man; who, upon searching into his manuscripts at Hampstead, found the following epitaph, which is clearly designed for our Drummer. Mr. STEEVENS was so good as to accompany his kind and invaluable communication with a dissertation to prove that this FRANCIS of GLASTONBURY, from similarity of style and orthography, must have been the author of the epitaph which declares that celebrated outlaw, ROBIN HOOD, to have been a British peer. Mr. PEGGE too informs us, that the HARLEIAN MISCELLANY will be found to confirm this idea; and at the same time suggests, whether, as that dignified character, Mr. WARREN HASTINGS, has declared himself to be descended from an Earl of HUNTINGDON, and the late Earl and his family. have, through some unaccountable fantasy, as constantly declined the honour of the affinity, this apparent difference of opinion may not be accounted for by supposing him to be descended from that Earl-But, if we are to imagine any descendants of that exalted character to be still in existence, with great deference to Mr. PEGGE's better judgment, might not Sir ALEXANDER HOOD, and his noble bro

ther, from similarity of name, appear more likely to be descendants of this celebrated archer and from him also inherit that skill which the gallant Admiral, on a never-to-beforgotten occasion, so eminently displayed in drawing a long bow? We can only now lament that we have not room for any minute inquiry into these various hypotheses, and that we are under the necessity of proceeding to the Drummer's epitaph, and the conclusion of our criticisms.

"A stalwart Saron here doth lie,

Japeth nat, men of Mormandie;
"Rollo nought scoft his dyand wordes
“Of poynt mo percand than a swordis,
"And leal folk of Englelonde

Shall haven hem yvir mo in honde.
"Bot syn that in his life I trowe,
“Of shepis skynnes he had ynowe,
“For yvir he drommed thereupon:
"Now he, pardie, is dede and gone,
"May no man these a shepis skynne
“To wrappe his dyand wordes inne.”
Od. Frauncis of Glastonbury.

POLITICAL ECLOGUES.

ROSE;

OR,

THE COMPLAINT.

ARGUMENT.

In this Eclogue our Author has imitated the Second of his favourite Virgil, with more than his usual Precision. The Subject of Mr. ROSE'S COMPLAINT is, that he is left to do the whole Business of the Treasury during the broiling Heats of Summer, while his Colleague, Mr. STEELE, enjoys the cool Breezes from the Sea, with Mr. PITT, at Brighthelmstone. In this the Scholar has improved on the Original of his great Master, as the Cause of the Distress which he relates is much more natural. This Eclogue, from some internal Evidence, we believe to have been written in the Summer of 1785, though there may be one or two Allu sions that have been inserted at a later Period.

NONE more than ROSE, amid the courtly ring,
Lov'd BILLY, joy of JENKY and the KING.
But vain his hope to shine in BILLY's eyes;
Vain all his votes, his speeches, and his lies.

STEELE's happier claims the boy's regard engage;
Alike their studies, nor unlike their age:

5

With STEELE, companion of his vacant hours,
Oft would he seek Brighthelinstone's sea-girt tow'rs;
For STEELE, relinquish Beauty's trifling talk,
With STEELE each morning ride, each evening walk; 10
Or in full tea-cups drowning cares of state,
On gentler topics urge the mock debate;
On coffee now the previous question move;
Now rise a surplusage of cream to prove;

Pass muffins in Committees of Supply,

And "butter'd toast" amend by adding

15

dry:"

20

Then gravely sage, as in St. Stephen's scenes,

With grief more true, propose the Ways and Means;
Or wanting these, unanimous of will,

They negative the leave to bring a bill.

In one sad joy all Rose's comfort lay;
Pensive he sought the Treasury day by day;
There, in his inmost chamber lock'd alone,
To boxes red and green he pour'd his moan
In rhymes uncouth; for Rose, to business bred
A purser's clerk, in rhyme was little read;
Nor, since his learning with his fortunes grew,
Had such vain arts engag'd his sober view;

IMITATIONS.

VIRGIL. ECLOGUE II.

Formosum pastor Corydon ardebat Alexin,
Delicias domini; nec, quid speraret, habebat:
Tantùm inter densas, umbrosa cacumina, fagos
Assiduè veniebat; ibi hæc incondita solus
Montibus et sylvis studio jactabat inani:

O crudelis Alexi! nihil mea carmina curas;
Nil nostri miserere: mori me denique coges.

For STOCKDALE's shelves contented to compose
The humbler poetry of lying prose.

30

O barb'rous BILLY! (thus would he begin,)

ROSE, and his lies, you value not a pin ;
Yet to compassion callous as a Turk,
You kill me, cruel, with eternal work.

Now, after six long months of nothing done,

Each to his home, our youthful statesmen run;

The mongrel 'squires, whose votes our Treasury pays,
Now, with their hunters, till the winter graze;

Now e'en the reptiles of the Blue and Buff,

In rural leisure, scrawl their factious stuff;

$5

40

Already pious HILL, with timely cares,

New songs, new hymns, for harvest-home prepares:

But with the love-lorn beauties, whom I mark

Thin and more thin, parading in the park,

I yet remain; and ply my busy feet

From Duke Street hither, hence to Downing Street,

In vain!-while far from this deserted scene,

With happier STEELE you saunter on the Steine.

IMITATIONS.

Nunc etiam pecudes umbras et frigora captant;
Nunc virides etiam occultant spineta lacertos;

Thestylis et rapido fessis messoribus æstu

Allia serpyllumque herbas contundit olentes.

NOTES.

45

Ver. 29 and 32 allude to a pamphlet on the Irish Propositions, commonly called the Treasury Pamphlet, and universally attributed to Mr. Rose. This work of the Honourable Secretary's was eminently distinguished by a gentlemanlike contempt for the pedantry of grammar, and a poetical abhorrence of dull fact.

Ver. 42. For a long account of Sir Richard Hill's harvest-home, and of the godly hymns and ungodly ballads sung on the occasion, see the newspapers in Autumn 1784.