THE BAVIAD; A PARAPHRASTIC IMITATION OF THE FIRST SATIRE OF PERSIUS. Impune ergo mihi recitaverit ille SONETTAS, (a) P. WHEN I look round on man, and find how vain His passions F. Save me from this canting strain Why, who will read it?. PERS. SAT. I. (a) O CURAS hominum! O quantum est in rebus inane ! Quis leget hæc! Min' tu istud ais? Nemo, hercule. Nemo? P. This, my friend, to me? F. None, by my life. P. What! none? Sure, two or three F. No, no; not one. 'Tis sad ; but P. "Sad, but!"-Why? Pity is insult here. I care not, I, Vel duo, vel nemo: turpe et miserabile. Quare? NOTES. 5 * Cui non dictus Hylas? And who has not heard of James Boswell, Esq. All the world knows (for all the world has it under his own hand) that he composed a BALLAD in honour of Mr. Pitt, with very little assistance from Dr. Trusler, and less from Mr. Dibdin; which he produced, to the utter confusion of the Foxites, and sang at the Lord Mayor's table. This important "state paper," thanks to the scombri, et quicquid ineptis amicitur chartis, I have not been able to procure; but the terror and dismay which it occasioned amongst the enemy, with a variety of other circumstances highly necessary to be known, may be gathered from the following letter: SIR, To the CONDUCTOR of the WORLD. THE wasps of opposition have been very busy with my State Ballad," the GROCER of LONDON," and they are welcome.. Pray let them know that I am vain of a hasty composition which has procured me large draughts (b) Tho' Boswell,* of a song and supper vain, And Bell's whole choir,† (an ever-jingling train,) (b) Ne mihi Polydamas et Troiades Labeonem Prætulerint: nugæ. NOTES. "that of that popular applause in which I delight. Let me add, that there was certainly no servility on my part; for I publicly declared in Guildhall, between the encores, "this same Grocer had treated ME arrogantly and ungrate"fully; but that, from his great merit as a Minister, I was "compelled to support him!" "The time WILL come, when I shall have a proper op"portunity to shew, that in one instance at least, the man "has wanted wisdom "JAM. BOS." Atqui vultus erat multa et præclara minantis ! Poor Bozzy! But I too threaten.-And is there need of thy example, then, to convince us that on our quick'st attempts The noiseless and inaudible foot of time + "BELL'S WHOLE CHOIR!' Quousque tantum-Yes, "Sir, I am proud of the insinuation while I despise it. The "owl, they say, was a baker's daughter. We know what we ARE, but we know not what we MAY BE. Thereby hangs tale: and the WORLD shall have it-Choice BIOGRAPHY "is the boast of My Paper-Verba sat-I have friends-so a |