Imatges de pàgina
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Their kind affections he has try'd;
No love is left on either fide.

He came to court with fortune clear,
Which now he runs out ev'ry year:
Muft, at the rate that he goes on,
Inevitably be undone :

Oh! if his majesty would please
To give him but a writ of cafe,
Would grant him licence to retire,
As it hath long been his defire,
By fair accounts it would be found,
He's poorer by ten thousand pound.
He owns, and hopes it is no fin,
He ne'er was partial to his kin ;
He thought it bafe for men in ftations
To crowd the court with their relations;
His country was his deareft mother,
And ev'ry virtuous man his brother;
Through modefty or aukward fhame
(For which he owns himself to blame),
He found the wifeft man he cou'd,
Without respect to friends, or blood;
Nor ever acts on private views,
When he hath liberty to chufe.

The fharper fwore he hated play,
Except to pafs an hour away :

And

And well he might; for, to his coft,
By want of fkill he always loft;
He heard there was a club of cheats,
Who had contriv'd a thousand feats;
Could change the ftock, or cog a dye,
And thus deceive the sharpeft eye:
Nor wonder how his fortune funk,
His brothers fleece him when he's drunk.

I own the moral not exact; Befides, the tale is falfe in fact; And fo abfurd, that could I raise up From fields Elyfian fabling Æfop; I would accufe him to his face For libelling the four-foot race. Creatures of ev'ry kind but ours Well comprehend their natural pow'rs; While we, whom reafon ought to sway, Mistake our talents ev'ry day. The ass was never known fo ftupid To act the part of Tray or Cupid; Nor leaps upon his master's lap, There to be ftroak'd, and fed with pap, As fop would the world perfuade ; He better underftands his trade: Nor comes, whene'er his lady whistles; But carries loads, and feeds on thistles.

Our author's meaning, I prefume, is
A creature * bipes et implumis;
Wherein the moralift defign'd
A compliment on human-kind :
For here he owns, that now and then
Beasts may degenerate into men.

* A definition of man disapprov'd by all logicians:
Homo eft animal bipes, implume, erecto vultu.

VOL. VII.

Bb

ADVER

ADVERTISEMENT.

For the Honour of the KINGDOM of
IRELAND.

THIS is to inform the publick, that a gentleman of long ftudy, observation, and experience, hath employed himself for several years in making collections of facts, relating to the conduct of divines, phyficians, lawyers, foldiers, merchants, traders and Squires, containing an historical account of the moft remarkable corruptions, frauds, oppreffions, knaveries, and perjuries; wherein the names of all the perfons concerned fhall be inferted at full length, with fome account of their families and ftations.

But whereas the faid gentleman cannot complete his hiftory without fome affiftance from the publick, he humbly defires, that all perfons, who have any memoirs, or accounts, relating to themfelves, their families, their friends or acquaintance, which are well attefted, and fit to enrich the work, will pleafe to fend them to the printer of this advertisement and if any of the faid perfons, who are difpofed to fend materials, happen to live in the country, it is defired their letters may be either franked, or the poft paid.

This collection is to commence with the year 1700, and be continued to the prefent year 1738.

The

The work is to be intituled, The author's critical biftory of his own times.

It is intended to be printed by fubfcription, in a large octavo; each volume to contain five hundred facts, and to be fold for a British crown; the author propofeth that the whole work (whic will take in the period of thirty-eight years) fh 1! be contained in eighteen volumes.

Whoever fhall fend the author any accounts of persons, who have performed any acts of justice, charity, public fpirit, gratitude, fidelity, or the like, attefted by indubitable witneffes within the fame period; the faid facts fhall be printed by way of appendix at the end of each volume, and no addition to the price of the work demanded. But, left such persons may apprehend that the relating of these facts may be injurious to their reputations, their names fhall not be fet down without particular direction.

N. B. There will be a fmall number printed on royal paper for the curious, at only two British crowns. There will also be the effigies of the most eminent perfons mentioned in this work, prefixed to each volume, curioufly engraved by Mr. Hogarth.

SUBSCRIPTIONS are taken in by the printer hereof, and by the bookfellers of London and Dublin.

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