The Complaint of the Members of the Attic Chest on the Delay of Opening it this Season
Now Brighton ev’ry day grows thinner,
The Black-Legs scarce get a dinner,
The Steyne and libraries are wond’rous empty:
Roques there who live upon their wit
Scarce once in ten times make hit;
While rogues in town are revelling in plenty!
The woods, the fields, the roads are muddy,
Poor Nature’s quite in a brown study:
And country folks find winter fast approaches;
Crowds flock to London ev’ry day,
And to the ball, the rout, the play,
Incessant roll the countless coaches!!
To whist, quadrille and evening parties
Folks run by tens, by scores, by forties,
And scarce a place but has some windows lighted:
But those who pace that lengthened street,
Where erst the Attic Guests were wont to meet,
But for the lamps would surely be benighted!!!
Indeed there long has been a rumour,
That groans, the grumbling groans of humor
Have often lately issued from that mansion;
Others aver it is the Attic Spirits
Complaining that her customers great merit
Is quite neglected for the sake of fashion.
Each Attic member thinks it strange,
That as their Editress has had her range,
And quite recovered from her solar journey:
That she should now no more her friends remember,
Now that is just arrived the month November,
The glorious month to counsel and attorney!
When will return those happy times,
When Flaxman with his sparkling rhymes
Shows he can animate verse as well blocks;
When will again the members meet,
To taste again their Attic treat
When will the Chest reope its long closed locks!
When shall we hear her dread command,
Who sits with hammer in her hand,
And knocking silence, makes the greatest noise;
That sceptre brought from India’s shores,
Which when the (female) vocal thunder roars,
Frightens to good behaviour girls and boys.
But when our ears her verses greet,
They flow so witty, & so sweet,
We breathless bend to catch each word the while:
And oft when some poetic thought,
Shines, fresh from Pindus fountain brought,
E’en her kind mentors grant th’ endearing smile!!
Enazilansho