JOHN BYROM. 1691-1763.

God bless the King, I mean the faith's defender;
God bless-no harm in blessing-the pretender;
But who pretender is, or who is king,-
God bless us all, that 's quite another thing.
To an Officer of the Army, extempore.

Take time enough: all other graces
Will soon fill up their proper places.1

Advice to Preach Slow.

Some say, compar'd to Bononcini,
That Mynheer Handel's but a ninny;
Others aver that he to Handel
Is scarcely fit to hold a candle.2
Strange all this difference should be
'Twixt Tweedledum and Tweedledee.
On the Feuds between Handel and Bononcini.3

As clear as a whistle.

Epistle to Lloyd.

Bone and Skin, two millers thin,
Would starve us all, or near it ;
But be it known to Skin and Bone
That Flesh and Blood can't bear it.
Epigram on two Monopolists.

1 Compare Walker, ante, p. 232.
2 See Proverbial Expressions.

3 "Nourse asked me if I had seen the verses upon Handel and Bononcini, not knowing that they were mine." Byrom's Remains (Chetham Soc.), Vol. i. p. 173. The last two lines have been attributed to Swift and Pope. See Scott's edition of Swift, and Dyce's edition of Pope.

Thus adorned, the two heroes, 'twixt shoulder and elbow,

Shook hands and went to 't, and the word it was bilbow.

Upon a Trial of Skill between the Great Masters of the
Noble Science of Defence, Messrs. Figg and Sutton.

EARL OF CHESTERFIELD.

1694-1773.

Whatever is worth doing at all, is worth doing Letter. March 10, 1746.

well.

I knew once a very covetous, sordid fellow,1 who used to say, Take care of the pence; for the pounds will take care of themselves.

Letter. Nov. 6, 1747.

Sacrifice to the Graces. Letter. March 9, 1748.

Manners must adorn knowledge, and smooth its way through the world. Like a great rough diamond, it may do very well in a closet by way of curiosity, and also for its intrinsic value. July 1, 1748.

Letter.

Style is the dress of thoughts.

Letter. Nov. 24, 1749.

Despatch is the soul of business.

Letter. Feb. 5, 1750.

1 W. Lowndes, Secretary of the Treasury in the reigns of King William, Queen Anne, and King George the Third.

2 Literally from the Greek Ovε rais Xúpioi. — Diog. Laert. Lib. IV. § 6, Xenocrates.

Chapter of accidents.1

Letter. Feb. 16, 1753.

I assisted at the birth of that most significant word "flirtation," which dropped from the most beautiful mouth in the world.

The World. No. 101.

Unlike my subject now shall be my song,
It shall be witty, and it sha'n't be long.

Impromptu Lines.

The dews of the evening most carefully shun,Those tears of the sky for the loss of the sun. Advice to a Lady in Autumn.

The nation looked upon him as a deserter, and he shrunk into insignificancy and an earldom. Character of Pulteney.

The picture placed the busts between,
Adds to the thought much strength;
Wisdom and Wit are little seen,

But folly 's at full length.2

On the Picture of Richard Nash placed at full length between the busts of Sir Isaac Newton and Mr. Pope, at Bath.

1 See Burke, Notes for Speeches, ed. 1852, Vol. ii. p. 426. John Wilkes said that "the Chapter of Accidents is the longest chapter in the book.” — Southey, The Doctor, cxviii.

2 This epigram is generally ascribed to Chesterfield, but Mr. Dyce in his Specimens of British Poetesses gives it to Jane Brereton.

ROBERT BLAIR. 1699-1747.

The Grave, dread thing!

Men shiver when thou'rt nam'd: Nature, appall'd, Shakes off her wonted firmness.

The Grave. Line 9.

The school-boy, with his satchel in his hand,
Whistling aloud to bear his courage up.1

Ibid. Line 58.

Friendship mysterious cement of the soul!
Sweet'ner of life! and solder of society!

Ibid. Line 88.

Of joys departed,

Not to return, how painful the remembrance ! Ibid. Line 109.

The good he scorn'd

Stalk'd off reluctant, like an ill-us'd ghost,

Not to return; or, if it did, in visits

Like those of angels, short and far between."

Ibid. Part ii. Line 586.

RICHARD SAVAGE. 1698-1743.

He lives to build, not boast, a generous race; No tenth transmitter of a foolish face.

The Bastard. Line 7.

1 Whistling to keep myself from being afraid.

Dryden, Amphitryon, Act iii. Sc. 1.

2 Compare Norris, p. 253.

JAMES THOMSON.

1700 1748.

Come, gentle Spring! ethereal Mildness! come. The Seasons. Spring. Line 1.

Delightful task! to rear the tender thought,
To teach the young idea how to shoot.

Line 1149.

An elegant sufficiency, content,
Retirement, rural quiet, friendship, books,
Ease and alternate labour, useful life,
Progressive virtue, and approving Heaven!

Line 1158.

The meek-ey'd Morn appears, mother of dews. Summer. Line 47.

Falsely luxurious, will not man awake?

Line 67.

But yonder comes the powerful King of Day
Rejoicing in the east.

Line 81.

Ships, dim-discover'd, dropping from the clouds.

Line 946.