Authors, Scottish -- 18th century -- Biography; Biographers -- Great Britain -- Biography; Boswell, James, 1740-1795
Guns were fired, the magistrates assembled, and there was a public
breakfast in the town-hall. In this number of the magazine there is a
letter extending to seven columns from James Boswell, Esq., on his
return to London, after being 'much agitated' by 'this jubilee of
genius.' He describes it as 'truly an antique idea, a Grecian thought;'
the oratorio at the great Stratford church, with the music by Dr Arne,
was, he admits, grand and admirable, but 'I could have wished that
prayers had been read, and a short sermon preached.' Then the
performance of the dedication ode by Garrick is described as 'noble and
affecting, like an exhibition in Athens or Rome.' Lord Grosvenor, at the
close, went up to Garrick, 'and told him that he had affected his whole
frame, showing him his nerves and veins still quivering with agitation.'
The masquerade our traveller, as the 'travelled thane,' affects to
regard complacently as an 'entertainment not suited to the genius of the
British nation, but to a warmer country, where the people have a great
flow of spirits, and a readiness at repartee.' Bozzy no doubt had seen
the carnival abroad, and his memories of sunnier skies would not find
congenial atmosphere in the unpropitious weather when the Avon rose with
the floods of rain, the lower grounds were laid under water, and a
guinea for a bed was regarded as an imposition, though 'no one,'
declares our hero, 'was understood to come there who had not plenty of
money'--their own or their father's, presumably. The break up seems to
have been effected in confusion, but the good-humoured mummer, taking
one consideration with another, compares it to eating an artichoke,
where 'we have some fine mouthfuls, but also swallow the leaves and the
hair, which are confoundedly difficult of digestion. After all, I am
highly satisfied with my artichoke.'
He brought 'the warbling of his muse' with him. It is no better or worse
than the staple. In the character of a Corsican, he sings--
'From the rude banks of Golo's rapid flood,
Alas! too deeply tinged with patriot blood;
O'er which, dejected, injur'd Freedom bends,
And sighs indignant o'er all Europe sends,
Behold a Corsican! In better days
Eager I sought my country's fame to raise.
Now when I'm exiled from my native land
I come to join this classic festal band;
To soothe my soul on Avon's sacred stream,
And from your joy to catch a cheering gleam.'
After an apostrophe to happy Britons, on whose propitious isle
propitious freedom ever deigns to smile, he closes with an appeal--
'But let me plead for liberty distress'd,
And warm for her each sympathetic breast;
Amidst the splendid honours which you bear,
To save a sister island be your care;
With generous ardour make us also free,
And give to Corsica a noble Jubilee.'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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