. Physicians try'd their skill, his head relieved, From the title to another poem to the memory of the author in the same collection by Elias Bockett, we learn that Rose died on the twentysecond of August,* 1723, at the age of twentyeight. The verses collected by his son occupy twenty-six moderate-sized pages only. They display skill and ease in versification: TO HIS COMPANION AT SEA. Debarr'd, my friend, of all the joys The land, and charming sex can give, To raise and quicken every sense. Should seas and skies in rage combine; And feast our souls with gen'rous wine, Then fill the glass; nay, fill a bowl, And make soft wit with pleasure join. To this we may add a copy of verses, written in 1720, proving the antiquity of the now prevalent American custom of New Year's Carriers' Addresses: PIECE, WROTE BY HIM FOR THE BOYS WHO CARRIED OUT THE Full fifty times have roul'd their changes on, A silver thought, express'd in ill-shap'd ore, To grace our work, swift Merc'ry stands in view; Keimer gives another date. Antiquaries must choose between them. Distributes news to all th' expecting town. Yet whilst, with gen'rous breath, you hail the day, SAMUEL KEIMER. WHEN Franklin first arrived in Philadelphia he was taken, it will be remembered; by old Mr. William Bradford, to the office of Keimer, then just commencing business, and engaged upon a performance of his own, which he literally composed at the stand, setting up the types as the ideas came to his mind. This was an Elegy on the young printer, Aquila Rose, of whom we have just given some account; and which it was the lot of Benjamin Franklin to print off when its author had finished it. The Elegy has long since become a great literary curiosity, and it cost us some pains to find any reprint of it; but our intention to do justice to the literary associates of Franklin was at last assisted by a reference to Hazard's Register of Pennsylvania, where we found the woful ballad reproduced from its original hand-bill form of the year 1723, after a sleep of more than a hundred years, in 1828.* As it is curious as a quaint specimen of printing in the Franklin connexion, besides being a picture of the times, it should be mentioned that it was ornamented with the usual symbols of deaththe head and Lones and hour-glass," and that it was "printed in the High-street," for the price 66 of twopence. The italics and capitals are, it strikes us at this day, somewhat capricious. We have preserved them as they occur. 66 Keimer, coming from the old world, was a character. He had been, Franklin tells us, one of the French prophets, and could act their enthusiastic agitations," a stock in trade upon which he was disposed to set up in America as the evangelist of a new religion. Franklin was in the habit of arguing with him on the Socratic method, and was so successful that he gained his respect, and an invitation to join him in the partnership of the new doctrines. What they were, the world has never fully learned. It is only known from the Autobiography that "Keimer wore his beard at full length, because somewhere Hazard's Penns. Reg., Nov. 1828, 263. in the Mosaic law it is said, Thou shalt not mar the corners of thy beard. He likewise kept the seventh day Sabbath; and these two points were essential with him." His Socratic friend from Massachusetts saw the weakness of his associate, and ingeniously proposed, as an addition, abstinence from animal food, a trial of which, in a short time, broke down both the man and his system. Keimer, after awhile, left for the West Indies, where we hear of him in 1734 as the editor of the Barba loes Gazette, in which capacity he found himself in the society of a very gentlemanly company of people, who sometimes forgot to pay the printer, and, somewhat too recklessly ventilating his opinions, was bound over to keep the peace for six months for publishing a libel. A collection of papers from this journal was, in 1741, printed in London, with the title, Caribbeana, in two quarto volumes, arranged in a stiff imitation of the Tatler. There is now and then a tolerable passage, but the mass is a lamentable series of stale, unimportant politics, slightly alleviated by compliments to reigning toasts and beauties, who can no longer by their presence give zest to the dulness of their admirers. This is the last we see of Keimer; but his ghost still walks the earth in vagrant and unsettled members of his craft, equally ready to print other people's ideas and their own, quite as capable of handling the pen as the composing stick, and lucky if their crude tendencies to spiritualism are restrained by as exacting a corporeal system. * His complaint on one of these occasions has been preserved by Thomas in the History of Printing (ii. 355). From the Barbadoes Gazette of May 4, 1734. To those woud-be-thought Gentlemen, who have long taken this paper, and never paid for it, and seem never to design to pay for it. The Sorrowful Lamentation of Samud Keimer, Printer of the What a pity it is that some modern bravadoes, And care not to pay him in Summer or Winter! A saint by the hairs of his beard, had he got 'em, Might be tempted to swear [instead of P-x rot 'em.] He ne'er found before, such a parcel of wretches, With their flams, and such shuffles, put offs and odd fetches. If this is their honesty, that be their honour, Amendment seize one; for the last,-fie upon her. In Penn's wooden country, type feels no disaster, [Oh, methinks in that name there is something divine, ah!] Tho' working like slave, with zeal and true courage, • Andrew Bradford, of Phila. + William Bradford, of New York. William Parks, who printed for both colonies. Lewis Timothy then printed for the Government of South Carolina. AN ELEGY, On the much Lamented DEATH of the INGENIOUS and WELL-BELOVED AQUILA ROSE, CLERK to the Honourable ASSEMBLY at Philadel phia, who died the 24th of the 4th month, 1723. Aged 28. WHAT Mournful Accents thus accost mine Ear, Assist ye Philadelphians with Consent, (And in soft Numbers warble forth Desire,) known, That they to us may eccho back a Groan. One's Queen of Flowers, the Other King of Birds. His flowing Members and his lofty Rhime, Have breath'd, and spoke his Thoughts, thro' every Line, So warm'd my Soul (and oft inspired my Tongue,) As if a Cherub or a Seraph sung. A gen'rous Mind tow'rds all his Friends he bore, Scarce one he lost, but daily numb'red more. Some say he'd Foes; his Foes I never knew; Who spoke ill of him, mostly spoke untrue. Courteous, and humble, pleasant, just and wise, No Affectation vain did in him rise. Sincere and plain, (I make not any Doubt) He was the same Within Side as Without. He loved plain Truth, but hated formal Cant In those who Truth and Honesty did want. A curious Artist at his Business, he Could Think, and Speak, Compose, Correct so free, To make a Dead man speak, or Blind to see. Of different learned Tongues, he somewhat knew The French, the Latin, Greek and Hebrew too. Firm to his Vows, a tender Husband prov'd And Father-like, his Princely Babe he lov'd. Our Wise and Great Vice Roy did him respect, Our learned Mayor (I know) DID him affect; Our grave Assembly voted him most fit, Their wise Debates in Writing to commit, But stop my Muse, and give thy Sorrows vent, Such Sorrows which in Hearts of Friends are pent, Search deep for Sighs and Groans in Nature's Store, Then weep so long, till thou canst weep no more, Next Summer all thy Strength, and others call, To tell his Death, and solemn Funeral. While on his Death-Bed, oft, Dear Lord, he cry'd, To shew their Love, each differing Sect agree When to the crowded Meeting he was bore, Sweetly display God's Universal Love; His Words like Balm (or Drops of Honey) laid, To heal those Wounds Grief in my Heart had made. In whose kind, gracious lovely arms we'll leave him; For HE who bought him, has most Right to have him. GEORGE WEBB Is another of Franklin's early literary associates in Philadelphia, whose characters live in the pages of the Autobiography. Franklin found him, on his return from England, a youth of eighteen, apprenticed to his former master Keimer, who hal "bought his time" for four years. Webb was a runaway adventurer from England, and gave this account of himself, as Franklin has related it:-"That he was born in Gloucester, educated at a grammar-school, and had been distinguished among the scholars for some apparent superiority in performing his part when they exhibited plays; belonged to the Wits' Club there, and had written some pieces in prose and verse, which were printed in the Gloucester newspapers. Thence was sent to Oxford; there he continued about a year, but not well satisfied; wishing, of all things, to see London, and become a player. At length, receiving his quarterly allowance of fifteen guineas, instead of discharging his debts, he went out of town, hid his gown in a furzebush, and walked to London: where, having no friend to advise him, he fell into bad company soon spent his guineas, found no means of being introduced among the players, grew necessitous, pawned his clothes, and wanted bread. Walking the street very hungry, and not knowing what to do with himself, a crimp's bill was put into his hand, offering immediate entertainment and encouragement to such as would bind themselves to serve in America. He went directly, signed the indentures, was put into the ship and came over; never writing a line to his friends to acquaint them what was become of him. He was lively, witty, good-natured, and a pleasant companion; but idle, thoughtless, and imprudent to the last degree." Webb was afterwards enabled to raise himself out of his apprenticeship into a partnership with Keimer, and he became a member of Franklin's conversation club, the Junto; and in 1731 perpetrated a copy of verses, entitled Batchelors' Hall, descriptive of a place of entertainment in the suburbs, which was published with the honorable title of "A Poem," with a motto from Cicero on the title-page, and two complimentary effusions in verse by J. Brientnall and J. Taylor, who showed themselves hopeful of the American muse on the occasion. Taylor at the time kept a mathematical school in the city, and published an almanac,* which preceded Franklin's. He published in 1728 a poetical piece entitled Pennsylvania. He was alive in 1736, in an extreme old age. What further became of Webb we know not. We are content with this look at him through the Franklin microscope. BATCHELORS' HALL: A POEM. O spring, thou fairest season of the year, Say, goddess, tell me, for to thee is known, *The first book printed in Pennsylvania was “An Almanao for the Year of the Christian Account 1687. By Daniel Leeds, Student in Agriculture. Printed and sold by William Bradford, near Philadelphia, in Pennsylvania, pro anno 1687." Leeds left the colony not long after in dudgeon with the Quakers, as we may infer from his pamphlet published by Bradford, in New York, in 1699: "A Trumpet sounded out of the Wilderness of America, which may serve as a warning to the government and people of England to beware of Quakerism; wherein is shown how in Pennsylvania and thereaway, where they have the government in their own hands, they hire and encourage men to fight; and how they persecute fine, and imprison, and take away goods for conscience' sake." -Fisher's Early Poets, Pa. 112 Why stands this dome erected on the plain? With mutual love each glowing breast inspire, Fired with the business of the noisy town, "Tis not a revel, or lascivious night, Much less shall impious doctrines here be taught, To mend the heart, and cultivate the mind. But yet sometimes the all-inspiring bowl Not the false wit the cheated world admires. Though gay, not loose; though learned, yet still clear; Though bold, yet modest; human, though severe; Though nobly thirsting after honest fame, In spite of wit's temptation, keeping friendship's name. O friendship, heavenly flame! by far above How beauteous are thy paths, how well designed, By thee inspir'd we wear a soul sedate, Then music too shall cheer this fair abode, Ye winds be hush'd, let no presumptuous breeze Let thy attentive fishes all be nigh; JOSEPH BRIENTNALL WAS another member of the "Junto," whom Franklin has sketched in a few words:- A copier of deeds for the scriveners,-a good-natured, friendly, middle-aged man, a great lover of poetry, reading all he could meet with, and writing some that was tolerable; very ingenious in making little knick-knackeries, and of sensible conversation." When Keimer, through the treacherous friendship of the Oxford scapegrace Webb, became acquainted with Franklin's plan of starting a newspaper, and anticipated the project; Franklin, whose plans were not fully ripe, threw the weight of his talent into the opposition journal of Bradford, The Weekly Mercury, where he commenced publishing the series of Essays, in the manner of the Spectator, entitled, The Busy-Body.* The first, fifth, and eighth numbers were Franklin's, and they were afterwards continued for some months by Brientuall. A more practical satisfaction soon followed, when Keimer's paper fell into Franklin's hands, and became known as the Philadelphia Gazette, of 1729. As a specimen of Brientnall we take his lines prefixed to Webb's "Batchelors' Hall: The generous Muse concern'd to see Let every deed that merits praise, Be justly crown'd with spritely verse; To him whose lines they, pleas'd, rehearse. Than this to hear, and that to view. JAMES RALPH. THE exact birthplace of this writer, who at tained considerable distinction by his political pamphlets and histories in England, and whose memory has been embalmed for posterity in the autobiography of Franklin and the Dunciad of Pope, has never been precisely ascertained. We first hear of him in the company of Franklin at Philadelphia, as one of his young literary cronies whom the sage confesses at that time to have in It was evidently considered a prominent feature of the small sheet in which it appeared. was 66 He doctrinated in infidelity. In those days Ralph a clerk to a merchant," and much inclined to " "give himself up entirely to poetry. was," adds Franklin, ingenious, genteel in his manners, and extremely eloquent; I think I never knew a prettier talker." He embarked with Franklin, as is well known, on his first voyage to England, leaving a wife and child behind him, as an illustration of his opinions, and the two cronies spent their money in London together, "inseparable companions" in Little Britain. Ralph rapidly went through all the phases of the old London school of preparation for a hack political pamphleteer. He tried the playhouse, but Wilkes thought he had no qualifications for the stage; he projected a weekly paper on the plan of the Spectator, but the publisher Roberts did not approve of it; and even an attempt at the drudgery of a scrivener with the Temple lawyers was unsuccessful. He managed, however, to associate with his fortunes a young milliner who lodged in the house with the two adventurers; but he was compelled to leave her, and go into the country for the employment of a schoolmaster, and Franklin took advantage of his absence to make some proposals to the mistress which were rejected, and which Ralph pleaded afterwards as a receipt in full for all his obligations, pecuniary and otherwise, to his friend. While in the provinces, where, by the way, he called himself Mr. Franklin, he found employment in writing an epic poem which he sent by instalments to his friend at London, who dissuaded him from it, and backed his opinions with a copy of Young's satire on the folly of authorship, which was then just published. He continued scribbling verses, however, till, as Franklin says, "Pope cured him." His first publication appears to have been Night, a poem, in 1728, which is commemorated in the couplet of the Dunciad: Silence, ye wolves, while Ralph to Cynthia howls, "Tis hard for man, bewilder'd in a maze 216. Book ill. 165-6. His name is also mentioned, Book i. In ages past, as time revolv'd the year, A Pindaric ode in blank verse, The Muse's Address to the King, was another of Ralph's poetical attempts. The year 1730 produced a play, The Fashionable Lady, or Harlequin's Opera, performed at Goodman's Fields, followed by several others, The Fall of the Earl of Essex, Lawyer's Feast, and Astrologer. Pope, not the fairest witness, says that he praised himself in the journals, and that upon being advised to study the laws of dramatic poetry before he wrote for the stage, he replied, "Shakspeare writ without rules." His ability at writing, however, and making himself useful, gained him the support of Dodington, and secured him a puff in that politician's Diary. He wrote in the newspapers of the day, the London Journal, the Weekly Medley, and published The Remembrancer in the use of his patron. His History of England during the reigns of King William, Queen Anne, and George I.; with an Introductory Review of the reigns of the Royal Brothers Charles II. and James II.; in which are to be found the seeds of the Revolution, was published in two huge folios, 1744-6, and he is said to have had in it Dodington's assistance. He was also the author of two octavo volumes on The Use and Abuse of Parliaments from 1660 to 1744, and a Review of the Public Buildings of London, in 1731, has been attributed to him. Charles James Fox has spoken well of his historical "acuteness" and "diligence," and noticed his "sometimes falling into the common error of judging by the event." His last production in 1758, for which his active experiences had fully supplied him with material, was entitled The Case of Authors by Profession or Trade Stated, with regard to Booksellers, the Stage and the Public. "It is," says Drake, "composed with spirit and feeling; enumerating all the bitter evils incident to an employment so precarious, and so inadequately rewarded; and abounds in anecdote and entertainment." Having thus recorded what he had learnt of this profession, and obtained a pension too late to enjoy it long, he died of a fit of the gout at Chiswick, Jan. 24, 1762.j Note to the Dunciad, Bk. iii. v. 165. This is Pope's own note, not Warburton's, as Chalmers alleges. + History of James II. 4to. 179. One of the anecdotes of Ralph is particularly amusing. We once read it among some manuscript notes by Mrs. Piozzi, to a copy of Johnson's Lives of the Poets. Garrick wishing to invite Ralph to a dinner party at his house, told his servant to carry him a card. The Milesian mistaking the order, went after him with Mr. Garrick's respects, who had sent a cart to bring him to dinner. It is needless to add he was missing at the table. Upon the host making inquiry it was found that Mr. Ralph had expressed his disapproval of the conveyance. § Franklin's Autobiography. Chalmers's Biog. Dict. Drake's |