OR

THE RURAL GAMES.

A BURLESQUE POEM.

ΤΟ

MR. HOGARTH.

PERMIT ERMIT me, Sir, to make choice of you for my Patron, being the greatest master in the burlesque way. In this indeed you have some advantage of your poetical brethren, that you paint to the eye; yet, remember, Sir, that we give speech and motion, and a greater variety to our figures. Your province is the Town; leave me a small out-ride in the Country, and I shall be content. In this, at least, let us both agree, to make Vice and Folly the objects of our ridicule; and we cannot fail to be of some service to mankind.

I am, Sir,

your admirer, and most humble servant,

B

W. S.

PREFACE.

NOTHING is more common than for us poor bards, when we have acquired a little reputation, to print ourselves into disgrace. We climb the Aonian mount with difficulty and toil, we receive the bays for which we languished; till, grasping still at more, we lose our hold, and fall at once to the bottom.

The Author of this piece would not thus be felo de se, nor would he be murdered by persons unknown. But as he is satisfied, that there are many imperfect copies of this trifle dispersed abroad, and, as he is credibly informed, that he shall soon be exposed to view in such an attitude, as he would not care to appear in; he thinks it most prudent in this desperate case to throw himself on the mercy of the publick; and offer this whimsical work a voluntary sacrifice, in hope that he stands a better chance for their indulgence, now it has received his last hand, than when curtailed and mangled by others.

The poets of almost all nations have celebrated the games of their several countries. Homer began, and all the mimick tribe followed the example of that great father of poetry. Even our own Milton, who laid his scene beyond the limits of this sublunary world, has found room for descriptions of this sort, and has performed it in a more sublime manner than any who went before him. His, indeed, are sports; but they are the sports of angels. This gentleman has endeavoured to do justice to his countrymen, the British freeholders, who, when dressed in their holiday clothes, are by no means persons of a despicable figure; but eat and drink

as plentifully, and fight as heartily, as the greatest hero in the Iliad. There is also some use in descriptions of this nature, since nothing gives us a clearer idea of the genius of a nation, than their sports and diversions. If we see people dancing even in wooden shoes, and a fiddle always at their heels, we are soon convinced of the levity and volatile spirit of those merry slaves. The famous bull-feasts are an evident token of the quixotism and romantick taste of the Spaniards: and a country-wake is too sad an image of the infirmities of our own people. We see nothing but broken heads, bottles flying about, tables overturned, outrageous drunkenness, and eternal squabble.

Thus much of the subject: it may not be improper to touch a little upon the style. One of the greatest poets and most candid criticks of this age, has informed us that there are two sorts of burlesque. Be pleased to take it in his own words. Spectator, No. 242. "Burlesque (says he) is of two kinds. The first represents mean persons in the accoutrements of heroes; the other, great persons acting and speaking like the basest among the people. Don Quixote is an instance of the first, and Lucian's gods of the second. It is a dispute among the criticks, whether burlesque runs best in heroick, like the Dispensary; or in doggerel, like that of Hudibras. I think, where the low character is to be raised, the heroick is the most proper measure; but when an hero is to be pulled down and degraded, it is best done in doggerel." Thus far Mr. Addison. If therefore the heroick is the proper measure, where the low character is to be raised, Milton's style must be very proper in the subject here treated of; because it raises the low character more than is possible to be done under the restraint of rhyme; and the ridicule chiefly consists in raising that low character. I beg leave to add the authority of Mr. Smith, in his poem upon the death of Mr. John Philips. The whole passage is so very fine, and gives so clear an idea of his

manner of writing, that the reader will not think his labour lost in running it over :

Oh various bard! you all our pow'rs control,
You now disturb, and now divert the soul.
Milton and Butler in thy Muse combine;
Above the last thy manly beauties shine.
For as I've seen two rival wits contend,
One gaily charge, one gravely wise defend;
That on quick turns, and points in vain relies;
This with a look demure, and steady eyes,
With dry rebukes and sneering praise replies :
So thy grave lines extort a juster smile,
Reach Butler's fancy, but surpass his style.
He speaks Scarron's low phrase in humble strains;
In thee the solemn air of great Cervantes reigns.
What sounding lines his abject themes express!
What shining words the pompous shilling dress!
There, there my cell, immortal made, outvies
The frailer piles, that o'er its ruins rise.
In her best light the comick Muse appears,
When she with borrow'd pride the buskin wears.
So when nurse Nokes to act young Ammon tries,
With shambling legs, long chin, and foolish eyes,
With dangling hands he strokes the imperial robe,
And with a cuckold's air commands the globe,
The pomp, and sound, the whole buffoon display'd,
And Ammon's son more mirth than Gomez made.

But here it may be objected, that this manner of writing contradicts the rule in Horace :

Versibus exponi tragicis res comica non vult.

Monsieur Boileau, in his dissertation upon the Joconde of de la Fontaine, quotes this passage in Horace, and observes, que comme il n'y a rien de plus froid, que de conter une chose grande en stile bas, aussi n'y a-t-il de plus ridicule, que de raconter une histoire comique et absurde en termes graves et serieux. But then