M 331

card 2

Then be it so
For well I know
Her Majesty will then
Applaud the thing,
And tell the King

How I respect Rare Ben." [Note: I omit the 6th (last) stanza.]

From the phrase, "our Own Rare Ben" and the line "that I have
wrote again on her birthday" it is clear that JB is alluding to
an earlier poem, written on the King's birthday; the last stanza
indicates that he wants to testify to the King, West, and the
Royal Academy his respect for West.

JB had attended the Essex Epiphany Sessions from 14 to 17 Jan 1793; he had returned to London on 17 Jan. (Expense account). The heading of the poem states he was too ill to attend the dinner[on Jan 18th]. In his letter to Andrew Gibb, 24 Jan 1793, (Letters ii.494) he says "I have not been well; otherwise I should have answered sooner."

That there was an aftermath of the 1793 song in the newspapers is shown in the attached s'llips.

JB's remarks on West, Royal Academy, 1792

Cd 2

M 331

St. James's Chronicle, 3/5 May 1792.

which we have suffered. Our Exhibition is rich
and numerous beyond example. We have been hon-
oured with the presence of his Royal Highness
the Heir Apparent of the Crown, and of other
visitors distinguished by rank and by talents;
and, what was peculiarly pleasing, by a numer-
ous attendance of the particular friends of
our ever-to-be lamented Sir Joshua Reynolds.
Sir, this is an epoch of the arts -- let us
then, Mr. President, congratulate ourselves
that the Royal Academy will proceed in contin-
uation to flourish under the immediate patron-
age of the Sovereign, which we have uniformly
enjoyed."

m 331

cd 1.

The Morning Chronicle. No.7377. London, Friday
January 25, 1793. Page [2], col.4.

"To the Editor of the Morning Chronicle.
Boswell's Song.

Sir,

In consequence, as I suppose, of your inserting
Mr. Boswell's famous song in your paper of
Tuesday, the following paragraph appeared in a
paper of that evening:

'As Mr. Boswell being absent from the Royal Academy dinner, his song, in honour of the President, was sung by Mr. Banner, in consequence of a note supposed to have been received from Mr. Boswell, but which proved to be an humorous forgery!'

I will not accuse the writer of this paragraph
of any intention to injure Mr. Boswell by de-
priving him of the merit accruing from his song,
but I will tell him, first, that he was not
present at the Academy dinner, and secondly,
that, consequently, he knows nothing about the
matter. The song was not sung by Mr. Banner, as
nor do I believe there was any gentleman of
that name present -- but to do away every idea
of a forgery, whether "humorous" or serious,
permit me to inform you, that the President did
announce to the company that he had received a
letter from Mr. Boswell, inclosing the song
published by you -- The song and letter were
seen by Dr. Bromley, Mr. Cosway, and other
gentlemen who sat near the President, and by

(continued)

Morning Chronicle, 25 Jan 1793.

Cd 2

desire of the latter, Mr. Richards, fellow Secretary with Mr. Boswell, went about the room to find a gentleman who could sing the song; Mr. M---, offered to do it, and in his performance had the applause of the company. I don't believe there were five men in the room who had any idea of a forgery. The writer of the above paragraph will therefore see the risk he runs by insinuating that men of the highest rank and respectability in the Society could be accomplices in such a forgery, though he is pleased to term it 'humorous.'

I am Sir, Yours,
AN ASSOCIATE."

Note: Yale does not have the issue of the
Morning Chronicle for 22 Jan 1793, in which
the poem was printed.

See Card 3 for another article on the affair.

Cd 3

The Morning Chronicle. No.7378. London, Saturday, January 26, 1793. Page [3], col.4.

[No heading].

"Nothing can be more envious and malignant than the miserable attempt to deprive Mr. Boswell of the just homage paid to him by the Royal Academicians for his elegant song in praise of Mr. West. It was handsome in Mr. Boswell, as Secretary to the Royal Institution, to chuse the fete of the Queen's Birth-day for his song, for he ingeniously combined in it loyalty to her Majesty, respect to the dead Sir Joshua, and love for the living Mr. Ben. "

[Unsigned]

Note: The Yale file of the Chronicle has a gap between the issues for 26 Jan and 4 Feb 1793.