BY GEORGE BREWER, Author of Hours of Leisure, &c. &c. DEDICATED BY PERMISSION TO JOHN HIRST, ESQ. Of Winchmore Hill, Southgate, Middlesex. LIVE TRIFLING INCIDENTS AND GRACE MY SONG." Derby: PRINTED FOR THE AUTHOR, BY G. WILKINS, Sold also by Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, London; 1819. JOHN HIRST, Esq. DEAR SIR, THOSE Who know you, and did know your late, highly esteemed, father, will not wonder that there should be private gratitude, that might produce public testimony of respect, and having myself, served my King, it cannot be matter of surprise that I desire to present my Work, to one who has also served, and more, commanded a troop in one of the most highly distinguished regiments in that service, the Royal Horse Guards, Blue. Believe me, Dear Sir, that I shall always consider it an honor, and pleasure to have any opportunity of subscribing myself with sincere regard, Your most Devoted humble servant, Lirias Cottage, Derby, } May 14th, 1819. GEO. BREWER. PREFACE. I Do not know what may be expected from these said PLEASANTRIES of mine, but I know that my friends, and subscribers must be very pleasant, and good tempered people for waiting the event so patiently. I think that I have given expectation a fair opportunity. I hope however most sincerely that these few Vagaries, may afford my subscribers some amusement in return for their kindness, and politeness, my excuse for the delay of publication is an honest one, and complimental to them. I cannot write when I please, and could not bring myself to consent to give them what I should myself call rubbish: my Verses such as they are, are my own. I could easily have packed up a few common place rhymes to have answer'd the purpose of making a book, nor should I have much cared for what the Messrs. Simpkins, Tompkins, or Hopkins of Society might have thought of the matter. I do not suffer these dull homines fit only to perpetuate the race of blockheads in the world, to "Dizzy my Arithmetic." Species who remind me of the excellent judgment in phisiognomy of my friend Shakspeare, "Whence got you that goose look?" I am now perhaps one of the most independent men living, not from having so much, but from wanting so little. The |