D.[avid] P.[arkes] (1763-1833), antiquary, frequent contributor to the
GM (often as ΔII.), was an admirer of William Shenstone
about whom and whose poetry he contributed several pieces to that
periodical. Parkes contributed a poem on Mr. Horne, a former owner of
Leasowes (Shenstone's home), "by a gentleman who was the intimate friend
of Mr. Shenstone" (1804. ii. 802-803). The poem begins, "Tho'
Shenstone's genius and poetic taste," is dated "June, 1779,"
and
is signed "R. G---s." "R. G---s." is, of course, Shenstone's very good
friend, Richard Graves; the poem was unknown to Graves's modern
biographer and to the editor of the Oxford Spiritual Quixote,
Grave's best-known work.
