Illustrious HOLLAND! hard would be his lot, 540 His hirelings mentioned, and himself forgot! [76] HOLLAND, with HENRY PETTY [77] at his back, The whipper-in and huntsman of the pack. Blest be the banquets spread at Holland House, Where Scotchmen feed, and Critics may carouse! Long, long beneath that hospitable roof [xxxvii] Shall Grub-street dine, while duns are kept aloof. See honest HALLAM [78] lay aside his fork, Resume his pen, review his Lordship's work, And, grateful for the dainties on his plate, [xxxviii] 550 Declare his landlord can at least translate! [79] Dunedin! view thy children with delight, They write for food--and feed because they write: [xxxix] And lest, when heated with the unusual grape, Some glowing thoughts should to the press escape, And tinge with red the female reader's cheek, My lady skims the cream of each critique; Breathes o'er the page her purity of soul, Reforms each error, and refines the whole. [80] Now to the Drama turn--Oh! motley sight! 560 What precious scenes the wondering eyes invite: Puns, and a Prince within a barrel pent, [xl] [81] And Dibdin's nonsense yield complete content. [82] Though now, thank Heaven! the Rosciomania's o'er. [83] And full-grown actors are endured once more; Yet what avail their vain attempts to please, While British critics suffer scenes like these; While REYNOLDS vents his "'dammes!'" "poohs!" and "zounds!" [xli] [84] And common-place and common sense confounds? While KENNEY'S [85] "World"--ah! where is KENNEY'S wit? [xlii]-- 570 Tires the sad gallery, lulls the listless Pit; And BEAUMONT'S pilfered Caratach affords A tragedy complete in all but words? [xliii] Who but must mourn, while these are all the rage The degradation of our vaunted stage? Heavens! is all sense of shame and talent gone? Have we no living Bard of merit?--none? Awake, GEORGE COLMAN! [86] CUMBERLAND, awake![87] Ring the alarum bell! let folly quake! Oh! SHERIDAN! if aught can move thy pen, 580 Let Comedy assume her throne again; [xliv] Abjure the mummery of German schools; Leave new Pizarros to translating fools; [88] Give, as thy last memorial to the age, One classic drama, and reform the stage. Gods! o'er those boards shall Folly rear her head, Where GARRICK trod, and SIDDONS lives to tread? [xlv] [89] On those shall Farce display buffoonery's mask, And HOOK conceal his heroes in a cask? [90] Shall sapient managers new scenes produce 590 From CHERRY, [91] SKEFFINGTON, [92] and Mother GOOSE? [xlvi] [93] While SHAKESPEARE, OTWAY, MASSINGER, forgot, On stalls must moulder, or in closets rot? Lo! with what pomp the daily prints proclaim The rival candidates for Attic fame! In grim array though LEWIS' spectres rise,