Vulgar words in The Poetical Works of Addison; Gay's Fables; and Somerville's Chase - With Memoirs and Critical Dissertations, - by the Rev. George Gilfillan (Page 1)
This book at a glance
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_10 Fruitful of folly and of vice, it shows Cuckolds, and cits, and bawds, and pimps, and beaux; Rough country knights are found of every shire; Of every fashion gentle fops appear; And punks of different characters we meet, As frequent on the stage as in the pit.
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Howe'er, to do you right, the present age Breeds very hopeful monsters for the stage; That scorn the paths their dull forefathers trod, And wont be blockheads in the common road.
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You'll see, when night has covered all things o'er, _150 Jove's starry bastard and triumphant whore Usurp the heavens; you 'll see them proudly roll In their new orbs, and brighten all the pole.
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Their various characters they choose with art, The frowning bully fits the tyrant's part: Swoln cheeks and swaggering belly make an host, Pale, meagre looks and hollow voice a ghost; From careful brows and heavy downcast eyes, Dull cits and thick-skull'd aldermen arise: The comic tone, inspir'd by Congreve, draws At every word, loud laughter and applause: The whining dame continues as before, _40 Her character unchanged, and acts a whore.
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_60 Thus the dull lad, too tall for school, With travel finishes the fool; Studious of every coxcomb's airs, He drinks, games, dresses, whores, and swears; O'erlooks with scorn all virtuous arts, For vice is fitted to his parts.
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He caught their manners, looks, and airs; An ass in every thing, but ears!
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She ran the parrot's language o'er, Bawd, hussy, drunkard, slattern, whore; On all the sex she vents her fury, Tries and condemns without a jury.
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A partridge, with experience wise, The fraudful preparation spies: She mocks their toils, alarms her brood; The covey springs, and seeks the wood; _10 But ere her certain wing she tries, Thus to the creeping spaniel cries: 'Thou fawning slave to man's deceit, Thou pimp of luxury, sneaking cheat, Of thy whole species thou disgrace, Dogs shall disown thee of their race!
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The thriving pimp, who beauty sets, Hath oft enhanced a nation's debts: Friend sets his friend, without regard; And ministers his skill reward: _30 Thus trained by man, I learnt his ways, And growing favour feasts my days.'
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Sudden the god a lion stands; He shakes his mane, he spurns the sands; Now a fierce lynx, with fiery glare, A wolf, an ass, a fox, a bear.
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Besides, proud blockhead, be not vain, Of what thou call'st thy slaves and train.
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I no man call an ape or ass: Tis his own conscience holds the glass; Thus void of all offence I write; Who claims the fable, knows his right.
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_40 Then if their patron burn with lust, The first in favour's pimp the first.
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Yet to jackals (as 'tis averred) Some lions have their power transferred; As if the parts of pimps and spies To govern forests could suffice.
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by what a powerful race (For blockheads may have power and place) Are scandals raised and libels writ!
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An ass hath more intrinsic good.
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By outward show let's not be cheated; An ass should like an ass be treated.'
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Thus ministers have royal boons Conferred on blockheads and buffoons: In spite of nature, merit, wit, Their friends for every post were fit.
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Your partial hand can wealth dispense, But never give a blockhead sense.
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_130 Each took the part that he advised, And all were equally despised; A farmer, at his folly moved, The dull preceptor thus reproved: 'Blockhead,' says he, 'by what you've done, One would have thought 'em each your son: For parents, to their offspring blind, Consult, nor parts, nor turn of mind; But even in infancy decree What this, what t'other son should be.
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_140 Had you with judgment weighed the case, Their genius thus had fixed their place: The swan had learnt the sailor's art; The cock had played the soldier's part; The spider in the weaver's trade With credit had a fortune made; But for the fool, in every class The blockhead had appeared an ass.'
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_90 Blockheads,' says he, 'learn more respect; Know ye on whom ye thus reflect?
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We doubt not, however, that, were a genuine poet of this age taking up the "Chase" as a subject for song, and availing himself of the accounts of recent travellers, themselves often true poets, such as Lloyd, Livingstone, Cumming Bruce, and Charles Boner, (see the admirable "Chamois Hunting in Bavaria" of the latter,) he would produce a strain incomparably higher than Somerville's.
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Who without grief Can view that pampered steed, his master's joy, His minion, and his daily care, well clothed, Well fed with every nicer cate; no cost, No labour spared; who, when the flying chase Broke from the copse, without a rival led The numerous train: now a sad spectacle Of pride brought low, and humbled insolence, _130 Drove like a panniered ass, and scourged along.