[23] The famous THOMAS A BECKET, feigned by the poets to have been
drown'd, when, being half-seas over, in claret, he endeavoured to
return to land: on which occasion a wicked wit of the town made the
following epitaph for his tomb.
_Here lies
That shuffling, shambling, shrugging, shrinking shrimp,
Tom Becket, Mammon's most industrious imp!_
[24] A customary method it seems, of NYKY's expressing his admiration
of the acting of the immortal ROSCIUS.
[25] News-papers so called, in which ROSCIUS is not a sharer, and
hath not yet come up to the price of their silence.
Curse on that Morning-Chronicle; whose tale
Is never known with spightful wit to fail.
Curse on that FOOTE; who in ill-fated hour
Trod on the heels of my theatric-power;
Who, ever ready with some biting joke,
My peace hath long and would my heart have broke.
Curse on his horse--one leg! but ONE to break!
"A kingdom for a horse"--to break his neck!
Curse on that STEVENS,[26] with his Irish breeding,
While I am acting, shall that wretch be reading?
Curse on all rivals, or in fame or profit;
The Fantoccini still make something of it![27]