RETALIATION.

A POEM.

TH

HE title and nature of this Poem, fhews that it owed it's birth to fome preceding circumftances of feftive merriment, which, from the wit of the company, and the very ingenious Author's peculiar oddities, were probably enlivened by some poignant strokes of bumour. This piece was only intended for the Doctor's private amufement, and that of the particular friends who were it's fubjects; and he unfortunately did not live to revife, or even to finish it, in the manner which he intended.

RETALIATION,

RETALIATION.

A POEM.

when Scarron his companions invited, queft brought his difh, and the feaft was d;

d fupplies us with beef, and with fish, bring himself, and he brings the best dish. all be venison, juft fresh from the plains; all be tongue, with a garnish of brains;

of St. James's coffee-house, where the Doctor, e hath characterized in this Poem, held an oc

Lard, Dean of Derry, in Ireland, author of many

d Burke, member for Wendover, and one of s in this kingdom.

Our

Our Will shall be wild-fowl, of excellent flavour;

And Dick †, with his pepper, shall heighten their favour;
Our Cumberland's fweet-bread, it's place fhall obtain;
And Douglas is pudding, fubftantial and plain;
Our Garrick's a fallad, for in him we fee
Oil, vinegar, fugar, and faltnefs agree;

To make out the dinner, full certain I am,

That Ridge is anchovy, and Reynolds** is lamb;

Mr. William Burke, late Secretary to General Conway, and member for Bedwin.

+ Mr. Richard Burke, Collector, Grenada, no less remarkable In the walks of wit and humour, than his brother Edmund Burke is juftly diftinguished in all the branches of polite literature.

Author of the Weft-Indian, Fashionable Lover, the Brothers, and other dramatic pieces.

Doctor Douglas, Canon of Windfor, an ingenious Scotch gentleman, who has no less diftinguished himself as a citizen of the world, than a found critic, in detecting several literary mistakes, or rather forgeries of his countrymen; particularly Lauder on Milton, and Bower's history of the Popes.

Į David Garrick, Esq. joint patentee and acting manager of the Theatre-Royal, Drury-Lane.

Counsellor John Ridge, a gentleman belonging to the Irish bar; the relish of whose agreeable and pointed conversation is admitted, by all his acquaintances, to be very properly compared to the above sauce.

** Sir Joshua Reynolds, Prefident of the Royal Academy.

That

That HICKEY's* a capon; and, by the fame rule,
Magnanimous GOLDSMITH, a gooseberry fool:
At a dinner fo various, at fuck a repast,
Who'd not be a glutton, and stick to the last!
Here, waiter, more wine, let me fit while I'm able,
Till all my companions fink under the table;
'Then, with chaos and blunders, encircling my head,
Let me ponder, and tell what I think of the dead.
Here lies the good DEAN, re-united to earth,
Who mix'd reason with pleasure, and wisdom with mirth;
If he had any faults, he has left us in doubt;

At least, in fix weeks I could not find 'em out:
Yet fome have declar'd, and it can't be denied 'em,
That fly-boots was curfedly cunning to hide 'em,
Here lies our good EDMUND, whose genius was fuck,
We fcarcely can praise it, or blame it, too much;
Who, born for the universe, narrow'd his mind,

And to party gave up what was meant for mankind.
Though fraught with all learning, yet straining his throat,
To perfuade Tommy Townsend † to lend him a vote;
Who, too deep for his hearers, ftill went on refining,
And thought of convincing, while they thought of dining
Though equal to all things, for all things unfit,
Too nice for a statesman, too proud for a wit

An eminent attorney.

i

Mr. T. Townsend, member for Whitchurchs

D

For

For a patriot, too cool; for a drudge, disobedient;
And too fond of the right, to purfue the expedient.
In fhort, 'twas his fate, unemploy'd, or in place, Sir,
To eat mutton cold, and cut blocks with a razor.

Here lies honeft WILLIAM, whose heart was a mint, While the owner ne'er knew half the good that was in't : The pupil of impulfe, it forc'd him along,

His conduct ftill right, with his argument wrong :
Still aiming at honour, yet fearing to roam,

The coachman was tipfy, the chariot drove home.
Would you afk for his merits? alas! he had none;
What was good was spontaneous, his faults were his own.

Here lies honeft RICHARD, whofe fate I must fight at Alas, that fuch frolic should now be fo quiet!

What spirits were his! what wit, and what whim!
Now breaking a jest, and now breaking a limb! *
Now wrangling and grumbling to keep up the ball;
Now teazing 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;
But miffing his mirth and agreeable vein,

As often we wish'd to have Dick back again.

*Mr. Richard Burke. This gentleman having flightly fractured one of his arms and legs, at different times, the Doctor had rallied him on those accidents, as a kind of retributive juftice or breaking his jefts upon other people.

Here