To the RIGHT HON. WILLIAM EDEN, ENVOY EXTRAORDINARY and MINISTER PLENIPOTENTIARY of Commercial Affairs at the Court of VERSAILLES.

Of EDEN lost, in ancient days,
If we believe what MOSES says,
A paltry pippin was the price,
One crab was bribe enough to entice
Frail human kind from Virtue’s ways.

But now, when PITT, the all-perfect, sways,
No such vain lures the tempter lays,
Too poor to be the purchase twice,
Of EDEN lost.

The Dev’l grown wiser, to the gaze
Six thousand pounds a year displays,
And finds success from the device;
Finds this fair fruit too well suffice
To pay the peace, and honest praise,
Of EDEN lost.

ANOTHER.

“A mere affair of trade to embrace,
Wines, brandies, gloves, fans, cambricks, lace;
For this on me my Sovereign laid
His high commands, and I obeyed;
Nor think, my lord, this conduct base.

“Party were guilt in such a case,
When thus my country, for a space,
Calls my poor skill to DORSET’s aid
A mere affair of trade!”

Thus EDEN, with unblushing face,
To NORTH would palliate his disgrace;
When NORTH, with smiles, this answer made:
“You might have spared what you have said;
I thought the business of your place
A mere affair of trade!”

ANOTHER.

Around the tree, so fair, so green,
Erewhile, when summer shone serene,
Lo! where the leaves in many a ring,
Before the wint’ry tempest wing,
Fly scattered o’er the dreary scene:

Such, NORTH, thy friends. Now cold and keen
Thy Winter blows; no shelt’ring skreen
They stretch, no graceful shade they fling
Around the tree.

Yet grant, just Fate, each wretch so mean,
Like EDEN, pining in his spleen
For posts, for stars, for strings, may swing
On two stout posts in hempen string!
Few eyes would drop a tear, I ween,
Around the tree.

ANOTHER.

“The JORDAN have you been to see?”
Cried FOX, when late with shuffling plea,
Poor EDEN stammer’d at excuse,
But why the JORDAN introduce?
What JORDAN too will here agree?

That JORDAN which from spot could free
One man unclean here vain would be:
If yet those powers of wond’rous use
The JORDAN have!

One fitter JORDAN of the three
Would I for EDEN’s meed decree;
With me then open every sluice,
And foaming high with streams profuse,
For EDENS head may all with me
The JORDAN have!

ANOTHER.

For EDEN’s place, where circling round
EUPHRATES wash’d the hallow’d mound,
The learned long in vain have sought;
’Twas GREECE, ’twas POLAND, some have taught;
Some hold it in the deluge drown’d:
PITT thinks his search at PARIS crown’d;
See the Gazette his proofs expound!
Yet who of looking there had thought
For EDEN’s place!

No;—view yon frame with dirt embrown’d,
Some six feet rais’d above the ground,
Where rogues, exalted as they ought,
To peep through three round holes are brought,
There will the genuine spot be found
For EDEN’s place!