Thursday, March 09, 2023
Visam Britannos Hospitibus Feros
William King, "Advice to Horace, to take his Leave of Trinity College, in Cambridge," from "Some Account of Horace's Behaviour during his Stay at Trinity College in Cambridge. With an Ode to Entreat his Departure thence. Together with a Copy of his Medal, taken out of Trinity-College Buttery, by a Well-Wisher to that Society," in his Original Works, Vol. III (London, 1776), pp. 24-36 (at 35-36; line numbers added, italics removed):
17 craggs = beer-vessels
24 the Master = Richard Bentley, Master of Trinity
The medal (p. 36):
Thanks to Eric Thomson for shedding light on weem and craggs from the English Dialect Dictionary.
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Horace, you now have long enough10 weem = belly (cf. womb)
At Cambridge play'd the fool:
Take back your criticizing stuff
To Epicurus’ school.
But in excuse of this, you’ll say, 5
You’re so unwieldy grown,
That if amongst that herd you lay,
You scarcely should be known.
How many butter’d crusts you’ve tost
Into your weem so big, 10
That you’re more like (at College cost)
A porpoise than a pig.
But you from head to foot are brawn,
And so from side to side,
You measure (were a circle drawn) 15
No longer than you’re wide.
Then bless me, Sir, how many craggs
You’ve drunk of potent ale!
No wonder if the belly swaggs,
That’s rival to a whale. 20
E’en let the Fellows take the rest,
They’ve had a jolly taster,
But no great likelihood to feast
’Twixt Horace and the Master.
17 craggs = beer-vessels
24 the Master = Richard Bentley, Master of Trinity
The medal (p. 36):
