Poetical Works by Charles Churchill Part 22

[210] 'C----'s:' not known.

[211] 'Garden:' Covent, where a set of low and mercenary wretches, called _trading justices_, superintended the administration of police.

[212] 'Avaro:' Pearce, Bishop of Rochester, a favourite object of Churchill's ire, as some of the previous poems prove.

[213] 'Moore:' the Rev. Mr Moore, then curate of St Sepulchre's, who had a share in the c.o.c.k-lane conspiracy.

[214] 'f.a.n.n.y's tomb:' it had been stated that her tomb had been disturbed, and an expedition actually took place to ascertain the truth.

[215] 'Not he:' Paul Whitehead, the profligate satirist.

[216] 'Laureate:' William Whitehead, the poet laureate.

[217] 'Play': alluding to Whitehead's comedy of the 'School for Lovers.'

[219] 'Hunter:' Miss Hunter, one of Queen Charlotte's maids of honour, eloped on the day of the coronation with the Earl of Pembroke.

[220] 'Funeral Pomps:' alluding to certain improprieties at the interment of George the Second, which took place the 11th of November 1760.

[221] 'Coronations:' the coronation of George the Third on the 22d of September 1761.

[222] 'Hart:' a dancing-master of the day.

[223] 'A set:' an invidious reflection on the Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce, founded in the year 1753.

[224] 'Bourbon's:' the family compact between France and Spain.

[225] 'Gazette:' the _Brussels Gazette_, a notorious paper of that time.

[226] 'Patriot's heart:' Mr Pitt, afterwards Lord Chatham.

[227] 'Granby:' the Marquis of Granby, distinguished in a conspicuous manner during the seven years' war, under Prince Ferdinand of Brunswick. See Junius.

[228] 'Rhyme:' Mallet addressed a contemptible poem, ent.i.tled 'Truth in Rhyme,' to the celebrated Lord Chesterfield.

[229] 'Place:' the Royal Exchange.

[230] 'N----:' not known.

[231] 'Pewterers' Hall:' Macklin's recitations and his lectures on elocution were delivered at Pewterers' Hall, in Lime Street.

[232] 'Dulman:' Sir Samuel Fludyer, Bart. M.P. for Chippenham, Deputy-Governor of the Bank of England, and Lord Mayor of London for 1761-2.

[233] 'Newfoundland:' in May 1762 a French squadron escaped out of Brest in a fog, and took the town of St John's in Newfoundland.

[234] 'Aim:' Beckford was the Lord Mayor elect for 1762-3.

[235] 'Electorate:' the electorate of Hanover.

[236] 'Plausible:' the Rev. W. Sellon in 1763 published a stolen sermon as his own.

[237] 'His hook:' Dr Johnson was in possession of subscriptions for his edition of Shakspeare for upwards of twenty years ere it appeared.

[238] 'Aldrich:' the Reverend Stephen Aldrich, Rector of St John's, Clerkenwell, actively contributed to the exposure of the c.o.c.k-lane ghost.

[239] 'Melcombe:' George Bubb Doddington, the son of an apothecary at Weymouth, by skilful electioneering, raised himself to the peerage under the t.i.tle of Lord Melcombe. Thomson addressed to him his 'Summer,' and Young his 'Universal Pa.s.sion.'

[240] 'd.i.c.ky Glover:' Richard Glover, author of 'Leonidas.'

[241] 'Will:' William Beckford, Esq., elected an alderman, June 1752, and twice Lord Mayor of London, in 1762 and 1769. He was a West India merchant, possessed a princely fortune, and became highly popular by his strenuous opposition to the court: his son was the author of 'Caliph Vathek.'

[242] 'Stentor': unknown.

[243] 'Newcastle:' the Duke of Newcastle, who died in 1768, had for more than fifty years filled the greatest offices in the state. See Macaulay's papers on Chatham, and Humphrey Clinker.

[244] 'Processionade:' for the purpose of preparing an address to his Majesty on the conclusion of the peace with France.

[245] 'Ward:' Joshua Ward, a quack of the period.

[246] 'Warwick Lane,' Newgate Street, was the seat of the College of Physicians.

[247] 'Wyndham:' Lord Egremont.

[248] 'Reeves:' Dr Reeves was a physician of some practice in the city.

[249] 'Chauncy:' Dr Chauncy, descended of a good family, and possessed of a competent estate, did not practise.

[250] 'Garth:' Sir Samuel Garth, a celebrated poet and physician, author of 'The Dispensary.'

[251] 'Schomberg:' Dr Isaac Schomberg, a friend of Garrick, and an eminent and learned physician.

[252] 'Madan:' Martin Madan, a celebrated English preacher, many years chaplain to the Lock Hospital. See Cowper's Letters.

[253] 'Chevalier:' the Chevalier John Taylor, a quack oculist.

[254] 'Annet:' Peter Annet, for blasphemy, was sentenced by the court to suffer a year's imprisonment in Bridewell with hard labour, and to stand twice in the pillory.

[255] 'A guard:' Churchill was often in danger of being arrested for debt.

[256] 'Saint Bride:' an address of congratulation on the peace, from the city of London, was accompanied on its way by a m.u.f.fled peal from St Bride's.

[257] 'Of law:' referring to the punishment of negligent lamplighters.

[258] 'Hall:' the Westminster Session-house was then held at a house in King Street, which had probably been a low public house.

[259] 'Brown:' the Rev. John Brown, D.D., born in 1715, was author, among other works, of the 'Essay on the Characteristics,' and of an 'Estimate of the Manners and Principles of the Times.' See Cowper's 'Table-talk.' The 'Estimate' was extremely popular for a time. He was inordinately vain, and died at last insane and a suicide.

[260] 'For making law:' alluding to Lord Mansfield's construction of the libel-law.