2"'' S. NO 61., Feb. 28. '57.] 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



161 



LONDON, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28. 1857. 



POPE, BELINDA, AND " THE MAN OF MERIT." 



Considering the long and intimate friendship 

 which existed between Pope and Mrs. and the 

 Misses Blount, it always appeared to me strange 

 that there should have been no intercourse, so far 

 as known, between Pope and Michael Blount, the 

 brother ; but the fact lately brought to light in 

 The AthencBum, of the drunken brawl in which 

 Michael Blount was engaged shows so far the 

 character and habits of the man, as to suggest an 

 explanation. It is almost equally strange that no 

 acquaintance or social intercourse was brought 

 about by the Rape of the Lock, the Dedication, 

 and the letter on her marriage, between Belinda, 

 the "man of merit," and the poet. The Perkins's 

 were Catholics, and Upton Court was within 

 range of Pope's visiting acquaintance. 



I suspect that in this, as in Michael Blount's 

 case, there was a want of congeniality — that Mr. 

 Perkins was a country gentleman of an old and 

 now forgotten school — a jovial fox-hunter — a 

 true man amongst ihe squires; and Pope, in a 

 letter to Cromwell, has left us an inimitable pic- 

 ture of this class of Berkshire gentlemen : 



" I assure you I am look'd upon in the neighbourhood 

 for a very sober and well-dispos'd person, no great Hunter 

 indeed, but a great Esteemer of the noble spoil, and only 

 unhappy in my want of constitution for that, and Drink- 

 ing. They all say 'tis pity I am so sickly, and I think 

 'tis pity they are so healthy. But I say nothing that 

 may destroy their good opinion of me ; I have not quoted 

 one Latin Author since I came down, but have learn'd 

 without Book a Song of Mr. Tho. Durfey's, who is your 

 only Poet of tolerable reputation in this Country. He 

 makes all the merriment in our Entertainments, and but 

 for him, there would be so miserable a dearth of Catches, 

 that I fear they would sans ceremonie put either the par- 

 son or me upon making some for 'em. Any man, of any 

 quality, is heartily welcome to the best Topeing-Table of 

 our Gentry, who can roundly humm out some fragments 

 or Rhapsodies of his Works : So that in the same manner 

 as was said of Homer to his Petractors, What? Dares 

 any man speak against Him who has given so many men 

 to Eat? (Meaning the Khapsodists who liv'd by re- 

 peating his Verses.) So may it be said of Mr. Durfey to 

 his Detractors; Dares any one despise Him, who has 

 made so many men Drink ? " 



I have, however, no reason for including Mr. 

 Perkins in this class, but the collection of one of 

 these " Rhapsodists," called Les Badinages de 

 Mons. Wynter, or Wynters Whims ; and as this 

 collection was not published till 1744, and as Be- 

 linda's Mr. Perkins died in 1736, I ought perhaps 

 to assume that his successor at Upton was the 

 party alluded to ; but Mr. Wynter appears to 

 have passed many of his later years in Reading 

 gaol, and to have collected the wretched trash 

 which forms the volume as an apology for levy- 

 ing small mail on his friends and neighbours. I 



must indeed believe that such stuff could only 

 have been written in the sallad days even of a 

 worshipper of Tom Durfey. The Collection is 

 Berkshire all over ; all classes and conditions of 

 Berkshire people are therein celebrated, from Mr. 

 Parker, M.P. for the county, to J. Cashin, sur- 

 veyor of the roads, including Miss Dawson, who 

 sent him a present when in Reading gaol, and 

 the people of Upton Court, where, from the fol- 

 lowing, he appears to have been a guest : 



" A Rhapsody, The Lambourn Hares, written at Upton 

 Court. 



" Since Lambourn Hares are sav'd by Frost, 

 And since we're met together. 

 We'll swear and dance and sing and toast, 

 And ne'er regard the weather." 



There are four verses to this rhapsody ; but 

 one, I think, is enough to give you a taste of its 

 qualify. 



Another address to Mr. Perkins is of a still 

 lower tone ; and I cannot but hope that it was not 

 addressed to the husband of Belinda, or to any 

 other husband. It gives us, however, an insight 

 into the life of one or other of the Perkins's, and 

 mav be, therefore, just worth preserving in the 

 pages of " N. & Q. : " 



" Advice to Mr. Perkins, after a most acute Feaver, which 

 teas judg d the third day. 



" I'm going, Sir, to dirty Theal, 

 To purchase there a well-fed Eel, 

 And something else — you know my mind, 

 A pretty little Lass — that's kind. 



" I'd have you likeAvise change the scene, 

 And go to Aldermarston Green, 

 There difTrent Objects 3'ou will see, 

 And tast of sweet Variety. 



" Hear Harry Boyle, like skylark sing. 

 And D — k — a say — not one good thing. 

 Variety's the Soul of Bliss, 

 Rejecting that — we take up this. 



" From hence to Padworth you'll repair, 

 See B — r young, and H — h fair. 

 Both please the Eye, — both charm the Ear. 



" Alternately then with 'e:n dance. 

 Give one a Squeeze — and one a glance — 

 I alwaj'S was, and am your Friend, 

 Your Caution highly I commend. , ; j 



" Your Stream of Passion to divide. 

 The Banks might blow — if in one Tide 

 It flow'd — such Love might break your Rest, 

 But, if she's kind — 'tis past a Jest. 



" Then all all all Hers you must be. 

 For Ladies deal not in Synecdoche." 



Before I take leave of the Perkins's I may as 

 well note that Mr. Carruthers says (ii. 219.) that — 



" In the parish church of Ufton Nervets are some monu- 

 ments of the family [of Perkins] — one of them in chalk, 

 representing Arabella and her husband under an arch sup- 

 ported by Corinthian columns." 



I cannot but think that Mr. Carruthers was writ- 

 ing at second-hand, and has made a blunder ; but 



J 



