usly gone through the several parts of this
wonderful work, and clearly proved it, in every one of these parts, and
in all of them together, to be a "due and proper epic poem", and to
have as good a right to that title, from its adherence to prescribed
rules, as any of the celebrated masterpieces of antiquity. And here I
cannot help again lamenting that, by not knowing the name of the
author, I am unable to twine our laurels together, and to transmit to
posterity the mingled praises of genius and judgment, of the poet and
his commentator.

[Footnote 230: More commonly known, I believe, by the appellation of
Jack Shepherd.]

POETRY OF THE ANTI-JACOBIN.

(1797-1798.)

LII. THE FRIEND OF HUMANITY AND THE KNIFE-GRINDER.

The _Anti-Jacobin_ was planned by George Canning when he was
Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. He secured the
collaboration of George Ellis, John Hookham Frere, William Gifford,
and some others. The last-named was appointed working editor. The
first number appeared on the 20th November, 1797, with a notice
that "the publication would be continued every Monday during the
sitting of Parliament". A volume of the best pieces, entitled _The
Poetry of the Anti-Jacobin_, was published in 1800. It is almost
impossible to apportion accurately the various pieces to their
respective authors, though more than one attempt has been made so
to do. The following piece is designed to ridicule the extravagant
sympathy for the lower classes which was then the fashion.

_Friend of Humanity_.

Needy knife-grinder! whither are you going?
Rough is the road, your wheel is out of order--
Bleak blows the blast; your hat has got a hole in't,
So have your breeches!

Weary knife-grinder! little think the proud ones,
Who in their coaches roll along the turnpike-
Road, what hard work 'tis crying all day, "Knives and
Scissors to grind O!"

Tell me, knife-grinder, how you came to grind knives?
Did some rich man tyrannically use you?
Was it the squire? or parson of the parish?
Or the attorney?

Was it the squire for killing of his game? or
Covetous parson for his tithes distraining?
Or roguish lawyer made you lose your little
All in a lawsuit?

(Have you not read the _Rights of Man_, by Tom Paine?)
Drops of