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1766.
The incident which gave rise to the following satirical parody of Pope's second pastoral, occurred during the debates in Parliament early in the year 1766, which took place on occasion of the repeal of the famous Cider-tax, a measure which gave to the inhabitants of the cider-counties a " taste of the same pleasure, which their brethren in America about the same time enjoyed" in the repeal of the Stamp Act. George Grenville, then leader in the Commons, came to the rescue of Bute, Chancellor of the Exchequer, and spoke strongly on his favorite theme, the profusion with which the late war had been carried on. That profusion, he said, had made taxes necessary. He called on the gentleman opposite to him to say where they would have a tax laid, and dwelt on this topic with his usual prolixity. " Let them tell me where," he repeated in a monotonous and somewhat fretful tone. " I say, sir, let them tell me where. I repeat it, sir, I am entitled to say to them, Tell me where." Unluckily for him, Pitt had come down to the House that night, and nad been bitterly provoked by the reflections thrown on the war. He revenged himself by murmuring in a whine resembling Gren- |
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