Calm ev'ry thought, inspirit ev'ry grace, VARIATIONS. VER. 15. Originally thus in the MS. And oh fince Death must that fair frame destroy, 15 TO MR. THOMAS SOUTHERN, ON HIS BIRTH-DAY, 1742. RESIGN'D to live, prepar'd to die, NOTES. 5 The VER. 3. This day Tom's] This amiable writer lived the longest, and died one of the richest, of all our poets. In 1737, Mr. Gray, writing to a friend, says very agreeably, "We have here old Mr. Southern, who often comes to see us; he is now seventyseven years old, and has almost wholly loft his memory; but is as agreeable an old man as can be, at least I perfuade myfelf so, when I look at him, and think of Ifabella and Oroonoko." He was certainly a great master of the pathetic; and in the latter part of his life became fenfible of the impropriety he had been guilty of in mixing Tragedy with Comedy. He was the first play-writer that had the benefit of a third night. He told Dryden that he once had cleared seven hundred pounds by one of his plays. WARTON. VER. 6. A table,] Mr. Southern was invited to dine on his birthday with this nobleman (Lord Orrery), who had prepared for him the entertainment of which the bill of fare is here set down. WARBURTON. VER. 8. Prefents her Harp] The Harp is generally wove on the WARBURTON. Irish linen; such as table-cloths, &c. The feast, his tow'ring genius marks 10 15 20 NOTES. VER. 16. The price of Prologues and of Plays,] This alludes to a story Mr. Southern told of Dryden, about the fame time, to Mr. P. and Mr. W.-When Southern first wrote for the ftage, Dryden was so famous for his Prologues, that the Players would act nothing without that decoration. His usual price till then had been four guineas; but when Southern came to him for the Prologue he had bespoke, Dryden told him he must have fix guineas for it; " which (faid he) young man, is out of no disrespect to you, but the Players have had my goods too cheap." - We now look upon these Prologues with the fame admiration that the Virtuosi do on the Apothecaries' pots painted by Raphael. WARBURTON. ROXANA, OR THE DRAWING-ROOM. AN ECLOGUE. ROXANA from the court returning late, Sigh'd her foft forrow at St. James's gate : Such heavy thoughts lay brooding in her breast; Not her own chairmen with more weight opprest: They curse the cruel weight they're doom'd to bear; She in more gentle sounds express'd her care. 6 Was it for this, that I these roses wear? 10 This King, I never could attend too foon; BB 4 15 20 Sermons Sermons I fought, and with a mien fevere, Alas, how chang'd! with this fame fermon-mien, 25 The filthy What-d'ye-call it--I have seen. Ah, royal Princess! for whose fake I loft The reputation, which so dear had cost; I, who avoided ev'ry public place, When bloom and beauty bid me fhew my face, 30 Now near thee, conftant, I each night abide, With never-failing duty by my fide; Myfelf and daughters standing in a row, To all the foreigners a goodly show. Oft had your drawing-room been fadly thin, 35 And fav'd your Highness from the dire disgrace: Yet Cockatilla's artifice prevails, When all my duty and my merit fails : 40 That Cockatilla, whose deluding airs Corrupts our virgins, and our youth enfnares; 45 I know NOTES. VER. 26. What-d'ye-call-it] Gay's farce, fo called. VER. 31. foreigners] The attendants of George the Firft, from Hanover. |