With a sadness at heart, and an earnest hope grounded on his misanthropic sadness, when I first knew him in his 20th or 21st year, that a something existed in his bodily organism that in the sight of the All-Merciful lessened his responsibility, and the moral imputation of his acts and feelings. MS. 26 DRINKING VERSUS THINKING OR, A SONG AGAINST THE NEW My Merry men all, that drink with glee Pray tell me what good is it? To Pallas we resign such fowls- And spicy bishop, drink divine ! Let's live while we are able. While Mirth and Sense sit, hand in glove, This Don Philosophy we'll shove Dead drunk beneath the table! M. Post, Sep. 25, 1801. 27 A HINT TO PREMIERS AND FIRST CONSULS FROM AN OLD TRAGEDY, VIZ. AGATHA TO KING ARCHELAUS THREE truths should make thee often think and pause; The first is, that thou govern'st over men ; [The twenty Original Epigrams' fol Do call, dear Jess, whene'er my way you lowing were printed in the Morning Post come; My looking-glass will always be at home. M. Post, Dec. 16, 1801. 29 TO A CRITIC WHO EXTRACTED A PASSAGE FROM A MOST candid critic, what if I, 6 Ha ha! that men such fools should be! Behold this shapeless Dab!-and he 30 ALWAYS AUDIBLE PASS under Jack's window at twelve at night, You'll hear him still-he's roaring! Pass under Jack's window at twelve at noon, You'll hear him still-he's snoring! Morn. Post, Dec. 19, 1801. 31 PONDERE NON NUMERO FRIENDS should be weigh'd, not told; who boasts to have won A multitude of friends, he ne'er had one. Morn. Post, Dec. 26, 1801. in September and October 1802, with the signature ' ΕΣΤΗΣΕ. ] (September 23, 1802.) 33 WHAT is an Epigram? a dwarfish whole, Its body brevity, and wit its soul. 34 CHARLES, grave or merry, at no lie would stick, And taught at length his memory the same trick. Believing thus what he so oft repeats He's brought the thing to such a pass, poor youth, That now himself and no one else he cheats, Save when unluckily he tells the truth. 35 AN evil spirit's on thee, friend! of late! Ev'n from the hour thou cam'st to thy Estate. Thy mirth all gone, thy kindness, thy discretion, Th' estate hath prov'd to thee a most complete possession. Shame, shame, old friend! would'st thou be truly blest, Be thy wealth's Lord, not slave! possessor, not possess'd. 36 HERE lies the Devil-ask no other name. Well-but you mean Lord--? Hush! we mean the same. EACH Bond-street buck conceits, unhappy The Moon the men, to me seem'd mighty elf! He shews his clothes! Alas! he shews himself. humming; And when I first read German, made me stare. O that they knew, these overdrest self- Surely it is not that the wives are there lovers, What hides the body oft the mind dis covers. As common as the Sun to lord and loon, And all their husbands horned as the Moon. |