Poets would not take his Advice, he troubles himself no more about 'em ; but has met with one Vanderbank, who works in Arras, and makes very good Tapestry Hangings: Therefore, in order to celebrate the Hero of the Age, he claps me together all that can be faid of a Man that makes Hangings: As,

Then, Artift, who doft Nature's Face exprefs
In Silk and Gold, and Scenes of Action dress;
Doft figur'd Arras animated leave,

Spin a Bright Story, or a Paffion weave

By mingling Threads; canft mingle Shade and (Light,

Delineate Triumphs, or defcribe a Fight?

Well, what fhall this Workman do? Why?< To fhow how great an Hero the Poet intends, he provides him a very good Horse:

Champing his Foam, and bounding on the Plain Arch his High Neck, and Graceful Spread his Mane..

Now as to the Intrepidity, the calm Cou rage, the conftant Application of the Hero, it is not neceffary to take that upon your felf; you may, in the Lump, bid him you employ raife him as High as he can, and if he does it not, let him anfwer for difobeying Orders.

Let Fame and Victory in inferior Sky,
Hover with ballanc'd Wings, and fmiling fly
Above his Head, &c..

A whole Poem of this Kind may be ready against an enfuing Campagne, as well as a Space left in the Canvafs of a Piece of Tapeftry for the principal Figure, while the UnderParts are working: So that in Effect, the Advifer copies after the Man he pretends to direct..

This Method fhould, methinks, encourage young Beginners: For the Invention is fo fitted to all Capacities, that by the Help of it a Man may make a Receipt for a Poem. A young Man may obferve, that the Gigg of the Thing is, as I faid, finding out all that can be faid of his Way you employ to fet forth your Worthy. Waller and Denham had worn out the Expedient of Advice to a Painter: This Author has transferred the Work, and fent his Advice to the Poets; that is to fay, to the Turners of Verfe, as he calls 'em. Well, that Thought is worn out also, therefore he directs his Genius: to the Loom, and will have a new Set of Hangings in Honour of the laft Year in Flanders. I must own to you, I approve extremely, this Invention, and it might be improved for the Benefit of Manufactury: As, fuppofe an Inge nious Gentleman fhould write à Poem of Advice to a Callico-Printer: Do you think there is a Girl in England, that would wear any Thing but The Taking of Life, or The Battle of Oudenarde? They would certainly be all the Fashion, till the Heroes Abroad had cut out fome more Patterns. I fhould fancy fmall Skirmishes might do for Under-Petticoats, provided they had a Siege for the Upper. If our Adviser were well imitated, many Industrious. People might be put to Work. Little Mr. Dactile, now in the Room, who formerly, writ a Song and a Half, is a Week gone in a very pretty Work, upon this Hint: He is writing an Epigram to a young Virgin who knits very well

tis a Thoufand Pities he is a Jacobite): But his Epigram is by Way of Advice to this Damfel, to knit all the Actions of the Pretender and the Duke of Burgundy laft Campagne in the Clock of a Stocking. It were endless to enumerate

the

i

the many Hands and Trades that may be employed by Poets, of fo ufeful a Turn as this Advifer's. I fhall think of it; and in this Time of Taxes, thall confult a great Critick employed in the Custom-house, in order to pro-pofe what Tax may be proper to put upon Knives, Seals, Rings, Hangings, WroughtBeds, Gowns and Petticoats, where any of thofe Commodities bear Morto's, or are worked upon Poetical Grounds

St. James's Coffee house, April 15.

Letters from Turin of the 3d Inftant, N. S. inform us, That his Royal Highness employs all his Addrefs in alarming, the Enemy, and perplexing their Speculations, concerning his real Designs the enfuing Campaign. Contracts are entered into with the Merchants of Milan, for a great Number of Mules to tranfport his Provifions and Ammunition. His Royal Highnefs has ordered the Train of Artillery to be conveyed to Sufa before the 20th of the next Month. In the mean Time, all Accounts agree, That the Enemy are very backward in their Preparations, and almost incapable of defending themfelves against an Invafion, by reafon of the general Murmurs of their own People, which, they find, are no way to be quieted, but by giving them Hopes of a fpeedy Peace. When thefe Letters were dispatched, the Marshal de Theffe was arrived at Genoa, where he has taken much Pains to keep the Correfpondents of the Merchants of France in Hopes, that Measures will be found out to fupport the Credit and Commerce between that State and Lyons; But the late Declaration of the Agents of Monfieur Bernard, that they cannot discharge the Demands made upon them,

them, has quite difpirited all those who are engaged in the Remittances of France.

From my own Apartment, April 15.

It is a very natural Paffion in all good Members of the Commonwealth, to take what Care › they_can_of_their Families. Therefore I hope the Reader will forgive me, that I desire he would go to the Play called the Stratagem, this Evening, which is to be acted for the Benefit of my near Kinfman Mr. John Bickerftaff proteft to you, the Gentleman has not fpoken to me to defire this Favour; but I have a Refpect for him, as well in Regard to Confanguinity, as that he is an intimate Friend of that Famous and Heroick A&tor, Mr. George Powell, who formerly played Alexander the Great in all Places, though he is lately grown fo reserved, as to act it only on the Stage.

The TATLER.

[N° 4.

From Saturd. April 16. to Tuesd. April 19. 1709.

I for the Cure or Information of the Crowd Tis ufual with Perfons, who mount the Stage bout 'em, to make folemn Profeffions of their being wholly disinterested in the Pains they take for the Publick Good. At the fame Time, thofe very Men, who make Harangues in Plush Doublets, and extol their own Abilities and Generous Inclinations, tear their Lungs in vending a Drug, and show no Act of Bounty, except it be, that they lower a Demand of a Crown, to Six, nay, to One Penny. We have a Contempt for fuch Paultry Barterers, and have therefore all

along

along informed the Publick, that we intend to give them our Advices for our own Sakes, and are labouring to make our Lucubrations come to Some Price in Money, for our more convenient Support in the Service of the Publick. It is certain, that many other Schemes have been propofed to me; as a Friend offered to fhow me a Treatife he had writ, which he called, The Whole Art of Life, or, The Introduction to Great Men, illuftrated in a Pack of Cards. But being a Novice at all Manner of Play, I'declined the Offer. Another advifed me, for want of Money, to fet up my Coach and practise Phyfick, but having been bred a Scholar, I feared 1 jhould not fucceed that Way neither; therefore refolved to go on in my prefent Project. But you are to understand, that I shall not pretend to raise a Credit to this Work, upon the Weight of my Politick News only, but as my Latin Sentence in the Title Page informs you, fhall take any Thing that offers for the Subject of my Difcourfe. Thus, New Perfons, as well as New Things, are to come under my Confideration; as, when a Toast, or a Wit, is first pronounced fuch, Tou shall have the fresheft Advice of their Preferment from me, with a Defcription of the Beauty's Manner, and the Wit's Style, as alfo in whofe Places they are advanced. For this Town is never good-natured enough to raife One, without depreffing Another. But it is my Defign, to avoid faying any Thing, of any Perfon, which ought justly to difplease; but fhall endeavour, by the Variety of the Matter and Style, to give Entertainment for Men of Pleafure, without Offence to thofe of Bufinefs.

White's