FIRST PRINTED IN MDCCLXXIV., 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. Of old, when Scarron his companions invited, Each guest brought his dish, and the feast was united; If our landlord[4] supplies us with beef and with fish, Let each guest bring himself, and he brings the best dish. Our Dean[5] shall be venison, just fresh from the plains; Our Burke[6] shall be tongue, with a garnish of brains; Our Will[7] shall be wild-fowl of excellent flavour, And Dick[8] with his pepper shall heighten the savour; Our Cumberland's[9] sweet-bread its place shall obtain, And Douglas[10] is pudding, substantial and plain; Our Garrick's[11] a salad; for in him we see Oil, vinegar, sugar, and saltness agree: To make out the dinner, full certain I am That Ridge[12] is anchovy, and Reynolds[13] is lamb; That Hickey's[14] a capon, and, by the same rule, Magnanimous Goldsmith a gooseberry fool. At a dinner so various—at such a repast Who'd not be a glutton, and stick to the last? Here, waiter, more wine! let me sit while I'm able, Till all my companions sink under the table, Then, with chaos and blunders encircling my head, Let me ponder, and tell what I think of the dead. Footnote 4: The master of the St. James's Coffee-house, where the poet, and the friends he has characterised in this poem, occasionally dined. Footnote 5: Dr. Barnard, Dean of Derry in Ireland. Footnote 6: The Right Hon. Edmund Burke. Footnote 7: Mr. William Burke, late secretary to General Conway, member for Bedwin, and afterwards holding office in India. Footnote 8: Mr. Richard Burke, collector of Granada; afterwards Recorder of Bristol. Footnote 9: Richard Cumberland, Esq., author of the "West-Indian," "Fashionable Lover," "The Brothers," "Calvary," &c., &c. Footnote 10: Dr. Douglas, Canon of Windsor (afterwards Bishop of Salisbury), an ingenious Scotch gentleman, who has no less distinguished himself as a citizen of the world, than a sound critic, in detecting several literary mistakes (or rather forgeries) of his countrymen; particularly Lauder on Milton, and Bower's "History of the Popes." Footnote 11: David Garrick, Esq. Footnote 12: Counsellor John Ridge, a gentleman belonging to the Irish Bar. Footnote 13: Sir Joshua Reynolds. Footnote 14: An eminent attorney.