Here Hickey* reclines, a most blunt, pleasant crea ture, And slander itself must allow him good nature; And so was too foolishly honest? Ah no! Then what was his failing? come tell it, and burn ye:.... He was....could he help it?....a special attorney. Here Reynoldst is laid, and, to tell you my mind, He has not left a wiser or better behind; His pencil was striking, resistless, and grand; His manners were gentle, complying, and bland; * Vide page 74. + Ibid. Still born to improve us in every part, His pencil our faces, his manners our heart: To coxcombs averse, yet most civilly steering, When they judg'd without skill he was still hard of hearing: When they talk'd of their Raphaels, Corregios, and stuff, He shifted his trumpet,* and only took snuff, POSTSCRIPT. AFTER the fourth edition of this Poem was printed, the publisher received the following epitaph on Mr. Whitefoord,† from a friend of the late Doctor Goldsmith. * Sir Joshua Reynolds was so remarkably deaf as to be under the necessity of using an ear-trumpet in company. Mr. Caleb Whitefoord, author of many humorous essays. HERE Whitefoord reclines, and deny it who can, Though he merrily liv'd he is now a grave* man: Rare compound of oddity, frolic, and fun! Who scatter'd around wit and humour at will; What pity, alas! that so lib'ral a mind Should so long be to newspaper essays confin'd! Who perhaps to the summit of science could soar, Yet content "if the table he set in a roar;" Whose talents to fill any station was fit, Yet happy if Woodfall† confess'd him a wit. * Mr. W. was so notorious a punster, that Doctor Goldsmith used to say it was impossible to keep him company, without being infected with the itch of punning, † Mr. H. S. Woodfall, printer of the Public Advertiser. Ye newspaper witlings! ye pert scribbling folks! Who copy'd his squibs, and re-echo'd his jokes; Ye tame imitators, ye servile herd, come, Still follow your master, and visit his tomb: To deck it, bring with you festoons of the vine, "Thou best humour'd man with the worst humour'd muse." * Mr. Whitefoord has frequently indulged the town with humorous pieces under those titles in the Public Advertiser. |