian be-
bible, and his bands joined iogether in lief, as represented on the tombs lately
the porture of praying.

fet in compliance with the Modern It Socrines, or any other of the an- Taite, imust be shocking to every serious cient philosophers, could revive again, beholder. Should any one propose to and be adınitted into Westminster Ab- take down from St. Paul's cathedral bey, he would now be induced to fancy those paintings of Sir James Thornhill bimself in a Pantheon. The Modern representing the transactions of St. Paul, Tutte, not content with introducing and in their place to set up Titian's pic. Roman temples into our churches, and tures of the amours of the Heathen, representing the Virtues under allegorical Gods and Goddefies, every one would images, has ransacked all the fabulous be thocked at the impiety of the pro. accounts of the Heathen Theology to posal. But the famion of introducing strike out new einbellishments for our Heathen Deities into our monuments is Christian monuments. We are not in not much less abfurd : and as Milton the least surprised to see Mercury ate has been blamed for his frequent al.

, tending the tomb of an orator, and Pal. fions to the Heathen Theology in his las of Hercules supporting that of a Sacred Poemi, furely we are more to be warrior. If there is not a stop pat to, condemned for admitting the whole class this Taite, we may foon expect to fee of their fi&titious deities into the House cur churches, instead of being dedicated of God itself.. A reformation in this

the service of religion, let apart for point is no less neceffary than from the the reception of Heathen Gods. A Popish fuperftitions; and these profane decealed admiral will be represented like images, though not the objects of our Neprope, with a crident in his hand, idolatry, l:ave no more pretence to be fet drawn in a thell by dolphins, preceded up in the Temple of the Living Lord, by Tritons, and followed by Nereids than those of the canonized Saints of Laching the maride waves with their the Roman Catholics. tails. A gencral will be habited like Modern Talte is continually friking Mars, bearing an helmet and spear in out new improvements. We may there polithed fone; and a celebrated toast fore conclude, that wilren our ftatuaries will be fuck up naked, like the Venus have traveled through the ancient Pin. de Medicis, cui in alabaster. Our pious thcon, and exhausteit all the subjiets of foretathers were contented with exlri- the Grecian an: Roman Mythology, biting to us the usual emblems of death, we Mall liave recouric to the fuperfti. the hour-glass, the skull, and the cross tions of other nations for the designs of Savarrow. bones. Thete emblerns, if not our monuments. They will then provesy ek gant, were at least not indecent: bably be adorned with Agyptian Hierobut now the Tree Faial Sifters, men- glyphics, and the tomb of some future sioned in the Heathen Mythology, mutt hero may be built according to the mo. Le inuoduced spinning, drawing, and del of the Proprict's tomb at Niccca. It for. Though you bid me begone back again, No more let your anfwer be no.

Yet, Sukey, no matter for chat. Suf. The deuce sure it in him to plague The women love kifling as well as the mens

maid so:
Saf. Why, what a pox would you be at? I cannot deny you, you know, s,
You told me a tale of a cock and a bull;
Upon my word he did.

CHORUS BY BOTX.
Cor. Ifwear I meant nothing but playing the

No courtiers can be so happy as we, fool. Saf. Very fine ! xery pretty, indeed.

Who bill like the sparrow and dorc.

I love Sue, and Sue loves me, Bar. Come, come, my dear Sukey, to church Şure this is mutual love.

let us go ;

N° LXXII. THURSDAY, JUNE 19, 1755

SZCLRNERE SACRA PROFANIS.

Hor.

WHEREVER GOD ERECTS AN HOUSE OF PRAY'R,
THE DEVIL ALWAYS HAS A CXAPEL THERE.

DEFOR.

W

ALKING the other day in pervert the original intent of epitaphs, many oftentatious monuments erected to justice to the virtuous and the good. kings and warriors, I could not help But by the present practice, the reputaobserving a little ftone, on which was tions of men are equally confounded this pompous ioscription : * Eterne Me. with their dust in the grave, where there

mória Sacrum-Sacred to the Eternal is no distinction between the good and Memory of 'The nime of the the bad. The law has appointed searchers person to whom immortality was thus to enquire, when any one dies, into the secured is almost obliterated; and,'per- the cause of his death : in the fame mankaps, when alive, he was little known, ner I could wish, that searchers were and foon forgot by the Imall circle of appointed to examine into his way of his friends and acquaintance.

living, before a character be given of I have been used to look upon epitaphs him upon the tomb-stone. as a kind of Aattering dedications to the The flatteries that are paid to the dedead ; in which is ser down a long cata- ceased are undoubtedly owing to the logue of virtues that nobody knew they pride of their survivors, which is the were pofleffed of while living, and not same among the lowest as the highett let a worit of their vices or follies. The of people. When an obscure grocer or veracity of these posthumous encomiums tallow-chandler dies’ at his lodgings at may, indeed, be fairly suspected, as we Ilington, the news-papers are stuffed are generally told, that the disconfolate, with the same detail of his virtues and widow, or weeping fon, erected the mo. good qualities, as when a duke goes out Rument in teftimony of their affliction of the world: and the petty overseer of for the loss of the kindest husband, or a letle hamlet has a printed board stuck moft affectionate father. But what up at the end of his wickered turf, with dowager, who enjoys a comfortable a diftich setting forth the godliness of jointure by her good man's decease, his life, in humble imitation of the 'no. would refuse to let her hand to it on his bleman, who reposes under a grand mau. tomb stone, that he was the best of huf- foleum erected to his niemory, with a bands, though perhaps they had parted long list of his titles and heroic deeds. beds? Or what heir would be so base The great, indeed, have found means and ungrateful, as not to give a few to separare themfelves even in their graves good words to a crabhed parent after from the vulgar, by having their ashes bis death, in return for his eftate ? depofited in churches and cathedrals,

By the extravagant praises which are and covered by the moił superb monu. thus indil riminately lavished on the ments: but the false pomp of the moalhes of every perfus alike, we entirely nument, as well as the grofs flattery of

the