A N HEROIC EPISTLE T O Sir WILLIAM CHAMBERS, Knight, COMPTROLLER GENERAL OF HIS MAJESTY'S WORKS, AND AUTHOR OF A LATE DISSERTATION ON ORIENTAL GARDENING, ENRICHED WITH EXPLANATORY NOTES,. CHIEFLY EXTRACTED FROM THAT ELABORATE PERFORMANCE. Non otnnes arhujla jwoant^ humik/que myricce* Virgil. . THE FOURTEENTH EDITION. LONDON: PRINTED FOR J. ALMON, IN PICCADILLY.. M DCC LXXVII. [Price One Shilling^J, aB^ga^ Maaa*iBB^ ^ KS P R E F A C E. THIS Poem was written laft fummer, immediately after the Publication of Sir William Chambers's DifTertation.; 'but the Bookfeller, to whom it was offered, declined publifli- ing it, till the Town was full.— His reafon for this, is ob- vious 5 yet it would hardly have weighed with the Author, had he not thought, that his Hero's fame would increafe in .proportion to hi's Publiflier's profit. However he fcrefaw, that, by this delay, one inconvenience might arife, which this Preface is written to remove. Readers of the prefent generation are fo very inattentive to what they read, that it is probable, one half of Sir William's may have forgotten the principles which this book inculcates. Let thefe, then, be reminded, that it is the author's profeft aim in extolling the tafte of the Chinefe, to condemn that mean and paltry manner which ^l"'"" duced ; which Southcote, Hamilton, and Brown followed, and which, to our national difgrace, is called the Engh^ ftyle of gardening. He fliews the poverty of this tafte, by aptly comparing it to a dinner, which confifted of three grofs ^eces, three times repeated j and proves to a demonftration. A 2. that (4 ) ikat -^ttnrG htiivlf *» -if^c^pable of jikafing; without the af- lUlancc of Art, and that too of the mod luxuriant kind, tn (hort, fuch art as Is difplayed in the Emperor's garden of Yven-Ming-Yven, near Pekin ; where £ne lizards, and fine women, human giants, and giant baboons, make but a fmall part of the' faperb fcenery. He teaches us, tliat a perfed: garden muft contain within itfelf d4 the amufements of a great city ; that nrlfs in jure, not rus in urbe, is the thing, which an improver of true tafte ought to aim at. He fays — but it is impoiTible to abridge all that he fays : — Let this therefore futiice, to tempt the reader again .to perufe his in- valuable DilTertation, fince without it, he will never relifh half the beauties of the following Epiftle ; for (if her Majefty's Zebra, and the powder mills at Hounflow be excepted) there is fcarce a fingle image in it, which is not taken from that work, . But though the images be borrowed, the author claims feme fmall merit from his application of them. Sir William fays too modeflly, «' that European artifts muil not hope to rival Oriental fplendor." The poet fliews, that European artifls may eafily rival it; and, that Richmond gardens with only the addition of a new bridge to join them to Brentford, may be new modelled, perfedlly a la Chinois. He exhorts his Knight to undertake the glorious taflc, and leaves no caufe to doubt, but that, under the aufpicious patronage he now fo juftly enjoys, added to the ready vote of thofe who furnifh ways and means, the royal work will fpeedily be completed. Knightjbridge^ Jan. 2Qtb. . AN as A N HEROIC EPISTLE T O Sir WILLIAM CHAMBERS, Knight. J^NIGHT of the Polar Star! by Fortune plac'd. To fhine the Cynofure of Britifh tafte ; Whofe orb colledls in one refulgent view. The fcatter'd glories of Chinefe Virtu -, Verfe 2. [Cynofure of Britifli tafte.] Cynofure, an afFefted phrafe. Cynofara 3S the conftellation of Urfa Minor, or the LefTer Bear, the next ftar to the Pole. Dr. Newton, on the word in Milton. B And [ 6 J -And fpread their luflre in fo broad a blaze, p That Kings themfelves are dazzled, while they gaze, - O let the Mufe attend thy march fublime. And, with thy profe, caparifon her rhyme ; Teach her, like thee, to gild her fplendid fong. With fcenes of Yven-Ming, and fayings of Li-Tfong.; lo Like thee to fcorn Dame Nature's fimple fence ; Leap each Ha Ha of truth and common fenfe ; And proudly rifing in her bold career. Demand attention from the gracious ear Of him, whom we and all the world admit, 15 Patron fupreme of fcience, tafte, and wit. Verfe lo. [With fcenes of Yven-Ming.J One of the Imperial gardens at Pekln. [Sayings of Li-Tfong.] " Many trees, flirubs, and flowers," fayeth Li-Tfong, a Chinefe author of great antiquity, •" thrive beft in low, moift fituaiions ; many on hills and mountains ; fome require a rich foil ; but others will grow on clay, in fand, or even upon rocks, and in the water : to fome a funny expofuion is •neceffary ; but for others the fliade is preferable. There are plants which thrive befl in expofed fituations, but in general, flielter is requifite. The (kilful gardener, to whom Itudy and experience have taught thefe qualities, carefully attends to them in his operations ; knowing that thereon depend the health and growth of his plants ; and confequently the beauty of his plantations." Vide DifT. p. ']']. The reader, 1 prefume, will readily allow, that he Bever met with fo much recondite truth, as ihi^ ancient .Chi»efc here exhibits. Does ( 7 ) Does Envy doubt ? Witnefs ye chofen train ? Who breathe the fweets of his Saturnian reign ; Witnefs ye H*lls, ye J*ns*ns, Sc*ts, S*bb%, Hark to my call, for fome of you have ears. 20 Let D**d H*e, from the remotefc North, In fee-faw fceptic fcruples hint his v^orth; D**d, who there fupinely deigns to lye The fattefl Hog of Epicurus* fly ; Tho' drunk with GalHc wine, and Gallic praife, 25 D**d fliall blefs Old England's halcyon days; The mighty Home bemir'd in profe fo long. Again ihall ftalk upon the ftilts of fong : While bold Mac-Offian, wont in Ghofls to deal. Bids candid Smollet from his coffin ileal ; 30 Bids Mallock quit his fweet Elyfian reft. Sunk in his St. John's philofophic bread. And, like old Orpheus, make fome llrong effort To come from Hell, and warble frutb at Court, Verfe 34. [Truth at Court.] Vide (if it be extant) a poem under this title, for which (or for the publication of Lord Bolingbroke's philofophical writings) the perfon here mentioned, received a confiderable penfion in the time of Lord E— te's adminiftration. There ( 8 ) There was a time, *< in Efher's peaceful grove, ^p '« When Kent and Nature vy'd for Pelham's love;^"' That Pope beheld them with aufpicious fmile. And own'd that Beauty bleft their mutual toil. Miftaken Bard ! could fuch a pair defign Scenes fit to live in thy immortal line ? 4a Hadft thou been born in this enlighten'd day, Felt, as we feel, Talle's oriental ray. Thy fatire fure had given them both a flab. Called Kent a Driveller, and the Nymph a Drab. For what is Nature ? Ring her changes round, 45 Her three flat notes are water, plants, and ground -, Verfe 45. [For what is Nature ?] This is the great and fundamental axiom, on which oriental tafte is founded. It is therefore exprelTed here with the greateft precifion, and in the identical phrafe of the great original. The figurative terms, and even the explanatory fimile are entirely bo/rowed from Sir William's DifTertation. *' Nature (fays the Chinefe, or Sir William for them) affords us but few materials to work with. Plants, ground, and nvatert are her only produc- tions ; and, though both the forms and arrangements of thefc may be varied to an incredible degree, yet they have but few ftrikicg varieties, the left being of the nature of changes rung upon bzJls, which, though in reality diiferent, Hill pro- duce the fame uniform kind of gingliKg ; the variation being too minute to be eafily perceived." " Jrt mull therefore fupply /he fcantinefs of Nature,** Sec. &c. page 14. And again, " Our larger works are only a repetition of the fmall ones, liie the honejl Bachelor'' s feajl, which confided in nothing but a multiplication of his own dinner ; three legs of mtitlcn and turneps, three roafled getfe, and thna. kutterid appU-pies." Preface, png* 7, Prolong- ( 9 ) Prolong the peal, yet fpite of all your clatter. The tedious chime is ftill ground, plants, and water. So, when fome John his dull invention racks, To rival Boodle*s dinners, or Almack's > S^ Three uncouth legs of mutton (hock our eyes, Three roafted geefe, three butter'd apple-pies. Come then, prolifick art, and with thee bring The charms that rife from thy exhauftlefs fpring ; To Richmond come, for fee untutor'd Brown SS Deftroys thofe wonders which were once thy own. Lo, from his melon^ ground the peafant flave Has rudely rufh'd, and levell'd Merlin's Cave ; Knock'd down the waxen Wizzard, feiz'd his wand, Transform'd to lawn what late was Fairy land ; 60 And marr'd, with impious hand, each fweet defign Of Stephen Duck, and good Queen Caroline. C Hafte, ( 10 ) Haile, bid yon livelong Terras re-afcend. Replace each vifta, ftraighten every bend ; Shut out the Thames -, fliall that ignoble thing 6§ Approach the prefence of great Ocean's King ? No ! let Barbaric glories feaft his eyes, Auguft Pagodas round his palace rife,; And fini/h'd Richmond open to his view, " A vi^ork to wonder at, perhaps a Kew." yofton of cannon into the bargain. Vide page 40. Here ( 12 ) Here too, O King of Vengeance, in thy fane. Tremendous Wilkes (hall rattle his gold chain; And round that fane on many a Tyburn tree. Hang fragments dire of Newgate-hiflory j 9^ On this fliall H*ll*d's dying fpeech be read. Here Bute's confefTion, and his wooden head ; While all the minor plunderers of the age, (Too numerous far for this contrafted page) The R^g^ys, 's, Mungos, B*ds*ws there, 95 In ftraw ftuft effigy, fhall kick the air. But fay, ye powers, who come when fancy calls. Where fhall our mimic London rear her walls ? VerfeST. [Here too, O king of Vengeance, &c.] « In the mod difmal re- cefles of the woods, are temples dedicated to the Kn:. of Vengeance, "^ar which are placed pillars of ftone, with /«/^.//. defer} ptions of^u-agual c-vents ; and many acls of cruelty perpetrated there by outla^vs and robbersr ^^Z^}1' Ve fe 88. LTremendous Wilkes.] This was written wlule Mr. Wilkes wa, Sheriff of London, and when it was to be feared he would rattle his chain a year ^'tw^hr^allour mimic London. ..,] " There is likewif. in the c .In viz Yven.Ming Yven, near Pekin, a furtified to^-n, witn its ports, ft^eTpSx^ua- tempi, markets, (hops, and tribunals of juilice ; m fhort. u-ith every thing that is at Pckin. only on a ^nailer fcalc. ^^ ^^ ( «3 ) That Eaflern feature. Art miift next produce, Tho' not for prefent yet for future ufe loo Our fons fome (lave of greatnefs may behold, Caft in the genuine Afiatic mould : Who of three realms fliall condefcend to know No more than he can fpy from Windfor's brow ; For Him that bleffing of a better time, 1 05 The Mufe fhall deal awhile in brick and lime ; Surpafs the bold AAEA^I in defign, And o'er the Thames fling one ftupendous line Of marble arches, in a bridge, that cuts From Richmond Ferry flant to Brentford Butts. J 10 Brentford with London's charms will we adorn ; Brentford, the bifhoprick of Parfon Home. " In this town the Emperors of China, who are too much the Jlaves of their greatnefs to appear in public, and their women, who are excluded from it by cullom, are frequently diverted with the hurry and buftle of the capital, which is there reprefented, feveral times in the year, by the eunuchs of the palace." Page 32. Verfe 109. [Of marble arches.] Sir William's enormous account of Chln^fe hrldgesi too long to be here inferted. Vide page 55. D There [ 14 J There at one glance* the royal eye (hall meet Ea/ch varied beauty of St. James's Street; Stout T*lb*t there ihall ply witli hackney chair i J^ And Patriot Betty fix her fruit-fhop there. Like diftant thunder, now the coach of Hate Rolls o'er the bridge, that groans beneath its weight. The court hath crofl the ftream ; the fports begin ; Now N**l preaches of rebellion's fin: I20 And as the powers of his ftrong pathos rife, Lo, brazen tears fall from Sir Fl**r's eyes. While fkulking round the pews, that babe of grace. Who ne'er before at fermon fhew'd his face. See Jemmy Twitcher fliambles ; flop! ftop thief! 125 He's ftol'n the E* of D*nb*h's handkerchief. Verfe 115. [Stout T**t, &c.] ** Some of thefe eunuchs perfonate porters.*' Page 32. Verfe 1 16. -[And Patriot Betty. ) •« Fruits and all forts of refrefhments are cried, about the llreets in this mock city." Page 33. Verfe 122. [Lo brazen tears, &c.X «• Drew iron, tears dowa Pluto's cheek." Milton. Verfe 125. [See Jemmy Twitcher fhambles.J ** Neither are thieves, pick- pockets, and (harpers forgot in thefe feftivals ; that noble profeffion is ufually allotted to a good number of the moft dextrous eunuchs.'* Vide, ibid. Let ( '5 ) Let B*rr*t*n arrefl him in mock fury,. And M**d hang the knave without a jury. But hark the voice of battle fhouts from far. The Jews and Maccaroni's are at war : 130 The Jews prevail, and, thund'ring from the flocks. They feize, they bind, they circumcife C*s F*. Fair Schw***n fmiles the Iport to fee. And all the Maids of Honour cry Te ! He ! Be thefe the rural paftimes that attend 135 Great B*nfw*k*s leifure ; thefe fhall beft unbend His royal mind, whene'er, from ftate withdrawn. He treads the velvet of his Richmond lawn ; Verfe 127. flet B***n.] " The watch feizes on the culprit." Vide, ibid. Verfe 128. [And M«»d, &c.] *♦ He is conveyed before the judge, and fom«- times feverely baftinadoed." Ibid. V^rfe 129. [But hark, &c.] «* Quarrels happen— battles enfue." Ibid. Verfe 132. [Circumcife C*5 F*.] Every liberty is permitted, there is no dif. tinflion of perfons. Ibid. YerCc 134 [And all the maids of honour, &c.] *• This ij done to divert hi» Imperial Majefty, aod the Jadie? of his train." Vide, ibid. Tiicfc. ( »6 ) Thefc (hall prolong his Afiatic dream, ft*l*i i Tho' Europe's balance trembles on Its beam. i^o And thou. Sir William I while thy plaftic hand '•'- Creates each wonder, which thy Bard has plann'd. While, as thy art commands, obfequious rife Whate'er can pleafe, or frighten, or furprize, O ! let that Bard his Knight's proteftion claim, 145 And fhare, like faithful Sancho, Quixote's fame.. FINIS.