We greet thee on our bended knees
Great Britain's great Hippocrates.

But if Haygarthian rites infernal
Sould fail our foes to overturn all,
Seek ways and means to lay them level,
Without one conjuror, witch, or devil.

If you can find some one among
You, who don't value being hung,
Perhaps the readiest mode would be
To kill the conjuring patentee.

But still I have some hesitation
To recommend assassination;
Although I'm sure t'would not be cruel,
To pop off Perkins in a DUEL.

For this you've precedents quite ample,
Full many a glorious example,

From Goths and Vandals, out of temper, or
A certain crazy Russian emperour.

26 A certain crazy Russian emperour.

26

Czar Paul, emperour of all the Russias, &c. who had a very benevolent desire to settle the disputes, which agitated Europe, by virtue of tilt and tournament, among

For if the conjuror were shot dead,
By some rude harum-scarum hot-head;
Then might we quickly crush the flummery
Of tract'ring mischief-making mummery.

Perkins destroy'd, the INSTITUTION
Will be o'erwhelm'd in dire confusion;
And we shall easily be able
To overturn this modern Babel,

So, if a wolf should silent creep
T'attack by night a flock of sheep,
He'd not attempt the whole together,
But first invade the old bell-wether, 27

those potentates, whose quarrelsome dispositions so often set their subjects by the ears,

27 But firt invade the old bell-wether.

This sublime simile, gentlemen, will meet the unequivocal approbation of those who are acquainted with the rustick manners and natural history of Kamtschatka. The leading wether of a flock of sheep is ever invested with a bell, pendent from his neck by a collar, not only as an honorary badge of distinction, but for the purpose of alarming the shepherd, in case of invasion by any of the merciless tenants of the forest. The wolf always makes it his first object to silence this jingler, that he may with the greater impunity destroy his fleecy companions.

Let not the thought of Jack Ketch scare ye,
But at him like brave Mac Namara,

Avenge our wrongs in mode as summary
As he adopted with Montgomery.

For if said Mac be crown'd with laurel,
Who kill'd a colonel in a quarrel
About two dogs, between two puppies,
Most mighty sirs, my trust and hope is,

That nobody will think it is hard
For us to shoot a conjuring wizard,
Since all allow, sans hesitation,
That we've receiv'd vast provocation.

And if our champion's full of fury,
When he kills Perkins, then the jury
(Provided they are made to fit him)
Will most assuredly acquit him. 28

28 Will most assuredly acquit him.

Why not, as well as acquit capt. Mac, who evaded all harm, in consequence of his not permitting the " sun to go down on his wrath?" Mr. Justice Grose, however, appears to me to have proved himself to have been a very gross justice, in telling the jury that the law does not recognise certain nice distinctions which are adopted by men of honour. If, however, his assertion be true, it is proper

And when the foe is sent to Hades,
Our champion will please the ladies,
Because the pretty things delight in
The man, who kills his man in fighting.

that there should be an act of parliament passed immediately, giving us GENTLEMEN the privilege of killing each other, which would save government the expense of hemp, hangmen, &c.

CANTO III.

MANIFESTO,

ARGUMENT.

The poet now, with Discord's clarion
Preludes the war we mean to carry on;
And sends abroad a PROCLAMATION
Against Perkinean conjuration;

Proves that we ought to hang the tractors,
On gibbet high, like malefactors,
And with them that pestiferous corps,
Who keep alive the paltry poor;
By reasons sound, as e'er were taken,
From Aristotle, Locke, or Bacon.

BUT if you cannot find some one,
As bold as Attila the Hunn,
T' attack the conjuring tractoring noddy,
And fairly bore him through the body;

Collect a host of our profession,
With all their weapons in possession;