1 Comes here to saunter, having made his bets, Still stoops among the low to copy Nature. EPILOGUE, SPOKEN BY MR. LEE LEWES, IN THE CHARACTER OF HARLEQUIN, AT HIS BENEFIT. [The "benefit" took place at Covent Garden Theatre, May 7, 1773. Charles Lee Lewes, though famous as harlequin, was not a comedian of standing till, through the lucky refusal of the part by Smith, he became the original Young Marlow in She Stoops to Conquer.'-ED.] HOLD! Prompter, hold! a word before your nonsense : I'd speak a word or two, to ease my conscience. My pride forbids it ever should be said My heels eclips'd the honours of my head; 1 Or Mohock, = London bully.-ED. 2 In this allusion to sentimental queens, it is probable that Goldsmith glanced in particular at Mr. Murphy's tragedy of Zenobia,' though his splenetic attack is directed generally against the comedy which was brought into fashion about this time by the great popularity of Kelly's False Delicacy,' and effectually exploded some years after by Foote's clever satire of Piety in Pattens.'-B. That I found humour in a pye-bald vest, 5 10 15 Or ever thought that jumping was a jest. [Takes off his mask. 20 Ay, 'twas but a dream, for now there's no retreating, 25 If I cease Harlequin, I cease from eating. 'Twas thus that Æsop's stag, a creature blameless, Yet something vain, like one that shall be nameless, Once on the margin of a fountain stood, And cavill'd at his image in the flood: 30 "The deuce confound," he cries, "these drumstick shanks They never have my gratitude nor thanks; They're perfectly disgraceful! strike me dead! But for a head, yes, yes, I have a head: How piercing is that eye! how sleek that brow! 35 My horns!-I 'm told horns are the fashion now.” Whilst thus he spoke, astonish'd, to his view, He quits the woods, and tries the beaten ways; 1 1 Rosin'd lightning stage lightning.-BOLTON CORNEY. 40 He starts, he pants, he takes the circling maze : Whilst his strong limbs conspire to set him free, 45 [Taking a jump through the stage door. VIDA'S GAME OF CHESS, AS IT HAS BEEN FOUND TRANSCRIBED IN THE HANDWRITING OF OLIVER GOLDSMITH. Mr. [The MS. of the following translation in the handwriting of Goldsmith was one of the literary treasures of Mr. Bolton Corney, and the publishers have to thank him for permission to reprint it. Mr. Corney did not become possessed of it until after he had published his own edition of the Poems, and he first gave printed publicity to this before quite unknown work through Mr. Cunningham's edition, 1854. Forster, to whom Mr. B. Corney also lent the MS., concurs in believing it to be the work of Goldsmith. He describes the MS. as follows ('Life of Goldsmith,' 1854, v. ii., p. 265):-"It is a small quarto manuscript of thirty-four pages, containing 679 lines, to which a fly-leaf is appended, in which Goldsmith notes the differences of nomenclature between Vida's chessmen and our own. It has occasional interlineations and corrections, but rather such as would occur in transcription, than in a first or original copy. Sometimes, indeed, choice appears to have been made between two words equally suitable to the sense and verse, as 'to' for 'toward;' but the insertions and erasures refer almost wholly to words or lines accidentally omitted and replaced." From the evidences of extra care which the MS. discloses, as well as from the apparent effort at "taking up" (as Mr. Forster says) "the manner of the great master of translation, Dryden," the work may be viewed as belonging to the middle-period of Goldsmith's career, that is, to the time immediately subsequent to the publication of the Traveller,' 1765. 6 Marco Vida (b. about 1480; d. 1567), the Italian poet whom Clement VII. made Bishop of Alba, was but little known in England till Alexander Pope praised his work in his juvenile Essay on Criticism' (1709), thus: "Immortal Vida! on whose honoured brow Essay on Criticism, 11. 705-8. Later, viz., in 1736, an English translation of the Scacchiæ Ludus ' (Game of Chess) was published by one George Jeffreys. It was Vida's Scacchiæ Ludus' which procured for its author the patronage of Pope Leo X., and subsequently advanced him in the Church and otherwise. He afterwards published the Christiad' and other works.-ED.] ARMIES of box that sportively engage Pleased I recount; how, smit with glory's charms, Ye Serian Nymphs, what ne'er was sung before. 5 10 This studious sport; from Scacchis was its name, When Jove through Ethiopia's parch'd extent 15 To grace the nuptials of old Ocean went, 20 25 White after black; such various stains as those Then to the Gods, that mute and wondering sate, You see (says he) the field prepared for fate. 30 Here will the little armies please your sight, With adverse colours hurrying to the fight: The Nymphs and Nereids used to feast their eyes, 35 When calm the sea, and winds were lull'd asleep. 40 Different their posts, nor is their strength the same. 45 And Elephants that on their backs sustain There prancing Knights and dexterous Archers came, 50 Vast towers of war, and fill and shake the plain. Two mighty Elephants their castles bring, 55 60 65 70 1 Goldsmith notes in the MS. that he adheres to Vida's chess terms and other arrangements in the mimic war thus-" Archers are what we call Bishops; Horse are what we call Knights; Elephants are what we call Towers, Castles, or Rooks. Apollo has the White men, Mercury the Black."-ED. |