Dryden, in rhyme, cries ' Milton only plann'd : ' 5
Every Fool shook his bells throughout the land.
Tom Cooke cut Hogarth down with his clean graving:
Thousands of connoisseurs with joy ran raving.
Thus, Hayley on his Toilette seeing the sope, 9
Cries ' Homer is very much improv'd by Pope.'
Some say I've given great Provision to my foes,
And that now I lead my false friends by the nose.
Flaxman and Stothard, smelling a sweet savour, 13
Cry ' Blakefied drawing spoils painter and Engraver ; '
While I, looking up to my Umbrella,
Resolv'd to be a very contrary fellow,
Cry, looking quite from skumference to center, 17
' No one can finish so high as the original Inventor.'
Thus Poor Schiavonetti died of the Cromek —
A thing that 's tied around the Examiner's neck !
This is my sweet apology to my friends, 21
That I may put them in mind of their latter ends.
, 6] Cp. Advertisement (MS. Book, p. 20) : * An example of the contrary
arts is written us in the characters of Milton and Dryden as they are
given in a poem signed with the name of Nat Lee, which perhaps he
never wrote, and perhaps he wrote in a paroxysm of insanity, in which it is
said that IMilton's poem is a rough, unfinished piece, and Dryden has finished
it. Now let Dryden's Fall and Milton's Paradise be read, and I will assert
that everybody of understanding must cry out shame on such niggling and
poco-pen as Dryden has degraded Milton with. But at the same time I will
allow that stupidity will prefer Dryden, because it is rhyme, and monotonous
sing-song sing-song from beginning to end. Such are Bartolozzi, Woollett
and Strange.' 7] Cp. Advertisement (MS. Book, p. 57) : 'Cooke wished
to give Hogarth what he could take from Rafael, that is, outline, and mass,
and colour ; but he could not.' 8 Thousands . , . raving] How many
Thousands of Conoisseurs ran raving MS. Book 15/ rdg. del. (p. 62).
9 Thus] An addition ; Then EY. 10 Cries] Says MS. Book 1st idg. del.
II, 12 Some . . . nose]
' I've given great Provision to my Foes
But now ril lead my false Friends by the Nose.'
MS. Book 1st rdg. del. (p. 63). 11 Some say] A marginal addition.
great] "EY omit. 12 that] .^ marginal addition ; HY omit. 17 Cry. ..
center] Cry Tom Cooke proves from circumference to Center MS. Book
1st rdg. del. (p. 62 19, 20 A reference to Cromek's 'Account of Mr.
Schiavonetti,' in the E.vaminer, July i, 1810. 20 around] about EY.
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Rossetti MS.