Memoir of Mrs. Piozzi — Original Poetry. 



438 



the Nature and Properties of Contfif;ion, tending 

 to correct the popular Notions of tliis Subject, and 

 nointine; out the Means of Prevention. Second 

 Edition, price 6s. 8vo. boards. 



4. Keports on the Di.<eafe.s of London, and tlie 

 Stale of the Weather, from 1804 to 1816, including 

 practical Remarks on the Cau.^es and Treatment of 

 the former. In 8vo. 98. boards. 



MRS. PIOZZI. 



At Clifton, in the 82d year of her age, 

 Mrs. Hester Lynch Fiozzi, once celebrated 

 as Mrs. Thrale. She was descended on the 

 paternal and maternal side, from the families 

 of the Salisburys and Cottons, baronets of 

 North Wales, but was still more distin- 

 ^ished as the intimate friend and associate 

 of Dr. Johnson, Biirk.e,Sir Joshua Reynolds, 

 Garrick, Goldsmith, Murphy, and most of 

 those genuises who formed the Aupfiistan 

 period of the reign of Georg-e the Third. 



The world has long known in what esti- 

 mation her society was held in that circle 

 where those illustrious men, with Mrs. 

 Montague, Mrs. Carter, Vesey, Boscawen, 

 and many others, formed parties seldom 

 surpassed in talent and acquirement. The 

 vivacity of her mind was a never-failing 

 source of pleasure to all who had the good 

 fortune to enjoy her society, wliile the 

 brilliancy of her wit, tempered by inva- 

 riable good humour, and general benevo- 

 lence, delighted all who approached her. 

 Her manners were polished and graceful 

 — her erudition, the result of a regularly 

 classical education, under the learned Dr. 

 Collyer, was much more profound than 

 those who only conversed with her super- 

 ficially, were likely to discover ; for, 

 wisely considering the line usually pre - 



Ti'aii bluo- 



[June ] , 



scribed in such pursuits to her iCTC, she 

 made no display of scholarship, yet was 

 always ready to give her testimony when 

 properly called upon ; indeed, on those 

 occasions. It was impossible altogether to 

 conceal the rich and rare acquirements in 

 various sciences which she possessed. 



Of her writings many are before the 

 public, and if some are inclined to condemn 

 a coloquial style, in which perhaps she was 

 too fond of indulging, all must admire the 

 power of genius and splendour of talent 

 80 displayed. She was particularly bappy 

 in jeux tTefpril, numbers of which lie 

 scattered amongst her friends. Her 

 " Three Warnings,'' have long been held 

 in universal admiration as a specimen of 

 the precocity of her talents. Her fine 

 mental faculties remained wholly unim- 

 paired ; her memory was uncommonly re- 

 tentive on all subjects ;■ — enriched by apt 

 quotations, in which she was most happy, 

 and her letters and conversation to the last 

 had the same racy spirit that made her the 

 animating principle and ornament of the 

 distinguished society she moved in, at a 

 more early period of her life. 



She was authoress of several works, 

 among which was one on English Synony- 

 my, Retrospection of History, Letters to 

 Dr. Johnson, &c. &c. and although the 

 publication of the latter exposed her to 

 much critical animadversion, and to the 

 sarcasms of Peter Pindar, yet it is now 

 admitted that she was a woman of extraor- 

 dinary endowments, and an honour to her 

 sex and age. 



ORIGINAL POETRY. 



The following jeu de Esprit was sent from 

 Bengal about five years ago, but by 

 tekom composed is unknown. 



THE CONVERTED >fATIVE. 



ON heathen shores to kindle Christian 

 flame. 

 To India once a Missionary came, 

 A pious roan, replete with holy zeal. 

 And really anxious for the public weal. 

 The sweets of Christianity displayed. 

 Full many a convert had our hero made. 

 And many a native who damnation feared. 

 Heathen no more, a catholic appeared. 



To put the Padree's patience to the test, 

 Washee, (a sly old rogue) among the rest. 

 To chapel went;— and fo the story saith, 

 Embraced the doctrine of the christian 



faith ; 

 Tlie Priest, as usual, with a pious grace, 

 " Sprinkling pure water o'er his sable 



fcux," 

 Exclaimed, " with change of faith you 



alter names 

 So he who Washee went, returned as — 



James." 



ITie native listened with a mute enrprise. 

 But thought, while on the Priest he fixed 



his eyes, 

 Altho' me know, that you would change 



my God, 

 To change my name is very — very odd, 

 Me forty years of age, and all my life, 

 Sweet thick lipped Balshabam, my lovely 



wife. 

 Has called me " Washee" — ^Washee was 



my name. 

 Until this Massa \^Tiite man — parson 



came ; — 

 Water he put upon my face— that devilish 



strange, 

 And then he telle me, my name be change. 

 He call me James — well — James is now 



my name ; 

 Washee, or James to me is all the same. 

 But then the Parson say, I no must eat, 

 On what he call the " saint-days" any meat. 

 Nor, if I hope for mercy on the last day. 

 Must I touch flesh on Friday or on fast- 



day; 

 You will be damned,he bellowed, if you do. 

 But massa Parson, let me teliee you, 



Dam 



