Opening the text

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

SOUTHEY thus alludes to the attack upon him (by GILLRAY, in his famous
caricature), in a letter addressed to C. W. W. WYNN, dated Hereford,
August 15, 1798:—“I have seen myself _Bedfordized_, and it has been a
subject of much amusement. HOLCROFT’S likeness is admirably preserved. I
know not what poor LAMB has done to be croaking there. What I think the
worst part of _The Anti-Jacobin_ abuse is the lumping together men of
such opposite principles; this was stupid. We should have all been
welcoming the _Director_, not the _Theophilanthrope_. The conductors of
_The Anti-Jacobin_ will have much to answer for in thus inflaming the
animosities of this country. They are labouring to produce the deadly
hatred of Irish faction; perhaps to produce the same end. Such an
address as you mention might probably be of great use; that I could
assist you in it is less certain. I do not feel myself at all calculated
for anything that requires methodical reasoning; and though you and I
should agree in the main object of the pamphlet, our opinions are at
root different. The old systems of government, I think, must fall; but
in this country the immediate danger is on the other hand,—from an
unconstitutional and unlimited power. BURLEIGH saw how a Parliament
might be employed against the people, and MONTESQUIEU prophesied the
fall of English liberty when the Legislature should become corrupt. You
will not agree with me in thinking his prophecy fulfilled. Violent men
there undoubtedly are among the democrats, as they are always called;
but is there any one among them whom the ministerialists will allow to
be moderate?” _The Anti-Jacobin_ certainly speaks the sentiments of
Government.’—ED.]

                  *       *       *       *       *


               WORDSWORTH, COLERIDGE, SOUTHEY (page 284).

[“The passionate verdicts given, both _pro_ and _con_, in reference to
WORDSWORTH, COLERIDGE, and SOUTHEY, may now be looked back upon with
some wonder, but all three had made themselves obnoxious to the charge
of renegadism. WORDSWORTH had accepted the office of stamp-distributor
from Lord Lonsdale; SOUTHEY, after attempting to suppress his
demagogical drama of _Wat Tyler_, became a violent Tory, bringing a hot
partisanship into the ranks to which he fled; and COLERIDGE, a
Tom-Paineite in politics and a preaching Unitarian, ended by adopting
all the doctrines of orthodoxy.”—_Sir John Bowring._—ED.]

                  *       *       *       *       *


                        EDMUND BURKE (page 286).

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Opening the text

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

SOUTHEY thus alludes to the attack upon him (by GILLRAY, in his famous
caricature), in a letter addressed to C. W. W. WYNN, dated Hereford,
August 15, 1798:—“I have seen myself _Bedfordized_, and it has been a
subject of much amusement. HOLCROFT’S likeness is admirably preserved. I
know not what poor LAMB has done to be croaking there. What I think the
worst part of _The Anti-Jacobin_ abuse is the lumping together men of
such opposite principles; this was stupid. We should have all been
welcoming the _Director_, not the _Theophilanthrope_. The conductors of
_The Anti-Jacobin_ will have much to answer for in thus inflaming the
animosities of this country. They are labouring to produce the deadly
hatred of Irish faction; perhaps to produce the same end. Such an
address as you mention might probably be of great use; that I could
assist you in it is less certain. I do not feel myself at all calculated
for anything that requires methodical reasoning; and though you and I
should agree in the main object of the pamphlet, our opinions are at
root different. The old systems of government, I think, must fall; but
in this country the immediate danger is on the other hand,—from an
unconstitutional and unlimited power. BURLEIGH saw how a Parliament
might be employed against the people, and MONTESQUIEU prophesied the
fall of English liberty when the Legislature should become corrupt. You
will not agree with me in thinking his prophecy fulfilled. Violent men
there undoubtedly are among the democrats, as they are always called;
but is there any one among them whom the ministerialists will allow to
be moderate?” _The Anti-Jacobin_ certainly speaks the sentiments of
Government.’—ED.]

                  *       *       *       *       *


               WORDSWORTH, COLERIDGE, SOUTHEY (page 284).

[“The passionate verdicts given, both _pro_ and _con_, in reference to
WORDSWORTH, COLERIDGE, and SOUTHEY, may now be looked back upon with
some wonder, but all three had made themselves obnoxious to the charge
of renegadism. WORDSWORTH had accepted the office of stamp-distributor
from Lord Lonsdale; SOUTHEY, after attempting to suppress his
demagogical drama of _Wat Tyler_, became a violent Tory, bringing a hot
partisanship into the ranks to which he fled; and COLERIDGE, a
Tom-Paineite in politics and a preaching Unitarian, ended by adopting
all the doctrines of orthodoxy.”—_Sir John Bowring._—ED.]

                  *       *       *       *       *


                        EDMUND BURKE (page 286).

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

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.

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.

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