XI. SONG, INTENDED TO HAVE BEEN SUNG BETWEEN THE ACTS OF A PLAY, (ACTED BY PARTICULAR DESIRE OF THE DEAN AND FACULTY OF ADVOCATES), IN THE CHARACTER OF A LAWYER, -January 1770. From a Volume of MS. in the Library of the Faculty of Advocates, written by the Hon. Henry Erskine, and said to have been corrected by himself. 1 The Bards of all ages have made it their theme 2 Tho' partial, I'll give you a representation 3 Extraordinary actions belong to the great,— 4 Altho' with our virtues, some faults may conjoin, 5 Tho' peaceable folks, yet we often petition, 6 To the fair, the delight and the joy of creation, Can find nought in them, but love, honour, and beauty. 7 To other professions, old age is a ruin, Unfits them for action, is a certain undoing; We scorn to conceal it, like old maids and beaux, A lawyer's the better the older he grows. 8 All mankind beside live in terror for death, And with fear and unwillingness yield their last breath; But a lawyer is happy, by labour hard toil'd, When his suit's at an end, and he's fairly assoît d. 9 On the whole, we submit to your righteous decision, XII. ODE OF SAPPHO PARODIED. Addressed to the Earl of [Kelly], the celebrated bon vivant and Musical Composer, by the Hon. H. Erskine, from the MS. previously noticed. Drunk as a Dragon, sure is he The youth that dines, or sups with thee Who hears and sees thee full of fun,— I tumbl'd senseless on the ground. XIII. PATRICK O'CONNOR'S ADVICE TO HENRY M'GRAUGH, WHO WAS SENTENCED BY THE MAGISTRATES OF EDINBURGH TO BE WHIP'T THROUGH THE TOWN FOR EATING AT TAVERNS, AND NOT PAYING.-August 1774. From Mr. Erskine's MS. Poems previously noticed. In the Edinburgh Evening Courant, 31st August 1774, there occurs this notice relative to this unfortunate eater, who seems, like the redoubtable Dando of modern days, to have been the terror of Tavern-Keepers." This day, one Henry Macgraugh (an Irishman) was publickly whipt thro' this city, and afterwards remitted to prison for three months, pursuant to a sentence of the Magistrates. This fellow has been in the practice of imposing upon the inhabitants, by going into Taverns, calling for victuals and drink, and afterwards informing the people he had no money to pay for them. He had three times been taken before the Magistrates for these practices; the first and second time he was dismissed on promises of good behaviour, and leaving the place; but finding him altogether incorrigible, the Magistrates were at last induced to pass the above sentence." Arrah! Harry M'Graugh, very cruel your fate is To be whipt thro' the town, 'cause you love to dine gratis. Some folks I could name of no little renown, Before you, might walk by your side thro' the town. XIV. EPITAPH ON CHARLES HAY, ESQUIRE, ADVOCATE, WHO LIES INTERRED UNDER THE BOWLING GREEN IN HERIOT'S GARDEN. By the Hon. Henry Erskine, from the MS. previously noticed. No more to shine in bowling, or in law, Andrew Crosbie, Esquire, a Barrister of great eminence. He is said to be the prototype of Councellor Pleydel in Guy Mannering. He was ruined, like many others, by the failure of the Ayr Bank, and died in such poverty in 1785, that his widow was under the necessity of applying for relief to the Faculty of Advocates, from whom she obtained an annual allowance of £50. Before his death, Mr. Crosbie appears to have projected a work on the duties of Justices of the Peace, as an advertisement to that effect appeared in the Advertiser Newspaper February 16th 1785. His Library, in which "besides Classics, History, "&c. there is a large collection of books in the Roman and Civil Law" was advertised for sale by auction at "Hay's Vendue Warehouse, back of the Guard, Edinburgh," on Monday the 4th of July 1785. † James Boswell, Esquire. By envious death ta'en up, here short he lies, Whoe'er thou art that haunt'st this verdant spot, In every social scene he took the lead, And skipp'd with kindness o'er each friend's misdeed; E'er on the ill kept turf of Herriot's green, And those that reach the Bank shall block the ground. |