SINGULAR DEDICATIONS OF POEMS.

In the dedication of poems, one general manner has prevailed ever since poems were written -namely, to extol, with more or less extravagance, the individuals to whom they are inscribed. Every reader is familiar with instances of the fulsome extremes to which such adulation has been carried: let ours be the more agreeable task to bring together some of the few cases which are either deserving of imitation for the good taste in which they are conceived, or amusing for their eccentricity.

The happiest, and, at the same time, one of the shortest, dedications, which we remember to have met with, is that prefixed to the poem of "Madagascar," by Sir William Davenant; 1648. It is in these words:

"If these poems live, may their memories by whom they are cherished, Endymion Porter and H. Jarmyn, live with them."

Sheppard, in his "Epigrams, Theological, Philosophical, and Romantic,” 1651, has adopted almost literally the same style of inscription:

"If these Epigrams survive, (maugre the voracitie of

Time,) let the names of Christopher Clapham and James Winter (to whom the author dedicateth these his endeavours,) live with them."

Davenant's dedication had many other imitators: it may be said, indeed, to have given for a time the mode to this class of composition.

Nothing can be more pleasing than the idea of thus handing down to posterity the names of those friends by whom one's labours have been cherished," and but for whose encouragement they might, perhaps, never have seen the light. How different the feeling of the author, who,

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"To his most esteemed and beloved Selfe,
Dat dedicatque."

Who but some churlish cynic-some growler at the world-some man without a friend to commemorate, could thus proclaim his "selfe” idolatry? Such, in fact, in many respects, was Marston, whose "Scourge of Villainy" is inscribed in these terms.

Although Marston was imitated by many, he does not appear to have been copied in this particular by any one. The dedication of "A Scourge❞ seems more properly to belong to

those who are scourged; and so we find the "Scourge of Drunkenness," by Wm. Hornby, inscribed

"To all the impious and relentless-hearted ruffians and roysters under Bacchus' regiment: Cornuapes wisheth remorse of conscience and more increase of grace.

Come, Drunkenness, untrusse,

And naked strip thee,

For without mercy

I will soundly whip thee," &c.

Cornuapes is a name assumed by the author, in allusion to a wood-cut on the title, of a wild man of the ape species, smoking a pipe with one hand, and holding a scourge in the other.

The writer who has comprehended the greatest number of persons by name in one dedication, is the anonymous author of a scarce poetical tract, entitled "The Martyrdome of Saint George of Cappadocia, Titular Patron of England, and the Most Noble Order of the Garter,"-1614. It is dedicated "To all the Noble, Honorable, and Worthy in Great Brittaine, bearing the name of George; and to all other, the true friends of Christian Chivalrie, lovers of Saint George's name and vertues." It has been often erro

neously stated, that George was a Christian name of very rare occurrence in this country, until the accession of the present family to the throne. Burton mentions George de Charnels, in the time of Edward I.; and one of the brothers of Edward IV. was called George; but the name at that time was certainly less common than might have been expected, considering that Saint George was the titular patron of England; that he was the patron, also, of the Order of the Garter, instituted by Edward III.; and, especially, how the Scotch and Irish have honoured their patron saints, by the numberless Andrews and Patricks among them. In history, however, we find many Georges previous to the date of this work, as may be seen by consulting any of our biographical collections. Although few may have heard of George Clifford, Earl of Cumberland, or George Abbot, Archbishop of Canterbury, yet none are strangers to the names of George Buchanan, George Fox, George Monk, Duke of Albemarle, or the profligate George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham.

Next to dedicating to a shadow, we may class dedicating to nothing and nobody. Of this, we have a quaint enough example in the following

lines, which present a specimen of what may be termed dedication by inference.

"To my deare Friend, Mr. Charles Aleyn.
When Fame had sayd, thy poem should come out
Without a dedication; some did doubt

If Fame in that had told the truth, but I,
Who knew her false, boldly gave Fame the lye,
For I was certaine, that this booke, by thee,

Was Dedicated to Eternity.

Thy True Lover, ED. PRIDEAUX."

POETIC HIGHWAYMAN.

In a letter to Mr. Mead, preserved among that gentleman's papers in the British Museum, and dated February 3, 1625, there is the following account of a singular highwayman.

“Mr. Clavell, a gentleman, a knight's eldest son, a great highway-robber, and of posts, was, together with a soldier, his companion, arraigned and condemned, on Monday last, at the King's Bench bar. He pleaded for himself, that he never had struck or wounded any man, never taken any thing from their bodies, as rings, &c., never cut their girths or saddles, or done them, when he robbed, any corporeal violence. He was, with his companion, reprieved: he sent

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