David Garrick (1717-1779). Song, in Connection with the Shakespeare Jubilee at Stratford upon Avon. William Stanley Braithwaite, ed. 1909. The Book of Georgian Verse

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William Stanley Braithwaite, ed. The Book of Georgian Verse. 1909.

Song, in Connection with the Shakespeare Jubilee at Stratford upon Avon

By David Garrick (1717–1779)


September 7, 1769 YE Warwickshire lads, and ye lasses!
See what at our Jubilee passes!
Come, revel away! Rejoice, and be glad;
For the Lad of all lads, was a Warwickshire Lad;
Warwickshire Lad!	5
All be glad,
For the Lad of all lads, was a Warwickshire Lad!

Be proud of the charms of your County;
Where Nature has lavished her bounty.
Where much she has given, and some to be spared;	10
For the Bard of all bards, was a Warwickshire Bard;
Warwickshire Bard:
Never paired;
For the Bard of all bards, was a Warwickshire Bard!

Each shire has its different pleasures,	15
Each shire has its different treasures:
But to rare Warwickshire all must submit;
For the Wit of all wits, was a Warwickshire Wit;
Warwickshire Wit:
How he writ!	20
For the Wit of all wits, was a Warwickshire Wit!

Old Ben, Thomas Otway, John Dryden;
And half a score more, we take pride in.
Of famous Will Congreve we boast too the skill;
But the Will of all Wills, was a Warwickshire Will;	25
Warwickshire Will;
Matchless still!
For the Will of all Wills, was a Warwickshire Will!

Our Shakespeare compared is to no man;
Nor Frenchman, nor Grecian, nor Roman.	30
Their swans are all geese to the Avon’s sweet Swan;
And the Man of all men, was a Warwickshire Man;
Warwickshire Man;
Avon’s Swan!
And the Man of all men, was a Warwickshire Man!	35

As ven’son is very inviting,
To steal it our Bard took delight in;
To make his friends merry he never was lag;
And the Wag of all wags, was a Warwickshire Wag;
Warwickshire Wag;	40
Ever brag!
For the Wag of all wags, was a Warwickshire Wag!

There never was seen such a creature;
Of all she was worth, he robbed nature;
He took all her smiles, and he took all her grief;	45
And the Thief of all thieves, was a Warwickshire Thief!
Warwickshire Thief;
He’s the chief!
For the Thief of all thieves, was a Warwickshire Thief!

CONTENTS · GLOSSARY · BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD

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