Bring down Long Shanks Jim* too; but, now I think on't, he's not yet come from Courtown,† I fancy; For I heard, a month ago, that he was down there a courting sly Nancy. However, bring down yourself, and you bring down all; for, to say it we may venture, In thee Delany's spleen, John's mirth, Helsham's jokes, and the soft soul of amorous Jemmy, centre. POSTSCRIPT. I had forgot to desire you to bring down what I say you have, and you'll believe me as sure as a gun, and own it; I mean, what no other mortal in the universe can boast of, your own spirit of pun, and own wit. And now I hope you'll excuse this rhyming, which I must say is (though written somewhat at large) trim and clean; And so I conclude, with humble respects as usual, Your most dutiful and obedient GEORGE-NIM-DAN-DEAN. Dr. James, Stopford, bishop of Cloyne. F. The seat of Hussay, esq. in the county of Kildare. F This Invitation seems to have been the joint composition of George Rochfort, John Rochfort (who was called Nim, or Nimrod, by Dr. Swift, because he was fond of hunting), Dan Jackson, and Dr. Swift, in a vein of whim and merriment; and, in all probability, was sent off directly by the post to Sheridan. The letter from Dr. Sheridan, July 15, 1721, addressed to George Nim-Dan-Dean, esq. seems to have suggested the hint. See p. 257. N. TO GEORGE-NIM-DAN-DEAN, ESQ. UPON HIS INCOMPARABLE VERSES, ETC. BY DR. DELANY, IN SHERIDAN'S NAME. HAIL, human compound quadrifarious, Hail! doubly-doubled mighty merry one, To reach thy huge colossian height. Yet let me bless, in humbler strain, Like rivers rattling in their fall! Thine, sure, is poetry divine, Where wit and majesty combine; Where every line, as huge as seven, If stretch'd in length, would reach to Heaven: Here all comparing would be slandering, The least is more than Alexandrine. * These were written all in circles. F. Against Against thy verse Time sees with pain, For, though from thee he much may pare, O thou, of all the Nine inspir'd! Shows like Thaumantia's in the sky; Thy verse-(Ye Gods! I cannot bear it) 'Tis like, what I have oft heard spoke on, The famous statue of Laocoon. 'Tis like,-O yes, 'tis very like it, The long, long string, with which you fly kite. And every couplet thou hast writ Concludes like Rattah-whittah-whit.† * At Gaulstown, there is a remarkably famous echo. F. † An allusion to the sound produced by the echo. F. 8 4 ΤΟ TO MR. THOMAS SHERIDAN, UPON HIS VERSES WRITTEN IN CIRCLES. BY DR. SWIFT. IT never was known that circular letters, But now for your verses; we tell you, imprimis, The segment so large, 'twixt your reason and rhyme is, That we walk all about like a horse in a pound, And, before we find either, our noddles turn round, Sufficient it were, one would think, in your mad rant, To give us your measures of line by a quadrant, But we took our dividers, and found your d-n'd metre, In each single verse, took up a diameter. But how, Mr. Sheridan, came you to venture George, Dan, Dean, and Nim, to place in the centre?* "Twill appear, to your cost, you are fairly trepann'd, For the chord of your circle is now in their hand. The chord, or the radius, it matters not whether, By which your jade Pegasus, fixt in a tether, As her betters are us'd, shall be lash'd round the ring, Three fellows with whips, and the dean holds the string. *Their figures were in the centre of the verses. F. Will Hancock declares, you are out of your compass, And is not afraid your worship will grumble, Which is all at present; and so I remain ON DR. SHERIDAN'S CIRCULAR VERSES. BY MR. GEORGE ROCHFORT. WITH music and poetry equally blest, To the airs I produce from the pen or the gut. Be thou then propitious, great Phoebus! and grant Relief, or reward, to my merit, or want. The lady of George Rochfort, esq. F. + Miss Thomason, lady Betty's daughter. F. Though |