THUS Tophet look'd; so grinn'd the brawling fiend, Whilst frighted prelates bow'd, and call'd him friend. Our mother-church, with half-averted sight, Blush'd as she bless'd her grisly proselyte; Hosannas rung thro' hell's tremendous borders, And Satan's self had thoughts of taking orders. *The Rev. Henry Etough, of Cambridge University, the person satirized, was as remarkable for the eccentricities of his character, as for his personal appearance. Mr. Tyson, of Bene't College, made an etching of his head, and presented it to Gray, who embellished it with the above lines. Information respecting Mr. Etough, (who was rector of Therfield, Herts, and of Colmworth, Bedfordshire, and patronized by Sir Robert Walpole,) may be found in the Gentleman's Magaz. vol. lvi. p. 25. 281; and in Nichols's Literary Anecdotes of the xviiith Century, vol. viii. p. 261, and Brydges' Restituta, vol. iv. p. 246, and Polwhele's Recollect. i. 212. "Etough was originally a Jew, but renounced his religion for the sake of a valuable living. To understand the second line, it is necessary to inform you, that Tophet kept the conscience of the minister." See Neville. Imit. of Horace, p.59. "The slanderous pests, the ETOUGHS of the age." See an account of Dr. Etough in Coxe's Life of Sir R. Walpole, vol. i. p. xxvi. "Etough was a man of great research and eager curiosity, replete with prejudice, but idolizing Sir R. Walpole, &c." IMPROMPTU, SUGGESTED BY A VIEW, IN 1766, OF THE SEAT AND RUINS OF A DECEASED NOBLEMAN, AT KINGSGATE, KENT.* [Written at Denton in the spring of 1766. See Nichols' Select Poems, vol. vii. p. 350, and W. S Landori Poemata, p. 196.] OLD, and abandon'd by each venal friend, Here H- -d form'd the pious resolution To smuggle a few years, and strive to mend A broken character and constitution. On this congenial spot he fix'd his choice; 5 Earl Goodwin trembled for his neighbouring sand; Here sea-gulls scream, and cormorants rejoice, And mariners, though shipwreck'd, dread to land. Here reign the blustering North and blighting East, No tree is heard to whisper, bird to sing; Var. V. 2. Form'd] Took. V. 3. A] Some. Ms. MS. V. 9. Dread] Fear. Nichols. 10 that * Dallaway, in his Anecdotes of the Arts, p. 385, says, this house was built by Lord Holland as a correct imitation of Cicero's Formian villa, at Baiæ, under the superintendence of Sir Thomas Wynne, Bart. afterwards Lord Newborough. See Gent. Mag. vol. lxxvii. p. 1116. Yet Nature could not furnish out the feast, Here mouldering fanes and battlements arise, 15 "Ah!" said the sighing peer, "had B-te been true, Nor M-'s, R's, B-'s friendship vain, Far better scenes than these had blest our view, And realiz'd the beauties which we feign: "Purg'd by the sword, and purified by fire, 20 Then had we seen proud London's hated walls; Owls would have hooted in St. Peter's choir, And foxes stunk and litter'd in St. Paul's." Var. V. 11. Could] Cannot. MS. V. 12. Horrors] Terrors. Nich. V. 13. Here] Now. MS. V. 14. Turrets and arches] Arches and turrets. MS. MS. V. 18. M-'s, R-'s, B-'s] Shelburne's, Rigby's, Cal craft's. Ms. Nor C's nor B-d's promises been vain. Nich. V. 19. Better] Other. Ms. Grac'd our view. N. V. 20. Beauties which] Ruins that. MS. Horrors which. N. V. 21. Purified] Beautified. MS. V. 23. Would] Might. Ms. Should. N. V. 18. These initials stand for "Mungo's, Rigby's, Bradshaw's. See Heroic Epistle, v. 95; and Verses by Lord Holland in returning from Italy, 1767, in Asylum for Fug. Pieces, ii. p. 10: THE CANDIDATE: OR, THE CAMBRIDGE COURTSHIP. [See character of Lord Sandwich in "Chrysal." See Scott's Lives of the Novelists, i. p. 169; Davies. Biog. and Lit. Anecdotes; Churchill's Verses on Lord Sandwich, in Candidate and Duellist; "From his youth upwards," &c. Cradock's Memoirs, vol. i. p. 117. 148. vol. iv. p. 163. 223; Miss Hawkins's Anecdotes, p. 239; Bell's Fugitive Poetry, v. xvi. p. 93. 172; Wilkes. Letters, i. p. 211. ii. p. 220; Walpole. Letters to Lord Hertford, p. 51–65. 102. by which it appears that Warburton had dedicated his Sermons to Lord Sandwich, but expunged his name for Pitt's. I have seen "A letter of advice from Alma Mater to her beloved son, Jemmy Twitcher, 1764."] WHEN sly Jemmy Twitcher had smugg'd up his face, With a lick of court whitewash, and pious grimace, "Lord! sister," says Physic to Law, "I declare, Such a sheep-biting look, such a pick-pocket air! Not I for the Indies: - you know I'm no prude, — But his nose is a shame, - and his eyes are so lewd! "But, Rigby, what did I for thee endure, See, see, with Gower caballing where they stand," &c. These verses were written a short time previous to the election of a high-steward of the University of Cambridge, for which office the noble lord alluded to (Lord Sandwich) made an active canvass. V. 8. Nose] In all editions printed by mistake "Name." |