Repository of Arts, Literature, Fashions &c

"But if," he said, "you wish to know, Which now produced the fond conceit,

The real hist'ry of the show,

Or any other branch of knowledge
That is obtain'd in school or college,
Our Curate will, I doubt not, join
Your social pipe or ev'ning wine,
Nor fail to aid you in the picking
Of your asparagus and chicken.
Of middle age he has the vigour,
But rather comical in figure;
And thus of late he has the name
Well known in literary fame,
With which the gentry of our club
Have pleas'd this learned man to dub.
'Tis taken from a famous book,

In which if you should please to look,
I can the pleasant volume borrow,
So that I send it back to-morrow,
Where in the prints that deck the page,
You'll see the learned rev'rend sage,
So like in ev'ry point of view
Of hat and wig, and features too,
It might be thought the artist's hand
Did our original command;
Nay, 'mong the gossips of our town,
He'll soon be by this title known,
As well I doubt not as his own:
Nor does this laughing humour tease
him,

Indeed it rather seems to please him."

They who have Doctor Syntax seen,
In all the points where he has been,
Must know his heart is chiefly bent
On gen'rous deed, with grave intent;
But still his fancy oft bespoke
The lively laughter by his joke,
And though his looks demure were seen,
He nurs'd the smiling thought within.
And here he felt that fun might rise,
From certain eccentricities,

As they might be disposed to strike him,
In one who, more or less, was like him.
Though it is true that he suspected,
'Twas shape of wig or dress neglected,
Or meagre shape, so lank and thin,
Or pointed nose, or lengthen'd chin,
With a similitude of feature,
The casual work of frisky Nature,
Who sometimes gives the look of brother
To those who never saw each other,
Vol. X. No. LV.

And with most foul salutes to meet me,
Its history perhaps may be
Far in remote antiquity,
But mem'ry does not now recall
A trace of its original."
Curate.

"Nor yet can I; but I suppose
It was among the vulgar shows,
When Butler wrote, as his droll wit
In Hudibras has painted it :
A book writ in most merry strain,
The boast of Charles the Second's reign;
And so much fun it did impart,
The king could say it all by heart;
Though you must know, he quite forgot
To ask if Butler starv'd or not:
But I shall not attempt to tell
A story you could paint so well.
-As to this custom, I must own,
It might as well be let alone ;
But when in matrimonial strife
A husband's cudgell'd by his wife,
In country-place, 'tis rather common
Thus to compliment the woman,
And by this noisy, nasty plan
To cast disgrace upon the man.”
* See Frontispiece.

Syntax.

"But tell me, if this kind of sporting May happen when one goes a-courting; And if he may these honours prove, Who's cudgell'd while he's making love. If so, I am already done,

To figure in a Skimmington."

* * * * *

* * *

I see you've my facetious grin,
Nor do you lack my length of chin;
I think too, as my eyes presage,
That we may be of equal age,
And in our sev'ral shapes are shewn
An equal share of skin and bone:
So far I think we're rather like,
As may the calm observer strike;
Besides, the church doth clothe our back
In the similitude of black,
And we prefer our brains to rig

Dr. Syntax then relates the ad-
venture that was the subject of the
specimen we inserted in a preced-In the grave dignity of wig,
ing number. The Curate after-
wards proceeds as follows:

Curate.

"These things will happen, as we see;
From time and chance we none are free,
Each must fulfil his destiny.
I also can unfold a fray,
Which was brought on by am'rous play,
Though not so splendid in its way,
Nor was such triumph to be won
As with your high-wrought Amazon.
"The time's long past, and I've forgot
Whether I were rude or not:
I cannot say or yes or no,
Though perhaps it might be so;
But poising a large folio book,
My landlady's outrageous cook,
Who, whatever were her other charms,
Had a most potent pair of arms,
Laid me all prostrate on the floor,
And thus concluded my amour.
-'Twas Raleigh's Hist'ry of the World
That Sally Dripping's fury hurl'd;
But as the world had ta'en the field,
I felt it no disgrace to yield.
And thus I think, my rev'rend brother,
Our fates resemble one another."

Leaving the simple hair to grace
The dandy preacher's boyish face.
-So far so like our persons are,
Such our appearance must declare,
That it may make good humour laugh,
As we our evening bev'rage quaff,
While I trust that we may find
A better likeness in the mind.”

"Doctor," the smiling Curate said,
"Your form I've seen as 'tis pourtray'd
In the fam'd Tour which I have read;
And shall with added pleasure quote it,
Now I kave seen the sage who wrote it.
My hat and wig have been the joke,
Like yours, of idle country-folk;
From jests and gibes I was not free
When ill fed by my curacy.
But, rev'rend sir, you may believe me,
If reason's self does not deceive me,
And I avow it to be true:
In virtue to resemble you;.
To have the knowledge you possess,
And my mind clad in such a dress
As that which learning doth confer
On your distinguish'd character,
I'd care not were I fat or thin,
Or who might laugh or who might grin;
But proud in any way to share
The well-known title which you
I wish my honest fame no better,
Than to be like you à la lettre,
And Doctor Syntax nicknam'd be,
While tongues can give that name to me.”

bear.

Thus with kind thoughts the night be

gan,

And quick the pleasant moments ran.
The rubied glass, the well-fed bowl,
Awoke the lively flow of soul;

But they had now so long conferr'd,

And slept unconscious of the sorrow

They stammer'd out what neither heard; That headaches might produce to And as each loll'd in easy chair,

there.

Thus as they did their slumbers take,
They look'd as like as when awake;
For when the landlord op'd the door,
Invited by their double snore,
And order'd Syntax to be led
With due attendance to his bed,
They took the Curate with all care,
And saw him safe and bolster'd there:
While Syntax, on unsteady feet,
Was slowly guided through the street,
And him the ostler help'd to clamber
Up to the Curate's airy chamber.
Thus, as they talk'd, or look'd, or
mov'd,

morrow.

Sleep seized them both, and fix'd them-Poor Patrick, who had play'd the sot,
His zealous duties quite forgot,
And to attain his roost unable,
Had pass'd the night within the stable.
-The morning came, but came too soon,
For these two likenesses till noon
Possession of their pillows kept,
So like each other had they slept;
And when they' woke, around them gaz'd
Alike confounded and amaz'd;
Alike thought on their mutual name,
And felt an equal sense of shame;
Nay both appear'd, when thus they met,
Their evening's likeness to forget.
Syntax, who fear'd all might be known
Throughout the tittle-tattle town,
Thought 'twould be wise for him to go,
Nor through the day become a show,
But leave the Curate to the glory
Of making out a flatt'ring story.

These Doctors had their likeness prov'd:
Alike with punch each charg'd his

head,

Alike had sought each other's bed,

Mr. EDITOR,

ON THE ORGAN.

on the nature and construction of church and chamber organs;-the distinct character of each stop (as generally used by English build

may be most advantageously blend-. ed;-on the management of the swell, pedals, &c.; and to conclude with exercises from the ancient and modern composers. Many other

I HAVE often regretted that, among the many excellent treatises which have been occasionally published on the character anders), shewing how their qualities best method of performing on various musical instruments, that most noble of all, the organ, should be so much neglected. On looking through the musical criticisms which have distinguished your Re-important observations would sugpository since its commencement, I have not found any work on that subject: its superiority, however, to the piano-forte, must be evident to any one who attentively considers their different construction. The object of my present letter is, to hint to the many able professors who are so competent to the task, the publication of a treatise

gest themselves to a professor; and in the hope that this recommendation may be adopted by such a person (whose labour, I think, it could not fail to repay), I request your insertion of this letter, which will much oblige your constant reader,

June 2, 1820.

W. H. M.

P.S. I had at first doubts whether I should address the Editor of the Repository on this subject, but having observed, in an early Num

that time been so ingeniously carried into effect; I am induced to hope, that this hint may also, at some future time, be the cause of

ber, a letter from Glasgow, sug-producing such a treatise as I have gesting the addition of barrels to described. the piano-forte, which has since

ON ST. VALENTINE'S DAY.

TO THE EDITOR.

SIR, ON reading your letter, mentioning the origin of St. Valentine's day, in the Repository of Arts, &c. for May, I recollected that eight or nine years ago, one of my young people wished to know who was St. Valentine; and I inquired of my son's tutor, a most intelligent man, and an excellent scholar. He said that he had always understood that St. Valentine had lived about the third century; he was a bishop, and was noted for his religious zeal: that each of his followers was directed by him to choose an individual of

age, is old enough to have a daughter of nineteen; and for whose

I HAD for some time suspected || spondent, who has assumed that that the Lady of Nineteen appeared in a borrowed dress; and I have now discovered that my corre- "improvement, or rather for the

formation of whose conduct, she be lost to repentance afterwards, has written the string of maxims you will have nothing to reproach which I successively offer to those || yourself with.

of my readers to whom they may be particularly requisite; though I know of no class who may not, more or less, derive benefit from them.

Rule as much as you are able with an even hand, and steer between pride and familiarity.

Let your own example discountenance small irregularities, that they may not be augmented.

Treat no kind of misconduct among your friends with indifference, much less with mirth or applause, in the hearing of your servants; as they will not fail to take an advantage of it at some moment or other.

Scorn to employ them, at any juncture, in mean researches for the gratification of your curiosity; it will entitle them to indulge their own at your expense. Teach them, by your own steady adherence to truth, and a becoming abhorrence of the least deviation from it, a strict observance of its dictates.

On the first discovery of a fault, obstruct not a free confession of it by excessive severity.

Prevent your servants from interfering with, or revealing the embroilments in other families.

Wherever your influence shall be established, let not a word or look contribute to the distress or disgrace of dependent persons; save them, if your humane interposition can effect a work of such justice.

Incline ever to the merciful side in reproof or condemnation of your domestics: if the offender shall

There are moments of uneasiness, from which none on earth can always be exempt; but let it not fall, in sallies of peevishness, on your servants.

If hurried by natural harshness of temper into some sudden, passionate expression, be not ashamed, on due reflection, to apologize for it; few minds are so base as not to feel the condescension.

It is a justifiable pride, if any may be deemed such, to conceal our joys or our sorrows from those who are incapable of understanding their causes.

Allow your servants certain hours of innocent relaxation when their daily task is well performed.

Rigorously correct all propensity to gaming; but, to enforce the precept, observe it yourself.

Furnish them with a constant series of occupation; pay their acquirement of a useful talent, if you shall perceive their disposition towards learning.

If inclined to read, give them books adapted to their capacity, and prohibit such as may endanger their principles.

Take care that they diligently perform their religious duties, even if of a different persuasion from that of your own it is impossible they should serve you well, who neglect the first of all services.

Take tender care of them in sickness; give them suitable consolation in distress; and, at such periods, put away the superior, to assume the Christian alone.

Demonstrate, by the justice of

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