Page 400

Oliver Goldsmith. (1730?–1774) (continued)

4334

When they talk’d of their Raphaels, Correggios, and stuff,
He shifted his trumpet and only took snuff.

Retaliation. Line 145.

4335

The best-humour’d man, with the worst-humour’d Muse.1

Retaliation. Postscript.

4336

Good people all, with one accord,
Lament for Madam Blaize,
Who never wanted a good word
From those who spoke her praise.

Elegy on Mrs. Mary Blaize.2

4337

The king himself has followed her
When she has walk’d before.

Elegy on Mrs. Mary Blaize.3

4338

A kind and gentle heart he had,
To comfort friends and foes;
The naked every day he clad
When he put on his clothes.

Elegy on the Death of a Mad Dog.

4339

And in that town a dog was found,
As many dogs there be,
Both mongrel, puppy, whelp, and hound,
And curs of low degree.

Elegy on the Death of a Mad Dog.

4340

The dog, to gain his private ends,
Went mad, and bit the man.

Elegy on the Death of a Mad Dog.

4341

The man recovered of the bite,
The dog it was that died.4

Elegy on the Death of a Mad Dog.

Note 1.
See Rochester, Quotation 4. [back]

Note 2.
Written in imitation of “Chanson sur le fameux La Palisse,” which is attributed to Bernard de la Monnoye:—

On dit que dans se amours
Il fut caressé des belles,
Qui le suivirent toujours,
Tant qu’il marcha devant elles
(They say that in his love affairs he was petted by beauties, who always followed him as long as he walked before them). [back]

Note 3.
Written in imitation of “Chanson sur le fameux La Palisse,” which is attributed to Bernard de la Monnoye:—

On dit que dans se amours
Il fut caressé des belles,
Qui le suivirent toujours,
Tant qu’il marcha devant elles
(They say that in his love affairs he was petted by beauties, who always followed him as long as he walked before them). [back]

Note 4.
While Fell was reposing himself in the hay,
A reptile concealed bit his leg as he lay;
But, venom himself, of the wound he made light,
And got well, while the scorpion died of the bite.
Lessing: Paraphrase of a Greek Epigram by Demodocus. [back]