Imatges de pàgina
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'Tis well;-but, fince we live among
Detractors with an evil tongue,
Who may object against the term,
Pliny fhall prove, what we affirm:
Pliny fhall prove and we'll apply,
And I'll be judg'd by ftanders-by.

First, then, our author has defin'd
This reptile of the Serpent kind,
With gaudy coat and fhining train
But loathfome spots his body ftain :
Out from fome hole obfcure he flies,
When rains defcend, and tempefts rife,
Till the fun clears the air; and then
Crawls back neglected to his den.

So, when the war has rais'd a ftorm,
I've seen a Snake in human form,
All ftain'd with infamy and vice,
Leap from the dunghill in a trice,
Burnish, and make a gaudy show,
Become a general, peer, and beau,
Till peace has made the fky ferene;
Then fhrink into its hole again.

"All this we grant-why then look yonder.
"Sure that must be a Salamander!"

Farther, we are by Pliny told,

This Serpent is extremely cold;
So cold, that put it in the fire,
"Twill make the very flames expire:
Befides, it fpues a filthy froth
(Whether through rage or luft, or both)
Of matter purulent and white,

Which, happening on the fkin to light,

And

And there corrupting to a wound,
Spreads leprofy and baldness round.

So I have seen a batter'd beau,

By age and claps grown cold as fnow,
Whofe breath or touch, where-e'er he came,
Blew out love's torch, or chill'd the flame:
And should some nymph, who ne'er was cruel,
Like Charlton cheap, or fam'd Du-Ruel,
Receive the filth which he ejects,.
She foon would find the fame effects,
Her tainted carcafe to pursue,
As from the Salamander's fpue;
A difmal fhedding of her locks,
And, if no leprofy, a pox.

"Then I'll appeal to each by-stander,
"If this be not a Salamandar ?"

TO THE

EARL OF PETERBOROW,

Who commanded the BRITISH forces in SPAIN.

MORDANTO fills the trump of fame,
The Christian worlds his deeds proclaim,

And prints are crowded with his name.

In journies he outrides the post,

Sits up

till midnight with his hoft, Talks politics, and gives the toast.

Knows every prince in Europe's face, Flies like a squib from place to place, And travels not, but runs a race,

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From Paris gazette a-la-main, This day arriv'd, without his train, Mordanto in a week from Spain.

A meffenger comes all a-reek Mordanto at Madrid to seek; He left the town above a week.

Next day the poftboy winds his horn, And rides through Dover in the morn: Mordanto's landed from Leghorn.

Mordanto gallops on alone,

The roads are with his followers ftrown,'
This breaks a girth, and that a bone;

His body active as his mind,
Returning found in limb and wind,
Except fome leather loft behind.

A skeleton in outward figure,

His meagre corpfe, though full of vigour,
Would halt behind him, were it bigger.

So wonderful his expedition,
When you have not the leaft fufpicion,
He's with you like an apparition.

Shines in all climates like a star
In fenates bold, and fierce in war;
A land commander, and a tar:

Heroic actions early bred in,

;

Ne'er to be match'd in modern reading,
But by his name-fake Charles of Sweden.

ON

!

ON THE UNION.

HE queen has lately loft a part

TH

Of her ENTIRELY-ENGLISH * heart,
For want of which, by way of botch,
She piec'd it up again with SCOTCH.
Bleft revolution! which creates
Divided hearts, united states!
See how the double nation lies,
Like a rich coat, with fkirts of frize:.
As if a man, in making pofies,
Should bundle thiftles up with roses.
Who ever yet a union faw

Of kingdoms without faith or law?
Henceforward let no statesman dare
A kingdom to a ship compare;
Left he should call our commonweal,
A veffel with a double keel:

Which, just like ours, new rigg'd and mann'd,

And got about a league from land,

By change of wind to leeward fide,
The pilot knew not how to guide.
So toffing faction will o'erwhelm
Our crazy double-bottom'd realm.

The motto on queen Anne's coronation medal,

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ON Mrs. BIDDY FLOYD,

Or, the RECEIPT to form a BEAUTY.

WHEN Cupid did his grandfire Jove intreat
To form fome Beauty by a new receipt,
Jove fent, and found, far in a country-fcene,
Truth, innocence, good nature, look ferene:
From which ingredients firft the dextrous boy
Pick'd the demure, the awkward, and the coy.
The Graces, from the court did next provide
Breeding, and wit, and air, and decent pride;
Thefe Venus cleans from every fpurious grain
Of nice, coquet, affected, pert, and vain.
Jove mix'd up all, and his best clay employ'd;
Then call'd the happy Composition Floyd.

APOLLO OUTWITTED.

To the Honourable Mrs. FINCH, afterwards Countess of
WINCHELSEA, under her name of ARDELIA.

PHOEBUS, now fhortening every shade,
Up to the northern tropic came,

And thence beheld a lovely maid,
Attending on a royal dame.

The god laid down his feeble rays,

Then lighted from his glittering coach; But fenc'd his head with his own bays, Before he durft the nymph approach.

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