Volume Ii Part 23 (1/2)

[Footnote 3: He was Dean of Windsor, and lord privy seal.]

[Footnote 4: The New Style, which was not adopted in Great Britain and Ireland till it was brought in by Lord Chesterfield in 1752, was then Observed in most parts of Europe. The bishop set out from England the Latter end of December, O. S.; and on his arrival at Utrecht, by the Variation of the style, he found January somewhat advanced.]

[Footnote 5: Alluding to the deanery and bishopric being possessed by the same person, then at Utrecht.]

[Footnote 6: Earl of Nottingham.]

[Footnote 7: Duke of Marlborough.]

[Footnote 8: The treasurer's wand, taken from Harley, whose second t.i.tle was Lord _Mortimer_.]

[Footnote 9: The d.u.c.h.ess of Somerset.[1]]

[Footnote 10: Count Konigsmark.[2]]

[Footnote 11: ANNA.]

[Footnote 12: MASHAM.]

[Footnote 13: Lady Masham's maiden name.]

[embedded footnote 1: She had red hair, _post_, 165. ]

[embedded footnote 2: Or Coningsmark.]

CORINNA,[1] A BALLAD 1711-12

This day (the year I dare not tell) Apollo play'd the midwife's part; Into the world Corinna fell, And he endued her with his art.

But Cupid with a Satyr comes; Both softly to the cradle creep; Both stroke her hands, and rub her gums, While the poor child lay fast asleep.

Then Cupid thus: ”This little maid Of love shall always speak and write;”

”And I p.r.o.nounce,” the Satyr said, ”The world shall feel her scratch and bite.”

Her talent she display'd betimes; For in a few revolving moons, She seem'd to laugh and squall in rhymes, And all her gestures were lampoons.

At six years old, the subtle jade Stole to the pantry-door, and found The butler with my lady's maid: And you may swear the tale went round.

She made a song, how little miss Was kiss'd and s...o...b..r'd by a lad: And how, when master went to p--, Miss came, and peep'd at all he had.

At twelve, a wit and a coquette; Marries for love, half wh.o.r.e, half wife; Cuckolds, elopes, and runs in debt; Turns auth.o.r.ess, and is Curll's for life.

Her common-place book all gallant is, Of scandal now a cornucopia; She pours it out in Atalantis Or memoirs of the New Utopia.

[Footnote 1: This ballad refers to some details in the life of Mrs. de la Riviere Manley, a political writer, who was born about 1672, and died in July, 1724. The work by which she became famous was ”Secret memoirs and manners of several persons of quality of both s.e.xes, from the New Atalantis.” She was Swift's amanuensis and a.s.sistant in ”The Examiner,”

and succeeded him as Editor. In his Journal to Stella, Jan. 26, 1711-12, he writes: ”Poor Mrs. Manley, the author, is very ill of a dropsy and sore leg; the printer tells me he is afraid she cannot live long. I am heartily sorry for her. She has very generous principles for one of her sort; and a great deal of good sense and invention: She is about forty, very homely and very fat.” Swift's subsequent severe attack upon her in these verses can only be accounted for, but cannot be excused by, some change in his political views. See ”The Tatler,” Nos. 35, 63, _edit.

1786.--W. E. B._]

THE FABLE OF MIDAS.[1] 1711-12

Collated with Stella's copy.--_Forster_.