The following TRANSLATIONS, PARODIES, and BURLESQUE VERSES, most of them extempore, are taken from ANECDOTES of Dr. JOHNSON; published by Mrs. Piozzi. ANACREON, ODE IX. LOVELY Courier of the sky, Soft Anacreon's vows I bear, Vows to Myrtale the fair; Grac'd with all that charms the heart, Blushing nature, smiling art. Venus, courted by an ode, On the bard her dove bestow'd ; Over hills and fields to roam, Let me now my pinions ply, I have chatter'd like a pye. LINES WRITTEN IN RIDICULE OF CERTAIN POEMS PUBLISHED IN 1777. WHERESOE'ER I turn my view, All is strange, yet nothing new ; Endless labour all along ; Endless labour to be wrong; Trick'd in antique ruff and bonnet, PARODY OF A TRANSLATION FROM THE MEDEA OF EURIPIDES. ERR shall they not, who resolute explore, They to the dome where smoke, with curling play, Oh! send them to the sullen mansions dun, Her baleful eyes where Sorrow rolls around; Where gloom enamour'd Mischief loves to dwell, And Murder, all blood bolter'd, schemes the wound. When cates luxuriant pile the spacious dish, And purple nectar glads the festive hour; The guest, without a want, without a wish, Can yield no room to music's soothing pow'r. TRANSLATION Of the two first Stanzas of the Song "Rio verde, Rio verde," printed in Bishop PERCY's Reliques of Ancient English Poetry. An IMPROMPTU. GLASSY water, glassy water, Down whose current, clear and strong, Chiefs confus'd in mutual slaughter, Moor and Christian, roll along. IMITATION OF THE STYLE OF HERMIT hoar, in solemn cell Wearing out life's evening grey, Strike thy bosom, sage, and tell What is bliss, and which the way. Thus I spoke, and speaking sigh'd, When the hoary sage reply'd,.. Come, my lad, and drink some beer. BURLESQUE OF THE FOLLOWING LINES OF LOPEZ DE VEGA. AN IMPROMPTU. SE acquien los leones vence Vence una muger hermosa O el de flaco averguençe O ella di fer mas furiosa. If the man, who turnips cries, TRANSLATION OF THE FOLLOWING LINES AT THE END OF BARETTI'S EASY PHRASEOLOGY....AN IMPROMPTU. VIVA Viva la padrona ! Tutta buona e tutta bella; LONG may live my lovely Hetty! |