Book ii
._
But the fruit that can fall without shaking Indeed is too mellow for me.
_The Answer._
FOOTNOTES:
[350-1] A fugitive piece, written on a window by Lady Montagu, after her marriage (1713). See Overbury, page 193.
[350-2] What say you to such a supper with such a woman?--BYRON: _Note to a Second Letter on Bowles._
CHARLES MACKLIN. 1690-1797.
The law is a sort of hocus-pocus science, that smiles in yer face while it picks yer pocket; and the glorious uncertainty of it is of mair use to the professors than the justice of it.
_Love à la Mode. Act ii. Sc. 1._
Every tub must stand upon its bottom.[350-3]
_The Man of the World. Act i. Sc. 2._
FOOTNOTES:
[350-3] See Bunyan, page 265.
JOHN BYROM. 1691-1763.
God bless the King,--I mean the faith's defender! God bless--no harm in blessing--the Pretender! But who pretender is, or who is king,-- God bless us all!--that 's quite another thing.
_To an Officer of the Army, extempore._
Take time enough: all other graces Will soon fill up their proper places.[351-1]
_Advice to Preach Slow._
Some say, compar'd to Bononcini, That Mynheer Handel 's but a ninny; Others aver that he to Handel Is scarcely fit to hold a candle. Strange all this difference should be 'Twixt Tweedledum and Tweedledee.
_On the Feuds between Handel and Bononcini._[351-2]
As clear as a whistle.
_Epistle to Lloyd. I._
The point is plain as a pike-staff.[351-3]
_Epistle to a Friend._
Bone and Skin, two millers thin, Would starve us all, or near it; But be it known to Skin and Bone That Flesh and Blood can't bear it.
_Epigram on Two Monopolists._
Thus adorned, the two heroes, 'twixt shoulder and elbow, Shook hands and went to 't; and the word it was bilbow.
_Upon a Trial of Skill between the Great Masters of the Noble Science of Defence, Messrs. Figg and Sutton._
FOOTNOTES:
[351-1] See Walker, page 265.
[351-2] Nourse asked me if I had seen the verses upon Handel and Bononcini, not knowing that they were mine.--_Byrom's Remains_ (Chetham Soc.), _vol. i. p. 173._
The last two lines have been attributed to Swift and Pope (see Scott's edition of Swift, and Dyce's edition of Pope).
[351-3] See Middleton, page 172.
LOUIS THEOBALD. 1691-1744.
None but himself can be his parallel.[352-1]
_The Double Falsehood._
FOOTNOTES:
[352-1] Quæris Alcidæ parem? Nemo est nisi ipse
(Do you seek Alcides' equal? None is, except himself).--SENECA: _Hercules Furens, i. 1; 84._
And but herself admits no parallel.--MASSINGER: _Duke of Milan,
## act iv. sc. 3._
JAMES BRAMSTON. ---- -1744.
What 's not devoured by Time's devouring hand? Where 's Troy, and where 's the Maypole in the Strand?
_Art of Politics._
But Titus said, with his uncommon sense, When the Exclusion Bill was in suspense: "I hear a lion in the lobby roar; Say, Mr. Speaker, shall we shut the door And keep him there, or shall we let him in To try if we can turn him out again?"[352-2]
_Art of Politics._
So Britain's monarch once uncovered sat, While Bradshaw bullied in a broad-brimmed hat.
_Man of Taste._
FOOTNOTES:
[352-2] I hope, said Colonel Titus, we shall not be wise as the frogs to whom Jupiter gave a stork for their king. To trust expedients with such a king on the throne would be just as wise as if there were a lion in the lobby, and we should vote to let him in and chain him, instead of fastening the door to keep him out.--_On the Exclusion Bill, Jan. 7, 1681._
EARL OF CHESTERFIELD. 1694-1773.
Whatever is worth doing at all, is worth doing well.
_Letter, March 10, 1746._
I knew once a very covetous, sordid fellow,[352-3] who used to say, "Take care of the pence, for the pounds will take care of themselves."
_Letter, Nov. 6, 1747._
Sacrifice to the Graces.[353-1]
_Letter, March 9, 1748._
Manners must adorn knowledge, and smooth its way through the world. Like a great rough diamond, it may do very well in a closet by way of curiosity, and also for its intrinsic value.
_Letter, July 1, 1748._
Style is the dress of thoughts.
_Letter, Nov. 24, 1749._
Despatch is the soul of business.
_Letter, Feb. 5, 1750._
Chapter of accidents.[353-2]
_Letter, Feb. 16, 1753._
I assisted at the birth of that most significant word "flirtation," which dropped from the most beautiful mouth in the world.
_The World. No. 101._
Unlike my subject now shall be my song; It shall be witty, and it sha'n't be long.
_Impromptu Lines._
The dews of the evening most carefully shun,-- Those tears of the sky for the loss of the sun.
_Advice to a Lady in Autumn._
The nation looked upon him as a deserter, and he shrunk into insignificancy and an earldom.
_Character of Pulteney._
He adorned whatever subject he either spoke or wrote upon, by the most splendid eloquence.[353-3]
_Character of Bolingbroke._
FOOTNOTES:
[352-3] W. Lowndes, Secretary of the Treasury in the reigns of King William, Queen Anne, and King George the Third.
[353-1] Plato was continually saying to Xenocrates, "Sacrifice to the Graces."--DIOGENES LAERTIUS: _Xenocrates,