Chapter XII: Appendix: I

DR SWIFT'S REMARKS

On "The first Fifteen Psalms of David, translated into Lyric Verse: Proposed as an Essay, supplying the Perspicuity and Coherence according to the Modern Art of Poetry; not known to have been attempted before in any Language. With a Preface containing some Observations of the great and general Defectiveness of former Versions in Greek, Latin, and English. By Dr. [James] Gibbs. London: printed by J. Mathews, for John Hartley, over-against Gray's-Inn, in Holborn. MDCCI."

THE FIRST FIFTEEN PSALMS, TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH VERSE.

DR GIBBS. DR SWIFT. I. PSALM OF DAVID, (1) (1)I warn the reader that _Comparing the different state of the this is a lie, both here righteous and the wicked, both in this and all over the book; and the next world._ for these are not Psalms of David, but of Dr. Gibbs.

1 Thrice happy he! that does refuse. (2) But I suppose with
With _impious_ (2) _sinners_ to combine; _pious_ sinners a man may
Who ne'er their wicked way pursues, combine safely enough
And does the scorner's _seat_(3)_decline_
(3)What part of speech
is it?

2 But still to learn, and to obey (4) All.
The Law of God is his delight;
In that employs himself all day, (5) A man must have
And reads and thinks thereon at(4) some time to sleep; so
night.(5) that I will change the
verse thus:
"And thinks and dreams
thereon all night."

3 For as a tree, whose spreading root (6) Look ye; you must
By some prolific stream is fed, thin the boughs at the
Produces (6) fair and timely fruit, top, or your fruit will
And numerous boughs adorn its head: be neither fair or
Whose (7) very leaves, tho' storms descend, timely.
In lively verdure still appear
(7) Why, what other part
Whose (7) very leaves, tho' storms descend, of a tree appears in lively.
In lively verdure still appear; verdure, beside the
Such blessings always shall attend leaves?
The man that does the Lord revere. These very leaves on
which you penn'd
Your woeful stuff, may
serve for squibs:
Such blessings always
shall attend
The madrigals of Dr.
Gibbs.

4 Like chaff with every wind disperst:(1) (1) "Disp_u_rst,"
[rhyming with "curst"] Pronounce this like a
blockhead.

6 And these to punishment may go. (2) (2) If they please.

["The above may serve for a tolerable specimen of Swift's remarks. The whole should be given, if it were possible to make them intelligible, without copying the version which is ridiculed; a labour for which our readers would scarcely thank us. A few detached stanzas, however, with the Dean's notes on them, shall be transcribed." Thus writes Scott; but I have added a great many more, which deserve reprinting, if only for their humour. [T.S.]]

DR GIBBS. DR SWIFT.