'
--And after the repast is concluded, they have some mulled wine, and
drink good night very ceremoniously.
'Lord Marmion drank a fair good rest,
The Captain pledged his noble guest,
The cup went round among the rest.'
In the morning, again, we are informed that they had prayers, and that
knight and squire
----'broke their fast
On rich substantial repast.'
'Then came the stirrup-cup in course,' &c., &c.
And thus a whole Canto is filled up with the account of a visit and a
supper, which lead to no consequences whatever, and are not attended
with any circumstances which must not have occurred at every visit and
supper among persons of the same rank at that period. Now, we are really
at a loss to know, why the mere circumstance of a moderate antiquity
should be supposed so far to ennoble those details, as to entitle them
to a place in poetry, which certainly never could be claimed for a
description of more modern adventures. Nobody, we believe, would be bold
enough to introduce into a serious poem a description of the hussar
boots and gold epaulets of a commander in chief, and much less to
particularize the liveries and canes of his servants, or the order and
array of a grand dinner, given even to the cabinet ministers.
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