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LEGES CONVIVALES.] Nothing can be more pure and elegant than the latinity of these "Laws." In drawing them up, Jonson seems to have had the rules of the Roman entertainments in view; as collected with great industry by Lipsius.

As Whalley printed the old translation of these Rules I have retained it. The poetry, however, has little merit, and the original is not always correctly rendered; but there is no better: a version somewhat anterior to this, appeared in a volume of Songs and other Poems, by Alex. Brome, London, 1661.

LEGES CONVIVALES.

Quod felix faustumque convivis in Apolline sit.

I

EMO ASYMBOLUS, NISI UMBRA, HUC VENITO.

2 IDIOTA, INSulsus, tristis, TURPIS, ABESTO.

3 ERUDITI, URBANI, HILARES, HONESTI, ADSCISCUNTOR,

4 NEC LECTÆ FŒMINÆ REPUDIANTOR.

RULES FOR THE TAVERN ACADEMY

OR,

LAWS FOR THE BEAUX ESPRITS.

From the Latin of BEN JONSON, engraven in Marble over the Chimney, in the APOLLO of the Old Devil Tavern,1 at TempleBar; that being his Club-Room.

Non verbum reddere verbo.

I.

I As the fund of our pleasure, let each pay his shot,
Except some chance friend, whom a member brings in.
2 Far hence be the sad, the lewd fop, and the sot;
For such have the plagues of good company been.

II.

3 Let the learned and witty, the jovial and gay,
The generous and honest, compose our free state;
4 And the more to exalt our delight whilst we stay,
Let none be debarr'd from his choice female mate.

1

Apollo of the Old Devil Tavern.] The modern revolutions of

5 IN APPARATU QUOD CONVIVIS CORRUGET NARES NIL ESTO. 6 EPULÆ DELECTU POTIUS QUAM SUMPTU PARANTOR.

7 OBSONATOR ET COQUUS CONVIVARUM GULÆ PERITI SUNTO. 8 DE DISCUBITU NON CONTENDITOR.

9 MINISTRI A DAPIBUS, OCULATI ET MUTI, A POCULIS, AURITI ET CELERES SUNTO.

III.

5 Let no scent offensive the chamber infest.

6 Let fancy, not cost, prepare all our dishes.

7 Let the caterer mind the taste of each guest,

And the cook, in his dressing, comply with their wishes.

IV.

8 Let's have no disturbance about taking places,

To shew your nice breeding, or out of vain pride.

9 Let the drawers be ready with wine and fresh glasses, Let the waiters have eyes, though their tongues must be ty'd.

this tavern, as far as they are known, have been kindly transmitted to me by J. Dent, Esq., one of the principal partners in the banking-house of Child and Co. "Mr. Taylor of the parish of St. Bride's London, Esq., appears by indenture October 1734, to have been the owner of the two messuages or tenements close to the east of Temple Bar, of which the one known by the name of St. Dunstan's, or the old Devil Tavern, was then in the occupation of John Goostrey.-Taylor sold this property to Richard Andrews of St. Dunstan's parish, July 1766.-Andrews parted with it to Mess. Child, in June 1787 for 2800l. By these gentlemen the Devil Tavern was pulled down soon after they bought it, and the present buildings in Child's Place erected on its scite. In this tavern was the room known by the name of the Apollo, in which was held the APOLLO CLUB established by the celebrated Ben Jonson. Over the door in gold letters on a black ground were painted his verses beginning 'Welcome all,' &c., and above them was placed a bust of the poet-both these are still in the possession of Messrs. Child. -The Rules of the club, said to have been engraved on black marble, and fixed up in the same room, were no longer there,* when Messrs. Child had possession given them of the premises.

They were probably removed by Andrews. The Apollo, of which a print was published in 1774, appears to have been a handsome room, large and lofty, and furnished with a gallery for music. It was frequently used for balls, &c., and here Dr. Kenrick gave, about 1775, his Lectures on Shakspeare.

IO VINA PURIS FONTIBUS MINISTRENTOR AUT VAPULET HOSPES. II MODERATIS POCULIS PROVOCARE SODALES FAS ESTO. 12 AT FABULIS MAGIS QUAM VINO VELITATIO FIAT. 13 CONVIVE NEC MUTI2 NEC LOQUACES SUNTO.

14 DE SERIIS AC SACRIS POTI ET SATURI NE DISSERUNTO. 15 FIDICEN, NISI ACCERSITUS, NON VENITO.

16 ADMISSO RISU, TRIPUDIIS, CHOREIS, CANTU, SALIBUS, OMNI GRATIARUM FESTIVITATE SACRA CELEBRANTOR. 17 JOCI SINE FELLE SUNTO.

18 INSIPIDA POEMATA NULLA RECITANTOR.

19 VERSUS SCRIBERE NULLUS COGITOR.

V.

10 Let our wines without mixture or stum, be all fine, Or call up the master, and break his dull noddle.

II Let no sober bigot here think it a sin,

To push on the chirping and moderate bottle.

VI.

12 Let the contests be rather of books than of wine.
13 Let the company be neither noisy nor mute.
14 Let none of things serious, much less of divine,
When belly and head's full, profanely dispute.

VII.

15 Let no saucy fidler presume to intrude,

Unless he is sent for to vary our bliss.

16 With mirth, wit, and dancing, and singing conclude, To regale every sense, with delight in excess.

VIII.

17 Let raillery be without malice or heat.

18 Dull poems to read let none privilege take. 19 Let no poetaster command or intreat

Another extempore verses to make.

The other tenement above alluded to, was called the King's Arms and Civet Cat, William Wintle tenant :-this was added to the present premises of Messrs. Child and Co. about the year 1796; the bar of this tavern being now part of their kitchen. The original sign (still in existence) of the banking-house, was the full blown marygold exposed to a meridian sun, with this motto round it, Ainsi mon Ame. J. D.

2 Al. CONVIVÆ NON MULTI.

20 ARGUMENTATIONIS TOTIUS STREPITUS ABESTO.

21 AMATORIIS QUERELIS, AC SUSPIRIIS LIBER ANGULUS ESTO. 22 LAPITHARUM MORE SCYPHIS PUGNARE, VITREA COLLIDERE, FENESTRAS EXCUTERE, SUPELLECTILEM DILACERARE, NEFAS ESTO.

23 QUI FORAS VEL DICTA, VEL FACTA ELIMINET, ELIMINATOR. 24 NEMINEM REUM POCULA FACIUNTO.

FOCUS PERENNIS ESTO.

IX.

20 Let argument bear no unmusical sound,

Nor jars interpose, sacred friendship to grieve. 21 For generous lovers let a corner be found,

Where they in soft sighs may their passions relieve.

X.

22 Like the old Lapithites, with the goblets to fight,
Our own 'mongst offences unpardon'd will rank,
Or breaking of windows, or glasses, for spight,
And spoiling the goods for a rakehelly prank.

XI.

23 Whoever shall publish what's said, or what's done,
Be he banish'd for ever our assembly divine.
24 Let the freedom we take be perverted by none,
To make any guilty by drinking good wine.

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