written in a Lady’s Album, at Tunbridge Wells, Oct. 1 1818.

A Dandy ‘s a Thing without meaning or worth,
Unlike any Creature that crawls upon Earth!
A Fungus, unknown to Philosophy’s Eye !
It seems to exist, but we cannot tell, why ?
Of no species a part, neither Fish, Flesh, nor Fowl,
And shunn’d by Mankind, as Birds shun the Owl !
A Thing, which of use no mortal can render,
By Taylors made up, without any gender,
Of Belts, and of Bandages, Buckram, and Tape,
And in all points, but sense, like an Ass, or an Ape :
And yet such poor Nothings with Apes to compare
Is an act of injustice to Brutes I declare!
For Apes have Reflection, and useful the Ass ;
But a Dandy can only reflect in his Glass.
Then approach not these Itites, Dear Ladies, I pray.
For if once you embrace them they ‘d faint quite away!
We have heard of a Buck, Macaroni, and Spark ;
But a Dandy (poor Thing !) was unknown in The Ark ;
For Noah had never endeavour’d to save
A Thing of no use from The Deluge’s Wave!

Wm. Thos. F.-G.

(The gentleman’s magazine, and historical chronicle, Vol. 88, Bd. 2, Dec 1818)