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
An objection has been made by one anonymous letter-writer to the
names of Puddingfield and Beefington, as little likely to have been
assigned to English characters by any author of taste or
discernment. In answer to this objection we have, in the first
place, to admit, that a small, and we hope not an unwarrantable,
alteration has been made by us since the MS. has been in our hands.
These names stood originally Puddincrantz and Beefinstern, which
sounded to our ears as being liable, especially the latter, to a
ridiculous inflection—a difficulty that could only be removed by
furnishing them with English terminations. With regard to the more
substantial syllables of the names, our author proceeded, in all
probability, on the authority of Goldoni, who, though not a German,
is an Italian writer of considerable reputation; and who, having
heard that the English were distinguished for their love of liberty
and beef, has judiciously compounded the two words _Runnymede_ and
_Beef_, and thereby produced an English nobleman, whom he styles
_Lord Runnybeef_.
To dwell no longer on particular passages, the best way perhaps of
explaining the whole scope and view of Mr. H.’s imitation will be to
transcribe the short sketch of the plot which that gentleman
transmitted to us, together with his drama, and which it is perhaps
the more necessary to give at length, as, the limits of our paper
not allowing of the publication of the whole piece, some general
knowledge of its main design may be acceptable to our readers, in
order to enable them to judge of the several extracts which we lay
before them.
PLOT.
Rogero, son of the late minister of the Count of Saxe Weimar, having
while he was at college, fallen desperately in love with Matilda
Pottingen, daughter of his tutor, Doctor Engelbertus Pottingen,
Professor of Civil Law; and Matilda evidently returning his passion,
the Doctor, to prevent ill consequences, sends his daughter on a
visit to her aunt in Wetteravia, where she becomes acquainted with
Casimere, a Polish Officer, who happens to be quartered near her
aunt’s, and has several children by him.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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