"
And yet we have already had, growing out of this "Tour," four volumes of
_poetry_, enriched with copious notes in _prose_, selected from his
"_common-place book_." The whole interspersed every here and there with
the most convincing proofs that instead of being "_quite content_," his
Lordship has returned, as he went out, the most discontented and peevish
thing that breathes.
But the passage of all others which gives us the most delight is that in
which his Lordship attacks his critics, and declares that
"Our men in buckram shall have blows enough,
And feel they _too_ are penetrable stuff."
and adds,
"--I have--
Learn'd to deride the Critic's stern decree,
And _break him on the wheel he meant for me_."
We should now, with all humility, ask his Lordship whether _he_ yet
feels that "he _too_ is penetrable stuff;" and we should further wish to
know how he likes being "_broken on the wheel he meant for others?_"
When his Lordship shall have sufficiently pondered on those questions,
we may perhaps venture to propound one or two more.
* * * * *
(9) From 'The Courier' (March 15, 1814).
The republication of some _Satires_, which the humour of the moment now
disposes the writer to recall, was strenuously censured, the other day,
in a Morning Paper. It was there said, amongst other things, that such a
republication "contributes to exasperate and perpetuate the divisions of
those whom _nature_ and friendship have joined!" This is within six
weeks after the deliberate _republication_ of "Weep, daughter," etc.
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