126 History of the Company. 



His poems are characterised by a high rehglous 

 tone, and his denunciation of the ImmoraHty of 

 the time brought upon him the wrath and ridicule 

 of Dryden, Garth, and Pope, as well as of Tom 

 Brown and other minor wits. His residence at 

 Saddlers' Hall earned for him the titles of " the 

 City Bard," "the Cheapslde Knight," and a score 

 of others very similar. He was not a member 

 of the Saddlers' Company, but there Is a slight 

 flavour of the atmosphere of his surroundings at 

 the Hall in his defence of his first great work, 

 "Prince Arthur." He says, "I am not free of 

 the Poets' Company, having never kissed the 

 Governor's hands," alluding to which Dr. Johnson 

 says, "He had lived In the City till he had learned 

 its note." When Blackmore published his " Satire 

 upon Wit," Garth replied with a pungent epistle 

 in rhyme, addressed — 



"To THE Merry Poetaster at Saddlers' Hall 



IN Cheapside. 



Unwieldy pedant, let thy awkward muse 



With censures praise, with flatteries abuse 



To lash, and not be felt, in thee's an art 



Thou ne'er mad'st any, but thy school boys, smart. 



If B — I's immortal wit thou would'st descry 



Pretend 'tis he that writ thy poetry. 



Thy feeble satire ne'er can do him wrong, 



Thy poems and thy patients live not long." 



Tom Brown addresses him as " Richard Black- 

 more on the two wooden horses before Saddlers' 



