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Churchill, Charles, 1731-1764

"Poetical Works"

Warburton alluded to him contemptuously
afterwards, in a note to a new edition of 'The Dunciad.'
[144] 'Tom:' this son was Warburton's only child, and died before his
father.
[145] 'A lawyer:' Sir Fletcher Norton, who as well as Warburton is
caricatured.
[146] 'A lord:' Sandwich.
[147] 'Wharton:' Philip Duke of Wharton, whose character is found in
Pope's 'Moral Essays,' was noted for the greatness of his talents,
and for his dissolute life.


GOTHAM.[148]
In Three Books.

BOOK I.

Far off (no matter whether east or west,
A real country, or one made in jest,
Nor yet by modern Mandevilles[149] disgraced,
Nor by map-jobbers wretchedly misplaced)
There lies an island, neither great nor small,
Which, for distinction sake, I Gotham call.
The man who finds an unknown country out,
By giving it a name, acquires, no doubt,
A Gospel title, though the people there
The pious Christian thinks not worth his care 10
Bar this pretence, and into air is hurl'd
The claim of Europe to the Western world.
Cast by a tempest on the savage coast,
Some roving buccaneer set up a post;
A beam, in proper form transversely laid,
Of his Redeemer's cross the figure made--
Of that Redeemer, with whose laws his life,
From first to last, had been one scene of strife;
His royal master's name thereon engraved,
Without more process the whole race enslaved, 20
Cut off that charter they from Nature drew,
And made them slaves to men they never knew.


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