The following genial and characteristic letter from the poet, having
escaped the research of the REV. T. S. GRIMSHAW, may be thought worthy of
transference from the scarce and ephemeral _brochure_ in which it has, as
far as I am aware, alone appeared, to your more permanent and attainable
repertory. The little work alluded to is entitled _Convivialia et
Saltatoria, or a few Thoughts upon Feasting and Dancing_, a poem in two
parts, &c., by G. Orchestikos: London, printed for the author, 1800, pp.
62. At page 39 will be found
"Nicotiana: a Poetical Epistle in praise of Tobacco; intended as a
refutation of the ill-founded remarks of William Cowper, Esq.
respecting this plant, in his elegant poem on Conversation. By Phil.
Nicot.
"The man I pity who abhors the fume
Of fine _Virginia_ floating in his room;
For, truly may Tobacco be defined,
A Plant preserving Health and Peace of mind.
1800."
Next follows the poem, dedicated "To the Tobacconists in general of England
and its colonies," and consisting of some 350 lines, concluding with the
following:
"Now by way of a Postscript, for I cannot conclude
Without _once more_ entreating, that you'll be so good
As to favour me with an Epistle, and soon,
Which in _my_ estimation will be such a boon
That I'll _carefully_ keep it; and dying, take care
To enjoin like Respect from my Son or my Heir;
And lest He should forget its great Value to ask,
Shall say,
It was wrote by the Hand, that first wrote out the Task:
No more I need mention, its Worth will appear,
And be kept as a Relic I _justly_ hold dear."
Next comes the poet's kindly response:
"Dear Sir,
"It is not in my power to send you an epistle that will entitle itself
to any of the _honours_ which you are so good as to promise to one from
me. My time is not my own, but is partly engaged in attendance on a
dear friend, who has long been in a very helpless state, {230} and
partly to the performance of what I owe to the public, a new edition of
my Homer, and also of the poetical works of Milton.
"With these labours in hand, together with the common avocations
incident to everybody, it is hardly possible that I should have
opportunities for writing letters. In fact, I am in debt to most of my
friends, and to many of them have been long in debt, whose claims upon
me are founded in friendship of long standing. To this cause you will
be so good as to ascribe it, that I have not sooner thanked you for
your humorous and pleasant contest with me on the subject of TOBACCO; a
contest in which I have not, at present, leisure to exercise myself,
otherwise I am hardy enough to flatter myself, that I could take off
the force of some of your arguments.
"Should you execute your design of publishing what you have favoured me
with a sight of, I heartily wish success to your muse militant, and
that your reward may be--many a pleasant pipe supplied by the profits
of your labours.
"Being in haste, I can add no more, except that I am, with respect, and
a due sense of the honour you do me,
Your obliged, &c.,
WILLIAM COWPER.
Weston-Underwood,
Oct. 4, 1793."
I hope that the above will be interesting to your Nicotian readers, and not
trespass too far upon your valuable space.