The Candidate

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The Candidate

1 When sly Jemmy Twitcher had smugged up his face

2 With a lick of court whitewash and pious grimace,

3 A-wooing he went, where three sisters of old

4 In harmless society guttle and scold.

5 'Lord! Sister,' says Physic to Law, 'I declare

6 Such a sheep-biting look, such a pick-pocket air,

7 Not I, for the Indies! you know I'm no prude;

8 But his nose is a shame and his eyes are so lewd!

9 Then he shambles and straddles so oddly, I fear—

10 No; at our time of life, 'twould be silly, my dear.'

11 'I don't know,' says Law, 'now methinks, for his look,

12 'Tis just like the picture in Rochester's book.

13 But his character, Phyzzy, his morals, his life;

14 When she died, I can't tell, but he once had a wife.

15 'They say he's no Christian, loves drinking and whoring,

16 And all the town rings of his swearing and roaring,

17 His lying and filching, and Newgate-bird tricks:—

18 Not I,— for a coronet, chariot and six.'

19 Divinity heard, between waking and dozing,

20 Her sisters denying and Jemmy proposing;

21 From dinner she rose with her bumper in hand,

22 She stroked up her belly and stroked down her band.

23 'What a pother is here about wenching and roaring!

24 Why David loved catches and Solomon whoring.

25 Did not Israel filch from the Egyptians of old

26 Their jewels of silver and jewels of gold?

27 The prophet of Bethel, we read, told a lie;

28 He drinks: so did Noah; he swears: so do I.

29 To refuse him for such peccadillos were odd;

30 Besides, he repents, and he talks about G[od].

31 'Never hang down your head, you poor penitent elf!

32 Come, buss me, I'll be Mrs Twitcher myself.

33 D[am]n ye both for a couple of Puritan bitches!

34 He's Christian enough that repents and that [stitches].'

Expanding the poem lines () shows the results of a computationally facilitated analysis of the text. These results should be considered as a basis for deeper interpretative enquiry such as can be found in the notes and queries.

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Metrical notation: -+|--+|--+|--+/
Metrical foot type: anapaestic (--+)
Metrical foot number: tetrameter (4 feet) (catalectic)
Rhyme scheme: aa
Rhyme (stanza position): pair (aabb)
Syllable pattern: 11
Stanza: couplet (2 lines)

Notation symbols: | (foot boundary), || (caesura), / (metrical line boundary), + (metrically prominent), - (metrically non-prominent)

1 When sly Jemmy Twitcher had smugged up his face

Figure: alliteration (phonological): sly/smugged /s/

Figure: alliteration (phonological): had/his /h/

Figure: assonance (phonological): When/Jemmy /e/

Figure: assonance (phonological): Twitcher/his /ɪ/

Figure: assonance (phonological): smugged/up /ʌ/

Figure: consonance (phonological): sly/smugged/face /s/

Figure: consonance (phonological): had/his /h/

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2 With a lick of court whitewash and pious grimace,

Figure: assonance (phonological): With/lick/grimace /ɪ/

Figure: assonance (phonological): of/whitewash /ɒ/

Figure: assonance (phonological): whitewash/pious /aɪ/

Figure: consonance (phonological): With/whitewash /w/

Figure: consonance (phonological): lick/court /k/

Figure: consonance (phonological): court/whitewash /t/

Figure: consonance (phonological): pious/grimace /s/

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3 A-wooing he went, where three sisters of old

Figure: alliteration (phonological): went/where /w/

Figure: assonance (phonological): he/three /iː/

Figure: consonance (phonological): A-wooing/went/where /w/

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4 In harmless society guttle and scold.

Figure: alliteration (phonological): society/scold /s/

Figure: consonance (phonological): society/scold /s/

Figure: consonance (phonological): society/guttle /t/

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5 'Lord! Sister,' says Physic to Law, 'I declare

Figure: alliteration (phonological): Lord/Law /l/

Figure: alliteration (phonological): Sister/says /s/

Figure: assonance (phonological): Lord/Law /ɔː/

Figure: assonance (phonological): Sister/Physic/declare /ɪ/

Figure: consonance (phonological): Lord/Law /l/

Figure: consonance (phonological): Lord/declare /d/

Figure: consonance (phonological): Sister/says /s/

Figure: consonance (phonological): says/Physic /z/

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6 Such a sheep-biting look, such a pick-pocket air,

Figure: alliteration (phonological): Such/such /s/

Figure: assonance (phonological): Such/such /ʌ/

Figure: consonance (phonological): Such/such /tʃ/

Figure: consonance (phonological): Such/such /s/

Figure: consonance (phonological): sheep-biting/pick-pocket /p/

Figure: consonance (phonological): look/pick-pocket /k/

Figure: diacope (morphological): Such/such

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7 Not I, for the Indies! you know I'm no prude;

Figure: alliteration (phonological): Not/know/no /n/

Figure: assonance (phonological): I/I'm /aɪ/

Figure: assonance (phonological): you/prude /uː/

Figure: assonance (phonological): know/no /əʊ/

Figure: consonance (phonological): Not/Indies/know/no /n/

Figure: polyptoton (morphological): Not/no

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8 But his nose is a shame and his eyes are so lewd!

Figure: alliteration (phonological): his/his /h/

Figure: assonance (phonological): his/is/his /ɪ/

Figure: assonance (phonological): nose/so /əʊ/

Figure: consonance (phonological): his/his /h/

Figure: consonance (phonological): his/nose/is/his/eyes /z/

Figure: diacope (morphological): his/his

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9 Then he shambles and straddles so oddly, I fear—

Figure: assonance (phonological): shambles/and/straddles /æ/

Figure: consonance (phonological): straddles/oddly /d/

Figure: consonance (phonological): straddles/so /s/

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10 No; at our time of life, 'twould be silly, my dear.'

Figure: alliteration (phonological): time/'twould /t/

Figure: assonance (phonological): time/life/my /aɪ/

Figure: consonance (phonological): at/time/'twould /t/

Figure: consonance (phonological): time/my /m/

Figure: consonance (phonological): life/silly /l/

Figure: consonance (phonological): 'twould/dear /d/

Figure: aphaeresis (morphological): 'twould

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11 'I don't know,' says Law, 'now methinks, for his look,

Figure: alliteration (phonological): know/now /n/

Figure: alliteration (phonological): Law/look /l/

Figure: assonance (phonological): don't/know /əʊ/

Figure: assonance (phonological): Law/for /ɔː/

Figure: assonance (phonological): methinks/his /ɪ/

Figure: consonance (phonological): don't/know/now /n/

Figure: consonance (phonological): says/his /z/

Figure: consonance (phonological): Law/look /l/

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12 'Tis just like the picture in Rochester's book.

Figure: assonance (phonological): 'Tis/picture/in /ɪ/

Figure: consonance (phonological): like/picture/book /k/

Figure: aphaeresis (morphological): 'Tis

Figure: simile (semantic): like...

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13 But his character, Phyzzy, his morals, his life;

Figure: alliteration (phonological): his/his/his /h/

Figure: assonance (phonological): his/Phyzzy/his/his /ɪ/

Figure: consonance (phonological): his/his/his /h/

Figure: consonance (phonological): his/Phyzzy/his/his /z/

Figure: consonance (phonological): character/morals /r/

Figure: consonance (phonological): Phyzzy/life /f/

Figure: diacope (morphological): his/his/his

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14 When she died, I can't tell, but he once had a wife.

Figure: alliteration (phonological): When/once/wife /w/

Figure: alliteration (phonological): he/had /h/

Figure: assonance (phonological): When/tell /e/

Figure: assonance (phonological): she/he /iː/

Figure: assonance (phonological): died/I/wife /aɪ/

Figure: assonance (phonological): but/once /ʌ/

Figure: consonance (phonological): When/once/wife /w/

Figure: consonance (phonological): When/can't/once /n/

Figure: consonance (phonological): died/had /d/

Figure: consonance (phonological): tell/but /t/

Figure: consonance (phonological): he/had /h/

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15 'They say he's no Christian, loves drinking and whoring,

Figure: alliteration (phonological): he's/whoring /h/

Figure: assonance (phonological): They/say /eɪ/

Figure: assonance (phonological): Christian/drinking /ɪ/

Figure: consonance (phonological): say/Christian /s/

Figure: consonance (phonological): he's/whoring /h/

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16 And all the town rings of his swearing and roaring,

Figure: alliteration (phonological): rings/roaring /r/

Figure: assonance (phonological): And/and /æ/

Figure: assonance (phonological): all/roaring /ɔː/

Figure: assonance (phonological): rings/his /ɪ/

Figure: consonance (phonological): rings/swearing/roaring /r/

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17 His lying and filching, and Newgate-bird tricks:—

Figure: assonance (phonological): His/filching/tricks /ɪ/

Figure: assonance (phonological): and/and /æ/

Figure: consonance (phonological): lying/filching /l/

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18 Not I,— for a coronet, chariot and six.'

Figure: assonance (phonological): Not/coronet /ɒ/

Figure: assonance (phonological): chariot/and /æ/

Figure: consonance (phonological): coronet/chariot /r/

Figure: consonance (phonological): coronet/six /k/

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19 Divinity heard, between waking and dozing,

Figure: alliteration (phonological): Divinity/dozing /d/

Figure: assonance (phonological): Divinity/between /ɪ/

Figure: consonance (phonological): Divinity/between /n/

Figure: consonance (phonological): Divinity/heard/dozing /d/

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20 Her sisters denying and Jemmy proposing;

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21 From dinner she rose with her bumper in hand,

Figure: alliteration (phonological): her/hand /h/

Figure: assonance (phonological): dinner/with/in /ɪ/

Figure: consonance (phonological): From/bumper /m/

Figure: consonance (phonological): dinner/in/hand /n/

Figure: consonance (phonological): her/hand /h/

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22 She stroked up her belly and stroked down her band.

Figure: alliteration (phonological): stroked/stroked /s/

Figure: alliteration (phonological): her/her /h/

Figure: alliteration (phonological): belly/band /b/

Figure: assonance (phonological): stroked/stroked /əʊ/

Figure: assonance (phonological): her/her /ɜː/

Figure: assonance (phonological): and/band /æ/

Figure: consonance (phonological): stroked/stroked /k/

Figure: consonance (phonological): stroked/stroked /s/

Figure: consonance (phonological): her/her /h/

Figure: consonance (phonological): belly/band /b/

Figure: consonance (phonological): down/band /n/

Figure: diacope (morphological): stroked/stroked

Figure: diacope (morphological): her/her

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23 'What a pother is here about wenching and roaring!

Figure: alliteration (phonological): What/wenching /w/

Figure: assonance (phonological): What/pother /ɒ/

Figure: consonance (phonological): What/wenching /w/

Figure: consonance (phonological): What/about /t/

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24 Why David loved catches and Solomon whoring.

Figure: assonance (phonological): catches/and /æ/

Figure: consonance (phonological): David/loved /v/

Figure: consonance (phonological): loved/Solomon /l/

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25 Did not Israel filch from the Egyptians of old

Figure: alliteration (phonological): filch/from /f/

Figure: assonance (phonological): Did/Israel/filch /ɪ/

Figure: assonance (phonological): not/from/of /ɒ/

Figure: consonance (phonological): filch/old /l/

Figure: consonance (phonological): filch/from /f/

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26 Their jewels of silver and jewels of gold?

Figure: alliteration (phonological): jewels/jewels /dʒ/

Figure: assonance (phonological): jewels/jewels /uː/

Figure: assonance (phonological): of/of /ɒ/

Figure: consonance (phonological): jewels/silver/jewels/gold /l/

Figure: consonance (phonological): jewels/jewels /dʒ/

Figure: consonance (phonological): of/of /v/

Figure: diacope (morphological): jewels/jewels

Figure: diacope (morphological): of/of

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27 The prophet of Bethel, we read, told a lie;

Figure: assonance (phonological): prophet/of /ɒ/

Figure: assonance (phonological): we/read /iː/

Figure: consonance (phonological): told/lie /l/

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28 He drinks: so did Noah; he swears: so do I.

Figure: alliteration (phonological): He/he /h/

Figure: alliteration (phonological): drinks/did/do /d/

Figure: assonance (phonological): He/he /iː/

Figure: assonance (phonological): drinks/did /ɪ/

Figure: assonance (phonological): so/Noah/so /əʊ/

Figure: consonance (phonological): He/he /h/

Figure: consonance (phonological): drinks/did/do /d/

Figure: consonance (phonological): so/swears/so /s/

Figure: polyptoton (morphological): did/do

Figure: diacope (morphological): He/he

Figure: diacope (morphological): so/so

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29 To refuse him for such peccadillos were odd;

Figure: assonance (phonological): To/refuse /uː/

Figure: assonance (phonological): refuse/him/peccadillos /ɪ/

Figure: consonance (phonological): refuse/for /f/

Figure: consonance (phonological): peccadillos/odd /d/

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30 Besides, he repents, and he talks about G[od].

Figure: alliteration (phonological): he/he /h/

Figure: assonance (phonological): he/he /iː/

Figure: consonance (phonological): Besides/about /b/

Figure: consonance (phonological): Besides/God /d/

Figure: consonance (phonological): he/he /h/

Figure: consonance (phonological): talks/about /t/

Figure: diacope (morphological): he/he

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31 'Never hang down your head, you poor penitent elf!

Figure: alliteration (phonological): hang/head /h/

Figure: alliteration (phonological): your/you /j/

Figure: alliteration (phonological): poor/penitent /p/

Figure: assonance (phonological): Never/head/penitent/elf /e/

Figure: consonance (phonological): Never/down/penitent /n/

Figure: consonance (phonological): hang/head /h/

Figure: consonance (phonological): down/head /d/

Figure: consonance (phonological): your/you /j/

Figure: consonance (phonological): poor/penitent /p/

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32 Come, buss me, I'll be Mrs Twitcher myself.

Figure: alliteration (phonological): me/Mrs/myself /m/

Figure: assonance (phonological): Come/buss /ʌ/

Figure: assonance (phonological): me/be /iː/

Figure: assonance (phonological): I'll/myself /aɪ/

Figure: assonance (phonological): Mrs/Twitcher /ɪ/

Figure: consonance (phonological): Come/me/Mrs/myself /m/

Figure: consonance (phonological): buss/Mrs/myself /s/

Figure: consonance (phonological): I'll/myself /l/

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33 D[am]n ye both for a couple of Puritan bitches!

Figure: alliteration (phonological): both/bitches /b/

Figure: consonance (phonological): both/bitches /b/

Figure: consonance (phonological): couple/Puritan /p/

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34 He's Christian enough that repents and that [stitches].'

Figure: alliteration (phonological): that/that /ð/

Figure: assonance (phonological): Christian/enough/stitches /ɪ/

Figure: assonance (phonological): that/and/that /æ/

Figure: consonance (phonological): Christian/stitches /s/

Figure: consonance (phonological): enough/repents /n/

Figure: consonance (phonological): that/that /ð/

Figure: consonance (phonological): that/that /t/

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Expanding the poem lines () shows notes and queries taken from various critical editions of Gray's works, as well as those contributed by users of the Archive. There are 1 textual and 2 explanatory notes/queries.

0 The Candidate 1 Explanatory, 1 Textual Skip to next line

Title/Paratext] "This squib was written by [...]" J. Bradshaw, 1891.

"This squib was written by Gray on the occasion of the Earl of Sandwich being a candidate for the office of High Steward of the University of Cambridge in 1764. "Jemmy Twitcher" was Lord Sandwich's nickname, and his followers were called "Twitcherites." Lord Sandwich was a schoolfellow of Gray's at Eton; he refers to him and Lord Halifax in a letter to West, dated 27 May, 1742, as then statesmen, though not long before "dirty boys playing at cricket." See also letters of Feb. 21, and July 10, 1764, and 29 April, 1765."

The Poetical Works of Thomas Gray: English and Latin. Edited with an introduction, life, notes and a bibliography by John Bradshaw. The Aldine edition of the British poets series. London: George Bell and sons, 1891, 263.

Title/Paratext] "A printed copy of these [...]" J. Bradshaw, 1891.

"A printed copy of these verses, entitled "The Candidate, by Mr. Gray," in a quarto double sheet, is preserved in the Webb Collection [footnote: '"A Collection of Papers [College notices, newspaper cuttings, etc.], formed by the late Dr. Webb, Master of Clare College, relating to the University of Cambridge."'] in the Cambridge University Library. In January, 1782, they appeared in the "Gentleman's Magazine." The first edition of Gray's Poems in which they appeared, was the second edition of S. Jones', in 1800.
There are a few trifling verbal differences in the printed sheet in the Webb papers, and it contains the last couplet (which I have never seen elsewhere in print), exactly as follows:—

"D——n ye both for a couple of Puritan bitches!
He's Christian enough that repents and that. . . .""

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1 When sly Jemmy Twitcher had smugged up his face

2 With a lick of court whitewash and pious grimace,

3 A-wooing he went, where three sisters of old

4 In harmless society guttle and scold.

5 'Lord! Sister,' says Physic to Law, 'I declare

6 Such a sheep-biting look, such a pick-pocket air,

7 Not I, for the Indies! you know I'm no prude;

8 But his nose is a shame and his eyes are so lewd!

9 Then he shambles and straddles so oddly, I fear— 1 Explanatory

9.3 shambles] "Mitford quotes from Mason's "Heroic [...]" J. Bradshaw, 1891.

"Mitford quotes from Mason's "Heroic Epistle":—

"That babe of grace
Who ne'er before at sermon showed his face
See Jemmy Twitcher shambles.""

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10 No; at our time of life, 'twould be silly, my dear.'

11 'I don't know,' says Law, 'now methinks, for his look,

12 'Tis just like the picture in Rochester's book.

13 But his character, Phyzzy, his morals, his life;

14 When she died, I can't tell, but he once had a wife.

15 'They say he's no Christian, loves drinking and whoring,

16 And all the town rings of his swearing and roaring,

17 His lying and filching, and Newgate-bird tricks:—

18 Not I,— for a coronet, chariot and six.'

19 Divinity heard, between waking and dozing,

20 Her sisters denying and Jemmy proposing;

21 From dinner she rose with her bumper in hand,

22 She stroked up her belly and stroked down her band.

23 'What a pother is here about wenching and roaring!

24 Why David loved catches and Solomon whoring.

25 Did not Israel filch from the Egyptians of old

26 Their jewels of silver and jewels of gold?

27 The prophet of Bethel, we read, told a lie;

28 He drinks: so did Noah; he swears: so do I.

29 To refuse him for such peccadillos were odd;

30 Besides, he repents, and he talks about G[od].

31 'Never hang down your head, you poor penitent elf!

32 Come, buss me, I'll be Mrs Twitcher myself.

33 D[am]n ye both for a couple of Puritan bitches!

34 He's Christian enough that repents and that [stitches].'

Works cited

The Poetical Works of Thomas Gray: English and Latin. Edited with an introduction, life, notes and a bibliography by John Bradshaw. The Aldine edition of the British poets series. London: George Bell and sons, 1891.

Spelling has been modernized throughout, except in case of conscious archaisms. Contractions, italics and initial capitalization have been largely eliminated, except where of real import. Obvious errors have been silently corrected, punctuation has been supplied. The editor would like to express his gratitude to the library staff of the Göttingen State and University Library (SUB Göttingen) for their invaluable assistance.

The Candidate

The Candidate

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0 The Candidate 1 Explanatory, 1 Textual Skip to next line

Works cited

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