The Ghost: Book III

The Ghost: Book III

Original Text
Charles Churchill, The Ghost,+ Books I-II, 3rd edn. with additions (London: for the author, 1763). Microfilm no. 29 ROBA. 2nd edn. with additions. London: for the author,1763. Microfilm no. 28 Robarts Library.
794Horrid, unwieldly, without form,
795Savage, as ocean in a storm,
796Of size prodigious, in the rear,
797That post of honour, should appear
798Pomposo; fame around should tell
799How he a slave to int'rest fell,
800How, for integrity renown'd,
801Which booksellers have often found,
803And takes their cash--but where's the book?
804No matter where--wise fear, we know,
805Forbids the robbing of a foe;
806But what, to serve our private ends,
807Forbids the cheating of our friends?
808No man alive, who would not swear
809All's safe, and therefore honest there.
810For, spite of all the learned say,
811If we to truth attention pay,
812The word dishonesty is meant
813For nothing else but punishment.
814Fame too should tell, nor heed the threat
815Of rogues, who brother rogues abet,
816Nor tremble at the terrors hung
817Aloft, to make her hold her tongue,
818How to all principles untrue,
820He damns the pension which he takes,
821And loves the Stuart he forsakes.
822Nature (who justly regular,
823Is very seldom known to err,
824But now and then in sportive mood,
825As some rude wits have understood,
826Or through much work requir'd in haste,
827Is with a random stroke disgrac'd)
828Pomposo form'd on doubtful plan,
829Not quite a beast, nor quite a man,
830Like--God knows what--for never yet
831Could the most subtle human wit
832Find out a monster which might be
833The shadow of a simile.

Notes

802] Cf. Boswell, under 1756: "He this year resumed his scheme of giving an edition of Shakespeare with notes .... He promised his work should be published before Christmas, 1757. Yet nine years elapsed before it saw the light. His throes in bringing it forth had been severe and remittent; and at last we may almost conclude that the Caesarian operation was performed by the knife of Churchill, whose upbraiding satire, I dare say, made Johnson's friends urge him to dispatch." Back to Line
819] Johnson, an uncompromising Tory, had recently accepted a pension from George III. Back to Line
Publication Start Year
1763
RPO poem Editors
N. J. Endicott
RPO Edition
2RP.1.744; RPO 1997-2000.
Form