No Title-page. Pp. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 [pp. 17, 18, 19, 20, proof-sheets of 84 lines:—(line 1), "Health to Immortal Jeffrey! once in name;"—(line 84), "Her son, and vanish'd in a Scottish mist" + p. 21, proof-sheet uniform with pp. 1-16, of 20 lines:—(line 1), "Illustrious Holland! hard would be his lot;"—(line 20), "Reforms each error, and refines the whole">[, pp. 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29.
Signature C is at the foot of p. 5; D, p. 9; E, p. 13; G, p. 21; H, p. 25.
Pp. 1-16 contain 284 lines: (line 1), "Time was, e'er yet in these degenerate days;" (line 284), "Of Jefferies! monarch of the Scourge and, chain." (Lines 281-284 are erased.)
Pp. 19-29 contain 200 lines: (line 1), "Now to the drama turn, oh! motley sight;" (line 200), "And urge thy bards, to gain a name like thine." The last line of p. 29 is numbered 520, and the date 1808 is subscribed.
Note.—The page measures 278 X 218. The water-mark on the last page (p. 29) is 1807; the water-mark on the original wrapper, "J. W. & B. B. 1806." A wrapper of the original sheets is inscribed, "This is the original Satire which Ld B. put into my hands. It was printed in the Country, where he had been staying. He added 110 lines before it was published. R.C.D." (B.M., E.G. 2028.)
II.
English Bards,/ And/ Scotch Reviewers./ A Satire./ I had rather be a kitten, and cry, mew!/ Than one of these same metre ballad-mongers./ Shakspeare./ Such shameless Bards we have; and yet 'tis true,/ There are as mad, abandon'd Critics too./ Pope./ London:/ Printed for James Cawthorn, British Library,/ No. 24, Cockspur Street./ [1809.] [12º.
Collation—
Half-title, one leaf, pp. i., ii.; Title (R. T. Collins, Printer, No. 1, Harvey's Buildings, Strand), pp. iii., iv.; Preface, pp. v., vi.; Text (696 lines), pp. 1-54. The Imprint (T. Collins, Printer, Harvey's Buildings, Strand) is at the foot of p. 54.
Note.—The words "Scotch Reviewers" on the Title are in Gothic characters. Facsimile of the Title-page faces p. xiv. of Poetical Works, 1898, vol. i.