O'er furmity, pork, pig, and ale, They cheer their souls, and tell this tale. Of these three Pieces I know not the author or authors. But from Swift's having a place which obliged him to an attendance at Dublin Castle, about 1701, and from his having written his first political pamphlet, on the Contests in Athens and Rome, about that time,-which pamphlet seems to convey opinions not unlike those expressed in the first of these poems, I have been led to suppose, that he perhaps was the author.-To me, the writer appears to have designed the four impeached Lords, Orford, Halifax, Portland, and Somers, under the names of "The great, the good, the just, the wise," in one of the lines of this poem. Towards the conclusion of No. III. we find a line not unlike one in the Parody on Mr. William Crow's Speech and in No. II. the rhymes, of "Eurydice" and " as you e'er did see," seem not unlike Swift's rhymes in some of his undoubted pieces. No. No. IV. I have extracted from the Lanesborough MS. the following Notes for the poem, entitled "The Swan Tripe Club," which is printed in p. clxix : From pamphlets in the College Library, marked P. 16. 2. and 15. 24. I learn, that the persons are The Lanesborough MS. assigns the following dates to these compositions of Swift: 1. Ballad to Lady B. B- [Betty Berkeley.] Once on a time as old stories 2. Sid Hamet's Rod. 3. Vanbrugh's House. In times of old, &c. 4. Salamander 5. History of Vanbrugh's House. Mother Cludd .. 6. Elegy on Partridge. Aug. 1702. When $1708 ... 7. Description of the Morning. April 1709. In a pamphlet in my possession, printed at London, in 1710, is given Swift's Poem on Baucis and Philemon*: which is entitled, " A Poem on the ever-lamented loss of the two Yew Trees, in the Parish of Chilthorne, near the County Town of Somerset." Agreeably to this, it has some variations from the copy printed in Swift's Works; which I shall briefly state. It reads, Disguis'd in habits poor and rent, To a small village in Somerset went. Instead of, "Old Goodman Dobson," &c. it reads, *See vol. xvi. ed. 1808, p. 74. N. No. No. V. From the Lanesborough MS. A SATYR. No wonder storms more dreadful are by far, Than all the losses of a twelve years' war. No wonder Prelates do the Church betray; Old Statesmen vote and act a different way. No wonder magic arts surround the throne: Old Mother Jennings in her Grace is known. Old England's Genius, rouse; her charms dispell; Burn but the witch, and all things will do well.* * The name of the author of the above is not mentioned in the MS. THE |