• Remarks on the text
• Table of Contents

Quo me cunque rapit tempestas, deseror hospes.
Nunc agilis sio, et mersor civilibus undis,
Virtutis veræ custos, rigidusque satelles.
Nunc in Aristippi furtim præcepta relabor,
Et mihi res, non me rebus, submittere conor.

HOR.

These verse epistles, which can hardly be called "poetical", are by John Courtenay [1738-1816] (who is perhaps best known nowadays for his "A poetical review of the literary and moral character of the late Samuel Johnson, L.L.D." (1786; quoted by Boswell, e.g., in Boswell's Life of Johnson, 1750). He wrote verse epistles on the same theme to others, most notably Edmund Burke. You might think, reading some of the contents, that he was an ancien-régimist, or, reading others, that he was a revolutionary; but the poems reveal more of an attitude of "I don't like nothing; and it's getting worse". (For all of that, his opinion is greatly reflective of the established Whiggery of the time, as that monument of corruption institutionalized and ineptitude glorified finally scrabbled its ignominious way into the grave of history; and if he can't completely support the French "Revolution", he can whole-heartedly attack those who are against it.) The attitude continues into Italy, where he lashes out at Italians ancient, modern, and in-between, including even Virgil and Raphael in his wide-spreading net of scorn; and winds up in London, where he attacks (Tories) who are pension'd and takes upon himself the hallowed role of poor (but honest) poet.

The poems are transcribed from the 1794 edition whose title-page is HTML-ically reproduced above.

The notes are all those of Courtenay. Notes marked with glyphs [asterisks (*), daggers (†), and section marks (§)] were originally at the bottoms of pages (where they were marked only with single figures, since there are never more than two on a page). The longer notes marked with letters are found at the end of the small book. The lines are unnumbered in the original, as here. Long esses as usual have been converted to short esses; the errata on page vii have been incorporated into the text, with javascript notes indicating the original text; the original will appear in the bottom of your browser window if you hold your mouse over the revised word(s) and if you have javascript enabled. The same is true for some of the numerous errors or misprints (uncorrected in the Errata), especially in the French; I have corrected them only when they are too jarring to stand as printed. There are a number of errors, especially in the "Congratulatory Ode", neither noted in the Errata nor corrected in this on-line version.

Arrival at Paris—Riots described—Destruction of Statues, and all Insignia of Royalty—Republican Song—Debate and bon mot in the National Assembly—Jacobin Club described.

Insolence of the People—Levelling of Ranks—Present State of the Clergy—Nun's Song—Politeness lost—Fashionable Manners, and the former pleasures of Paris described—Sentimental Song—Panegyric on the Ladies—Retreet of the Prussians—Duet between Frederick the Second and Third.

Arrival at Rome—Effects of the Association of Ideas—Horace and Virgil—Cicero—Cæsar—Statues and Paintings—Venus of Medecis, the Apollo of Belvidere, and Marsyas—Correggio and Rafaelle.

Venice—Mode of carrying on Amours there—Gondolier's Song—The Police of Florence—Curious Anecdote of the present King of Spain—Singular Mode of discharging Debts at Pavia—Reflections on the Emigration of Pug-Dogs—Taste for Gardening in Italy.

Climate of Rome—Young Ladies, how improved by Travelling—Improviso Verses translated—St. Peter's on Good Friday—Feast of St. Agnes.

Ecclesiastical State—Regulation of the Markets —Criminal Law—Assassination—Miracle in favour of the Jews—Trajan's Pillar and St. Peter—Moral Reflections—Charity proved by the number of Beggars—Song, and a Simile for the Ladies.

Naples—Manners of the Ladies —Reflections on Death—Prospect of becoming Immortal—Irruptions of Mout Vesuvio described—Origin of the Earth accounted for Buffon—This System confuted by Herschel—New System started by the late George Earl of Orford—Panegyric on Dr. Darwent.

Antiquities—Pompeia and Herculaneum—Knowledge of the Antients and Moderns compared—Orpheus and his Trees—Lover's Song—Greek Music—Agamemnon's Bard—Disquisition on the Principles of Harmony—Wonderful Effects of Antient Music.

Mechanical Effects of Melody on the Brain—Cures Madness, and Why—Ferdinand of Spain, and Farinelli—Songs from the Spanish—Singular Instance of the Power of Music—Project to destroy the French—A Word of Comfort to the Alarmists.

Conclusion—Address to the Author's Friends.

Congratulatory Ode to Two Young Ladies, on their return from Italy.

This page is maintained at the University of Chicago by James Eason, who welcomes comments, criticism, and suggestions.

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