and learning among the French (which generally follows the declension of empire) than the endeavouring to restore this foolish kind of wit. If the reader will be at the trouble to see examples of it, let him look into the new Mercure Gallant ; were the author every month gives a list of rhymes to be filled up by the ingenious, in order to be communicated to the public in the Mercure for the succeeding month. That for the month of November last, which now lies before me, is as follows. Lauriers Guerriers Musette Lisette Cesars Etendars Houlette Folette One would be amazed to see so learned a man as Menage talking seriously on this kind of trifle in the following passage. 'Monsieur de la Chambre has told me, that he ne' ver knew what he was going to write when he took 'his pen into his hand; but that one sentence always ' produced another. For my own part, I never knew what I should write next when I was making verses. In the first place I got all my rhymes together, and was afterwards perhaps three or four months in filling them up. I one day shewed Monsieur Gom'baud a composition of this nature, in which, among ' others, I had made use of the four following rhymes, Amaryllis, Phyllis, Marne, Arne, desiring him to 'give me his opinion of it. He told me immediately 'that my verses were good for nothing. And upon C my asking his reason, he said, because the rhymes " are too common; and for that reason easy to be put • into verse. Marry, says I, if it be so, I am very well ' rewarded for all the pains I have been at. But by Monsieur Gombaud's leave, notwithstanding the severity of the criticism, the verses were good.' Vide Menagiana. Thus far the learned Menage, whom I have translated word for word. The first occasion of these Bouts Rimez made them in some manner excusable, as they were tasks which the French ladies used to impose on their lovers. But when a grave author, like him above-mentioned, tasked himself, could there be any thing more ridiculous? Or would not one be apt to believe that the author played booty, and did not make his list of rhymes till he had finished his poem ? I shall only add, that this piece of false wit has been finely ridiculed by Monsieur Sarisin, in a poem entitled La Defaite des Bouts-Rimez, The Rout of the Bouts-Rimez. I must subjoin to this last kind of wit the double rhymes, which are used in doggerel poetry, and generally applauded by ignorant readers. If the thought of the couplet in such compositions is good, the rhyme adds little to it; and if bad, it will not be in the power of the rhyme to recommend it. I am afraid that great numbers of those who admire the incomparable Hudibras, do it more on account of these doggerel rhymes, than of the parts that really deserve admiration. I am sure I have heard the and Pulpit, drum ecclsiastic, Was beat with fist instead of a stick There was an ancient sage philosopher Who had read Alexander Ross over more frequently quoted, than the finest pieces of wit in the whole poem. NOTES CRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY. No. 1. (a) This was June 29, 1688, the day on which the seven bishops were tried, who had been committed to the tower by Judge Jeffreys, for petitioning King James II. to excuse them from reading his declaration of his dispensing power in matters of religion. Lord Evesham, then Mr. Somers, distinguished himself much in his defence for the bishops on this occasion. (6) King Charles's observation may be adopted here, "Strange that there was not, in all that time, a wise man or a fool in the family." (c) A sarcasm on Mr. Greave's book, entitled Pyramidographia. (d) It is well known that the papers marked by one or other of the letters in the word Clio are written by Addison. Some have thought that this was a characteristic signature; indeed the editor Sir R. Steele seems to favour this opinion, far in No. 553, when giving an account of some of the authors, he says, "All the papers which I have distinguished by any letter in the name of the muse Clio were given me, &c." but others are of opinion that it is nothing more than merely a mark of distinction, the letters referring to the place from whence he wrote, as C. Chelsea, L. London, &c. No. 2. (d) The person here alluded to is said to have been the father of Admiral Kempenfelt, who was drowned in the Royal George, August 1782. (e) This is supposed to have been a Colonel Cleland. No. 3. (a) James Stuart the pretended prince of Wales. (b) In order to wipe out the national debt. (c) Act 5, scene 1. (d) The Elector of Hanover, afterwards George I. (a) In Dryden's Comedy. No. 5. (b) These were the Queen's gardeners at this time, and were jointly concerned in writing a book on gardening. Bb No. 9. (a) This club was composed of many noblemen; it took its name from Christopher Cat, the maker of their mutton pies. (b) The president of this club was Mr. Woffingham, Escourt, the comedian, was Providore, and wore a small gridiron of gold round his neck by a green ribband. No. 13. (a) Sir John Hawkins seems to think that Addison, from his want of taste in music, was led to be of opinion, that only nonsense was fit to be set to music; this criticism, however, is not to be relied on, for Addison had a good taste in music. No. 14. (a) Puppet-shows were anciently called motions. No. 23. (a) Peter Aretine, who was infamous for his writings. No. 25. (a) The ingenious nventor of the thermometer, who was a professor in the university of Padua éarly in the seventeenth century. (b) Translated, "I was well, but by trying to be better, I am here." No. 28. (a) This raillery is much heightened, if we attend to this circumstance that it was levelled at heraldry. No. 40. (a) See original letters, familiar, moral, and critical, by J. Dennis, 2 vols. 8vo. No. 44. (a) The comedy of the Comical Revenge, or Love in a Tub, by Sir G. Etheridge, 1664. No. 49. (a) The waiter of that coffee-house, frequently nicknamed Sir Thomas. No 50. (a) Swift in one of his letters says, "Yesterday the Spectator was made up of a noble hint I gave him about an Indian King supposed to write his travels into England. I repent he ever had it. I intended to have written a book on that subject, Ap. 28, 1711." INDEX. No. ABIGAILS (male) in fashion among the ladies. Acrostic, piece of false wit, divided into simple and com- Act of deformity, for the use of the Ugly club. From St. James's coffee-house. 55 From a gentlewoman that teaches birds to speak. It deforms beauty, and turns wit into absurdity. Found in the wise man as well as the coxcomb. Age rendered ridiculous. Ambition never satisfied. Americans, their opinion of souls. Exemplified in a vision of one of their countrymen. April (the first of) the merriest day in the year. Aretine made all the princes of Europe his tributaries. 60 Her fable of the lion and the man, in answer to the Her story of Inkle and Yarico. Aristotle, his observations upon the Iambic verse. At war with luxury. Upon tragedies. Arsinoe, the first musical opera on the English stage. Avarice, the original of it. Operates with luxury. Its officers and adherents. Comes to an greement with luxury. Audiences at present void of common sense. Aurelia, her character. 40, 42 18 55 55 55 55 55 13 15 |