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"We'll all keep a corner," the lady cried out;
"We'll all keep a corner," was echo'd about.
While thus we resolved, and the pasty delay'd,
With looks that quite petrified, enter'd the maid;
A visage so sad, and so pale with affright,
Waked Priam, in drawing his curtains by night.
But we quickly found out (for who could mistake
her?)
[baker,
That she came with some terrible news from the
And so it fell out, for that negligent sloven
Had shut out the pasty on shutting his oven.
Sad Philomel thus-but let similes drop-
And now that I think on't the story may stop.
To be plain, my good lord, it's but labour misplaced,
To send such good verses to one of your taste:
You've got an odd something-a kind of discern-
ing

A relish a taste-sicken'd over by learning;
At least it's your temper, as very well known,
That you think very slightly of all that's your own;
So, perhaps, in your habits of thinking amiss,
You may make a mistake, and think slightly of this.

RETALIATION.

FIRST PRINTED IN THE YEAR 1774,

AFTER THE AUTHOR'S DEATH.

[Dr. Goldsmith and some of his friends occasionally dined at the St. James's Coffee-house.-One day it was proposed to write epitaphs on him. His country, dialect, and person furnished subjects of witticism. He was called on for Retaliation, and at their next meeting produced the following poem.]

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OF old, when Scarron his companions invited, Each guest brought his dish, and the feast was united. If our landlord' supplies us with beef and with fish, Let each guest bring himself, and he brings the best dish:

Our dean2 shall be venison, just fresh from the plains, Our Burke 3 shall be tongue, with the garnish of brains,

I The master of the St. James's Coffee house, where the Doctor, and the friends he has characterized in this poem, occasionally dined.

2 Dr. Bernard, dean of Derry in Ireland.

3 Edmund Burke.

F

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