And merely observe that the girls look'd divine, And the old folks in-doors exclaimed Bless us how fine!! Apollo, arriv'd, had no sooner embodied 1 His essence ethereal, than quenching his godhead, To a graceful young lord just stept out of his carriage? Not though I collected one pattern victorious A back dropping in,-an expansion of chest, tod (For the God, you'll observe, like his statues was drest) His throat like a pillar for smoothness and grace,[ A His curls in a cluster, and then such a face, A A As mark'd him at once the true offspring of Jove, And if, as he shook back his hair in it's cluster, A curl fell athwart them and darken'd their lustre, A sprinkle of gold through the duskiness came, *་ 1 Like the sun through a tree, when he's setting in flame, The God then no sooner a no sooner had taken a chair, And rung for the landlord to order the fare, Than he heard a strange noise and a knock from without, And scraping and bowing, came in such a rout! There was Arnold, and Reynolds, and Dibdin, and Cherry, recov'ring, he said in a good-natur'd tone, But lord! to see all the great dramatists' faces! i And Hook, they say, could'nt help mutt'ring Damnation!" 'Twas lucky for Colman he was'nt there too, For his pranks would have certainly met with their due," And Sheridan's also, that finished old tricker ;- The God fell a laughing to see his mistake, But stopp'd with a sigh for poor Comedy's sake; 1 A A PA host orders, who bow'd to the floor," And presented three cards that were brought to the door: Apollo just gave them a glance with his eye o Spencer-Rogers-Montgomʼry, and putting them by, Begg'd the landlord to give his respects to all three, And say he'd be happy to see them to tea. Your Majesty then,' said the Gaius, don't know? That a person nam'd Crabbe has been waiting below? He has taken his chair in the kitchen, they say.' 'Indeed!' said Apollo, Oh pray let him stay: w wit He'll be much better pleased to be with 'em down stairs, And will find ye all out with your cookings and cares :But mind that you treat him as well as you're able, And let him have part of what goes from the table." A soft, smiling voice then arose on the ear, As if some one from court was about to appear:→→→ Oh, this is the room, my good friend? Ah I see it is;→ Room, sure enough, for the best-bred of deities!' And then, with a sort of a look of a blush, And said, ' Will Apollo excuse this intrusion? I might have kept back,-but I thought 'twould look odd,And friendship, you know,-pray how is my dear God?' A smile, followed up by a shake of the head, Cross'd the fine lip of Phoebus, who view'd him, and said, I'll give you a, lesson, Sir, quite your own seeking, And one that you very much want, on plain speaking Pray have you to learn, and at this time of day, That your views on regard have been all the wrong way? That ere it could wink, the poor devil was gone. A hem was then heard, consequential and snapping, And a sour little gentleman walk'd with a rap in. He bow'd, look'd about him, seem'd cold, and sat down, And said, I'm surpris'd that you'll visit this town:To be sure, there are one or two of us who know you, But as for the rest, they are all much below you. So stupid, in gen'ral, the natives are grown, They really prefer Scotch reviews to their own; So that what with their taste, their reformers, and stuff, They have sicken'd myself and my friends long enough.* |