And then fail back, amid the cannon's roar,-- Such is thy pow'r, O Goddess of the song, That he who runs may read; while well he knows 55. I write in metre, what he thinks in profe; Verfe 52. Nor like Mac Homer.) See, if the reader thinks it worth while, a late tranflation of the Iliad. Verfe 62. Like old young Fannius.) The noble perfonage here alluded to, being asked to read the Heroic Epiftle, faid, "No, it was as bad as blasphemy." Ibid. Fannius.) Before I fent the MS to the prefs, I discovered, that an accidental blot had made all but the first fyllable of this name illegible. I was doubtful,' therefore, whether to print it Fannius or Fannia. After much deliberation, I thought it beft to use the mafculine termination. If I have done wrong, I ask pardon, not only of the Author, but the Lady: The Editor. Let Let these prefer a levee's harmless talk, With other praise those numbers shall be crown'd, Your young Marcellus was not born to die. Verfe 76. And break the black afperity of fate.) Tu Marcellus eris." VIRG. What Whate'er his fame or fate, on this depend He is, and means to be his country's friend. 'Tis but to try his ftrength that now he sports With Chinese gardens, and withChinese courts :90 But if that country claim a graver ftrain, If real danger threat fair Freedom's reign, If hireling P**rs, in proftitution bold, Sell her as cheaply as themselves they fold; Or they, who honour'd by the People's choice, 95 Against that People lift their rebel voice, And bafely crouching for their paltry pay, Vote the best birthright of her fons away, Permit a nation's in-born wealth to fly In mean, unkingly prodigality; 100 Nor, e'er they give, ask how the fums were spent, If this they dare, the thunder of his fong, Shall ftrike, with Truth's dead bolt, each mif creant's name, Who, dead to duty, fenfelefs e'en to shame, 105 Betray'd his country. Yes, ye faithlefs crew, His Mufe's vengeance fhall your crimes purfue, Stretch you on fatire's rack, and bid you lie Fit garbage for the hell-hound, Infamy. ODE ODE YO MR. PINCHBECK, UPON HIS NEWLY-INVENTED PATENT CANDLE-SNUFFERS. BY MALCOLM M'GREGOR, ESQ; AUTHOR OF THE HEROIC EPISTLE TO SIR WILLIAM CHAMBERS, AND THE HEROIC POSTSCRIPT . Quoufque ergo fruftrà pafcemus ignigenum iftum ? Apuleii Met. Lib. 7. Why fhould a Patent be granted to this Candle-Snuffer in vain ? I. ILLUSTRIOUS PINCHBECK! condefcend, O! may they prompt thee, e'er too late, That burns a little blue. It ADVERTISEMENT. Ever fince my first publication, the curiofity, not to say anxiety, of the world concerning my name, has been fo great, that it has frequently given me pain to conceal what the world will now fee it was not poffible in my power to discover. In short, I had no name, till the royal favour lately reftored my very antient and honourable clan to its priftine title and honours. I was therefore in the fame deplorable cafe with a certain nameless lady, whom I have long had the honour to call my neighbour, and who, I fincerely hope, will foon, It once had got a ftately wick, As white as wax we faw it shine Thro' two whole lengths of BRUNSWICK's line,Till B- firft dar'd to smut it. III. Since then-but wherefore tell the tale ?! And forely waftes its tallow: Nay, if thy poet rightly weens, Its Save-all is but fhallow. foon, by the fame favour, be reftored to that title, which, upon my honour, 1 believe, fhe has erroneously, and not intentionally forfeited. I have only to add, that now, when the public is in poffeffion of my real name, it will not, I hope, fuffer any national prejudice to prevent it from receiving this my first lyrical attempt with its former candour. But I must needs fay, that if this Ode does not fell as well as Mr. CUMBERLAND's, I fhall be apt to impute it, not to any inferiority of lyrical ordonance, but merely to its having been written by a Scotchman. Knightsbridge, May 6th, 1776. |