Note 145 — EPISTLE TO NATHANIEL LISTER, Esq. OF LICHFIELD, ON HAVING READ HIS VERSES IN MANUSCRIPT, WRITTEN DECEMBER 1786.[141]

l. 10. On thy lyre—Mr Shaw, the Historian of Staffordshire, inserted, with the author’s consent, this poem in his work, p. 348. Beneath the lines on Dr Davies, he gives a note of reference to p. 290 of his history—but his information there, on the subject of that gentleman’s poetic works, is not accurate. Thus—“He was the author of Verses on Camden’s Picture, and of those to Bishop Cornwallis, in Dosdley’s Miscellany. He was about to publish his poems, but was dissuaded from it.” In the fifth volume of Dodsley’s miscellany, will be found, by Dr. Sneyd Davies, Canon of Lichfield, “Vacuna.” “On John Whalley Arranging Pamphlets.” A classic and exquisite little Poem, entitled, “Epithalamium on the Marriage of Mr Dodd and Miss St. Lege.” “Verses on Two Friends, Mr Dodd and Mr Horace Walpole born the same day.” Nothing can be happier than the thoughts in that panygeric, justly characterising two very eminent, and very opposite, yet united spirits. So far from being dissuaded from publishing his poetry, he did publish it, in a now rare, as valuable collection of poems, given to the public about the year 1744, by his friend the before-mentioned Mr Whalley, Fellow of King’s College, Cambridge, and who was himself, as that volume evinces, an ingenious poet. It was dedicated to Horace Walpole. Its pages from 175 to 264, glow with the emanations of Dr Davies’ genius. The verses on seeing Archbishop Williams’ Monument