"When in moving the beard--I wish to be heard--
The dull razor occasions a curse,
The strop that I view will its merits renew;
Behold I record it in verse.
"Some in fashion's tontine disperse all their spleen,
And others their destinies curse;
But P--d's fine taste, with his Strops and his Paste,
Which I'll show you in Prose and in Verse.
"I have taken this plan to comment on a man,
Whose merit I'm proud to rehearse;
For a razor and knife he will sharpen for life,
And deserves every praise in my verse.
"Soho, Nov. 6, 1795."]
[Footnote 2: 'The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy', "By a Lady," was
published anonymously in 1747. The 4th edition (1751) bears the name of
H. Glasse. The book was at one time supposed to be the work of Dr. John
Hill (1716-1775), and to contain the proverb, "First catch your hare,
then cook it." But Hill's claim is untenable, and the proverb is not in
the book.
Mrs. Rundell's 'Domestic Cookery' was one of Murray's most successful
publications. In Byron's lines, "To Mr. Murray" (March 25, 1818), occurs
the following passage:
"Along thy sprucest bookshelves shine
The works thou deemest most divine--
The 'Art of Cookery,' and mine,
My Murray."]
[Footnote 3: John Allen, M.D. (1771-1843), accompanied Lord Holland to
Spain (1801-5 and 1808-9), and lived with him at Holland House. His
'Inquiry into the Rise and Growth of the Royal Prerogative in England',
his numerous articles in the 'Edinburgh Review', and his life of Fox in
the 'Encyclopedia Britannica', and many other works, justify Byron's
praise.
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