Poetry of the Anti-Jacobin: Comprising the Celebrated Political and Satirical Poems, of the Rt. Hons. G. Canning, John Hookham Frere, W. Pitt, the Marquis Wellesley, G. Ellis, W. Gifford, the Earl of Carlisle, and Others.
History
Poetry of the Anti-Jacobin: Comprising the Celebrated Political and Satirical Poems, of the Rt. Hons. G. Canning, John Hookham Frere, W. Pitt, the Marquis Wellesley, G. Ellis, W. Gifford, the Earl of Carlisle, and Others.
English poetry; France -- History -- Revolution, 1789-1799 -- Poetry; Great Britain -- Politics and government -- 1789-1820
[_During the last stanza_ ROGERO _dashes his head repeatedly against
the walls of his prison; and, finally, so hard as to produce a
visible contusion; he then throws himself on the floor in an agony.
The curtain drops; the music still continuing to play till it is
wholly fallen._
[The character of ROGERO is a quiz upon SIR ROBERT ADAIR, who
received his education at Göttingen, and fell in love with his
tutor’s daughter. His relative, LORD ALBEMARLE, says in his
_Reminiscences_: “Throughout life my kinsman was an enthusiastic
admirer of the fair sex, which he generally ‘loved, not wisely, but
too well’”. He married, in 1805, Mdlle. Angélique Gabrielle,
daughter of the Marquis d’Hazincourt and the Comtesse de Champagne.
ADAIR was the son of Mr. Robert Adair, sergeant-surgeon to K. George
III., by his wife LADY CAROLINE KEPPEL, daughter of Wm. Anne, second
Earl of Albemarle. He was educated at Westminster School and
Göttingen University; called to the Bar, but never practised. He
contested Camelford in 1796; and was M.P. for Appleby, 1799–1802,
for Camelford, 1802–1812. He was sent by FOX as Minister
Plenipotentiary to Vienna in 1806; and by his old adversary CANNING
to Constantinople in 1808; and also to Berlin. He was Ambassador to
Constantinople, 1809–11, and to Belgium, 1831–5. He was a facile
writer, and wrote several spirited pamphlets, including defences of
his relatives, Francis, Duke of Bedford, and Admiral Keppel, Fox,
and other Whigs. He contributed to the _Political Eclogues_ a poem
called _Margaret Nicholson_, in which George III., Pitt, Jenkinson,
&c., were ridiculed, and the _Song of Scrutina_ (on the “Westminster
Scrutiny”), in the style of Ossian, in the _Probationary Odes for
the Laureateship_. He was the author also of an account of his
_Mission to the Court of Vienna_; and his _Negotiations for the
Peace of the Dardanelles_: 3 vols., 8vo. For his services in the
latter business he was made G.C.B. He was born 24th May, 1763, and
died 3rd Oct., 1855.
There is a curious circumstance connected with the composition of
this song, the first five stanzas of which were written by CANNING.
Having been accidentally seen, previous to its publication, by PITT,
who was cognisant of the proceedings of the “Anti-Jacobin” writers,
he was so amused with it, that he took up a pen and composed the
last stanza on the spot.—ED.]
[This drama was produced at the Haymarket Theatre, July 26, 1811,
with alterations and additions, and some introductory matter, which
contained smart hits at the Quadrupeds, which then desecrated the
stage of Covent Garden Theatre. Liston performed _Rogero_; Munden,
_Casimere_; Mrs. Glover, _Matilda_; Mrs. Gibbs, _Cecilia_. The
following Prologue, written by George Colman the younger, in
imitation of Pope’s prologue to _Cato_, was spoken by Elliston:—
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account