In this Book
- Poems, Plays, and "The Briton"
- Book
- 2014
- Published by: University of Georgia Press
- Series: The Works of Tobias Smollett
The poems in the volume represent Smollett's entire achievement as a poet. Among the shorter poems are "A New Song," his first printed work; "The Tears of Scotland," an early expression of his defiant spirit; and the popular "Ode to Independence," written during the last decade of his life. Two longer works, "Advice" (1746) and its sequel, "Reproof" (1747), are satires written in Popean heroic couplets; they mark the beginnings of Smollett's attacks on theater managers, corrupt politicians, iniquitous military leaders, and other well-known personalities of the day. An appendix to this volume includes five additional poems assigned but not definitely attributed to Smollett.
The Reprisal; or The Tars of Old England and The Regicide are the only extant plays by Smollett. The Regicide, written when the author was only eighteen or nineteen, dramatizes the story of the murder of James I of Scotland. The Reprisal, a patriotic comedy performed as an afterpiece at the Theatre Royal, was a moderate theatrical success.
Smollett's political writings for The Briton, a weekly journal he established in 1762 for defending the policies of the Earl of Bute, mark a particularly painful period in the author's life. A paper war erupted with the first number, and Smollett and Bute became the objects of scathing counterattacks, particularly in the writings of John Wilkes. This volume brings together for the first time all issues of The Briton and also includes a key identifying the weekly's numerous elliptical references to persons and places.
Table of Contents
- Title Page, Copyright
- pp. i-vi
- ILLUSTRATIONS
- pp. xi-xii
- ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
- pp. xvii-xviii
- ABBREVIATIONS
- pp. xix-xx
- Poems
- INTRODUCTION
- pp. 3-22
- A NEW SONG
- p. 23
- ADVICE: A SATIRE.
- pp. 26-37
- REPROOF: A SATIRE.
- pp. 37-46
- THY FATAL SHAFTS UNERRING MOVE
- pp. 46-47
- LOVE ELEGY In Imitation of Tibullus
- pp. 47-48
- ADIEU, YE STREAMS THAT SMOOTHLY FLOW
- pp. 48-49
- BURLESQUE ODE
- pp. 50-51
- SONG "While with Fond Rapture"
- pp. 51-52
- AN ODE TO MIRTH
- pp. 53-54
- ODE TO LEVEN-WATER
- p. 56
- ODE TO INDEPENDENCE
- pp. 57-61
- LYRICS FROM ALCESTE
- pp. 61-66
- Plays
- INTRODUCTION
- pp. 69-86
- THE REGICIDE
- pp. 87-172
- THE REPRISAL
- pp. 173-218
- The Briton
- INTRODUCTION
- pp. 221-240
- THE BRITON
- pp. 241-432
- APPENDIX DOUBTFUL ATTRIBUTIONS
- pp. 433-436
- NOTES TO THE TEXTS
- pp. 437-540
- KEY TO THE BRITON
- pp. 541-546
- TEXTUAL COMMENTARY
- pp. 547-578
- LIST OF EMENDATIONS
- pp. 579-586
- WORD-DIVISION
- pp. 587-590
- HISTORICAL COLLATION
- pp. 591-608
- BIBLIOGRAPHICAL DESCRIPTIONS
- pp. 609-626