should be to Gray; that I have enriched the poverty of my sixth, with an imitation, in its last two lines, of Shakspeare; or that the stone of Destiny, (Hume, vol. 2, p. 282,) on which I apprehend his Majesty was crowned, was brought to Scotland from this country; and removed by Edward the First to Westminster, from Scone.

IMITATIONS.

Fill high the sparkling bowl;
The rich repast prepare.

Gray.

In gallant trim the gilded vessel goes ;

Youth on the prow, and pleasure at the helm;

Regardless of the sweeping whirlwind's sway,

That, hush'd in grim repose, expects his ev'ning prey.

Gray.

Poor naked wretches, wheresoe'er you are,

That bide the pelting of this pitiless storm!

Lear.

WELCOME TO HERMITAGE.

While numerous yawns upbraid its tameness,
Can you endure a life of sameness,

Of halting Time nor mock the lameness?

Welcome to Hermitage!

O'erfraught with restless animation,
Agog for bustling dissipation,

Are quiet hours your detestation?

Avoid our Hermitage

But if you can, with relish, look
For recreation, to a book,

Come, nestle in our evening nook,

At quiet Hermitage.

Perhaps you'd rather flirt, than read;

Handle an eye-glass, than a need

le,-O! then, lady fine, proceed;

Nor stop at Hermitage,

Blithe social fame jadis I won;

But with society have done;

And shunn'd, at length I learn to shun :

Retirement suits with Age;

And I am forty-nine, you know:

Why do you smile? Is it not so ?*

Yet not a mope I mean to grow;

Nor even austerely sage.

* The author continued (without any deceptious intention) to call himself forty-nine, for five or six years, without adding and upwards :' a joke, upon the wit or poignancy of which he will not insist.

A he he he! is in me still :

With ha ha! ha! then pledge it, Shill ;*
Hold both your sides, and laugh your fill,

To echoing Hermitage.

Years hence, when stooping on my staff,
My thirsting ears, I hope, will quaff
Of jocund Youth the sprightly laugh,

That cordials sinking Age.

Peter the cards and table: Whist?
Ay, to it, comrades, if you list:
My head seems in a sort of mist :

I throw not down my gauge.

I will go scribble: or, may-hap,
Recline in Morpheus' dreamy lap;

Which means, in prose, will take a nap;

And renovate your Sage.

"Our Sage, forsooth! oh, no! not quite."

Beshrew me, but I believe you're right;

For harmless Frolick's my delight,

Capering on Life's dull stage.

"We're four by honours."-" What do you mean?"

Cries one, with sober, whist-like mien :

"Did not my partner play the queen?

"First trump he had, this age.

"Well! trick and two by honours."—" Nay,

'Gainst this, I nothing have to say:

We have saved lurch: come, deal away :

Such hands would Job enrage."

* See page 57 of this collection.

The name of one of the footmen.

"Have you an Honour ?"-" I have one.
That's quite enough: the game is done;
"A single one."—the rubber's won ;

The stint of Hermitage.*

On what book shall my tongue now wag?t
Journal to Stella? Brobdingnag?

Or biting tale of sorrel Nag?

Fair Dames of Hermitage.

Or shall I read you verses-mine?
Anonymous? or Auld Lang Syne?
Or Maze? For what do you incline?

My Dames of Hermitage.

Come, Sir; your tottering table's laid: § ah!
Yes; I perceive: but I'm afraid, a

Lady's forgetting my panada ;||

Night-lunch of Hermitage.

False Muse, ungrateful ground you are — :
Take my advice; nor go too far -:

She, who-you say-forgets the

Loves him and Hermitage.

* The Hermitage rule was-not more than one rubber each evening. But what are rules? Promises. And what are promises? Pie-crusts ; made says the adage, to be broken. How old-fashioned, by the way, must these allusions to long whist, now appear!

+ Reading aloud; the cards being over.

There is quite as much rhyme as truth, in making the voyage to the Houghnhmms, or even that to Brobdingnag, a part of our evening course.

With a candle, for reading. By the epithet "tottering," the writer seems to record, that the aforesaid table was one of a nest of wabbling spiders.

|| Bread softened in tea, well creamed and sugared.

But hold! "to my poor way of thinking,*
Whist, scribbling, reading, eating, drinking,t
Are not enough, Come, rouse thee, Shenkin.

Not heard for half an age.

Poor Robertson, and Charles Quint
Whilom Muse Nambypamby sang;
Ere Fickleness, or Dulness rang

Their knell, in Hermitage.

For praise though graceful style give room,
Done have we with sly Atheist Hume:

Yet (with defiance) may resume.

For faithful Hermitage

Scarce will his fraud entrap, I hope;

Who, while he feigns to storm The Pope,
with foul clandestine scope,

Does so,

To glut unchristian rage :

And while he rails on popery,

A watchful Piety can see,
He fain with Christianity

Would stealthily engage.

* English translation of "moi je pense, comme Gregoire ; j'aime mieux boire;" which is the burden of "Que le vaillant Roi, Richard," &c., one of the airs in Gretry's "Cœur de Lion;" the music of which I am no longer laughed at for humming and admiring; because it is again coming into fashion,

+ Panada, for example, which may be considered as both eatable and drinkable. More easily eaten indeed, than Boniface's ale.

+ Famously played by one of our circle; who indeed performed every thing well.