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In New England they have a custom of presenting a person who has an ugly appearance with a jack-knife. The donee, in such case, preserves the present till he can find some one whose ugly phiz, in his opinion, gives him a superiour claim to the favour.

A kind of gig or one-horse carriage, in which two sociable people may possibly be accommodated.

Nabobs were a kind of outside garment formerly worn by the dashing belles of America.

Quorum stupefactæ carmine lynces.

Requierunt flumina cursus.

Varium et mutabile semper Femina.

“To give the bag” is an expression common with the lower classes in New England, and indicates that Miss Delia will not honour Mr. Damon with her company in a tete-a-tete conversation.

Quid si prisca redit Venus, &c.

Name of a river in Vermont.

In other words, “Tecum vivere amem, tecum obcam libens.”

There is a species of the walnut tree, which, from the roughness of its bark, is called “shag-bark.”

Barthelemi and Carnot.

Carnot was a long time missing, and supposed to be assassinated.

The infamous French Directory were even participators of the plunder acquired by acts of piracy on the American commerce.

Bache and Greenleaf, two editors of factious newspapers, ever in opposition to the administrations of Washington and Adams.

It is true that the democratick party, in the United States, have acquired all the power which they possess, by cajoling, flattering and deceiving the people. Newspapers and pamphlets, fraught with absolute falsehoods, were circulated gratis among the yeomen of the United States. The expense was paid by our “Great and Terrible Ally,” the French republick.

The poet may have been deceived in this particular: he does not pretend to the gift of prophecy.

Matthew Lyon, who is now a member of the legislature of the United States, and is said to be influential among the prevailing party, was an emigrant from Ireland, was sold for his passage, took an active part in the war between America and Great Britain, but was degraded for cowardice.

This infamous s---l spat in a gentleman's face, on the floor of congress-hall, in presence of the popular branch of the august American legislature. The injured person, Mr. Griswold, who was likewise a member of the legislature, sought IN VAIN for redress for this breach of privilege, and of common decency. He was at length induced to resort to the right of the strongest, and cudgelled the said infamous Matthew Lyon, in presence of the speaker and house of representatives in congress assembled!!! “Tell it not in Gath.” See Democracy Unveiled, third Edition, from page 100 to 105.

Self-interest induced the French to take part with America against Great Britain.

His Excellency John Adams, late President of the United States.

Most of the disturbances which have distracted the councils of the United States, have originated from intriguing foreigners: the greater part of whom were fugitives from the justice of their native countries.

Messrs. Gunn and Blount were members of our national legislature. Both remarkable for a propensity for duelling.

This Blount was a crafty democrat, alike destitute of moral and political honour. He endeavoured to open a negotiation with the British ambassadour for the surrender of the Floridas to the English, was impeached before the senate for this misdemeanor, and avoided, by absconding, the punishment due to his crimes.

Yrujo was the Spanish ambassadour to the United States. This alludes to a diplomatick controversy, in which the Spaniard's want of talents was very manifest.

“Constitution” is the name of an American frigate, built in Boston.

There was some miscalculation which prevented the lunch on the day appointed.

Mr. Carlisle printed the newspaper (in Walpole, in New Hampshire, New England) in which this production was first published. It was reprinted in pamphlets, and had an extensive circulation throughout the United States. Mr. Carlisle's newspaper was, at that time, edited by Joseph Dennie, Esq. Mr. Dennie now conducts, at Philadelphia, a literary paper, called the “Port Folio,” which has obtained great and deserved celebrity throughout the United States. Mr. Dennie, in this and some other poetical productions, was the author's Mentor:—

The author, in this, and a number of the following lines, “pours the tributary lay,” in due homage to the essayists and poets, who condescended to make the Walpole newspaper the vehicle for their useful and entertaining productions.

A sneer at Della Crusca's “Cataract of Light.”

In this expectation, however, the author, and perhaps some of his readers, were disappointed. Sickness rendered it impossible for him, at the commencement of the year, 1799, to wait on his Parnassian acquaintance.

Yankee doodle, a ludicrous musical air, which I believe was first invented by the English, in derision of the Americans, whom they styled “Yankees.” The Americans frequently wrote ludicrous songs to this tune. This chorus is quoted from a song, written, I believe, in Boston.

See note, page 39.

Housen is a corruption for household.

Gal is, in New England, the vulgar pronunciation of the word girl.

Most of the householders, in New England, have their washing, baking, and brewing, done within their own precincts. A young lady, who does not understand these branches of business is considered as not qualified for matrimony.

A glass of whiskey, mixed with molasses, is so called in New England, and is a common beverage with the peasantry.

There is a tale among the ghost-hunters, in New England, that silver bullets will be fatal to witches, when those of lead would not avail.

Verses are thus pronounced by the rusticks in New England.

Vulgar pronunciation of the word trowsers.

The lady, to whom these lines were addressed, had been offended at the insolence of the character who sat as the original for our picture.

The hero, celebrated in this and the next subsequent poem, is the gentleman of spitting-memory, of whom we have before made honourable mention. [See p. 56 and 57.] These addresses were written in the year 1797, while this our patriot was taking measures to crowd himself into a station, which afforded him an opportunity to entail everlasting ignominy on a legislature, who would suffer such an animal to remain within its walls.

The colonel was deeply in debt, and has been heard to acknowledge, that a prison, or a seat in congress, was his only alternative.

Alias, from Dan to Beersheba, or from one end of Vermont to the other.

Hamilton was a Vermontese, who had the hardihood to splash the pure regimentals of our redoubtable colonel.

Alias, with a head like a block or mallet.

A small village in Vermont. The simpletons of this sorry hamlet were gulled to vote for our demagogue by fair promises of promotion. The legislature, however, with whom rested the power of making appointments to offices, did not think proper to ratify these promises.

A beautiful river, which divides New Hampshire from Vermont.

Colon and Spondee were the signatures assumed by gentlemen who wrote for the publication in which this epistle first appeared.

Hominy is the Indian name for a kind of pudding made of the meal of maize, or Indian corn, called “Hasty Pudding.” Joel Barlow, Esq. wrote a poem, which was celebrated in America, entitled “Hasty Pudding.”

A kind of evergreen.

This threat, however, the author did not fulfil. The cacoethes scribendi impelled him occasionally to exercise his quill-driving faculties, the demon aforesaid, notwithstanding.

See page 44.

Two kinds of forest trees.

Anthony Haswell.

A village in Vermont.

This was precisely a la mode de Francois. Every one knows the gentle part which the fair sex took in the French revolution.

To wit, the Lyon we have before celebrated.

Yellow fever.

A noted democrat.

Many circumstances, too numerous to be here recapitulated, led to this conclusion.

This was written after the defeat of Buonaparte by Sir Sidney Smith.

The object of this little poem is, by an ironical imitation of certain popular writers of meretricious love songs, and “Roguish Sonnets,” to stigmatize them with that opprobrium which they so justly merit.

Johannes Bonefonius, a Cyprian devotee, a Frenchman of the fifteenth century, and author of certain amatory poems, which have been rendered into English, with happy improvements, by some well-wisher to community, and are, no doubt, very popular, as well as highly meritorious.

This gentleman (like many other delicious poets, and poetesses, from the days of Sappho down to Mrs. Robinson) seems to have supposed, that young people, of different sexes, in the hey-day of youth and beauty, when the pulse

Burns.

This line from “Little's Poems,” which cannot be too severely anathematized for their pernicious tendency in society.

How much more noble is the sentiment of Burns on this subject:—

Hambug! humbug!

This beautiful and delicious line is intended merely for the use of certain reviewers, in England, who mistook the object of a certain publication. It is as much as to say—gentlemen, this is indeed irety!!

The first canto of this poem is some what similar to Gay's Song of Similes.

In the New England states almost every farmer is possessed of a large conch shell, a species of the alatus, with a hole perforated through the end. The sound produced, by blowing into this, is very similar to that of a huntsman's horn, only much louder. It is usually lodged with the cook-maid, who, when dinner is prepared, applies her ruby lips to the “vocal shell,” and affords to the hungry labourer as delightful musick as does the echoing born to the sons of the chase.

That is principally composed of English dactylicks, like “Quadrupedante putrem sonitu quatit ungula campum;” which Virgil says represents the running of a horse.

Mud-pout and sucker are two kinds of fishes of little value, common enough in muddy streams. The otter pursues these with peculiar avidity.

A yankeyism, for knotty, or gnarled.

In New England every citizen, with a very few legal exemptions, is a soldier. Among the peasantry, playing the fife and drum are thought fine accomplishment.

“Gave him the bag,” see note p. 39.

“A Raising,” so termed in New England, is erecting the frame of a wooden building, of which description are most of the houses in the country. On such an occasion the athletick young men in the neighbourhood are invited to lend their assistance. After the business of the day is concluded, wrestling, hopping, and other gymnastick sports, are generally introduced by way of amusement.

This beautiful phrase is an abbreviation of “Your most humble-come-tumble down four-pair-of-stairs into-the-garret;” and is used by those, only, who practise the supreme bon ton of yankey politeness.

Is a phrase common among New England rusticks for tender tete a tete conversation between two persons of different sexes. The avocations of the peasantry render it, generally, inconvenient to attend to their fair ones in the day time. They consequently devote a portion of the night to that purpose. See Jonathan's Courtship.

It is fashionable in New England for the middling class of society, who cannot afford to give their sons a collegiate education, to send them to some one of their academies, of which there are, perhaps, too many for the good of community. Here they acquire a smattering of English grammar, and sometimes a little Latin. Proud of these accomplishments, our young gentlemen are apt to suppose themselves to be personages of too much consequence to return to their former laborious occupations, but either endeavour, without any of the requisite qualifications, to crowd themselves into the learned professions, or set up to live by their wits, in other words, turn swindlers, and nine times in ten fail for want of stock. This is, undoubtedly, one principal cause why New England has been almost proverbial for its multitude of sharpers.

Lionel attempting to chaunt a love-song, Geoffry respondeth every stanza, and taketh him off, much after the manner of a merry Andrew, at Bartholomew Fair.

This was written in England.

“The fascinating power ascribed to serpents, especially to rattle-snakes, by which they are said to draw animals to them is very curious. The rattle-snake fixes its eyes upon any animal, such as a bird or squirrel: when the animal spies the snake, it skips from spray to spray, hovering and approaching nearer to the enemy; descending with distracted gestures, and cries, from the top of the loftiest trees to the mouth of the snake, who opens his jaws, and in an instant swallows the unfortunate animal.” Encyclopædia Britannica. It appears, however, from the testimony of American philosophers, that the fascinated bird or beast is only busied in acts of hostility against the fascinator. See a brief sketch of about 40 pages, in large quarto, American Philosophical Transactions, vol. iv. from p. 74 to 114.

A Della Cruscan epithet.

This is somewhat in the manner of Southey, who has heaped horrour upon horrour in his “Joan of Arc”

The gentleman who wrote Little's Poems appears to have been affected in the same manner. Having sighed away a “wild hour” or two, in concert with his beloved, he complains, that

The author of the “Pleasures of Hope” talks more sensibly on this subject.

A chieftain famous in the wars between the New England colonists and the American Aborigines.

Written for January 1st, 1806.