Typopictoromania: Digital Edition John Thelwall Sarah Boyle and Michael Cameron Introduction and Notes Sarah Boyle and Michael Cameron General Editor Jane Boyes Judith Thompson The Epic Poem in The Peripatetic John Thelwall Judith Thompson Detroit, Michigan Wayne State UP 2001 Typopictoromania in The Derby Manuscript John Thelwall

Our text is Typopictoromania, an epic fragment that was to have been part of a much longer poem. It is epic like Dryden, satirical like Pope, critical like Blake; the fragment reveals the beginnings of a poem that was to use a grand yet cartoonish battle, one between the types of Caslon’s print house and the brushes of Boydell’s Shakespeare Gallery, as an opportunity to ridicule the abuse and abasement of poetic language during the revolutionary period in England. While the poem was never finished, what has survived—a preface, proposition, an invocation, a first canto, part of a second, and a few random fragments, together totalling close to five hundred lines of poetry—are both aesthetically and historically relevant to those interested in the early romanticism of the revolutionary period. While Thelwall claims that he initially intended to write a complete poem, its unfinished nature puts it in the same historical camp as Keats’ Hyperion and Coleridge’s Kubla Khan, texts that are paradoxically whole in their incompleteness. Furthermore, the poem is of particular import for Thelwall scholars; appearing in both The Peripatetic of 1793 and in the later Derby Manuscript, the poem bookends Thelwall’s career. The two copies differ in a great many minor respects, particularly in punctuation, but a significant amount of major variations, where the later Thelwall has rewritten entire lines, are also present; a thorough study of the differences may be valuable for scholars interested in the development from the younger to older Thelwall. Thus, our task is to present a complete and accessible reading copy of the poem, showing a preference to the most recent and hitherto unpublished version (the Derby Manuscript) and including all important variations in editorial notes and additional yet important material in appendices. Furthermore, our TEI coding will ensure that scholars have access to all variations between the texts for the sake of comparison.
Introduction
I. General Introduction

Epic like Dryden, satirical like Pope, radical like Blake, Typopictoromania: An Epic Fragment is an unfinished mock heroic poem that was to use a grand yet cartoonish battle, one between the types of Caslon’s print house and the brushes of Boydell’s Shakespeare Gallery, as an opportunity to ridicule the abuse and abasement of poetic language, writing, and speech during the revolutionary romantic period in England. While Thelwall claims that he initially intended to write a complete poem, its unfinished nature puts it in the same historical camp as Keats’ Hyperion and Coleridge’s Kubla Khan, texts that are paradoxically whole in their incompleteness. The sections that have survived—a preface, a proposition, an invocation, a first canto, part of a second, and a few random fragments, together totalling close to five hundred lines of poetry—are both aesthetically and historically relevant to those interested in the print culture of the 1790s and the relationship between revolution and romanticism.

The poetic fragment comes to us in two forms. It first appears in Thelwall’s genre-blending The Peripatetic [1793] as part of the chapter entitled The Epic Poem. Here, the poem goes unnamed, and it is but a small section of the third volume, a chance for the narrator, Sylvanus, to share some epic poetry as part of a debate with his friends. The poem then appears properly titled, prefaced, and individuated in the second volume of the Derby Manuscript, which dates from the early decades of the nineteenth century. By bookending Thelwall’s career, the poem is of particular import for Thelwall scholars. The two copies differ in a great many minor respects, particularly in punctuation, and a significant number of major variations, where the later Thelwall has rewritten entire lines in the manuscript, are also present. A thorough study of the differences will be valuable for scholars interested in Thelwall’s poetic and political development.

This introduction gives context for the poem, both in its early moment of composition and in its later revision. It opens with a brief description of Thelwall’s early life, and closes with a note on our edition.

II. Thelwall’s Early Biography

Thelwall’s upbringing helps to explain his later advocacy of democratic ideals against governmental and monarchical corruption. He was born in 1764 into the shopkeeper class. His father, a silk mercer, died in 1772, and afterward the family business started to fail. As a child, Thelwall received a typical, but to his mind utterly inadequate, education at several day and boarding schools (Thompson, Introduction 12). In 1777, he was forced to leave school to become a tailor’s apprentice, bringing an end to his formal education. Hating this work, he sought to enter many other fields. He attempted painting, tried to break into the theatre, and was articled as a clerk to the attorney John Impey (ODNB). He canceled his call to the bar after three and a half years of studying, possibly due to his indignation at abuses (Mee 170) of the law; this is reflected in Typopictoromania, where he states the lawyer may prove that black is white (Line 103 of Canto One). Ultimately, none of these fields was successful or fulfilling. Instead, Thelwall found his calling at the junction of literature, politics, and elocution. Having overcome his own disabilities (a speech impediment and hereditary asthma), he placed himself in a position to represent and advocate for those whose voices would not otherwise be heard. His own impediments no doubt helped to transform a young man who was once a staunch Tory, royalist, and high-church man into an atheist, republican, freethinker (Thompson, Introduction 14).

III. Revolutionary Speech in the Romantic Period

It seems almost the work of fate that Thelwall would embark on his literary and political career at the outset of the French Revolution. Although the initial British reaction to French developments was overwhelmingly positive (Claeys, Revolution 8), public opinion became increasingly divisive as the revolution’s early idealism gave way to the Terror. The debate in England was originally spurred by Burke’s 1790 Reflections on the Revolution in France, which insisted that…the Revolution posed the threat of a new form of tyranny, that of a democracy fuelled, like a new religion, by its own sense of infallibility (Claeys, Revolution 13). This publication inspired Thomas Paine to respond with Rights of Man [1791-92], and from then on the debate became increasingly vitriolic. Burke’s role as the conservative commentator against whom the revolutionaries positioned their arguments is confirmed by a later statement from Thelwall: it was not Tom Paine but Edmund Burke that made me so zealous a reformer (quoted in Claeys, Politics xvi, emphasis in original).

Thelwall joined the British Jacobin supporters of the revolution and advocated for free speech, the abolition of slavery, and education for all in Britain. He knew firsthand the unfairness of class and the systemic issues that kept the lower class in its place. His entrance into politics began in 1790 when he volunteered to assist the political career of John Horne Tooke, a radical who sought to extend…suffrage and to purify the election process (Claeys, Politics xvii). Tooke, Thelwall’s political father (Mee 183), would remain an important influence on Thelwall throughout this period, and it was Tooke who encouraged Thelwall to drop Typopictoromania before completion (see Preface). In 1793, Thelwall became an active member of the London Corresponding Society, a reform group composed largely of tradesmen and artisans. Thelwall lectured regularly for the society Thelwall and by doing so rapidly acquired a reputation as the most compelling rhetorician in the reformer’s camp (Claeys, Politics xix). Although best known as an orator, and committed to the people’s voice, Thelwall also capitalized on print as a revolutionary tool. He viewed the expansion of the press in the last quarter of the eighteenth century as an invitation (Mee 169). With the expansion of print and greater literacy, radicals like Thelwall could spread their revolutionary arguments to the masses relatively cheaply. Like Spence’s Pig’s Meat and Eaton’s Politics for the People, Thelwall’s The Tribune, which ran from March 1795 until April 1796, helped spread democratic, reformist ideas. Furthermore, print and oratory were fundamentally linked for Thelwall; he often wrote with the same oratorical zeal with which he spoke, and many of his lectures were later printed, either by the likes of Eaton (see Scrivener, Allegories pp. 111-118) or himself in The Tribune (Claeys, Politics, xxv).

As a printed piece in this period, The Epic Poem of The Peripatetic [1793], later to be renamed Typopictoromania, is not only an example of Thelwall’s mix of rhetoric, print, and politics; it is also a critical commentary on the use of rhetoric and print in this era in general. Thelwall claims that the purpose of the poem was to ridicule the rage for splendid editions of the Poets since the noblest specimens of literary genius [were being reduced] to mere expensive pieces of furniture (Preface). Hence the poem’s intended subject matter: the battle between the Pictures in Boydell’s gallery and the Letters in Caslon’s type foundry. William Caslon, who operated a type foundry on Chiswell Street, used elaborate and decorous, decorative illustrations and typefaces to create books that were, according to Thelwall, all too splendid to be read (Preface, emphasis in original). Similarly, John Boydell’s Shakespeare Gallery was part of a larger project to illustrate the works of Shakespeare as elegant accessories in the homes of the gentry. By pitting the type foundry against the gallery, Thelwall’s satire goes without a hero to champion the intrinsic value of poetry itself; Thomspon states, as Thelwall finds no idealism in this mercantile world of inflation and decay, so his mock-epic has no hero, only an anti-hero, the volcanic monster Alphabeta, representing the power of language and literature already corrupted and co-opted by monarchs and their minions (Thompson, Introduction 27). From the fragments that remain, it is clear that the poem was to end with Jove, allegorically representing King George III, declaring That Reason’s voice should cease (Line 43 of Fragments), and thus the satire was to end with a complete commodification of literature and repression of thought, reflecting Thelwall’s transition from literary ambition to political activism.

The poem’s Invocation reveals that the satire was to extend beyond a criticism of Caslon and Bydell to attack the triumph of elegant luxury and verbal inflation over the language of reason and genius (Thompson, From Forum to Repository 185). As one example, let us return to Burke. In the Invocation, Thelwall calls Burke a pretended Patriot (Invocation, line 5) who Damn’d all the honors with a glossing Tongue (Invocation, line 17). According to Russell, Theatricality has long been acknowledged as integral to Burke’s concept of politics as well as to his rhetorical practise (2); similarly, Scrivener points out that the style of Burke’s Reflections is hermeneutically aggressive, figuratively rich with hyperbole and hyperbation, rhetorically wild and emphatically oratorical (Allegories 43). For Thelwall then, Burke stands as an example of the debasement of poetic and oratorical language in its use of persuasion for nefarious political purposes. Conversely, Thelwall ridicules Robert Merry for his overly decorous style. Merry, a Della Cruscan poet, was overly emotive and sentimental, and for Thelwall this was an example of poetry being drained of all its didactic power. For this reason, Thelwall parodies Merry, saying that he chases common sense from off the globe (see Appendix II). Typopictoromania, therefore, presents two equally disastrous uses of poetic language: poetry as demagoguery and poetry as mere decoration.

At the time of the publication of The Peripatetic, Thelwall’s fame as an orator had grown considerably, and support for Jacobin ideas was still widespread. By the end of the decade, however, the reform movement had been brutally suppressed. Scrivener has argued that while Repression was surely a muse of sorts for Jacobin allegory…one cannot be too sanguine about it; this repression largely achieved its goals (Allegories 294). In response to fears that the French revolution might inspire similar violence in England, a series of measures were taken by those in power; in 1792, King George issued a proclamation against seditious writing (to which Typopictoromania responds), and the Two Acts (also referred to as the Gagging Acts) of 1795 prevented meetings of more than fifty people at a time and reassessed the criteria for what constituted high treason. By 1797, when the liberal Whigs withdrew from parliament, there was a retreat from political activism that wouldn’t be fully rekindled until after Waterloo (1815) (Scrivener, Poetry and Reform 13). Thelwall experienced this repression first hand. In 1794, he was arrested, along with Tooke, Spence, and others, had ten years’ worth of writing—including manuscript drafts and fair copies— seized (Bugg 37), and was locked in the Tower of London to await trial. While he was acquitted nine months later, and consequently saw a boost in popularity after the trial, he was also increasingly threatened at his lectures by loyalist mobs. Fearing for his safety, as well as the safety of his family, he was forced to leave London in 1797 and retire to the country.

IV. Reflections on the Past

Thelwall did not return to London until 1806. At this point having established a career as an itinerant elocutionist and healer of speech impediments, he founded his Institution for the Cure of Impediments of Speech, Instruction of Foreigners, Cultivation of Oratory, English Composition and Polite Literature. As Scrivener describes, [h]e went from being the most successful Jacobin orator to the most successful scientific lecturer about oratory (Scrivener, Allegories 167, emphasis in original). He did make a profit from this establishment, and it was not accessible to the lower class; however, to give Thelwall his due, the institute was devoted to removing impediments to free speech, enfranchising the disabled, and fostering rational enquiry and open debate among different classes, or at least among marginal and privileged members of the growing middle class, from mutes and autistic children to foreigners, actresses and aspiring barristers (Thompson, From Forum to Repository187). Having trained himself to overcome speech impediments, he passed this knowledge along to others. He ran his institution in one form or other until his death in 1834. Although his retirement to the country in 1797 had taken him out of the public sphere and reduced his active involvement in political debates, he returned to politics as the reform movements started to pick up again after the battle of Waterloo in 1815. In 1818, Thelwall purchased a newspaper, The Champion, with which he attempted once again to intervene in public debate (Introduction 19). He continued to push for reform, but his views had moderated, and he did not regain his earlier popularity (Introduction 19). It was during this later period that Thelwall began to transform the Derby Manuscript, an unpublished collection of his previous poetry, into a notebook for new work. As a retrospective look at his own earlier career, the Derby Manuscript serves as a poetic reflection; what he chose to include may say much about how the later Thelwall felt about his earlier work. In this way, the Derby version of Typopictoromania, with its new Preface and handwritten variations, serves as the older Thelwall’s commentary on the work of his younger, more rebellious self.

V. Note on our Edition

Our task has been to present a clear reading text of the hitherto unpublished version of Typopictoromania found in the Derby Manuscript [DM]. At the same time, we have endeavored to present an edition that highlights the major variations between this version and the one found in The Peripatetic [P]. Thus, while the body of the poem is cohesive, we have included all major variations in editorial notes and comprehensive variations in the XML coding. We have also included additional material in appendices: a screenshot of the DM and contextual material from the frame narrative of P. While this material is not necessary for an appreciation of the poem, some may find it illuminating. Material found in explanatory notes not explicitly cited has been taken from the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography and the Encyclopedia Britannica.

At times we have taken editorial liberties to alter the DM, but such changes have been explained and defended in notes. Such changes include: The retention of punctuation from P. The retention of word choice from P. Spelling corrections, either misspelled in DM but correct in P, or misspelled in both. Furthermore, some changes are global and not mentioned in notes: Names of sections, which are entirely absent from DM, have been taken from P. All underlined words handwritten in manuscript rendered in italics. Em dash standardizes dashes of various sizes. Capitalized nouns retained, but words rendered in FULL upper case rendered with first letter capitalized only. Ampersands replaced with and.

Typopictoromania: An Epic Fragment
Preface

The object of this Poem (one entire canto of which was written many years ago, but of which only the following fragments which appeared in the peripatetic are preserved) was to ridicule the rage for splendid editions of the Poets etc. The fable a supposed conflict between the Types upon Caslon’s Foundry in Chiswell Street, and the Pictures in Boydell’s Gallery. It was designed however as a vehicle for political Satyr.According to the OED, satyr was a common spelling for satire up until the early eighteenth century. Like his use of camelion in the Proposition, it is likely that Thelwall used this archaic spelling to evoke the writing of earlier poets (see note 10). However, it is strange that he does not use the same spelling in the next two paragraphs. Regardless, we have chosen to retain the original spelling. The following extracts from the Peripatetic might serve as materials for a preface.Thelwall has cut out and pasted the sections You will not...the laborious and and induced me...magnanimous hero. from P. Interestingly, Thelwall chose to hand write the material in between. This is strange because, apart from some seemingly insignificant changes, this material is also present in P; he changes had long struck my mind to had long impressed my mind, and the proposal of the BEST OF LETTER FOUNDERS to the BEST OF KINGS becomes the proposals of Mr Caslon (letter founder to his Majesty). The object of this Poem ( two one entire cantos of which were was written many years ago, but of which only the following fragments which appeared in the peripatetic The Peripatetic are preserved) was to ridicule the rage for splendid editions of the Poets &c. The fable a supposed conflict between the Types from Caslon’s Foundry in Chiswell Street, & the Pictures in Boydell’s Gallery. It was designed however as a vehicle for political Satyr. The following extracts from the peripatetic The Peripatetic might serve as materials for a preface.

You will not, I dare say, be very angry at seeing placed in a ridiculous point of view, this rage for splendid editions of works, however excellent in their nature: a rage so prejudicial to the solid interests of literature; and, with respect to the art of Painting itself, rather holding out a kind of commercial temptation to hasty and copious production, than a generous and liberal patronage to the laborious and scientific pursuit of excellence and sublimity. The absurdity of thus reducing the noblest specimens of literary genius to mere expensive pieces of furniture, to please the vacant eye of foppery, had long impressed my mind as a very proper object for satire and ridicule, when the proposals of Mr Caslon (letter founder to his Majesty) for adding to the list of popular publications in editions all too splendid to be read, the Gil Blas and Devil on Two SticksClosing quotation mark retained from P: absent in DM. of Le Sage,Alain-René Lesage (1668-1747) was a French novelist and playwright. Gil Blas and Devil on Two Sticks are two of his scathingly satirical works. Thelwall’s comment here indicates his displeasure that such books are being printed to be decorative, but not functional. induced me to form the plan of a mock heroic poem, of which the mighty Alphabeta, the Vulcan of Chiswell-street, and forger of the literary thunderbolts of the terrestrial Jove,Jove (Jupiter) is the ancient Roman god of the sky and thunder. He is the king of other gods, making him an appropriate substitution for George III. was to be the magnanimous hero. You will not, I dare say, be very angry at seeing placed in a ridiculous point of view, this rage for splendid editions of works, however excellent in their nature: a rage so prejudicial to the solid interests of literature; and, with respect to the art of Painting itself, rather holding out a kind of commercial temptation to hasty and copious production, than a generous and liberal patronage to the laborious and scientific pursuit of excellence & sublimity. The absurdity of thus reducing the noblest specimens of literary genius to mere expensive pieces of furniture, to please the vacant eye of foppery, had long impressed my mind as a very proper object for satire & ridicule, when the proposals of Mr Caslon (letter founder to his Majesty) for adding to the list of popular publications in editions all too splendid to be read, the “Gil Blas” and “Devil on Two Sticks of Le Sage induced me to form the plan of a mock heroic poem, of which the mighty Alphabeta, the Vulcan of Chiswell-street, and forger of the literary thunderbolts of the terrestrial Jove, was to be the magnanimous hero. Of the local situation of the You will not, I dare say, be very angry at seeing placed in a ridiculous point of view, this rage for splendid editions of works, however excellent in their nature: a rage so prejudicial to the solid interests of literature; and, with respect to the art of Painting itself, rather holding out a kind of commercial temptation to hasty and copious production, than a generous and liberal patronage to the laborious and scientific pursuit of excellence, and sublimity of composition. The absurdity of thus reducing the noblest specimens of literary genius to mere expensive pieces of furniture, to please the vacant eye of Foppery, had long struck my mind as a very proper object for satire and ridicule, and the proposal of the Best of Letter Founders to the Best of Kings, for adding to the list of popular publications, too splendid to be read, the Gil Blas and Devil on Two Sticks of Le Sage, induced me to form the plan of a mock heroic poem, of which the mighty Alphabeta, the Vulcan of Chiswell-Street, and forger of the literary thunderbolts of the terrestrial Jove, was to be the magnanimous hero.

P.S. What I had written was at first very highly commended by J. Horne Tooke,John Horne Tooke (1736-1812) was greatly admired by Thelwall. When Tooke ran (unsuccessfully) for the Westminster election in 1780, Thelwall developed a close bond, acting as his assistant. Tooke had many of the same radical revolutionary ideals as Thelwall. In 1794, Tooke was arrested alongside Thelwall and others for sedition, and both spent time in the Tower of London (see Bugg). with whom I had recently become acquainted; but he afterwards discouraged me from proceeding, being very desirous of drawing me to some subject more exclusively political. He proposed a satire on the Coalition of Kings:In 1793, Great Britain joined a coalition of European monarchies in a war against France. Thelwall’s fear that a satirical take on the subject would have put him in danger was likely justified considering the anti-Jacobin sentiment that was rising at the time. but tho though I dropt (unwisely I think) my own project,Thelwall scratches out the word satire and corrects it with the word project. This correction seems to be have been made immediately upon composition, since project follows sequentially as opposed to being written above the crossed out word. I could never see his in that point of view which would furnish materials for a mock heroic poem. Had I then written upon such a subject I should have written with a bitterness which might have been amusing to him; but would have been dangerous to me. P.S.

What I had written was at first very highly commended by J. Horne Tooke, with whom I had recently become acquainted; but he afterwards discouraged me from proceeding, being very desirous of drawing me to some subject more exclusively political. He proposed a satire on the Coalition of Kings: but tho I dropt (unwisely I think) my own satire project, I could never see his in that point of view which would furnish materials for a mock heroic poem. Had I then written upon such a subject I should have written with a bitterness which might have been amusing to him; but would have been dangerous to me.

Proposition Types and the brush I sing, whose friendly aidComma retained from P: absent in DM. Types and the brush I sing whose friendly aid, Types and the Brush I sing, whose friendly aid Calls buried genius forth from learning’s shade— Calls buried genius forth from learning’s shade— Calls buried Genius forth from Learning’s shade— That shade deserted now by every wight, Save only those who feed on what they write;— Save only those who feed on what they write;— Save only those who feed on what they write,— Camelion like, in attic dome, on high,We have retained the unusual spelling of Camelion, since Thelwall spells it thus in both the DM and the P. In doing so, he is probably following Dryden, whose translation of Ovid’s Pythagorean Philosophy the OED quotes with this spelling. Camelion like, in attic dome, on high, Camelion like, in Attic dome, on high, On Couplets feast, and commune with the Sky!—Exclamation point retained from P: replaces semicolon in DM. On Couplets feast, and commune with the Sky;— On Couplets feast, and commune with the Sky!— That Shade (if books may justify the Creed?) That Shade (if Books may justify the Creed?) That Shade (if Books may justify the Creed?) When Bishops preach’d and mighty Lords could read, Which even Statesmen deign’d with smiles to view, Which even Statesmen deign’d with smiles to view, Which even Statesmen deign’d with Smiles to view, To Rectors dear and Reverend prebends too;— To Rectors dear & Reverend prebends too;— To Rectors dear, and reverend Prebends too, Ere yet (for then no sordid Avarice reign’d) Ere yet (for then no sordid Avarice reign’d) Mitres they found more slowly were obtained Mitres they found more slowly were obtained By gaining Crowns in Wisdom’s laurel’d List By gaining Crowns in Wisdom’s laurel’d List Than losing Crowns with gracious Queen’s at Whist!—The previous two couplets (from Ere yet to Whist!) are absent in DM but present in P. Than losing Crowns with gracious Queen’s at Whist!— That Shade where Shakespeare’s memory might expire, That Shade where Shakespeare’s memory might expire, That Shade where Shakespeare’s memory might expire, And Milton String unheard, his Epic Lyre, And Milton String unheard, his Epic Lyre, And Milton string unheard his Epic Lyre, Did not prim Editors, with timely aid, Did not prim Editors, with timely aid, Did not prim Editors, with timely aid, Rear the long varnish’d Vista’s quaint parade, Rear the long varnish’d Vista’s quaint parade, Rear the long varnish’d Vista’s quaint parade, With gilding gay, with flaunting picture grac’d, With gilding gay, with flaunting picture grac’d, With gilding gay, with flaunting Picture grac’d, To lure the Coxcomb eye of modern Taste;According to the OED, a coxcomb is a foolish, conceited, showy person, vain of his accomplishments, appearance, or dress. To lure the Coxcomb eye of modern Taste; To lure the coxcomb eye of modern Taste— That Shade which now (as Fashion bids) shall shine, That Shade which now (as Fashion bids) shall shine, That Shade which now (as Fashion bids) shall shine Throng’d like Vauxhall—as courtly, and as fine!Exclamation point retained from P; replaces period in DM. Throng’d like Vauxhall—as courtly & as fine. Throng’d like Vauxhall—as courtly, and as fine! Yet hence what strife with dire contagion spread!— Yet hence what strife with dire contagion spread!— While printer’s ink and paint of artists shed,Spelling of printer’s corrected from printers. Correct spelling found in P: see note 17. While printers ink & paint of artists shed, Heap’d Chiswell Street and fam’d Pall-Mall with slain;Spelling of Pall-Mall corrected from Pal-Mal. Correct spelling in P: see note 17. Heap’d Chiswell Street & fam’d Pal-Mal with slain; Till Jove’s own thunder clear’d the embattled plain.These final four lines do not appear in P at this point. The middle two appear in one of Sylvanus’s explanatory interjections (as Printer’s ink, and paint of artist’s shed, heap’d Chiswell-street and fam’d Pall Mall with slain, &c. [see Appendix II]), but the other two lines do not show up at all. These four lines also seem crammed into the bottom of the page, are darker in colour, and appear over smudges from an earlier erased passage. Thus, it is likely he added them later. Till Jove’s own thunder clear’d the embattled plain.
Invocation Genius of Britain!—not that power who strung Genius of Britain!—not that power who strung Genius of Britain!—Not that power who strung A Hampden’s arm, and urg’d his patriot tongue— A Hampden’s arm, and urg’d his patriot tongue— A Hampden’s arm, and urg’d his patriot’s tongue— Not she who warm’d a Sydney’s, Russell’s soul,John Hampden (1653-1696) was so admired by Thelwall that he named his second son after him. An anti-monarchist who wanted to reinstate a republic, Hampden was arrested for allegedly taking part in the Rye-house plot, but later acquitted. Algernon Sydney (1623–1683) and William, Lord Russell (1639-1683), both anti-monarchists arrested with Hampden for the Rye-house plot, were unlike him, executed. Thelwall named his eldest son after Sydney (Algernon Sydney Thelwall). That the poet does not invoke the Genius that inspired these three men, all of whom Thelwall greatly admired for their political views, makes clear the satirical nature of what is to come; the Genius of Modern Britain, as it is named in the prefatory material of P (see Appendix II), pales in comparison to that of the past.

Comma after Sydney’s retained from P: absent in DM.

 Not she that who warm’d a Sydney’s Russell’s Soul, Not she that warmed a Sydney’s, Russel’s soul, Corruption’s tyrant progress to control— Corruption’s tyrant progress to controul— Corruption’s tyrant progress to control— Ere yet pretended Patriots, bought and sold, Ere yet pretended Patriots, bought and sold, Ere yet pretended Patriots, bought and sold, Made public barter of their votes for gold;— Made public barter of their votes for gold;— Made public barter of their Votes, for Gold;— Ere Freedom’s Representatives, by name, Ere Freedom’s Representatives, by name Ere Freedom’s representatives, by name Lauded despotic power, unaw’d by shame; Lauded despotic power, unaw’d by shame; Lauded Despotic Power, unaw’d by shame; In public Senates (fir’d with frantic rage, In public Senates fir’d with frantic rage, In public Senates (fired with frantic rage, Which not the tears of friendship could assuage)As with the couplet at line 15, the parentheses, despite being absent in DM, are retained from P for this couplet. We have chosen to retain the punctuation of P because there is a formal echoing that is lost without the parentheses; the mirroring of the Senates and the driveling dotards is less obvious without the parentheses. Which not the tears of friendship could assuage; Which not the tears of Friendship could assuage) Blacken’d each name that, true to Freedom’s cause, Blacken’d each name that true to Freedom’s cause Blacken’d each Name that, true to Freedom’s cause, Dar’d plead for Nature’s violated Laws;— Dar’d plead for nature’s violated Laws;— Dar’d plead for Nature’s violated Laws;— Ere yet, grown grey in party’s sordid train Ere yet grown grey in party’s sordid train Ere yet, grown grey in Party’s sordid train, (Where who like them the clamorous throat to strain?) (Where who like them the clamourous throat to strain?) (Where who like them the clamorous throat to strain?) Wild driveling dotards (fir’d with sacred hate Wild driveling dotards, fir’d with sacred hate Wild, driv’ling Dotards (fired with sacred hate Of all who held what they upheld of late)In addition to the retention of parentheses (see note 19), commas have been removed from after dotards (present only in DM) and late (present in both editions) to maintain the formal echo. Of all who held what they upheld of late, Of all who held what they upheld of late,) Damn’d all the honors which a glossing Tongue,Thelwall spells honors in the DM with the American spelling without the u, but in the P the British spelling is used. Damn’d all the honors with which a glossing Tongue, Damn’d all the Honours with a glossing Tongue, Practis’d in fraud, and with persuasion hung, Still with the rotten heart at prudent strife, Still with the rotten heart at prudent strife, Still with the rotten Heart at prudent strife, Had purchas’d with the lie of a whole life; Had purchas’d with the lie of a whole life; Had purchas’d with the Lie of a whole life; Renounc’d all principle, and bared the heart, Renounc’d all principle, and bared the heart, Renounc’d all Principle, and bared the Heart, So long conceal’d from view with painful art: So long conceal’d from view with painful art: So long conceal’d from view with painful Art; Threw off the mask, so long with credit worn, Threw off the mask, so long with credit worn, Threw off the Mask, so long with credit worn, And chang’d respect for pity and for scorn; And chang’d respect for pity and for scorn; And chang’d respect for Pity, and for Scorn; To Bathos div’d for culinary wit,Spelling of culinary corrected from cullinary: spelled correctly in P To Bathos div’d for cullinary wit, To Bathos dived for culinary wit, Made e’en the Stews and Billingsgate submitLondon’s primary fish market located at the docks. The British Library notes that it was noted for the coarse language used by the women who worked there and their propensity for gossip. This explains the poet’s later description of the women’s voices containing the Classic graces of the vulgar tongue (line 18 of Canto Two). Made e’en the Stews and Billinsgate submit Made e’en the Stews and Billingsgate submit With sheer scurrility, and blushing own Spelling of scurrility corrected from scurility: spelled correctly in P. With sheer scurility, and blushing own With sheer scurrility, and blushing own Their claim to mount the Shrew’s contested Throne; Thence soaring high, or thinking that they soar’d, The Realms of Beauteous and Sublime explor’d,—A reference to Edmund Burke (1729-1797) and his A Philosophical Enquiry into the Origin and of Our Ideas of the Sublime and the Beautiful (1757). Much of this stanza refers to Burke: see Introduction. The Realms of Beauteous & Sublime explor’d,— The realms of Beauteous and Sublime explor’d, Pluck’d down the Stars, and thought those stars too poor Pluck’d down the Stars, & thought those stars too poor Pluck’d down the Stars, and thought those stars too poor (Moon-struck themselves!) to deck a Royal Whore,Moon-struck retained from P. While the word is certainly not struck in the DM, since there are many more than five letters and the final three are definitely ch’d, we are unable to decipher with absolute certainty what word it is. We believe it might be stretch’d, but we are unable to find any explanation of what moon stretch’d might mean. Thus, we have retained the line from P for certainty’s sake. (Moon stretch’d themselves!) to deck a Royal Whore, (Moon-struck themselves!) to deck a Royal Whore, Because she chanc’d the Gallic Throne to share, For which (to Dorset thanks!) she brought an Heir.In P, this line reads, To which (to Dorset thanks!) she brought an Heir. Exclamation mark retained from P: absent in DM. For which (to Dorset thanks) she brought an Heir. To which (to Dorset thanks!) she brought an Heir. —But why with plurals thus mankind disgrace? —But why with plurals thus mankind disgrace? —But why with plurals thus Mankind disgrace? When even these times produce but one so base.Period retained from P; absent in DM. When even these times produce but one so base When even these times produce but one so base. Genius of Britain prompt my Epic Theme— Genius of Britain prompt my Epic Theme— Genius of Britain! prompt my Epic theme— Not thou who nurs’d by Heliconia’s streamIn P, the line reads, Not thou who, nurs’d by Heliconia’s stream, (in reference to Mt. Helicon, home of the muses in Greek mythology); it is possible Thelwall removed the commas for rhythmic purposes, to ensure no punctuation broke the flow of the line. Not thou who nurs’d by Heliconia’s stream Not thou who, nurs’d by Heliconia’s stream, Taught one illustrious British Prince to feel Taught one illustrious British Prince to feel Taught One Illustrious British Prince to feel A noble love for Learning’s sacred weal,— A noble love for Learning’s sacred weal,— A noble love for learning’s sacred weal,— To Sage and Bard that patronage supply Which pimps and black-legs now alone enjoy,—Thelwall went through many possible variations before settling on black-legs. In P, the line says pimps and fiddlers, but fiddlers is nowhere to be found in the DM. Instead, pathics, gamblers, and panders are all written in as possible words, but are crossed out. According to the 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, black-legs is a term for a gambler or sharper on the turf or in the cockpit: so called, perhaps, from their appearing generally in boots; or else from game-cocks whose legs are always black. According to the OED, a pander is a pimp, a fiddler is a swindler or a cheat, and a pathic is the passive partner in homosexual … intercourse. One can only wonder why Thelwall spent so long trying to find just the right term here. Which pimps & pathics panders gamblers black-legs now alone enjoy,— Which pimps and fiddlers now alone enjoy,— And having freed the Land from foreign foesIn P, the line reads, And, having freed the Land from foreign Foes,: see note 31. And having freed the Land from foreign foes And, having freed the land from foreign Foes, Rous’d him to purge it from the darker woes Of savage ignorance; and Science rear Of savage ignorance; and Science rear Of savage Ignorance, and Science rear, At once by his Example and his care;— At once by his Example and his care;— At once by his Example, and his Care— Not thou who urg’d the godlike Alfred’s soul Not thou who urg’d the godlike Alfred’s soul Not thou who urg’d the Godlike Alfred’s soul, (Virtue his race, immortal fame his Goal!)Spelling of immortal corrected from imortal: spelled correctly in P. In addition, comma retained from P; absent in DM. (Virtue his race imortal fame his Goal!) (Virtue his Race, Immortal Fame his Goal!) With reverend Sages to devote his prime;—Prime retained from P. It is unclear whether the word is prime or time in the DM; it looks like it reads time, but it could just as easily be a hastily scribbled prime. For certainty’s sake we retain prime, but one may wish to read it as time. With reverend Sages to devote his time;— With reverend Sages to devote his prime,— Ere Dicers Boxers Swindlers curs’d the clime; Ere Dicers Boxers Swindlers curs’d the clime; Ere Caterers, Boxers, Swindlers, curs’d the Clime— Ere yet the Turf alone had charms; ere yet Ere yet the Turf alone had charms; ere yet Ere yet the Turf alone had charms—Ere yet Rooking was Science, Jockeying was wit; Rooking was Science, Jockeying was wit; Rooking was Science, Jockeying was Wit— For Studs ere Splendid Palaces arose,— For studs ere splendid Palaces arose,— For Studs ere Splendid Palaces arose,— Where Steeds and Grooms in idle rank repose, Where Steeds and Grooms in idle rank repose, Where Steeds and Grooms, in idle ranks, repose, Consuming more than Gallia’s haughty Lord, Consuming more than Gallia’s haughty Lord, Consuming more than Gallia’s haughty Lord, Her fourteenth Louis, spent to deck that boardLouis XIV (1643-1715), King of France. Her fourteenth Louis, spent to deck that board Her Fourteenth Louis, spent to deck that board Where Taste and Science found a sure retreat, Where taste and science found a sure retreat, Where Taste and Science found a sure retreat, And all the Wits of Europe had a Seat!— And all the wits of Europe had a Seat!— And all the Wits of Europe had a Seat!— Not thou who taught mellifluous Pope to sing Not thou who taught mellifluous Pope to sing —Not thou who taught mellifluous Pope to sing, Plum’d Shakespeare’s, Milton’s, Dryden’s daring wing; Plum’d Shakespeare’s, Milton’s, Dryden’s daring wing; Plum’d Shakespeare’s, Milton’s, Dryden’s daring wing, Ere whining Pratt, the pink of common place,Samuel Jackson Pratt (1749-1814) was a poet whose sentimental literary persona rarely carried over into his personal life. Thelwall often criticized him. In P, Pratt is spelled with only one T. According to the OED, the word prat meant, in the late eighteenth century, A trick; a piece of trickery or fraud; a prank or practical joke, and it was also slang for the buttocks. Judith Thompson believes that by spelling it with one T Thelwall was making a deliberate joke at Pratt’s expense. Whether or not his choice to include the second T in the DM, long after Pratt’s death, shows a change of heart on Thelwall’s part is up to the reader to decide. Ere whining Pratt, the pink of common place, Ere whining Prat, the Pink of Common Place, Pour’d forth long nothings with so soft a grace, Pour’d forth long nothings with so soft a grace, Pour’d forth long nothings with so soft a grace, Made Sentiment so languishingly creepFrom Made Sentiment (line 63 of Invocation) until as well as they (line 174 of Invocation), Thelwall has pasted in pages from the P. Thus, only minor changes are made by Thelwall. Since Thelwall clearly had access to a copy of the P from which he could take pages, it is strange that he chose to handwrite some sections of the poem without making major changes to them: the first twenty lines of the Invocation, for instance. One imagines he could have cut and pasted the whole poem into the DM and then made his minor changes in the margins (as he does at line 130 of the Invocation). One can only speculate as to the reasons for this decision. Editorial note: Words in full caps have been edited so as to only have first letter capitalized, and any other major changes marked with notes. To the charm’d Heart, as charm’d it quite to Sleep; Made Sympathy thro’ two long Cantoes shine, Made Sympathy thro’ two long Cantoes shine, Made Sympathy thro’ two long Cantoes shine, Without assistance from one feeling line, And fair Humanity—so soft—so sweet— And fair Humanity—so soft—so sweet— And fair Humanity—so soft—so sweet— Drawl thro’ dull pages to the hundredth sheet; Drawl thro’ dull pages to the hundredth sheet; Drawl thro dull pages to the hundredth sheet; Drew meek Morality with such a Grace, Drew meek Morality with such a Grace, Drew meek Morality with such a Grace, With such a simpering, lack-a-daisey Face, Such water-gruel Sweetness, one would swear She suckled Fools, and chronicled small beer. —Ere yet quaint Fopperies from the Italian SchoolThe poetry of the Italian School was characterised in terms of its theatrical displays of emotion, overt sensuality, heavily stylised language and complex sound structure (Broadhead 577). —Ere yet quaint Fopperies from the Italian School —Ere yet quaint Fopperies from the Italian School Threw in forc’d Extasies each Rhyming Fool;According to the OED, extasy was an acceptable spelling well into the eighteenth century. Thus, we have retained the spelling. Bit, like the Gad Fly, Widows, Wives, and Maids, With frantic bleat to scare the tuneful Shades, Where self-thought Poets, deeper bit than they, To their wild bleat, return’d as wild a bray!— To their wild bleat, return’d as wild a bray!— To their wild bleat return’d as wild a bray!— Ere Della Crusca, darling of the World!Used first as a pseudonym by Robert Merry, who was involved with a romantic relationship with Hannah Cowley, the term Della Crusca was used, after 1795, to label all of the poets following the Italian school. For more see Alex Broadhead’s The Della Cruscans: A Survey of the Criticisms and Resources. In DM, Thelwall has written in an additional L to turn the DE LA of the P to DELLA. Ere DELLA CRUSCA, darling of the WORLD! Ere de la Crusca, darling of the World! The random Gaze of Moon-struck-madness hurl’d Thro’ the wild Wilderness of blooming Suns,From Robert Merry’s Ode to Anna Matilda. And Scenes which Common Sense indignant shuns; Where Popularity, (debauch’d, and led By that old Bawd, hight Puffing, to his Bed,) Brought forth a Swarm of misshaped Monsters, more Than ever spawn’d on Nilus’ antic Shore;— Monsters, to nurture which, in happy Hour, Dame Cowley waken’d in the Muses Bow’r— Dame COWLEY waken’d in the Muses Bow’r— Dame Cowley waken’d in the Muses Bow’r— That Bow’r in which, strew’d by her Angel Hand With Poppies cull’d in Morpheus happy Land— Morpheus! inspiring God of modern Themes!Morpheus is the ancient Greek god of dreams. The Patron blest of Poesy and Dreams!— That Bow’r, in which the balmy-soothing Pow’r With partial fondness, oft, at Evening Hour, (Attention pillowing her reclining Head) The sweetest Slumbers o’er her Senses spread; While crowded Theatres, by Fate’s decree, First clapp’d, then yawn’d, then snor’d as loud as she. Genius of Britain!—by what Title grac’d— GENIUS of BRITAIN!—by what Title grac’d— Genius of Britain!—by what Title grac’d— Fashion or Folly, Vanity or Taste— Fashion or Folly, Vanity or Taste— Fashion or Folly, Vanity or Taste— Thou, whose high Laws, rever’d by Courtly Dames! Cecil’s hereditary Wisdom frames.—William Cecil, Lord Burghley (1520-98) was an advisor to Elizabeth I, and his descendent, Brownlow Cecil, the ninth Earl of Exeter (1725-93), advised King George III. According to Judith Thompson, the references to fashion can be interpreted as a statement by Thelwall that the hereditary wisdom once available in the counsel offered by the Cecil family has degraded. Cecil’s hereditary Wisdom frames.— Cecil’s hereditary Wisdom frames.— Important Guardian of a Royal Court! Imperial Grandeur’s wisest; best support! Imperial Grandeur’s wisest; best support! Imperial Grandeur’s wisest, best, support! Whose awful Nod prescribes the Mantua’s grace, And dooms, without appeal, in Gloves and Lace, When, Wand in Hand, on Birth-Days, he presides, And with the Best of Kings, the sway divides!— And with the BEST OF KINGS, the sway divides!— And with the Best of Kings the sway divides!— —That Best of Kings, from whom what blessings flow! —That BEST OF KINGS, from whom what blessings flow! —That Best of Kings, from whom what blessings flow! Who for his People keeps a Raree-Show Of Pictures fine, a Month each Year, or more: But makes them drop their Shillings at the Door!— That Best of Kings, who gives his Royal Name That BEST OF KINGS, who gives his Royal Name That Best of kings, who gives his Royal Name To every Work of Charity, or Fame; But, liberal as he is, with Prudence blest, Keeps the Subscription Guinea in his Chest.— That Best of Kings, who, Umpire of the Arts! That BEST OF KINGS, who, Umpire of the Arts! That Best of Kings, who, Umpire of the Arts! To West’s coarse outline his first Smile imparts:— To West’s coarse outline his first Smile imparts:— To West’s coarse outline his first Smile imparts;— West, from whose hand each Male Complexion shines West, from whose hand each Male Complexion shines West, from whose hand each Male Complexion shines Like half-wrought Copper from our Cornish Mines; While, smooth as wax, each female Cheek is spread, And every Lip, with the same lifeless red!— West, whose long Groups, in order’d Rows display’d, West, whose long Groups, in order’d Rows display’d, West, whose long Groups, in order’d Rows display’d, (As ranks of Soldiers strut on the parade,) (As ranks of Soldiers strut on the parade,) (As ranks of soldiers strut on the parade,) At Knightly Installations, make us stare, And ask What Corporal drill’d the noble Fair!— And ask What Corporal drill’d the noble Fair!— And ask What Corporal drill’d the noble Fair!— West, who, not only taught to husband Time, West, who, not only taught to husband Time, West, who, not only taught to husband Time, Maintains the loss of Space an equal Crime, So fills—despite of ease and simple grace— Each Inch of Canvas with a varnish’d Face,Benjamin West (1738-1820) was an American painter. His art is here satirized as being flat, with the bodies of people clustered, as he attempts to cover each inch of canvas. In P, this line read So fills each Scrap Of Canvas with a Face,. Since this is a line on a pasted page in the DM, Thelwall’s changes are scribbled in on top of the printed page. Inch is not capitalized or underlined (for italicization) in DM, but we have edited it to match the structure of P’s Scrap of Canvas. Since Thelwall scribbled in inch in the small margin between lines, he could not indicate how he wanted it presented. Thus, editorial liberties have been taken to maintain a uniform presentation. So fills each Scrap inch of Canvas with a varnish’d Face, So fills each Scrap of Canvas with a Face, Which all, lest quarrels rise for shape and air, The self-same attitude and features share— West, who, to Scripture rules devoutly true, West, who, to Scripture rules devoutly true, West, who, to Scripture rules devoutly true, Thinks Eye for Eye, and Tooth for Tooth, are due, And painting Pharoah, and his warlike host O’erthown by Moses, and in Soap Suds lost, With vengeful Brush, for Justice, arms his Hands, With vengeful Brush, for Justice, arms his Hands, With vengeful Brush, for Justice, arms his Hands, And murders Moses, as the Law commands.—Possibly an allusion to West’s painting Pharoah and his Host Lost in the Red Sea (1792). That West, who, lest the first sad Curse be vain, That West, who, lest the first sad Curse be vain, That West, who, lest the first sad Curse be vain, Damns our fall’n Parents, o’er and o’er again; Then, fired with Zeal, instructs his glorious Son Then, fired with Zeal, instructs his glorious SON Then, fired with Zeal, instructs his glorious Son (By whom one Day the Sire shall be outdone) To force grim Satan from the depths of Hell, ’Midst grinning Forms of Ridicule to dwell, Where laughing Scorn shall more afflict his Pride Than all the Flames for torturing Ages tried. Genius of Britain!—That same Nymph I mean GENIUS of BRITAIN!—That same Nymph I mean Genius of Britain!—That same Nymph I mean Who teaches Tambour to our Gracious Queen; Who teaches Tambour to our GRACIOUS QUEEN; Who teaches Tambour to our Gracious Queen; Whence from her Needle (wond’rous Art!) arise Whence from her Needle (wond’rous Art!) arise Whence from her Needle (wondrous Art!) arise Long Pomps of Silken Trees, and Worsted Skies; Quadrupeds, non-descript, are forc’d to Fame, Plants with new forms, and Flowers without a name: Plants with new forms, and Flowers without a name: Plants with new forms, and Flowers without a name; Or, soaring higher, to the Human form, Her steel-eyed Pencil, (exquisitely warm!) Calls faces forth—(if those who late have seen Laurence’s Portrait of that awful Mien For such a Fact can take a Poet’s word!)Sir Thomas Lawrence (1769–1830) was a painter. The painting referenced here of Queen Charlotte is likely the one he was commissioned to do between 1789 and 1790. Still more unmeaning than her Royal Lord! —Prudent Amusement for a married Dame Whose Numerous Babes her frugal Fondness claim! Expensive Books might shrink her little Store, Concerts and Treats make even the Wealthy poor:In the DM, the v of even is hand-written by Thelwall onto the cut and pasted page; in P, it is spelled e’en. While we have chosen the DM in this instance, we acknowledge that it is a strange change, since it disrupts the strict iambic pentameter of the line. The disruption of the earlier metre may reflect Thelwall’s later prosodic theories and abandonment of poetic contradictions but he does not do this consistently. Concerts and Treats make e ’ v en the Wealthy poor: Concerts and Treats make e’en the Wealthy poor: But she at home who o’er her Needle dreams, Or patches Fragments up with frugal Seams, Or works old Sattin Satin Coats with Colours fine, Or works old Sattin Coats with Colours fine, Or works old Satin Coats with Colours fine, O’er no Upholsterer’s hideous Bill shall pine; Yet sees, blest Harvest of her Royal Cares! Quilts for her Beds, and Covers for her Chairs. Genius of Britain! who, with like control, GENIUS of BRITAIN! who, with like control, Genius of Britain! who, with like control, Sway George’s, Charlotte’s, West’s, and Warren’s Soul!—The references to George and Charlotte here are obviously to King George III (1738-1820) and his wife Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (1744–1818), who ruled at the time of the poem’s composition. The earlier reference to the Gracious Queen (line 148 of Canto One) is also to Charlotte, who was known for her needle work. According to Judith Thompson, Warren refers to Dr. Richard Warren, a physician who had helped treating George III’s illness during the Regency Crisis of 1788: see P, note 197. Sway GEORGE’s, CHARLOTTE’s, WEST’s, and WARREN’s Soul!— Sway George’s, Charlotte’s, West’s, and Warren’s Soul!— Make Merry’s ravings, Coleman’s stolen trash,For Merry, see notes 39 and 41. Thelwall parodies one of Merry’s poems—The Laurel of Liberty—at the end of the Epic Poetry chapter in P. Coleman refers to two people: Colman the elder (1732-94) and the younger (1762-1836), both playwrights and theatre managers. In the Prefatory Memoir of Poems Chiefly Written in Retirement, Thelwall mentions that free use (xxi) had been made of some of his work. This suggests he may have been complaining of plagiarism in this line. Make MERRY’s ravings, COLEMAN’s stolen trash, Make Merry’s ravings, Coleman’s stolen trash, His Tragi-Comic-Pantomimic hash, His Tragi-Comic-Pantomimic hash, His Tragi-Comic-Pantomimic hash, Pass for true Wit! assist my Epic Lay: Pass for true Wit! assist my EPIC LAY: Pass for true Wit! assist my Epic Lay: And I may hope to write as well as they!In P, the last line of the Invocation reads For hard the Task my vent’rous Lines essay. In DM, Thelwall has crossed out the original line and written his correction underneath. His change makes absolutely clear the satiric nature of the poem. For hard the Task my vent’rous Lines essay. And I may hope to write as well as they! For hard the Task my vent’rous Lines essay.
Canto One Near that blest spot, of ancient classic fame— Near that blest spot, of ancient classic fame— Near that blest Spot, of ancient Classic Fame— Fancy’s lov’d region!—Grub Street is its nameA famous street in London, Grub Street was associated with both hack writers and the free press. It is close to Chiswell street. Fancy’s lov’d region!—Grub Street is its name Fancy’s lov’d Region—Grub Street is its name With mortal men (how call’d by Gods on high With mortal men (how call’d by Gods on high With Mortal Men—how call’d by Gods on high, Small is the import, friends, to you or I!)In P, the line reads, Small is the import, friend, to you or I—. Small is the import, friends, to you or I!) Small is the import, friend, to you or I— Where oft the Muse (while Muses were esteem’d)From Where oft the Muse to Brotherly regard (line 20 of Canto One), Thelwall has pasted pages of P into the DM. See note 38. In days of yore, with bold inventions teem’d; With Giants, Spectres, and Magicians dire, Monsters and Dragons belching Streams of Fire, Which armed Heroes brav’d to Combat, drunk Which arm ’ e d Heroes brav’d to Combat, drunk Which arm’d Heroes brav’d to Combat, drunk With sacred Love of Piety and Punk!— —Near this fam’d Spot, where Poems once were made, And Founders yet assist the Poet’s Trade, For leaden Satires leaden Types supply, And give Ideal Nonsense to the Eye;— And give Ideal Nonsense to the Eye;— And give Ideal Nonsense to the Eye— Near this fam’d spot—nor far (for since, by Fits, Near this fam’d spot—nor far (for since, by Fits, Near this fam’d spot—nor far, (for since, by Fits, Wits will be Madmen, Madmen may be Wits, Our prudent Ancestors, right wisely plann’d Their dwellings in one Neighbourhood should stand, That due assistance might at times be shar’d, And Brothers held in Brotherly regard)— Nor far remote from that benignant pile—In P, the line reads, Nor far remov’d from that same noble Pile,. Nor far remote from that benignant pile— Nor far remov’d from that same noble Pile, (A needful structure in Britania’s Isle!)Capital I in Isle retained from P: lower case in DM. (A needful structure in Britania’s isle!) (A needful Structure in Britannia’s Isle!) Which, till some loftier dome the title claim, Which, till some loftier dome the title claim, Which, till some Royal head its shelter claim, Of Bedlam bears the far resounding name,—In P, the couplet reads, Which, till some Royal head its shelter claim, / Of Bedlam bears the low, plebeian Name,: As one can see, this couplet has changed significantly, most notably in its characterization of Bedlam, which changes from a low, plebeian to a far resounding name. The Priory of Saint Mary of Bethlehem (Bedlam) was an infamous hospital for the mentally ill. Of Bedlam bears the far resounding name,— Of Bedlam bears the low, plebeian Name, There stands a mansion, o’er whose portals shineIn P, the line reads, There stands a Dome, o’er whose trim Portals shine. This change is likely to facilitate the rhythm, since the original’s placing of o’er on the unstressed pulse is awkward. There stands a mansion, o’er whose portals shine There stands a Dome, o’er whose trim Portals shine (Type of Jove’s guardian care and power divine!)In P, the line reads, (Type of Jove’s guardian Care and Love divine!). (Type of Jove’s guardian care & power divine!) Type of Jove’s guardian Care and Love divine!) Lion and Unicorn, by sculptor boldThe lion and unicorn are symbols found on the Royal Arms of the United Kingdom. Lion & Unicorn, by sculptor bold Lion and Unicorn, by Sculptor bold Carv’d in Olympian Oak and gay with Gold: Carv’d in Olympian Oak & gay with Gold: Carv’d in Olympian Oak, and gay with Gold. A mansion every bard with rapture viewsIn P, the line reads, A Dome it is each Bard with rapture views. Thelwall’s choice to replace dome with mansion here, as at line 25 of Canto One, is likely for the sake of the sonic quality of the line as opposed to a deliberate change of content. A mansion every bard with rapture views A Dome it is each Bard with rapture views Who in spruce Garb would deck his lofty Muse,From Who in spruce Garb to dear-beloved Lead!— (line 64 of Canto One), Thelwall has pasted pages of P into DM. See note 38. Thro’ sheets of Snow would each dark passage spread, And aid his weight of Brains with weight of Lead. There thro’ the livelong Day, o’er many a Forge, Doom’d leaden Bolts of Vengeance to disgorge, The Literary Cyclops toil and sweat O’er the dread Thunders of the Alphabet; Which dealt, with well-aim’d Vengeance, o’er the World, Tyrants have bow’d, and mighty Statesmen hurl’d Tyrants have bow’d, and mighty Statesmen hurl’d Tyrants have bow’d, and mighty Statesmen hurl’d From Power’s misgotten, or polluted Seat, Villains have aw’d, and made proud Vice retreat!— Thunders which, pointed by a Monarch’s hand, Have spread Confusion thro a peaceful Land; Have spread Confusion thro a peaceful Land; Have spread Confusion thro’ a peaceful Land; With panic Awe have struck the Free-born Soul,In P, the line reads, With short-liv’d Awe have struck the Free-born Soul,. Since this line occurs on a page pasted into the DM, the replaced words are scratched out and the correction is written into the margin. With short-liv’d panic Awe have struck the Free-born Soul, With short-liv’d Awe have struck the Free-born Soul, Compell’d the use of Reason to control, Compell’d the use of Reason to control;— Compell’d the use of Reason to control, Compell’d to deem as wicked Traitors, those Not who concert the Treason, but expose—In the DM, Thelwall includes between this and the next line one of Sylvanus’ interjections into the recitation of the poem, which appears at this same place in the P: Avarice and Vanity, the fostering parents and tetular deities of the hero, are then described, while he is enjoying the sweets of slumber, as visiting the deserted scene—. Since Thelwall does not go on to describe Avarice or Vanity, one is tempted to assume that Canto One was not finished despite Thelwall’s claims to the contrary. Nevertheless, the poem reads logically without this missing description. In the DM, Thelwall also adds a handwritten note in the margin clarifying the identity of the hero: Mr Caslon, Letter founder to his Majesty. This is the first explicit indication Thelwall gives to indicate that Alphabeta is meant to be an allegorical stand-in for Caslon. Not who concert the Treason, but expose— Not who concert the Treason, but expose.— For now ’tis night: no more the Cyclops sweat O’er the dread thunders of the alphabet, Whose dubious terrors can alike control By turns the Tyrant’s and the Patriot’s soul— Here, tier o’er tier, in many an order’d Row, To please the Goddess, finish’d Letters glow; To please the Goddess, finish’d Letters glow; To please the Goddess, finish’d Letters glow; Not burnish’d Silver beams a brighter Ray; Not prim Sir Fopling more exactly gaySir Fopling is a character from the comedy The Man of Mode, written by George Etherege in 1676. As the name suggests, Sir Fopling is a fop, overly concerned with his appearance. Not prim Sir Fopling more exactly gay Not prim Sir Fopling more exactly gay Glides thro’ the Ball-room, fearful lest the Air Glides thro the Ball-room, fearful lest the Air Glides thro’ the Ball-room, fearful lest the Air Derange a Frill, or disconcert a Hair. Derange a Frill, or disconcert a Hair. Derange a Frill, or disconcert a Hair. —There unwrought Metal lay, heap’d pile on pile; There drossy Refuse of the daily Toil; There drossy Refuse of the daily Toil; There drossy refuse of the daily Toil; There, splash’d by careless hands from out the Moulds, Thick spangling Drops the pensive God beholds, Thick spangling Drops the pensive GOD beholds, Thick spangling Drops the pensive God beholds, Decking with useless Pomp, each Screen, each Wall, Furnace, and Chimney, thro’ the spacious Hall. Furnace, and Chimney, thro the spacious Hall. Furnace, and Chimney, thro’ the spacious Hall. Oh! woeful sight! the sordid Spectre said, "Oh! impious waste of dear-beloved Lead!— "Lead! which, by Alphabeta touch’d, shall ownFrom line 65 to line 112, quotation marks retained from P: absent in DM. Furthermore, in P, the line reads Lead which, by Alphabeta touch’d, shall owe. Lead! which by Alphabeta touch’d, shall own "Lead which, by Alphabeta touch’d, shall owe "Him the true master of the chemic stone:—In P, the line reads, Him the true Master of the Chymic stone—. Him the true master of the chemic stone:— “Him the true Master of the Chymic stone— "Lead! which well wrought and properly bestow’d Lead! which well wrought & properly bestow’d "Lead which well-wrought, and properly bestow’d, "Might print a Dying Speech, or Birthday Ode; Might print a Dying Speech, or Birthday Ode; “Might print a Dying Speech, or Birth-Day Ode; "Grant’s lashes publish, and for justice call;According to Judith Thompson, this is a reference to pamphlets that were published before and after scandalous trials: see P, note 201. Grant’s lashes publish, & for justice call; “Grant’s Lashes publish, and for justice call; "Or shew why Rose was never lash’d at all:— Or shew why Rose was never lash’d at all:— “Or shew why Rose was never lash’d at all.— "Lead! from whose womb in order’d ranks shall rise Lead! from whose womb in order’d ranks shall rise "Lead from whose womb in order’d ranks shall rise "Those letters doom’d to charm all human eyes; Those letters doom’d to charm all human eyes; "Those letters doom’d to charm all human eyes, "At sight of which the dunces breast shall glow, At sight of which the dunces breast shall glow, “At sight of which the Dunce’s Breast might glow, "Struck with strange passion for the Criss-Cross-Row! Struck with strange passion for the Criss-Cross-Row! “Struck with strange Passion for the Criss Cross-Row!- —"Letters, so neat, so trim, so smoothe, so fair! —Letters, so neat, so trim, so smoothe, so fair! —"Letters, so neat! so trim! so smooth! so fair! "Be they round oes, strait ies, or vees so square,In P, Thelwall prints the letters themselves (O o) instead of the phonetic spelling used in DM (oes). Be they round oes, strait ies, or vees so square, “Be they round O o, strait I i , or V v so square, "Or crooked esses, or that ess that swells Or crooked esses, or that ess that swells “Or crooked S s, or that ſ that swells "High o’er the line, like straighter kays and ells,— High o’er the line, like straighter kays and ells,— “High o’er the Line, like straighter k k and l l, "That lofty ess which Bell, with cruel spite, That lofty ess which Bell, with cruel spite, “That lofty ſs, which Bell, with cruel spite, "Would damn to dark oblivion’s endless night,John Bell (1745–1831), was a successful bookseller famous for producing cheap prints. He introduced a new modern print, which included the elimination of the long s (a legacy reflected in our choice to standardize the s in our edition). Would damn to dark oblivion’s endless night, “Would damn to dark Oblivion’s endless Night, "But which, by Alphabeta’s loyal care, But which, by Alphabeta’s loyal care, “But which, by Alphabeta’s loyal Care, "Still o’er the ranks the lofty crest shall bear, Still o’er the ranks the lofty crest shall bear, “Still o’er the Ranks the lofty Crest shall bear, "By laws of ancient usage tower on high, By laws of ancient usage tower on high, “By laws of ancient usage tower on high, And Innovation’s fearful rage defy."In P, the line reads, And Innovation’s dangerous stride defy. In the DM, Thelwall wrote dangerous before scratching the word out and writing fearful beside it. Since the correction is included in the line itself, as opposed to being crammed into the space between lines, the change seems to have been made immediately upon transcription. The change might mark a shift in Thelwall’s view of the dangers of innovation, or might reveal nothing more than the decision to replace the dactylic dangerous with the more iambic-friendly fearful.

In P, Sylvanus interjects between this line and the next: To this I shall add another speech of the same immortal personage, upon the importance of that kind of accumulation, of which he is the patron—. In DM, Thelwall also includes an interjection, but it differs from that in the P: The Alchemic power of Alphabeta (Caslon) and the facility with which he transmutes his native bras & molten lead to gold, gives occasion for the following rhapsody, or eulogium, or that noble metal—.

 And Inovation’s dangerous fearful rage defy. “And Innovation’s dangerous stride defy.” "All things from this their real value claim. All things from this their real value claim. “All things from This their real value claim. "Truth, Honour, Justice, Valour, Conscience, Fame Truth, Honour, Justice, Valour, Conscience, Fame “Truth, Honour, Justice, Valour, Conscience, Fame,— "(In every rank, Priests, Mountebanks and Kings!)In P, this line reads, (Thro’ every Rank, Priests, Mountebanks, and Kings,). (In every rank, Priests, Mountebanks & Kings!) "(Thro’ every Rank, Priests, Mountebanks and Kings,) "Have no more worth than each the pence it brings. Have no more worth than each the pence it brings. "Have no more worth than each the Pence it brings "And tho adepts may bounce, with scruples nice, And tho adepts may bounce, with scruples nice, “And tho’ Adepts may bounce, with Scruples nice, "’Tis but a bubble to encrease the price,—Spelling of encrease retained from DM. ’Tis but a bubble to encrease the price,— “’Tis but a bubble to increase the price; "Save with some fools, whom learned pride misleads;In DM, Thelwall wrote Save with some learned fools before crossing out learned and finishing the line with whom learned pride misleads, thus matching the respective line in P. It is likely that this was a transcription mistake on Thelwall’s part, but it is possible that he temporarily flirted with the idea of changing the line before settling on the earlier construction. Save with some learnedfools, whom learned pride misleads; “(Save with some Fools, whom learned Pride misleads) —"A stale stock-jobbing trick, which no one heeds. —A stale stockjobbing trick, which no one heeds. “A stale, stock-jobbing Trick, which no one heeds. "For this the Statesman, clinging to the Purse,From For this the Statesman to fee him to be mute!— (line 108 of Canto One), Thelwall has pasted pages of P into the DM. See note 38. For this the Statesman, clinging to the Purse, “For This the Statesman, clinging to the Purse, "Endures, without Remorse, his Country’s Curse; Endures, without Remorse, his Country’s Curse; “Endures, without Remorse, his Country’s Curse; "Endures the Scourge of headlong Party Rage, Endures the Scourge of headlong Party Rage, “Endures the Scourge of headlong Party Rage, "And stands the Butt of an enquiring Age; And stands the Butt of an enquiring Age; “And stands the Butt of an enquiring Age; "Without retreating from the searching Light, Without retreating from the searching Light, “Without retreating from the searching Light, "Sees blacker Vices drag’d to public sight Sees blacker Vices drag’d to public sight “Sees blacker Vices drag’d to public sight "Than, had he been of poor Plebeian Race, Than, had he been of poor Plebeian Race, “Than, had he been of poor Plebeian Race, "Had justly doom’d him to a Rope’s disgrace:— Had justly doom’d him to a Rope’s disgrace:— “Had justly doom’d him to a Rope’s disgrace;— "Unblushing bears it all—for Gold, we know, "Unblushing bears it all—for Gold, we know, "Unblushing bears it all—for Gold, we know, "Outbrazening Brass, can Impudence bestow. Outbrazening Brass, can Impudence bestow. "Outbrazening Brass, can Impudence bestow. "For this the Lawyer proves that Black is White: For this the Lawyer proves that Black is White: "For this the Lawyer proves that Black is White; "Arnold for this upon both sides will fight, Arnold for this upon both sides will fight, “Arnold for this upon both sides will fight, "By both despis’d. For this the Parson preaches, By both despis’d. For this the Parson preaches, "By both despis’d: For this the Parson preaches, "The Doctor kills, and Burke for this impeaches, The Doctor kills, and Burke for this impeaches, "The Doctor kills, and Burke for this impeaches, "From Year to Year draws out the tedious suit— From Year to Year draws out the tedious suit— “From Year to Year draws out the tedious suit— "For Hastings would not fee him to be mute!—Warren Hastings (1732–1818) was the governor-general of Bengal. Burke accused Hastings of misgovernance in India, and in 1786 he brought charges against him for impeachment, which were successful in 1787. Benedict Arnold (1741-1801) was an American military man during the war for American independence. In 1779, while he was the military governor of Philadelphia, he betrayed the cause and started providing information to the British side. His name became well-associated with betrayal. For Hastings would not fee him to be mute!— "For Hastings would not fee him to be mute!— Nay, chief for these (if Fame aright declare)In P, this line reads, Nay, chief for this (if Fame aright declare,). Nay, chief for these (if Fame aright declare) “Nay, chief for This (if Fame aright declare,) "Charlotte and George delight the Crown to wear:Charlotte, George, and Crown retained from P. In DM, Thelwall leaves these names and word out, and replaces them with dashes only. Since in the Invocation Thelwall left untouched the names of Charlotte and George despite ridiculing them, it is strange that he redacted their names here. __ __ and __ delight the __ to wear: “Charlotte and George delight the Crown to wear. "Blest source of wealth! which leaves small cause to dread Blest source of wealth! which leaves small cause to dread “Blest source of Wealth! which leaves small Cause to dread Their babes (God bless them!) e’er should beg their bread."In P, Sylvanus interjects between this line and the next: If you are not already wearied, I will add to these quotations a contrasted sketch of the phenomena of morning in Town and Country.—The latter part of this quotation formed the commencement of the second—the former the conclusion of the first Canto: the only one, indeed, which I had by any means finished, when I was induced by several considerations to lay aside my design. Neither Sylvanus the character nor Thelwall the author indicate where the split between the cantos occurs. However, since the Typopictoromania of the DM ends without completing this respective section of the P, we can conclude that the final line of the DM demarcates the split between the two cantos. In DM, Thelwall also includes an interjection, but it differs from that in the P: The first Canto concluded with the following descriptive contrast of the matins of a pastoral region and of Chiswell Street. This line is itself a correction of an earlier, partially crossed out line, that reads, The first Canto concluded with the following descriptive enumeration of the matins of Chiswell Street (redacted line in italics). Their babes (God bless them!) e’er should beg their bread. “Their Babes (God bless them!) e’er should beg their Bread." "Scarce had they finish’d, when—a vulgar bard Scarce had they finish’d, when—a vulgar bard "Scarce had they finish’d, when—A vulgar Bard Would tell you by the Cock’s shrill clarion scar’d;The vulgar bard is potentially a reference to Thomas Gray. This section of the poem mimics aspects of Gray’s Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard. Gray speaks of a cock’s clarion, and the repetitive or before milkmaid and Shepherd-Lad parallels the structure of Gray’s poem. Would tell you by the Cock’s shrill clarion scar’d; Would tell you, by the Cock’s shrill Clarion scar’d; But we, who true description seek alone, But we, who true description seek alone, But we, who true Description seek alone, Know that Cocks seldom crow in London Town:— Know that Cocks seldom crow in London Town:— Know that Cocks seldom crow in London Town;— Unless the poet, for his time of need, Unless the poet, for his time of need, Unless the Poet, for the Time of Need, Should keep one by him of Parnassian breed, Should keep one by him of parnassian breed, Should keep one by him of Parnassian breed, Who, fed with barley from the bifork’d hill, Who, fed with barley from the bifork’d hill, Which, fed with Barley from the bi-fork’d hill, Stands with arch’d neck to chuckle at his will. Stands with arch’d neck to chuckle at his will. Stands, with arch’d Neck, to chuckle at his will.— Scarce had they finished—O! that now, so gay, Scarce had they finished—O! that now, so gay, Scarce had they finish’d—Oh! that now, so gay, My Muse might, thro’ enamell’d meadows, strayFirst comma and apostrophe retained from P: absent from DM. First comma made necessary, grammatically, by the second, which is present in DM. My Muse might thro enamell’d meadows, stray My Muse might, thro’ enamell’d Meadows, stray By village side, where ploughmen whistle blithe, By village side, where ploughmen whistle blithe, By Village side, whence Ploughmen whistle blithe, And the rude mower whets the shining scythe, And the rude mower whets the shining scythe, And the rude Mower whets his shining scythe, Or milkmaid trips, and while her cleanly pails Or milkmaid trips, & while her cleanly pails Or Milk-Maid trips, and, while her cleanly Pails Click at her side, the Morn with Carol hails;From this line to the end of Canto One, Thelwall has pasted pages of P into the DM: see note 38. Click at her side, the Morn with Carol hails; Click at her side, the Morn with Carol hails, Or Shepherd-Lad, with barking Cur beside, Or Shepherd-Lad, with barking Cur beside, Or Shepherd Lad, with barking Cur beside, Hies to the Cot where bleat the fleecy pride! With Vernal Beauties then my Verse should shine; With Vernal Beauties then my Verse should shine; With Vernal Beauties then my verse should shine; Some varied Landscape glow in every Line; Some balmy Zephyr thro’ the waving Grove, Some balmy Zephyr thro the waving Grove, Some balmy Zephyr thro’ the waving Grove, In every Couplet, breathe the Sigh of Love; In every Couplet, breathe the Sigh of Love; In every Couplet, breathe the Sigh of Love; While the shrill Lark, or Horn’s inspiring sound, Should scare the Spectres to their Haunts profound.— But Truth would here the Lark, the Horn disclaim: And simple Truth is all the Muse’s aim.— Scarce had they finish’d, when thro’ Chiswell Street Scarce had they finish’d, when thro’ Chiswell Street Scarce had they finish’d, when thro’ Chiswell Street (The Muse’s now, and Alphabeta’s Seat) (The MUSE’s now, and ALPHABETA’s Seat) (The Muse’s now, and Alphabeta’s Seat) A shrill loud Voice proclaim’d the scatter’d Gloom, And Sweep Soot O! resounded thro’ the dome. And Sweep Soot O! resounded thro’ the dome. And Sweep soot O! resounded thro’ the dome. The Spectres started. Straight each Shadowy Breast The faithful Harbinger of Morn confest. They melt to Air, as sooty, maim’d, and slow, Pass the sad Sons of Penury and Woe!
Canto Two Aurora’s rush-light melted now away Aurora’s rush-light melted now away Before the flambeau of the God of Day, Before the flambeau of the God of Day, Whose broad unwelcome glare o’er house tops seen, Whose broad unwelcome glare o’er house tops seen, Tips Betty’s casement with refulgent sheen, Tips Betty’s casement with refulgent sheen, And calls young Barnwell from her brawny arms,This is potentially a reference to the play The London Merchant, written by George Lillo and first performed in 1731. It is a tragedy that centres around the middle class; Barnwell, an apprentice, becomes involved with a prostitute, and then steals from, and eventually murders, his master. Although the prostitute in the play is not named Betty, Betty Careless was a well-known prostitute of the 18th century. For more information, see the British Museum website, and the Encyclopedia Britannica. And calls young Barnwell from her brawny arms, To ‘scape, unseen, thro’ gutters from her charms, To ‘scape, unseen, thro’ gutters from her charms, Just time enough to let his master in, Just time enough to let his master in, Reeling to business from the tavern’s din. Reeling to business from the tavern’s din. —Now bakers, on their dough-troughs yawn in state, —Now bakers, on their dough-troughs yawn in state, Damn the assize, and shrink the destin’d weight; Damn the assize, and shrink the destin’d weight; The midnight robber skulking hides his head, The midnight robber skulking hides his head, And unplied trulls steal pennyless to bed; And unplied trulls steal pennyless to bed; While milk-maids haste to Islington, whose stream While milk-maids haste to Islington, whose stream Mingles with milk to furnish London cream; Mingles with milk to furnish London cream; —Now sprightly Billingsgate is just awake, —Now sprightly Billingsgate is just awake, And the throng’d Nereids their stations take: And the throng’d Nereids their stations take: Sweet sound their treble pipes; each accent hung Sweet sound their treble pipes; each accent hung With Classic graces of the vulgar tongue; With Classic graces of the vulgar tongue; While Covent Garden echoes back the strain; While Covent Garden echoes back the strain; Where throng the pastoral nymph and rural swain Where throng the pastoral nymph and rural swain From Putney’s, Battersea’s, and Peckham’s plain; From Putney’s, Battersea’s, and Peckham’s plain; Those Nymphs and Swains, whose rural Eclogues sweet Those Nymphs and Swains, whose rural Eclogues sweet Have oft made vocal Carpenter’s retreat— Have oft made vocal Carpenter’s retreat— Who knows not Carpenter’s? whose early doors Who knows not Carpenter’s? whose early doors Ope with the dawn for hucksters, thieves, and whores, Ope with the dawn for hucksters, thieves, and whores, Rooks who with E.O. chace the midnight gloom, Rooks who with E.O. chace the midnight gloom, And poor gull’d Pigeons stripp’d of every plume; And poor gull’d Pigeons stripp’d of every plume; While jilts, culls, bullies, mingle with the throng, While jilts, culls, bullies, mingle with the throng, Pour the loud curse, and belch the reeling song. Pour the loud curse, and belch the reeling song. To these responsive, what blithe sounds arise! To these responsive, what blithe sounds arise! Bid shops unfold, and house maids rub their eyes! Bid shops unfold, and house maids rub their eyes! Primroses! Dust O! Lavender! Old Clothes! Primroses! Dust O! Lavender! Old Clothes! And Water Cresses! banish dull repose; And Water Cresses! banish dull repose; Brick Dust! Sweep Soot O! on the breezes swim Brick Dust! Sweep Soot O! on the breezes swim And waft from street to street the matin hymn; And waft from street to street the matin hymn; While, in full chorus to the jocund lay, While, in full chorus to the jocund lay, Carts rattle, drivers swear, and asses bray!— Carts rattle, drivers swear, and asses bray!— But dead to this blithe chorus of the morn But dead to this blithe chorus of the morn Turns purse-proud Grandeur with an idle yawn, Turns purse-proud Grandeur with an idle yawn, Bent to renew once more, in flattering dreams, Bent to renew once more, in flattering dreams, His Dissipations or ambitious schemes. His Dissipations or ambitious schemes. New forest ‘closures sweeten Rose’s sleep, New forest ‘closures sweeten Rose’s sleep, And Smith’s damn’d verdict from his memory keep, And Smith’s damn’d verdict from his memory keep, In Pitt’s bright fancy bolder hopes arise— In Pitt’s bright fancy bolder hopes arise— Unbounded sway, and general excise; Unbounded sway, and general excise; Confiding Senates, Camps of Observation, Confiding Senates, Camps of Observation, To crush enquiry, and dragoon the nation, To crush enquiry, and dragoon the nation, Navies and armaments, at Britain’s cost, Navies and armaments, at Britain’s cost, Foredoom’d to gain—of Patronage a host;—William Pitt (1759-1806), a British prime minister, was one of Thelwall’s political enemies, and, along with Burke, a chief object of his satire. Thelwall references Pitt’s augmenting of troops and taxes in 1793 to support the British allies in the war against France. Foredoom’d to gain—of Patronage a host;— Foredoom’d to crush, (if Heaven their purpose aid) Foredoom’d to crush, (if Heaven their purpose aid) The impious crew who Rights of King’s invade. The impious crew who Rights of King’s invade. For Dreams like these thrice strives Dundas in vain, For Dreams like these thrice strives Dundas in vain, While whip-gall’d Afric clanks the lengthen’d chain, While whip-gall’d Afric clanks the lengthen’d chain, And with fierce rage the wretch’s bosom rends, And with fierce rage the wretch’s bosom rends, Who damn’d her cause by joining with her friends. Who damn’d her cause by joining with her friends. Thrice turns he round and sleeps; and thrice arise Thrice turns he round and sleeps; and thrice arise Grim hedious Spectres to his haggard eyes, Grim hedious Spectres to his haggard eyes, Shrieking aloud “No more expect repose, Shrieking aloud “No more expect repose, Till slow the guilty eighteenth Century close. Till slow the guilty eighteenth Century close. Again he turns. His country’s curses swell Again he turns. His country’s curses swell Thick in his ears and while the hedious swell Thick in his ears and while the hedious swell Harrows his soul, the gibbet rears elate, Harrows his soul, the gibbet rears elate, And burning effigies foretel his fate, And burning effigies foretel his fate, Tho’ lawless magistrates wage Civil war Tho’ lawless magistrates wage Civil war To save with British blood the men of straw. To save with British blood the men of straw. Great Mammon Nimrod now, as when awake, Great Mammon Nimrod now, as when awake, Creeps to his store, a fond, fond glance to take; Creeps to his store, a fond, fond glance to take; Laughs at an o’ertax’d people’s groans, and cries, Laughs at an o’ertax’d people’s groans, and cries, With goat-like mouth, and idiot glaring eyes, With goat-like mouth, and idiot glaring eyes, While, pile on pile, his seventeen millions swell, While, pile on pile, his seventeen millions swell, What—what—what—what—don’t all—all things go well; What—what—what—what—don’t all—all things go well; Then, (tho’ his purblind eyes, disloyal, fail Then, (tho’ his purblind eyes, disloyal, fail To shew the difference ‘twixt the mane and tail) To shew the difference ‘twixt the mane and tail) Calls for his horse, and with heroic grace Calls for his horse, and with heroic grace Braves all the pleasing dangers of the chace. Braves all the pleasing dangers of the chace.
FragmentsThese fragments appear in P surrounded by discussion of Sylvanus’ plans for the rest of the poem. While the poem itself is unfinished, the second fragment is almost certainly a piece of what might have become the final Canto, and thus it serves as a fitting conclusion for the poem while also harkening back to the closing couplets of the Proposition.
I By his Herculean side sweet handmaid glows,Spelling of Herculean corrected from herculian. By his herculian side sweet handmaid glows, Fair Hebe, blushing like a full blown Rose Fair Hebe, blushing like a full blown Rose That full blown Rose, whose shape she once assum’d, That full blown Rose, whose shape she once assum’d, And bright on Covent Garden Hustings bloom’d, And bright on Covent Garden Hustings bloom’d, Till Argos eyes detect the treacherous thorn, Till Argos eyes detect the treacherous thorn, To goad fair Freedom’s side malignant worn; To goad fair Freedom’s side malignant worn; At which, abash’d, she fled the light of Day, At which, abash’d, she fled the light of Day, And hid beneath Minerva’s buckler lay.— And hid beneath Minerva’s buckler lay.—
II Thus fled the types when thro’ the troubled sky Thus fled the types when thro’ the troubled sky Dread thundering Jove resistless beam’d on high; Dread thundering Jove resistless beam’d on high; His awful wig of lightest hair around His awful wig of lightest hair around A star-gem’d diadem imperial frown’d, A star-gem’d diadem imperial frown’d, In front of which bright beam’d the radiant stone, In front of which bright beam’d the radiant stone, An eastern Nabob lately call’d his own; An eastern Nabob lately call’d his own; Till at the altar of the thundering God, Till at the altar of the thundering God, In supplication of his guardian nod, In supplication of his guardian nod, Submiss ‘twas offer’d. Jove, as Gods are us’d, Submiss ‘twas offer’d. Jove, as Gods are us’d, Receiv’d the offering, but the pray’r refus’d. Receiv’d the offering, but the pray’r refus’d. —Dread was his presence; in his red right hand, —Dread was his presence; in his red right hand, Prepar’d to vindicate his high command, Prepar’d to vindicate his high command, He grasps those thunders Alphabeta’s care He grasps those thunders Alphabeta’s care Had forg’d the terrors of his will to bear. Had forg’d the terrors of his will to bear. Now when the adverse conflict he espies, Now when the adverse conflict he espies, With face of scarlet and grey rolling eyes, With face of scarlet and grey rolling eyes, Sees types on types dispers’d, dismay’d, or slain, Sees types on types dispers’d, dismay’d, or slain, And Boydell raging thro’ the ensanguin’d plain:Spelling of Boydell corrected from Boydel. And Boydel raging thro’ the ensanguin’d plain: Indignant wrath and keen resentment rise, Indignant wrath and keen resentment rise, And, What! what! what! with thick short speech, he cries; And, What! what! what! with thick short speech, he cries; But could no more, for choler choak’d his tongue, But could no more, for choler choak’d his tongue, And what! what! what! thro’ heaven’s wide concave rung. And what! what! what! thro’ heaven’s wide concave rung. Scar’d Moorfields shakes, clouds tremble as they roll, Scar’d Moorfields shakes, clouds tremble as they roll, Fork’d lightnings fly, big angry thunders growl, Fork’d lightnings fly, big angry thunders growl, And what! what! what! chills every victor’s soul. And what! what! what! chills every victor’s soul. Scar’d Boydell flies, Woodmason’s puff expires, Scar’d Boydell flies, Woodmason’s puff expires, And e’en thy deamon, Opie, slow retires,John Opie (1761-1807) was a painter popular for his portraits and historical works. And e’en thy deamon, Opie, slow retires, Jove throws his bolts thick scatter’d o’er the ground, Jove throws his bolts thick scatter’d o’er the ground, And brands of heavenly fury blaze around. And brands of heavenly fury blaze around. Thro’ Britain’s empire spreads the sacred ire, Thro’ Britain’s empire spreads the sacred ire, Prints every gate-house, post, and village spire, Prints every gate-house, post, and village spire, Whence gazing Rustics, wondering what is meant, Whence gazing Rustics, wondering what is meant, Read dreadful words of treason, discontent, Read dreadful words of treason, discontent, Sedition rumour’d, enemies to peace, Sedition rumour’d, enemies to peace, And dread commands, that Reason’s voice should cease. And dread commands, that Reason’s voice should cease.
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