However, of late as they've rous'd them anew,
I'll e'en go and give them a lesson or two;

And as nothing's done there now-a-days without eating,
See what kind of set I can muster worth treating."
So saying, the God bade his horses walk for❜ard,
And leaving them, took a long dive to the nor❜ard.
For Gordon's he made; and as Gods who drop in do,
Came smack on his legs through the drawingroom
window.

And here I could tell, if it wasn't for stopping,
How all the town shook as the godhead went pop in,
How bright look'd the poets, and brisk blew the airs,
And the laurels took flow'r in the gardens and squares;—
But fancies like these, though I've stores to supply me,
I'd better keep back for a poem ''ve by me,

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

His essence ethereal, than quenching his godhead,
He chang❜d his appearance- to--what shall I say?
To a gallant young soldier returning in May?
No-that's a resemblance too vapid and low ;-
Let's see-to a finished young traveller?----No.
To a graceful young lord just stept out of his carriage?
Or handsome young poet, the day of his marriage?
No-nobody's likeness will help me, see,

To afford you a notion of what he could be;
Not though I collected one pattern victorious
Of all that was good, and accomplish'd, and glorious,
From deeds in the daylight, or book on the shelf,
And call'd up the shape of young Alfred himself. (4)
Imagine, however, if shape there must be,

A figure sublim'd above mortal degree,

His limbs the perfection of elegant strength-
A fine flowing roundness inclining to length-
A back dropping in--an expansion of chest,

(For the God, you'll observe, like his statues was drest,)
His throat like a pillar for smoothness and grace,
His curls in a cluster--and then such a face,
As mark'd him at once the true offspring of Jove,
The brow all of wisdom, and lips all of love;
For though he was blooming, and oval of cheek,
And youth down his shoulders went smoothing and sleek,
Yet his look with the reach of past ages was wise,
And the soul of eternity tho ght through his eyes.

I would not say more, lest my climax should lose ;-
Yet now I have mention'd those lamps of the Muse,
I can't but observe what splendour they shed,

When a thought more than common came into his head:

Then they leap'd in their frankness, deliciously bright, And shot round about them an arrowy light;

And if, as he shook back his hair in its cluster,

A curl fell athwart them and darke»'d their lustre,

A sprinkle of gold through the duskiness came,

Like the sun through a tree, when he's setting in flame. The God, then, 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 witlaout,

And scraping and bowing, came in such a rout!

There was Arnold, and Reynolds, and Dibdin, and Cherry,

All grinning, as who should say, "Shan't we be merry?" And mighty dull Cobb, lumb'ring just like a bear up, And sweet Billy Dimond, a patting his hair up.

The God, for an instant, sat fix'd as a stone,
Till recov❜ring, he said in a good-natur'd tone,
"O, the waiters, I see; ah, it's all very well-
Only one of you'll do just to answer the bell."
But lord! to see all the great dramatists' faces!
They looked at each other, and made such grimaces!
Then turning about, left the room in vexation,

And Hook, they say, couldn't help mutt'ring" Damnation !"

'Twas lucky for Colman he wasn't there too,

For his pranks would have certainly met with their due,
And Sheridan's also, that finished old tricker;-
But one was in prison, and both were in liquor.(5)
The God fell a laughing to see his mistake,
But stopp'd with a sigh for poor Comedy's sake;
Then gave mine 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"Spencer-Rogers-Montgom❜ry"--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.(6)

"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, "O pray let him stay: 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."(7) A soft, smiling voice then arose on the ear,

As if some one from court was about to appear:

"O, this is the room, my good friend? Ah, I see it is;-
Room, sure enough, for the best-bred of deities!"
Then came a whisper-and then was a hush-
And then, with a sort of a look of a blush,
Came in Mr. Hayley, all polish'd confusion,

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?

One ten thousandth part of the words and the time That you've wasted on praises instead of your rhyme, Might have gained you a title to this kind of freedom; But volumes of endings, lugg'd in as you need 'em, Of hearts and imparts, where's the soul that can read 'em ?(8)

So saying, his eye so alarmingly shone,

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." "Yourself and your friends!" cried the God in high glee;

"And pray, my frank visiter, who may you be?"

"Who be!" cried the other; "why really-this toneWilliam Gifford's a name, I think, pretty well known!?? "O-now I remember," said Phoebus ;-" ah, true→→→ My thanks to that name are undoubtedly due: The rod, that got rid of the Cruscas and LaurasThat plague of the butterflies-sav'd me the horrors; The Juvenal, too, stops a gap in one's shelf,

At least in what Dryden has not done himself;

And there's something, which even distaste must respect,

In the self-taught example, that conquer'd neglect.
But not to insist on the recommendations

Of modesty, wit, and a small stock of patience,
My visit just now is to poets alone,

And not to small critics, however well known."
So saying he rang, to leave nothing in doubt,
And the sour little gentleman bless'd himself out.(9)
Next came Walter Scott with a fine weighty face,
For as soon as his visage was seen in the place,
The diners and barmaids all crowded to know him,
And thank him with smiles for that sweet pretty poem!
However, he scarcely had got through the door,
When he look'd adoration, and bow'd to the floor,
For his host was a God-what a very great thing!
And what was still greater in his eyes-a king!(10)
Apollo smil'd shrewdly, and bade him sit down

With "Well, Mr. Scott, you have manag'd the town;