Religion's friend, with soul sincere,
With melting heart, but look austere,
Give liquor of an honest sort,

And crown his cup with priestly Port.
Now fill the glass with gay Champagne,
And frisk it in a livelier strain;
Quick, quick, the sparkling nectar quaff,
Drink it, dear Garrick !—drink and laugh!
Pour forth to Reynolds, without stint,
Rich Burgundy, of ruby tint;
If e'er his colours chance to fade,
This brilliant hue shall come in aid,
With ruddy lights refresh the faces,
And warm the bosoms of the Graces!

To Burke a pure libation bring,
Fresh drawn from clear Castalian spring;
With civic oak the goblet bind,

Fit emblem of his patriot mind;

Let Clio at his table sip,
And Hermes hand it to his lip.

Fill out my friend, the Dean* of Derry,

A bumper of conventual sherry!

Give Ridge and Hickey, generous souls!

Of whiskey punch convivial bowls;
But let the kindred Burkes regale

With potent draughts of Wicklow ale!
To C*****k next in order turn ye,
And grace him with the vines of Ferney!

* Dr. Bernard.

Now, Doctor, you're an honest sticker,
So take your glass, and chuse your liquor:
Wilt have it steep'd in Alpine snows,
Or damask'd at Silenus' nose?

With Wakefield's vicar sip your tea,
Or to Thalia drink with me?

And, Doctor, I would have you know it,
An honest, I, though humble poet;
I scorn the sneaker like a toad,
Who drives his cart the Dover road,
There, traitor to his country's trade,
Smuggles vile scraps of French brocade :
Hence with all such! for you and I
By English wares will live and die.
Come, draw your chair, and stir the fire:
Here, boy!-a pot of Thrale's entire!

THE

HERMIT.

A BALLAD.

FIRST PRINTED IN THE YEAR 17765.

THE FOLLOWING

LETTER,

ADDRESSED TO THE PRINTER OF THE ST. JAMES'S CHRONICLE,

APPEARED IN THAT PAPER IN JUNE, 1767.

SIR,

As there is nothing I dislike so much as newspaper controversy, particularly upon trifles, permit me to be as concise as possible in informing a correspondent of yours, that I recommended Blainville's Travels, because I thought the book was a good one; and I think so still. I said, I was told by the bookseller that it was then first published; but in that, it seems, I was misinformed, and my reading was not extensive enough to set me right.

Another correspondent of yours accuses me of having taken a ballad, I published some time ago, from one' by the ingenious Mr. Percy. I

p. 243.

The Friar of Orders Gray." Reliq. of Anc. Poetry, vol. i.