William Stanley Braithwaite, ed. The Book of Georgian Verse. 1909.
Song, in Connection with the Shakespeare Jubilee at Stratford upon AvonDavid Garrick (17171779)
Y
See what at our Jubilee passes!
Come, revel away! Rejoice, and be glad;
For the Lad of all lads, was a Warwickshire Lad;
Warwickshire Lad!
All be glad,
For the Lad of all lads, was a Warwickshire Lad!
Where Nature has lavished her bounty.
Where much she has given, and some to be spared;
For the Bard of all bards, was a Warwickshire Bard;
Warwickshire Bard:
Never paired;
For the Bard of all bards, was a Warwickshire Bard!
Each shire has its different treasures:
But to rare Warwickshire all must submit;
For the Wit of all wits, was a Warwickshire Wit;
Warwickshire Wit:
How he writ!
For the Wit of all wits, was a Warwickshire Wit!
And half a score more, we take pride in.
Of famous Will Congreve we boast too the skill;
But the Will of all Wills, was a Warwickshire Will;
Warwickshire Will;
Matchless still!
For the Will of all Wills, was a Warwickshire Will!
Nor Frenchman, nor Grecian, nor Roman.
Their swans are all geese to the Avon’s sweet Swan;
And the Man of all men, was a Warwickshire Man;
Warwickshire Man;
Avon’s Swan!
And the Man of all men, was a Warwickshire Man!
To steal it our Bard took delight in;
To make his friends merry he never was lag;
And the Wag of all wags, was a Warwickshire Wag;
Warwickshire Wag;
Ever brag!
For the Wag of all wags, was a Warwickshire Wag!
Of all she was worth, he robbed nature;
He took all her smiles, and he took all her grief;
And the Thief of all thieves, was a Warwickshire Thief!
Warwickshire Thief;
He’s the chief!
For the Thief of all thieves, was a Warwickshire Thief!