Postscript to Lard Monboddo’s Ancient Metaphysics.
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Testimony of the Great Powers for Poesy, innate in MICHAEL ANGELO TAYLOR, Esq.
DR. BURNEY.
I shall myself compose Mr. Taylor’s Ode——His merit I admire——his origin I have traced.—He is descended from Mr. John Taylor, the famous Water Poet, who with good natural talents, never proceeded farther in education than his accidence.—John Taylor was born in Gloucestershire.—I find that he was bound apprentice to a Waterman—but in process of time kept a public house in Phœnix-alley, Long-acre[1]. Read John’s modest recital of his humble culture—
“I must confess I do want eloquence,
And never scarce did learn my Accidence;
For having got from Possum to Posset,
I there was gravell’d, nor could farther get.”
John wrote fourscore books, but died in 1654. Here you have John’s
Epitaph—
“Here lies the Water Poet, honest John,
Who rowed on the streams of Helicon;
Where, having many rocks and dangers past,
He at the haven of heav’n arrived at last.”
There is a print of John, holding an oar in one hand, and an empty purse in the other.—Motto—Et habeo, meaning the oar—Et careo, meaning the cash.—It is too bold a venture to predict a close analogy ’twixt John and Michael—Sure am I,
If Michael goeth on, as Michael hath begun,
Michael will equal be to famous Taylor John.