Death call'd aside the jocund groom, And looking grave, You must, says he, His hour glass tumbled while he spoke, To give you time for preparation, In hopes you'll have no more to say What next the hero of our tale befell, How long he lived, how wise, how well, And smok'd his pipe, and strok'd his horse, He chaffer'd then, he bought, he sold, His friends not false, his wife no shrew, He pass'd his hours in peace; But while he view'd his wealth increase, The beaten track content he trod, Brought him on his eightieth year. Th' unwelcome messenger of fate "Tis six-and-thirty years at least, So much the worse, the clown rejoin'd, To spare the aged would be kind; However, see your search be legal, Else you are come on a fool's errand, With but a secretary's warrant. Besides, you promised me three warnings, Which I have looked for nights and mornings; But for that loss of time and ease I can recover damages. I know, cries Death, that at the best, I have been lame these four years past. This is a shocking story, faith, Yet there's some comfort still, says Death; I warrant you have all the news. There's none, cries he, and if there were, Nay then, the spectre stern rejoin'd, He said, and touch'd him with his dart; Yields to his fate so ends my tale. THE STREATHAM PORTRAITS. MADAME D'ARBLAY'S description of the Streatham Portraits will be the best preface to the following verses on them: "Mrs. Thrale and her eldest daughter were in one piece, over the fire-place (of the library), at full length. The rest of the pictures were all threequarters. Mr. Thrale was over the door leading to his study. The general collection then began by Lord Sandys and Lord Westcote (Lyttelton), two early noble friends of Mr. Thrale. Then followed Dr. Johnson, Mr. Burke, Dr. Goldsmith, Mr. Murphy, Mr. Garrick, Mr. Baretti, Sir Robert Chambers, and Sir Joshua Reynolds himself all painted in the highest style of this great master, who much delighted in this his Streatham gallery. There was place left but for one more frame when the acquaintance with Dr. Burney began at Streatham." The whole of them were sold by auction in the spring of 1816. According to Mrs. Piozzi's marked catalogue, they fetched respectively the following prices, which appear to vary according to the celebrity of the subjects, and to make small account of the pictures considered as works of art:-"Lord Sandys, 36l. 158. (Lady Downshire); Lord Lyttelton, 43l. 18. (Mr. Lyttelton, his son); Mrs. Piozzi and her daughter, 817. 188. (S. Boddington, Esq., a rich merchant); Gold |