Safer sport than making war; Trimming is a better thing, Than the being trimm'd, oh King! Grasp the needle bright with which Thou didst for the Virgin stitch Garment, such as ne'er before Monarch stitch'd or Virgin wore. Not for her, oh semster nimble! Do I now invoke thy thimble; Not for her thy wanted aid is, But for certain grave old ladies, Who now sit in England's cabinet, Waiting to be clothed in tabinet, Or whatever choice étoffe is Fit for Dowagers in office. First, thy care, oh King, devote To Dame Eld-n's petticoat. Make it of that silk, whose dye Shifts for ever to the eye, Just as if it hardly knew Whether to be pink or blue. Or-material fitter yetIf thou couldst a remnant get Of that stuff, with which, of old, Sage Penelope, we're told, Still by doing and undoing, Kept her suitors always wooingThat's the stuff which I pronounce, is Fittest for Dame Eld-n's flounces.

After this, we'll try thy hand, Mantua-making Ferdinand,

"With nice discrimination weigh'd, "Whether 'twas only Hell and Jemmy,'

Than justice to the case requir'd.

On his return, he found these shocks
Of eloquence all ended quite;
And Wig lay snoring in his box,
And hat was-hung up for the night.

THE PERIWINKLES AND THE LOCUSTS.

A SALMAGUNDIAN HYMN.

"To Panurge was assigned the Lairdship of Salmagundi, which was yearly worth 6,789,106,789 ryals, besides the revenue of the Locusts and Periwinkles, amounting one year with another to the value of 2,435,768," &c. &c.— RABELAIS.

"HURRA! hurra!" I heard them say,
And they cheer'd and shouted all the way,
As the Laird of Salmagundi went,
To open in state his Parliament.

The Salmagundians once were rich,
Or thought they were-no matter which-
For, every year, the Revenue +

From their Periwinkles larger grew?
And their rulers, skill'd in all the trick
And legerdemain of arithmetic,
Knew how to place 1, 2, 3, 4,

5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 and 10,
Such various ways, behind, before,
That they made a unit seem a score,
And prov'd themselves most wealthy men
So, on they went, a prosperous crew,

The people wise, the rulers cleverAnd God help those, like me and you, Who dar'd to doubt (as some now do) That the Periwinkle Revenue

Would thus go flourishing on for ever.

!

1 "Brima naughty woman."- GROSE.

2 "Ghost [beneath]. - Swear!

"Hamlet. - Ha, ha! say'st thou so? Art thou there, Truepenny? Come on."

3 His Lordship's demand for fresh affidavits was incessant.

4 Accented as in Swift's line

"Not so a nation's revenues are paid."