TO AN IMPERTINENT MUSICIAN.—

EXTEMPORE.1

OUR herald hath proclaim'd this saying:
'See Æsop dancing'—and his monkey playing.

THE CLOWN'S REPLY.?

JOHN TROTT was desired by two witty peers
To tell them the reason why asses had ears!
'An't please you,' quoth John, 'I'm not given to letters,
Nor dare I pretend to know more than my betters;
Howe'er, from this time I shall ne'er see your graces--
As I hope to be sav'd!—without thinking on asses.'

1 From The miscellaneous works, 1801. Life, p. 5. Oliver, while a pupil at Elphin, was requested to dance a hornpipe. The musician, a youth also, ventured to compare him to Æsop; but was promptly met by retaliation!

2 From the Poems and plays, Dublin, Price etc., 1777.-The verses are dated at Edinburgh, 1753. No authority is cited.

IMITATED FROM THE SPANISH,

SURE 'twas by Providence design'd,
Rather in pity than in hate,
That he should be, like Cupid, blind,

To save him from Narcissus' fate.

1 From The bee, 1759. No. 1. Anonymous.-Mr. Evans printed the same text in The poetical and dramatic works, 1780.

THE GIFT.1

TO IRIS, IN BOW-STREET, COVENT-GARDEN.

SAY, cruel Iris, pretty rake,

Dear mercenary beauty,

What annual offering shall I make,
Expressive of my duty?

My heart, a victim to thine eyes,
Should I at once deliver-

Say, would the angry fair-one prize

The gift, who slights the giver?

1 From The bee, 1759.

No. 2.

Anonymous. This poem was reprinted with the name of the author, in A collection of the most esteemed pieces of poetry, 1767. It is imitated from a specimen of étrennes en vers, which were published by La Monnoye in 1715.

A bill, a jewel, watch, or toy,

My rivals give; and let them : If gems or gold impart a joy,

I'll give them; when I get them.

I'll give but not the full-blown rose, Or rose-bud more in fashionSuch short-liv'd offerings but disclose

A transitory passion

I'll give thee something yet unpaid,

Not less sincere than civil:

I'll give thee-ah! too charming maid, I'll give thee to the devil!

THE LOGICIANS REFUTED.'

IN IMITATION OF DEAN SWIFT.

LOGICIANS have but ill defin'd,
As rational, the human mind;
Reason, they say, belongs to man-
But let them prove it if they can.
Wise Aristotle and Smiglecius,

By ratiocinations specious,

1 Printed, says Mr. Prior, in The busy-body, 1759. No. 5. I have adopted the text of Mr. Evans, 1780.-Goldsmith was no admirer of Swift. He describes him as one who, careless of censure, chose to draw nature 'with all its deformities.'-Line 5. Aristotle and Smiglecius. Aristotle, as the classical Addison remarks, was one of the best logicians that ever appeared. Smiglecius, a Pole, also became famous as a writer on logic. He died in 1618; and his work, which was reprinted at Oxford in 1658, seems to have been in use at Dublin. Our poet elsewhere notices its dreary subtleties. Line 9. Homo est ratione præditum. Man is endowed with reason. Line 18. Deus est anima brutorum. God is the soul of brutes. It is a quotation. Line 32. Bob. Sir Robert Walpole, the state-minister. Swift was one of his innumerable assailants.