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 An Heroic Epistle to Sir William 
 Chambers 
 
 A
 
 THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES 
 
 
 FREDERIC THOMAS BLANCHARD 
 ENDOWMENT FUND
 
 A N 
 
 HEROIC EPISTLE 
 
 T O 
 
 Sir WILLIAM CHAMBERS, Knight, 
 
 COMPTROLLER GENERAL of his MAJESTY'S WORKS, 
 
 And Author of a late DifTertation on 
 
 ORIENTAL GARDENING. 
 
 Enriched with explanatory Notes, chiefly extracted from that elaborate- 
 
 Performance. 
 
 Non omnes arbufta juvant, humilevijue myricae. Virgil. 
 
 The SECOND EDITION. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed fcr J. ALMON, oppofite Burlington-House, in Piccadilly. 
 
 [Price One Shilling.] 
 
 MDCCLXXIII.
 
 ■*fR 
 
 /T73 
 
 R E F A C E. 
 
 THIS Poem was written Lift fummer, immediately 
 after the publication of Sir William Chambers's 
 DifTertation ; but the bookfeiler, to whom it was offered, 
 diclined publiihing it, till the town was full. His reafon 
 for this is obvious ; yet it would hardly have weigh'd with 
 the author, had he not thought, that his hero's fame would 
 increafe in proportion to his publifher's profit. However 
 he forefaw, that, by this delay, one inconvenience mio-ht 
 arife, which this preface is written to remove. Readers 
 of the prefent generation are fo very inattentive to what they 
 read, that it is probable, one half of Sir William's may 
 have forgotten the principles which his book inculcates. 
 Let thefe, then, be reminded, that it is the author's pro- 
 fefc aim in extolling the tafte of the Chinefe, to condemn 
 that mean and paltry manner which Kent introduced, which 
 Southcote, Hamilton, and Brown followed, and which, to 
 our national difgrace, is called the Englifh flyle of garden- 
 ing. He mews the poverty of this tafte, by aptly com- 
 paring it to a dinner, which confifted of three grofs pieces, 
 three times repeated ; and proves to a demonftration, that 
 Nature herfelf is incapable of pleafmg, without the afliftance 
 of Art, and that too of the moft luxuriant kind. In (hort, 
 fuch art as is difplayed in the Emperor's garden of Yven- 
 
 Ming- 
 
 895989
 
 ( + ) 
 
 Ming-Yven, near Pekin ; where fine lizards, and fine wo- 
 men, human giants, and giant baboons, make but a fmall 
 part of the fuperb fcenery. He teaches us, that a perfect 
 garden muff, contain within itfelf all the amufements of a 
 great city ; that Urbs in rure, not Rus in tirbe, is the thing, 
 which an improver of true tafte ought to aim at. He fays 
 — but it is impoffible to abridge all that he fays : — Let this 
 therefore fufUce, to tempt the reader again to perufe his 
 invaluable DifTertation, fince without it, he will never re- 
 lifn half the beauties of the following epiftle ; for (if her 
 Majefty's Zebra, and the powder-mills at Hounflow be ex- 
 cepted) there is fcarce a fingle image in it, which is not 
 taken from that work. 
 
 But though the images be borrowed, the author claims 
 fome fmall merit from his application of them. Sir Wil- 
 liam fays too modefllv, " that European artifts mufl not 
 hope to rival Oriental fplendor." The poet fhews, that 
 European artifts may eaiily rival it ; and, that Richmond 
 gardens, with only the addition of a new bridge to join 
 them to Brentford, may be new modelled, perfectly a la 
 Chinois, He exhorts his Knight to undertake the glorious 
 tafk, and leaves no caufe to doubt, but that, under the 
 aufpicious patronage he now (o juftly enjoys, added to the 
 ready vote of thofe, who furniih ways and means, the royal 
 work will fpeedily be compleated. 
 
 Knightjlridge^ Jan. 20//?, 1773. 
 
 A N
 
 AN HEROIC EPISTLE 
 
 T O 
 
 Sir WILLIAM CHAMBERS, Knight, &c. &c. 
 
 KNIGHT of the Polar Star ! by Fortune plac'd 
 To fhine the Cynofure of Britifh tafte ; 
 Whofe orb colle£ls, in one refulgent view, 
 The fcatter'd glories of Chinefe Virtu ; 
 
 C And 
 
 NOTE. 
 
 Verfe 2. [Cynofure of Britifh taftej. Cynofure, an affefled phrafe. Cynofura 
 is the conftellation of Urfa Minor, or the Lcffer Bear, the next ftar to the Pole. Dr. 
 Newton, on the word in Milton.
 
 ( 6 ) 
 
 And fpread their luftre in fo broad a blaze, 5 
 
 That Kings themfelves are dazzled while they gaze. 
 
 let the Mufe attend thy march fublime, 
 And, with thy prole, caparifon her rhyme; 
 Teach her, like thee, to gild her iplendid fbng, 
 
 With fcenes of Yven-Ming, and fayings of Li-Tfong; 10 
 
 1 ,ifce thee to fcorn Dame Nature's fimple fence ; 
 Leap 'each Ha Ha of truth and common fenfe ; 
 And proudly liiing in her bold career, 
 Demand attention from the gracious ear 
 
 Of Him, whom we and all the world admit, 15 
 
 Patron fupreme of fcience, tafte, and wit. 
 
 Does 
 
 N O 
 
 Verfe 10. [With fcenes of Yven-Ming.] One of the Imperial gardens at Pekin. 
 [Sayings of Li-Tfong.] " Many trees, fhrubs, and flowers," fayeth Li-Tfong, a Chi- 
 nefe author of great antiquity, " thrive bed in low, moift fituations; many on hills and 
 mountains ; fome require a rich foil ; but others will grow on clay, in fand, or even upon 
 rocks, and in the water : to fome a funny expofition is neceflary ; but for others the fhade 
 is preferable. There are plants which thrive belt in expofed fituations, but in general, 
 flicker is rcquifite. The fkilful gardener, to whom ftudy and experience have taught 
 thefe qualities, carefully attends to them in his operations ; knowing that thereon depend 
 the health and growth of his plants; and confequently the beauty of his plantations." 
 Vide Difl. p. 77. The reader, I prefume, will readily allow, that he never met with fo 
 much recondite truth, as this ancient Chinefe here exhibits.
 
 ( 9 ) 
 
 Does Envy doubt ? Witnefs ye chofen train ! 
 
 Who breathe the fweets of" his Saturnian reign ; 
 
 Witnefs ye H*lls, ye j*ns*ns, Sc*ts, S*bb*s, 
 
 Hark to my call, for fome of you have ears. 20 
 
 Let D**d H*e, from the remoteft North, 
 
 In fee-faw fceptic fcruples hint his worth ; 
 
 D**d, who there fupinely deigns to lye 
 
 The fatteft Hog of Epicuru's fty; 
 
 Tho' drunk with Gallic wine, and Gallic praile, 
 
 D**d (hall blefs Old England's lialcyon days; 
 
 The mighty Home bemir'd in profe fo long, 
 
 Again fhall ftalk upon the (lilts of fong ; 
 
 While bold Mac-Oflian, wont in ghofts to deal, 
 
 Bids candid Smollet from his coffin ileal ; 30 
 
 Bids Mallock quit his fweet Elyfian reft, 
 
 Sunk in his St. John's philofophic breaft, 
 
 And, like old Orpheus, make fome ftrong effort 
 
 To come from Hell, and warble truth at Court. 
 
 NOT 
 
 z 5 
 
 .-> 
 
 There 
 
 Verfe 34. [Truth at Court. Vide (if it be extant) a poem under this title, for 
 which (or for the publication of Lord Bolingbroke's philofophical writings) the perfon here 
 mentioned, received a confiderable penfion in the time of Lord B— te's administration.
 
 ( io ) 
 
 There was a time, " in Efher's peaceful glove, 35 
 
 " When Kent and Nature vy'd for Pelham's love," 
 That Pope beheld them with aufpicious fmile, 
 And own'd that Beauty bleft their mutual toil. 
 Miftaken Bard! could fuch a pair defign 
 
 Scenes fit to live in thy immortal line ? 40 
 
 Hadll though been born in this enlighten 'd day, 
 Felt, as we feel, Tafte's oriental ray, 
 Thy latire fure had given them both a ftab, 
 Called Kent a Driveller, and the Nymph a Drab. 
 For what is Nature ? Ring her changes round, 45 
 
 Her three flat notes are water, plants, and ground ; 
 
 Prolong 
 
 NOTE. 
 
 Veife 45. [For what is Nature ?] This is the great and fundamental axiom, on 
 which oriental tafte is founded. It is therefore expreffed here with the greateft preci- 
 fion, and in the identical phrafe of the great original. The figurative terms, and even the 
 explanatory fimile, are entirely borrowed from Sir William's Differtation. " Nature (fays 
 the Chinefe, or Sir William for them) affords us but few materials to work with. P: 
 ground, anJ water, are her only productions; and, though both the forms and arrai 
 ments of thefe may be varied to an incredible degree, yet have they but few ftriking va- 
 rieties, the reft being of the nature of changes rung upon bells, which, though in reality dif- 
 ferent, ftill produce the fame uniform kind of gingling; the variation being too minute to be 
 euhly perceived." " Art mull therefore fupply the fcantlntfs 0/ Nature," &c. &c. page 14. 
 
 /md
 
 r* 
 
 ( 9 ) 
 
 » 
 
 Prolong the peal, yet fpite 6f all your clatter, 
 
 The tedious chime' is ftill ground, plants, and water. 
 
 So, when fome John his dull invention racks, 
 
 To rival Boodle's dinners, or Almack's, c<> 
 
 Three uncouth legs of mutton fhock our eyes, 
 
 Three roafted geefe, three butter'd apple-pies. 
 
 Come then, prolific Art, and with thee bring 
 The charms that rife from thy exhauftlefs fpring ; 
 To Richmond come, for fee, untutor'd Brown e$ 
 
 Deftroys thofe wonders which were once thy own. 
 Lo, from his melon-ground the peafant nave 
 Has rudely rufli'd, and levell'd Merlin's Cave ; 
 Knock'd down the waxen Wizzard, feiz'd his wand, 
 Transform'd to lawn what late was Fairy land ; £ 
 
 And marr'd, with impious hand, each fweet defign 
 Of Stephen Duck, and good Queen Caroline, 
 
 D Haftc 
 
 NOTE. 
 
 'And again, « Our larger works are only a repetition of the fmall ones, like the honejl Bache- 
 Ur'sfeajt, which confifted in nothing but a multiplication of his own dinner ; three legs of 
 mutton andturneps, three roajied geefe, and three buttered apple-pies." Preface, page 7.
 
 ( ™ ) 
 
 Hafte, hid yon livelong Terras re-afcend, 
 
 Replace each vifta, ftraighten every bend; 
 
 Shut out the Thames; mall that ignoble thing $£ 
 
 Approach the prefence o-f great Ocean's King J 
 
 No ! let Barbaric glories feaft his eyes, 
 
 Auguft Pagodas round his palace rife, 
 
 And finim'd Richmond open to his view, 
 
 *' A work to wonder at, perhaps a" Kew. 70 
 
 Nor reft we here, but, at our magic call, 
 Monkies fhall climb our trees, and lizards crawl; 
 
 Huge 
 
 NOTES. 
 
 Verfe 67. [No ! let Barbaric glories.] So Milton. 
 
 " Where the gorgeous Eaft with richeft hand 
 Showers on her Kings Barbaric pearl and gold." 
 Verfe 72. [Monkies fhall climb our trees.] " In their lofty woods ferpmts and 
 lizards of many beautiful forts crawl upon the ground. Innumerable monkies, cats, and par- 
 rots clamber -upon the trees." Page 40. " In their lakes are many ijlands, fome fmall, 
 iome large, amongft which are often feen flalking along, the elephant, the rhinoceros, the 
 dromedary, oftrich, and the giant baboon." Page 66. " They keep in their inchanted 
 fcenes, a furprizing variety of monftrous birds, reptiles and animals, which are tamed by 
 arr, and guarded by enormous dogs of Tibet and African giants, in the habits of magi- 
 cians." Page 42. " Sometimes in this romantic excurfion, the paflenger finds himfHf 
 in extenfive receffes, furrounded with arbours of jeflamine, vine, and rofes ; where beau- 
 teous Tartarean dumfeb, in loofe tranfparent robes that flutter in the air, pixfeut him with 
 
 rich
 
 ( « ) 
 
 Huge dogs of Tibet bark in yonder grove, 
 
 Here parrots prate> there cats make cruel love ; 
 
 In fome fair ifland will we turn to grafs J$ 
 
 (With the Queen's leave) her elephant and afe. 
 
 Giants from Africa (hall guard the glades, 
 
 Where hifs our fnakes, where fport our Tartar maids ; 
 
 Or, wanting thefe, from Charlotte Hayes we bring, 
 
 Damfels alike adroit to fport and fting. So 
 
 Now to our lawns of dalliance and delight, 
 Join we the groves of horror and affright j . 
 This to atchieve no foreign aids we try, 
 Thy gibbets, Bagfhot ! (hall our wants- fupply ; 
 Hounflbw, whofe heath fublimer terror fills, 85 
 
 Shall with her gibbets lend her powder millsv 
 
 NOTES. 
 
 Her© 
 
 rich wines, &c. and invite him to tafte the fweets of retirement, on Perfian carpets, and 
 beds of Camufathkin down." Page 40. 
 
 Verfe 84. [Thy gibbets, Bagfhot 1] " Their fcenes of terror are compofed 'of 
 gkiomy woods, &c. gibbets, crofles, wheels, and the whole apparatus of torture are feen 
 from the roads. Here too they conceal in cavities, on the fummits of the higheft moun- 
 tains, founderles, lime-kilns, and glafs works, which fend forth large volumes of flame, 
 and continued columns of thick fmoke, that give to thefe, mountains the appearance of 
 
 Volcancs."
 
 
 Here too, O King of Veugeahce, in thy fanr, 
 
 Tremendous Wilkes mall rattle his gold chain ; 
 
 And round that fane 911 many a Tyburn tree, 
 
 Hang fragments dire or" Newgate-hiftory ; ' 90 
 
 On this mail H*ll*d's dying fpeech, be read, 
 
 Here B — te-'s confeflion, and his v^ooden head ; „ 
 
 While all the minor plunderers of the age 
 
 (Too numerous far for this contracted page) 
 
 The R*g*ys, Mungos, B*ds*ws there, 95 
 
 In ltraw-ftufft effigy, fhall kick the air. 
 
 . But 
 
 N O T E "S. 
 
 Volcanos." Page 37. c f Here the paffenger from time to time, is furprized with 
 repeated (hocks of electrical impulfe ; the earth tremb-les under him by the power of con- 
 fined air," &c. Page 39. Now to produce both thefe effects, viz. the appearance of vol- 
 caaos and earthquakes, we have here fubftituted the -occafional explofion of a powder- 
 mill, which (if there be not too much fimplicity in the contrivance) it is apprehended 
 will at once anfwer all the purpofes of lime-kilns, and eleclrical machines, and imitate 
 thunder, and the explofion of cannon into the bargain. Vide page 40. 
 
 Verfe 87. [Here too, O King of Vengeance, &c] " In the moft difmal recedes of 
 the woods, are temples dedicated to the 'King of Vengeance, near which are placed pillars 
 of ftone, with paiheiic defcripuons cf tragical events ; and many a6ts of cruelty perpetrated 
 there by outlaws and relben." Page 37. 
 
 Verfe 88. [Tremendous Wilkes.] This was written while Mr. Wilkes was Sheriff 
 of London, and when it was to be feared he would rattle his chain a year longer as Lord 
 Mayor.
 
 ( '3 ) 
 
 But fay, ye powers, who come when Fancy calN, 
 
 Where mall our mimic London rear her walls ? 
 
 That Eaftern feature, Art rauft next produce, 
 
 Tho' not for prefent, yet for future ufe ; 100 
 
 Our ions fome flave of greatnefs may behold, 
 
 Caff, in the genuine Afiatic mould ; 
 
 Who of three realms mail condefcend to know 
 
 No more than he can fpy from Windibr's brow ; 
 
 For Him that bleffing of a better time, ioj 
 
 The Mufe mall deal awhile in brick and lime ; 
 
 Surpafs the bold AAEA$I in defign, 
 
 And o'er the Thames fling one ftupendous line 
 
 E Of 
 
 NOTES. 
 
 Verfe 98. [Where fhall our mimic London, &c] " There is likewife in- the fame 
 garden, viz. Yven-Ming-Yven, near Pekin, a fortified town, with its port, ftreets, public 
 lquares, temples, markets, Chops, and tribunals of juftice ; in fhort, with every thing 
 that is at Pekin, only on a fmaller fcale." 
 
 ■ " In this town the Emperors of China, who are too much the JIaves of their greatnefs to 
 appear in public, and their women, who are excluded from it by cuftom, are frequently 
 diverted with the hurry and buftle of the capital, which is there reprefented, feveral times 
 in the year, by the eunuchs of the palace." Page 32.
 
 ( H ) 
 
 Of marble arches, in a bridge, that cuts 
 
 From Richmond Ferry flant to Brentford Butts. 1 10- 
 
 Brentford with London's charms will we adorn ; 
 
 Brentford, the bifhoprick of Parfon Home. 
 
 There at one glance, the royal eye fhall meet 
 
 Each varied beauty of St. James's Street; 
 
 Stout T*lb*t there fhall ply with hackney chair, 115. 
 
 And Patriot Betty fix her fruitfhop there. 
 
 Like diftant thunder, now the coach of flate 
 
 Rolls o'er the bridge that groans beneath its weight.. 
 
 The Court have crofs'd the ffream ; the fports begin j 
 
 Now N**l preaches of Rebellion's fin : izo? 
 
 And as the powers of his ftrong pathos rife,. 
 
 Lo, brazen tears fall from Sir Fl**r's eyes.. 
 
 NOTES. 
 
 While 
 
 Verfe 109. [Of marble arches.] See Sir William's enormous account of Chinefe 
 bridges, too long to be here inferted. Vide page 53. 
 
 Ve-feii5. [Stout T*)b*t, &c] " Some of thefe eunuchs perfonate porters." Page 32. 
 
 Verfe 116. [And Patriot Betty.] " Fruits and all forts of refrefhments are c/ied 
 about the flreets in this mock city." Page 33. 
 
 Verfe 122. [Lo brazen tears, &c.j 
 
 Drew iron tears down Pluto's check. Milton.
 
 ( '5 ) 
 
 W le fkulking round the pews, that babe of grace, 
 
 Who ne'er before at fermon fhew'd his face, 
 
 See Jemmy Twitcher (hambles ; flop ! flop thief! izj 
 
 He's ftol'n the E* of D*nb*h's handkerchief. 
 
 Let B*rr*t*n arrefr. him in mock fury, 
 
 And M**d hang the knave without a jury. 
 
 But hark the voice of battle fhouts from far, 
 
 The Jews and- Macaroni's are at war : 130 
 
 The Jews prevail, and, thund'ring from the flocks,. 
 
 They feize, they bind, they circumcife C*s F*. 
 
 Fair Schw***H fmiles the iport to fee, 
 
 And all the Maids of Honour cry Te! He! 
 
 NOTES. 
 
 Verfe 125- [S ee Jemmy Twitcher (hambles.] " Neither are thieres, pickpockets, and 
 {harpers forgot in thefe feftivals ; that noble profeffion is ufually allotted to a good number 
 ef the moft dextrous eunuchs." Vide, ibid.. 
 
 Verfe 127-. [Let B*rr*t*n.] " The watch feizes on the culprit." Vide, ibid. 
 
 Verfe 128. [And M**d, &c], '« He is conveyed before the Judge, and fometimss 
 feverely baitinadned." Ibid. 
 
 Verfe 129. [But hark, &c] " Quarrels happen — battles enfue." ibid. 
 
 Verfe 132. [Circumcife C*s 7*.] " Every liberty is permitted, there is no diftinc- 
 tion of perfons." ibid. 
 
 Verfe 13+. [And all the Maids of Honour, &c. «* This is done to divert his Im- 
 perial, Majcfty, and the ladies uf his train." Vide ibid».
 
 ( *6 ) 
 
 Be thefe the rural palftimes that attend j a e 
 
 Great B*nfw*k's leifure: thefc fliall bell unbend 
 His royal mind, whene'er from ftate withdrawal, 
 He treads the velvet of his Richmond lawn; 
 Thefe fliall prolong his Afiatic dream, 
 
 Tho' Europe's balance trembles on its beam. 140 
 
 And thou, Sir William 1 while thy plaftic hand 
 Creates each wonder, which thy Bard lias planu'd, 
 While, as thy art commands, obfequious rife 
 W T hate'er can pleafe, or frighten, or furprize,. 
 O ! let that Bard his Knight's protection claim, 
 And fhare, like faithful Sancho, Quixote's fame. 146 
 
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