Difference between revisions of "Poems on Witty Subjects in Congress"

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And spoil us of freedom, most precious of treasures.
 
And spoil us of freedom, most precious of treasures.
 
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Revision as of 08:17, 16 April 2014

George Wythe and Willam Ellery, "Poems on Witty Subjects in Congress," American Revolutionary War Manuscripts Collection, Boston Public Library, MS.Ch.E.8.31-33.[1]

Manuscript text, November-December 1776

"A Member of the Antinovanglian Faction to W. E.," by George Wythe (VA)

A member of the antinovanglian faction to W. E.[2]

To works supererogation
By others, some owe their salvation.
To what the good yankees are doing
Their duty beyond, we owe ruin.

Epigram by the ingenious George Wythe Esq

For the two first Lines the author alludes to the Roman Catholics—
In the two first last to the additional Pay, and Bounty of given to
the Soldiers by the Eastern States.

Page seven from Poems on Witty Subjects in Congress, from the Boston Public Library's American Revolutionary War Manuscripts Collection.

"A Novanglican to G.W.," by William Ellery (RI)

A Novanglian to G. W.

As by works supererogatory
Rom: Caths. are saved from purgatory,
So by what the Yankees good are doing
Buckskins will save from utter ruin.

Page three from Poems on Witty Subjects in Congress, from the Boston Public Library's American Revolutionary War Manuscripts collection.

"Instead of Controlling Our Mary's Cross Humor," by William Ellery

Instead of controlling our Mary's cross humour
You give what she asks you. Nay, you would do more
For the First Virginia, instead of a manly nobly persisting
Gives One up to Mary one Roll for enlisting.
Mary then rising in her wild Demands
The Virginia lays open the Claims about Lands
Nay, more abounding in Supererogation,
She too proposes the Mode of Taxation
To leave as it was before it was debated
For perhaps by this forward might Mary'll be sated.
Pray, what is the Cause of this Indulgence so great
Where Discord and Jarring subsisted of late?
Ill tell you, my Friend, 'tis a truth very serious:
Interest will join States of Sentiments various.

Page five from Poems on Witty Subjects in Congress, from the Boston Public Library's American Revolutionary War Manuscripts Collection.

"For Farms in Utopia, the Moon, or Some Fairyland," by George Wythe

For farms in eutopia, the moon, or some fairyland
Compensations more worth were offered by Maryland.
In this it's denied, Sir, our sister's cross humour'd,
Whatever by juntos or patriots be rumour'd.
Her brave men must fight, bleed, and suffer as others,
Leave orphans their dear babes, and childless their mothers,
Give full many a fair Penelope heartaches,
Whilst their country of their virtuous earnings partakes
A very small pittance. Why this noise and stir then,
If, lest her shoulders bear too much of the burthen,
She reject your unequal mode of taxation,
Demonstrate by numbers, without relaxation,
That ruin is doom'd her, and cries in distraction
She'll yield to the old, not the new-english faction?
With candor attend to her efflagitation,
And these two demands grant without hesitation.
Virginia must feel for any neighbour oppress'd,
Cannot easy remain til the mischief's suppress'd;

And
Page nine from Poems on Witty Subjects in Congress, from the Boston Public Library's American Revolutionary War Manuscripts Collection.

And if slaves you include in your capitation,
Is equally injur'd—claims like defalcation.
E'ene while, it is true, we're somewhat contrarient,
Yet interest will join those of sentiments variant.
And why not? For thence flows that blessing transcendent
All wish for devoutly, a state independent.
Then cease to object to a sister we're tender,
Indulgent with excess—unwilling to mend her,
If we favour petitions founded on reason,
With deference offer'd at convenient season.
Fell discord had too long among us existed.
From our councils cashier'd, if now re-enlisted,
It with tories will league to puzzle our measures,
And spoil us of freedom, most precious of treasures.

Page ten from Poems on Witty Subjects in Congress, from the Boston Public Library's American Revolutionary War Manuscripts Collection.

"Epigram," by William Ellery

Like a Babbler ambitious of some little fame
I follow when Freeman hath started the Game,
But when hunted down poor Puss sinks and dies
I give up to Freeman his Right to the Prize
Let Wythe take the Laurel his Genius demands
I ask but this Book to be classed with his Friends.

W. E.
Page eleven from Poems on Witty Subjects in Congress, from the Boston Public Library's American Revolutionary War Manuscripts Collection.

"Answer to Epigram," by George Wythe

With one epigram, though well hit off,
You must not expect, Sir, to get off.
I can't for my life give o'er scribbling,
Except whilst I'm dreaming or quibbling.
Scribendi tam dira cupido,[3]
Quam amor quo consumpta Dido.[4]
If Howe, hither marching, friend Ell'ry,
Were near with his train of artill'ry
And bells in the city were chiming,
This strange cacoëthes of rhiming
Would not cease. Tell me not, in answer,
You can't write. It's known you well can, Sir,
Proceed then; or haec tibi cura,[5]
I shall draw your caricatura.
If who's the author, dubitatur?[6]
He's your correspondent, Nugator.[7]

Page twenty-one from Poems on Witty Subjects in Congress, from the Boston Public Library's American Revolutionary War Manuscripts Collection.

"Unless You Will Take One Line for Your Ten," by William Ellery

Unless you will take one Line for your Ten
I shall never pay you, and indeed I shan't then.
For to form One good Clink and invita Minerva,[8]
I must ransack turn my poor Brains all quite topsy, turvy.
While you with a Portion of Latin and Greek
As n an An hundred good lines can easily make
As the Virginian Tully[9] can speak.
The muses will readily yield up their Charms
To the Poet that dreads not the Thunder of Arms
They'll favour the brave the youthfull the blythe
Will fly from an Ellery and caress a Wythe
Compelled thus to rhime in my own Defense
These Lines are dictated a Lege Natura
Pray then forbear Sir, your Caricatura
I most humbly submit to your Candour and Sense.
What thus is forced from Me Lege magna Natura[10]
And beg you would forbear Sir your Caricatura

Page twenty-three from Poems on Witty Subjects in Congress, from the Boston Public Library's American Revolutionary War Manuscripts Collection.

"You've Not only Quitted Your Arrear," by George Wythe

You've not only quitted your arrear
But check'd my poetical career.
I flatter'd myself that Apollo
Had told me the Muses to follow.
But they to Parnassus retiring
And frowning forbade my aspiring,
Rejected my awkward addresses,
Bestow'd on my rival caresses,
Made mirth of my passion for soaring,
And laugh'd at my anguish and roaring.
Whilst you mount with wing Pegasean
And, triumphing, sing Io Paean,[11]
With eyes full of envy and surprise,
The laurel, I see, becomes your prize.
My latin and greek not a bawbee[12]
I value (Think not I bedaub ye
With praise, though this seems that way leaning)
When one of your couplets more meaning
Fine sense and true humour you fling in,
Than twenty of mine I can bring in.

Page fifteen from Poems on Witty Subjects in Congress, from the Boston Public Library's American Revolutionary War Manuscripts Collection.

"Some Mere Poetaster Call Tully," by George Wythe

Some mere poetaster call Tully,
In for a naggering bully;
Most others a speaker persuasive,
In reasoning though sometimes evasive
Did you, making me his compeer, Sir,
An irony mean, or a sneer, Sir?

Page sixteen from Poems on Witty Subjects in Congress, from the Boston Public Library's American Revolutionary War Manuscripts Collection.

"The Gen'rous Idea Your Last Piece Expresses," by William Ellery

The gen'rous Idea your last Peice [sic] expresses
Instead of exal exciting my Ardour, depresses.
The Muses I know by Experience are Gilts
And he moves unsafely who moves upon Stilts.
When my Fancy was young I asked of those Lasses
To aid my Ascent up the Mount of Parnassus,
They told me to follow but as swift as the Wind
They gained its high Top and left me behind.
Thus jilted, I labour'd but quickly I found
My Tread was too clumsy for poetick Ground.
And wanting their Aid to assist my weak Passes
I bid an Adieu to the Mount of Parnassus.
Since that contented with Limitation
Sometimes Ive attempted an humble Translation,
Inspired with an Ardour deriv'd from gay Bacchus,
Of an Eclogue of Mars or some Ode of Flaccus.
Sometimes too when a Genius hath started Ideas
I've made use of his Hints ut nuper to videa.[13]
Like a Babbler ambitious of some little Fame
I follow when Freeman hath started the Game,
And But when hunted down poor Puss sinks and dies
I give up to Freeman his Right to the Prize.
Let Wythe take the Laurel his Genius demands
I ask but this Boon to be rank'd class'd with his Friends.
Page twenty-five from Poems on Witty Subjects in Congress, from the Boston Public Library's American Revolutionary War Manuscripts Collection.

"A Commissioner, to the People of Philadelphia," by William Ellery

In this poem, Ellery chastises the conservative position of Andrew Allen, delegate from Pennsylvania, for his commonwealth's reluctance to support independence from Great Britain. The first letter of each line spells out "ANDREW ALLEN" (emphasized here). Ellery apparently attempted to get the poem published, as there is another draft with the lines transposed to avoid obvious "libellus famosos" (libel), and a dialogue with a reluctant printer:

A Commissioner, to the people of P _ _ _ _ _ a

Attend all ye People of ev'ry degree
No longer pretend that your Country youll free
Declare for your Treasons a hearty Contrition
Regard as you tender your lives Admonition
E're too late to flee from impending Perdition
Who like me to the King Allegiance will swear
And future Submission to Congress forbear
Leave all his old Friends to the Parliaments Fury
Let Rebels be hang'd without Judge or Jury
Escapes condemnation to gibbet or halter
Nor needs forfeiture fear unless times should alter.

Page one from Poems on Witty Subjects in Congress, from the Boston Public Library's American Revolutionary War Manuscripts Collection.

A C . . . . . . . . . . r to the people of P . . . . . . . . . . a

Declare for your treasons a hearty contrition
Who like me to the king allegiance will swear
Attend all ye people of ev'ry degree
Nor needs forfeiture fear unless times should alter.
Regard as you tender your lives admonition
Leave all his old friends to the parliaments Fury
No longer pretend that your country you'll free
E're too late to flee from impending perdition
Let rebels be hang'd up without judge or jury
And future submission to congress forbear
Escapes condemnation to gibbet or halter.

A dialogue between [manuscript damaged] who wrote the above
and a printer who was desired and refused
to publish it.

H. Not Print it! Sir, why? P. Because it is nonsense.

H. No prudent wight sure will then take offense.
Words without meaning are quite harmless things.
Minds of evil conscious of evil truth only stings.
Most readers besides will skip such stuff over,
Like advertisements where horses will cover.

P. A slander perhaps— H. No—that is denied,
Unless with letters initial supplied.
Nay, still if the lines remain untransposed,
Nothing unkind or sarcastic's inclos'd.

P. What? initials?—Let me see—aye—they make it
So plain that dunces alone can mistake it.
If calumny foul, though sweet flowering verse,
Or elegant prose, our devils disperse,

Fines
Page nineteen from Poems on Witty Subjects in Congress, from the Boston Public Library's American Revolutionary War Manuscripts Collection.

Fines with vile durance, 'twould cost and expose us
Worse pains to bear for libellus famosus.[14]

H. In these times of license leave off your shrugs,
Nor prisons nor pillories fear, nor
Pillories fear not, nor prisons or cropt lugs.[15]

P: Though pusillanimous call'd or a churl,
Venture I will not to suffer like Curl.[16]

Page twenty from Poems on Witty Subjects in Congress, from the Boston Public Library's American Revolutionary War Manuscripts Collection.

See also

References

  1. ↑ See W. Edwin Hemphill, "George Wythe Courts the Muses," William and Mary Quarterly 3rd ser., 9, no. 3 (July 1952), 338-345.
  2. ↑ "Novanglian": New Englander.
  3. ↑ "Dire desire to write," paraphrase of Virgil, Aeneid, Book V, line 721.
  4. ↑ "The love which consumed Dido," Queen of Carthage.
  5. ↑ Ovid, Ex Ponto III, xxxvi.
  6. ↑ Dubitatur: "It is doubted."
  7. ↑ Jester, clown.
  8. ↑ Defy nature, literally "go against Minerva's will." Cicero, De Officiis, I, 31, 110.
  9. ↑ Wythe is a Virginian Cicero: Marcus Tullius Cicero.
  10. ↑ A great law of Nature.
  11. ↑ Classical Greek cry of exultation or triumph, traditionally addressed to Apollo the healer.
  12. ↑ Bawbee: a Scottish half-penny.
  13. ↑ "As of late, you see."
  14. ↑ Libellus famosos: libel.
  15. ↑ A reference to the colonial punishment of cutting off ears?
  16. ↑ Edmund Curll (c. 1675 – 1747), whose name was synonymous with "unscrupulous publication and publicity."

External links

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