'He spoke slightingly of Dyer's "Fleece".— "The subject, Sir, cannot be made poetical. How can a man write poetically of serges and druggets ? Yet you will hear many people talk to you gravely of that [italics] excellent [end italics] poem, "The Fleece." Having talked of Grainger's "Sugar-Cane", I mentioned to him Mr. Langton's having told me that this poem, when read in manuscript at Sir Joshua Reynolds's, had made all the assembled wits burst into a laugh, when, after much blank-verse pomp, the poet began a new paragraph thus:
"Now, Muse, let's sing of [italics] rats [end italics]".
And what increased the ridicule was, that one of the company, who slily overlooked the reader, perceived that the word had been originally [italics] mice [end italics], and had been altered to [italics] rats [end italics], as more dignified.
This passage does not appear in the printed work. Dr. Grainger, or some of his friends, it should seem, having become sensible that introducing even [italics] Rats [end italics] in a grave poem might be liable to banter. He, however, could not bring himself to relinquish the idea; for they are thus, in a still more ludicrous manner, periphrastically exhibited in his poem as it now stands:
"Nor with less waste the whisker'd vermin race,
A countless clan, despoil the lowland cane."
Johnson said, that Dr. Grainger was an agreeable man; a man who would do any good that was in his power. His translation of "Tibullus", he thought, was very well done; but "The Sugar Cane, a Poem," did not please him; for, he exclaimed, "What could he make of a sugar cane? One might as well write the 'Parsley Bed, a Poem ;' or ' The Cabbage Garden, a Poem'".'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Samuel Johnson Print: Book
'He spoke slightingly of Dyer's "Fleece".— "The subject, Sir, cannot be made poetical. How can a man write poetically of serges and druggets ? Yet you will hear many people talk to you gravely of that [italics] excellent [end italics] poem, "The Fleece." Having talked of Grainger's "Sugar-Cane", I mentioned to him Mr. Langton's having told me that this poem, when read in manuscript at Sir Joshua Reynolds's, had made all the assembled wits burst into a laugh, when, after much blank-verse pomp, the poet began a new paragraph thus:
"Now, Muse, let's sing of [italics] rats [end italics]".
And what increased the ridicule was, that one of the company, who slily overlooked the reader, perceived that the word had been originally [italics] mice [end italics], and had been altered to [italics] rats [end italics], as more dignified.
This passage does not appear in the printed work. Dr. Grainger, or some of his friends, it should seem, having become sensible that introducing even [italics] Rats [end italics] in a grave poem might be liable to banter. He, however, could not bring himself to relinquish the idea; for they are thus, in a still more ludicrous manner, periphrastically exhibited in his poem as it now stands:
"Nor with less waste the whisker'd vermin race,
A countless clan, despoil the lowland cane."
Johnson said, that Dr. Grainger was an agreeable man; a man who would do any good that was in his power. His translation of "Tibullus", he thought, was very well done; but "The Sugar Cane, a Poem," did not please him; for, he exclaimed, "What could he make of a sugar cane? One might as well write the 'Parsley Bed, a Poem ;' or ' The Cabbage Garden, a Poem'".'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Samuel Johnson Print: Book
'He spoke slightingly of Dyer's "Fleece".— "The subject, Sir, cannot be made poetical. How can a man write poetically of serges and druggets ? Yet you will hear many people talk to you gravely of that [italics] excellent [end italics] poem, "The Fleece." Having talked of Grainger's "Sugar-Cane", I mentioned to him Mr. Langton's having told me that this poem, when read in manuscript at Sir Joshua Reynolds's, had made all the assembled wits burst into a laugh, when, after much blank-verse pomp, the poet began a new paragraph thus:
"Now, Muse, let's sing of [italics] rats [end italics]".
And what increased the ridicule was, that one of the company, who slily overlooked the reader, perceived that the word had been originally [italics] mice [end italics], and had been altered to [italics] rats [end italics], as more dignified.
This passage does not appear in the printed work. Dr. Grainger, or some of his friends, it should seem, having become sensible that introducing even [italics] Rats [end italics] in a grave poem might be liable to banter. He, however, could not bring himself to relinquish the idea; for they are thus, in a still more ludicrous manner, periphrastically exhibited in his poem as it now stands:
"Nor with less waste the whisker'd vermin race,
A countless clan, despoil the lowland cane."
Johnson said, that Dr. Grainger was an agreeable man; a man who would do any good that was in his power. His translation of "Tibullus", he thought, was very well done; but "The Sugar Cane, a Poem," did not please him; for, he exclaimed, "What could he make of a sugar cane? One might as well write the 'Parsley Bed, a Poem ;' or ' The Cabbage Garden, a Poem'".'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: James Boswell Print: Book
'He spoke slightingly of Dyer's "Fleece".— "The subject, Sir, cannot be made poetical. How can a man write poetically of serges and druggets ? Yet you will hear many people talk to you gravely of that [italics] excellent [end italics] poem, "The Fleece." Having talked of Grainger's "Sugar-Cane", I mentioned to him Mr. Langton's having told me that this poem, when read in manuscript at Sir Joshua Reynolds's, had made all the assembled wits burst into a laugh, when, after much blank-verse pomp, the poet began a new paragraph thus:
"Now, Muse, let's sing of [italics] rats [end italics]".
And what increased the ridicule was, that one of the company, who slily overlooked the reader, perceived that the word had been originally [italics] mice [end italics], and had been altered to [italics] rats [end italics], as more dignified.
This passage does not appear in the printed work. Dr. Grainger, or some of his friends, it should seem, having become sensible that introducing even [italics] Rats [end italics] in a grave poem might be liable to banter. He, however, could not bring himself to relinquish the idea; for they are thus, in a still more ludicrous manner, periphrastically exhibited in his poem as it now stands:
"Nor with less waste the whisker'd vermin race,
A countless clan, despoil the lowland cane."
Johnson said, that Dr. Grainger was an agreeable man; a man who would do any good that was in his power. His translation of "Tibullus", he thought, was very well done; but "The Sugar Cane, a Poem," did not please him; for, he exclaimed, "What could he make of a sugar cane? One might as well write the 'Parsley Bed, a Poem ;' or ' The Cabbage Garden, a Poem'".'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Bennet Langton Manuscript: Unknown
'He spoke slightingly of Dyer's "Fleece".— "The subject, Sir, cannot be made poetical. How can a man write poetically of serges and druggets ? Yet you will hear many people talk to you gravely of that [italics] excellent [end italics] poem, "The Fleece." Having talked of Grainger's "Sugar-Cane", I mentioned to him Mr. Langton's having told me that this poem, when read in manuscript at Sir Joshua Reynolds's, had made all the assembled wits burst into a laugh, when, after much blank-verse pomp, the poet began a new paragraph thus:
"Now, Muse, let's sing of [italics] rats [end italics]".
And what increased the ridicule was, that one of the company, who slily overlooked the reader, perceived that the word had been originally [italics] mice [end italics], and had been altered to [italics] rats [end italics], as more dignified.
This passage does not appear in the printed work. Dr. Grainger, or some of his friends, it should seem, having become sensible that introducing even [italics] Rats [end italics] in a grave poem might be liable to banter. He, however, could not bring himself to relinquish the idea; for they are thus, in a still more ludicrous manner, periphrastically exhibited in his poem as it now stands:
"Nor with less waste the whisker'd vermin race,
A countless clan, despoil the lowland cane."
Johnson said, that Dr. Grainger was an agreeable man; a man who would do any good that was in his power. His translation of "Tibullus", he thought, was very well done; but "The Sugar Cane, a Poem," did not please him; for, he exclaimed, "What could he make of a sugar cane? One might as well write the 'Parsley Bed, a Poem ;' or ' The Cabbage Garden, a Poem'".'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: James Grainger Manuscript: Unknown
'He praised Grainger's "Ode on Solitude", in Dodsley's "Collection", and repeated, with great energy, the exordium:-
"O Solitude, romantick maid,
Whether by nodding towers you tread;
Or haunt the desart's trackless gloom,
Or hover o'er the yawning tomb;
Or climb the Andes' clifted side,
Or by the Nile's coy source abide;
Or, starting from your half-year's sleep,
From Hecla view the thawing deep;
Or, at the purple dawn of day,
Tadnor's marble waste survey";
observing, "This, Sir, is very noble".'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Samuel Johnson Print: Book
'Doctor Grainger, Author of the fine Ode to Solitude printed in Dodsley's Miscellanies wrote a poem while he was in the West Indies and called it the Sugar Cane; it was sent over hither of Course, & when Dr Johnson first laid hold of it he put it in his Pocket without Examination, & carrying it to a place where he was to meet some Literary Friends, told them he had something about him that might in the reading afford them some Amusement: & according begun at the opening of the Poem thus
Where shall the Muse her arduous Task begin?
where breathless end? Say shall [italics] we sing of Rats? [end italics]
Thus does an Author differ from himself, & a great Mind deviate into Absurdity merely for want of friends to look over their Performance.'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Hester Lynch Thrale Print: Book
'Doctor Grainger, Author of the fine Ode to Solitude printed in Dodsley's Miscellanies wrote a poem while he was in the West Indies and called it the Sugar Cane; it was sent over hither of Course, & when Dr Johnson first laid hold of it he put it in his Pocket without Examination, & carrying it to a place where he was to meet some Literary Friends, told them he had something about him that might in the reading afford them some Amusement: & according begun at the opening of the Poem thus
Where shall the Muse her arduous Task begin?
where breathless end? Say shall [italics] we sing of Rats? [end italics]
Thus does an Author differ from himself, & a great Mind deviate into Absurdity merely for want of friends to look over their Performance.'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Samuel Johnson Print: Book
'I have heard that Miss Cooper hearing She was to lose her Sight, set about getting the Night Thoughts by heart - so much did She delight in the Poetry of Dr Young - She kept her Eyes however & all went well. The Description of Night by Dr Young is superior to that of either Dryden or Shakespear - & I made Johnson confess it so. [7 lines of Young are quoted]. Oh how excellent are these Lines - but as Granger sweetly says
When you struck the tender String
Darkness clapt her sable Wing;
Aside their Harps ev'n Seraphs flung,
To hear thy sweet Complaints oh Young!'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Hester Lynch Thrale Print: Unknown