Epigram on the Feuds between Handel and Bononcini (Vol. ix., p. 445.).—This epigram, which has frequently been printed as Swift's, was written by Dr. Byrom of Manchester. In his very interesting Diary, which is shortly about to appear under the able editorship of my friend Dr. Parkinson in the series of Chetham publications, Byrom mentions it.
"Nourse asked me if I had seen the verses upon Handel and Bononcini, not knowing that they were mine; but Sculler said I was charged with them, and so I said they were mine; they both said they had been mightily liked."—Byrom's Remains (Cheetham Series), vol. i. part i. p. 173.
The verses are thus more correctly given in Byrom's Works, vol. i. p. 342., edit. 1773:
"Epigram on the Feuds between Handel and Bononcini.
Some say, compar'd to Bononcini,
That Mynheer Handel's but a ninny;
Others aver that he to Handel
Is scarcely fit to hold a candle:
Strange all this difference should be,
'Twixt Tweedledum and Tweedledee!"