Imagens da página
PDF
ePub
[ocr errors]

The GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE, VOL. IX.

he Stady of Divinity. The Afcendency he gained over the Minds of Men, by being believed to have more Religion than is ufual ly found in Heads covered with Crowns, enabled him to push Things further than moft of his Predeceffors: All his Clergy were devoted to his Interefts, his Nobility food in great Fear of him, and his People really believed, that in him were united the Characters of Prince and Prophet. The Inhabitants of a Country lying to the South of his Dominions, had erected a kind of Ariftocratical Common Wealth, under which they lived, if not happily, at least much better than any of their Neighbours; and B the Report of their being a rich and opuLent People, vehemently purred Almali to attempt the bringing them under his Go

Village hard by, and in which fuch Hole
were made as were fufficient to furnish them
with Air.

This Propofition being agreed to, and
carried into Execution, Almali affembled
other Officers, of whofe Fidelity he doubted,
and having reproached them with want of
Loyalty, and the injurious Things they had
faid of him, he exhorted them to go to the
Tombs of their Companions, and after re-
commending themselves to Heaven by Prayer,
to enquire of the deceas'd Captains, whe-
ther the Promifes he had made them of Fe-
licity in the other World, were not accom-
plished to the full. These laft mentioned
Officers, in Pursuance of the King's Inftruc-
tions, went, accompanied with a great
Body of the Soldiers, where, after falem
Prayers, they were furprixed to hear the
following Speech pronounced by a fhrill
Voice from one of the Tombs: Fight vali-
Cantly, my Brethren, in the Cause of God
and the King, fince all who fall therein,
pafs immediately to Paradife, and enjoy
all the Blifs promifed by our Prophet, let
their past Lives be ever fo wicked.

[graphic]

ng the Conqueft, if the Courage of his Sol diers could but be restored; and in order to this, he propofed the following Expedient: That thefe Officers fhould in the dead of the Night go and lay themselves among the

The Troops, infpired with new Valour, retired from the Tombs, and having encompaffed the Tent of their Prince, promifed to follow him chearfully wherever he pleafed to lead them. Almali thanked them in a long and pious Speech, and as foon as he had difmiffed them, went with a few Attendants to the Tombs, where he caufed all the Air-Holes to be stopped up, fuppofing that those who had ferv'd him to faithfully when living, ought not to refuse to die for him, when that alone was capable of furthering his Service. This, I think, is a fufficient Proof, that if the Moors are as wicked as our Europeans, they are like wife as capable of being wicked to fome Purpofes, if the Purposes of the Great deferve that Name.

N. B. We are grieved to find that, by af-
ferting in a late Advertisement that the
Writers of the LONDON MAGAZINE
have not yet learned their Alphabet, we
have expofed ourselves to be charged
by fome with ridiculous and enormous
Hyperboles, and by others with an ab-
folute Difregard to Truth. We there-
fore take this Opportunity of referring
our Readers to the London Magazine of
Feb. p. 62. where they tell us, that the
Letter d is NOT founded in the Words
This Inftance,
COLD and COLD.
which puts their Ignorance of the Al
phabet, however incredible, beyond
11 Castrove (v will we hope, fecure

[ocr errors]

SCHEME of a LOTTERY for Virgins.

Mr URBAN,

TH

Bath, March 17.

B

C

149

The Great Prizes are two Fortunes 100,000 l. each; Four of 80,000!. Five of 70,000l. Six of 60,000l. Ten of 50,000l. Twelve of 40,000l. Twenty of 30,000l. And One Hundred of 10,000l. The Second Prizes are Beauties in number 100. Pretty Girls 5000. Agreeables 1000. Wits 10. Houfe-wives 5. Ladies of Quality sooo. Relations to the first Mr or his Mistress 25.

HE Public has been frequently oblihitherto proved ineffectual; Be it enacted for the better Hinderance thereof in time ged to the Pen, which drew up the following Bill, for feveral masterly Pieces to come, and for the neceffar y Encouragewrote for its Service, as well as for fome particularly to attend to, upon the Proment of Propagation, which we ought eminently humourous, and, I was going fpect of an approaching War, that all the to fay, intended merely for Entertain- A Virgins of Great Britain, from the Age of ment; but fatirizing Folly, difcouraging Fifteen to Forty, fhall be difpofed of by Vice and Corruption, and promoting Lottery, in the following manner: Juftice and Public Spirit, fo naturally enter into his Pieces of Fancy, that the Patriot is discoverable even in his Amusements. I have fometimes favoured a certain Weekly Effayift with the first Copies I could get of cafual Differtations by this diftinguished Hand, and it has been a Pleasure to me to obferve them copy'd thence, and propagated, by means of your Collection, all over British Dominions. The Author himself is above taking any Notice of his Productions when in Print; but cannot be offended that fuch Regard is paid to them, as to be republifh'd from feveral Preffes. For my part I am fir'd with Indignation at the fordid Wretch that would make a Property of 'em, and, by confining them to his Paper, deprive thousands, Mifer-like, of the Benefit he can no further enjoy. Obferving, therefore, many learned, useful and entertaining Originals, in your Magazine, and the malicious Treatment you daily meet, I have procur'd you the firft Publication of the enfuing Scheme. I conclude from the Multitude of your Correfpondents, that all Writers, whether for Pleasure or Stipend, prefer the Canal which makes their Lucubrations most publick: And I must fay, that those who difcover a Genius equal to that of the learned and accomplish'd Jonathan Wagstaffe, M. D. or of the judicious and accurate Pamphilus, (not to mention your other deferving Correfpondents, or the polite Author I now fend) will meet with as many AdF mirers as they find Readers, and do lastingHonour to your Collections. Yours,W.

ABILL for a Charitable Lottery for the
Relief of the diftrefs'd Virgins of Great
Britain.

Wancholy Dilute of Holy Matrimony

HEREAS, by the great and me

in thefe Kingdoms, an infinite number of his Majefty's Female Subjects are left upon the Hands of their Parents, in the unnatural State of Virginity, to the griev ous Prejudice of the Commonwealth, the infupportable burthening of private Families, and the unfpeakable Affliction of the faid Females:

And whereas all ordinary Methods prevent, or remedu &›

D

E

G

[ocr errors]

The lowest Prizes are Women of Fashiat Quadrille 12,000. Miffes of generaon and Breeding, 300,000. Good Players Accomplishments 30,000. Good-Condil tion'd Girls, alias Friskeys, 100,000. SpeDaughters, 17,000. cial Breeders, most of them Parfons Saints 20. Lift of Blanks are comprehended all the In the Virtuous Women, Number 1 Million. Females of Great Britain within Age, that are only known by the Name of

'Tis propofed that the faid Lottery be carried on in the ufual Methods; only that whatever any Man fhall draw, whether Prize or Blank, he fhall be obliged to keep the fame, whereby the Publick half of Virgins; and the Births will be will be difcharged of near a Million and probably increafed to near a Third of that Number, within the Bills of the enfuing Year.

And whereas the principal Objections against a State Lottery are, the draining ing Trade and Industry, Be it provided, the Poor of their Money, and difcouragethat in the prefent Lottery, no Man fhall be permitted to take a Ticket, who has not anEftate of 100 l. pr Ann. except it be ufelefs or idle Perfons, fuch as Courtiers, Attorneys, Deans, Prebendaries, Fellows of Colleges, Poets, and the like; who are expected to ferve their Country this Way, fince they do it in no other.

To prevent any Quarrels about fixing the Value of the Prizes, the Beauties fhall be fettled by the remaining Members of the Kit-Car-Club; and the Pretties, and the Agreeables, fhall be rated by the by the Number of their Enemies. Number of their Lovers: And the Wits

For the better Encouragement of the Men, and to take away the dreadful Apprchenfions of the Thing

Behaviour, who can't poffibly be mistaken for Virgins, thall be put into the Lottery as fuch. But where the Point is only a little doubtfel, it is hoped that Gentlemen will not be fo unreasonable as to expect the Government thould infure them, but jud ze favourably, and make themfelves eafy, as it is the Part of Wife Men and Good Subjects so to do.

And whereas certain ill. affe&ted feditious Perfons, who omit no Opportunity of afperting the Adn, may go about to reprefent this prefent Act, as an Attempt to introduce Arbitrary Power, by putting a grievous Yoke on the Necks of his Majelty's faithful Subje&is; Be it declared, that there is nothing in this prefent A&t contrary to Magna Charta, the Petition of Rights, or the Act of Settlement; and the Liberty and Rights of the People are fafe and inviolate, no Man being compell'd to take a Ticket, but only advised and exhorted thereto.

No Man fhall take more than one, except Peers, Privy Counfellors, Judges and Members of Parliament, who are allow ed three; and Bishops, ad Libitum.

A

B

[ocr errors]

The Tickets are to be deliver'd Gratis; and fpecial Care (hall be taken, that no Member of the Houfe of Commons hall D have more than is granted him by the Act: Not even the Patriots belonging to the Court, tho' it has been ufual to indulge them in former Lotteries. Provided nevertheless, that all fuch Husbands, as have brought a Contempt upon Matrimony by fuing publickly for a Divorce, and proving themfelves Cuckolds in open Court, be fpecially and particularly excluded from the Benefit of this Act.

And be it enacted that all and every Woman and Women, that have been, and fhall be divorced, fhall continue to act, and do all fuch Things as they might have done, if no fuch Act, or Judgment had been given against them.

Neither Senefino, nor Careftini fhall be fuffered to take a Ticket; but in regard to the great Affection the Ladies bear them, they may be allowed to go Shares with other Men.

And, whereas many young Ladies may at prefent lie under difinal Apprehenfions of, Efq; to the great Difcouragement and Prejudice of the prefent Lottery: Be it declared, that the faid

Efq; is Ipfo facto, an unfit Perfon, and remains excluded accordingly.

The faid Lottery is to be drawn the first of May 1739, and the Doctors, Proctors, and other Officers of SpiritualCount,

E

fame fhould be repeated once every leven Years: There fhall be no hireing Horses; fuch a Practice being directly contrary to the Delign of this Bill.

And forafmuch, as M-G- Spinfter, trufling too much to her Beauty, Wit, c. not having the Fear of Virginity before her Eyes, has refus'd divers good Offers, and thew'd a cruel Delight in the Pains and Sufferings of her Lovers; it is, therefore, thought proper to make an Example of her, by not admitting her into the Number of Prizes of this present Lottery.

And whereas Difficulty may arise in what Rank of the Prizes fhould be placed Kitty Wound all, Spinfter; whether amongst the Beauties, the Pretties, or the Agreeables, fhe manifeftly belonging to all three; to prevent Confufion, and fave the Publick needlefs Trouble, fhe is defired to provide for herself.

Ordered, That this Bill be read every Sanday before Sermon in all the Parish Churches, and other Places of publick Worship in Great Britain, for the Confolation of the Godly Women there Affembled, and to the end that the Preachers may inftruct the Men to this Act of Chriftian Duty.

as

Mr URBAN,

*

HAVE feen your gentle Rebuke to Com. mon Senfe, and find 'tis as you Jay, he has a good Front. I will be jo frank to tell you, I had a huge Parcel of his Papers frank'd down to me, with a Re quest to distribute 'em on our Side of the Country, in order to rail you out of all Perfons Opinion hereabout. Now tho' I was defired to do you an Injury, I will be so much your Friend as to tell you what certain Gentlemen of Distinction, fine Senfe, and large Fortunes, faid on the Occafion: After readFing half the Scurrility, or bombarding Impudence, of the Poffcript, they flung the Paper down in a Difguft, and jaid, "Let 'em rail and be hang'd, what is it to us?" Alas! Mr Common Senfe! Alas Mr T. Aftley! there's nobody will believe you! there's nobody of Senfe regards what you lay; fo you may go on to the End of the Chapter: For Urban's Genius and Industry rife above the Power of your Invectives, as much as the Gentleman's Magazine rifes in Eftimation above the London, or any fervile Imitation of it. So long Urban, as you continue to please us as you have done, we shall continue your Readers, in spite of all envious Detractors. Yours, Norfolk, March 9. R. H.

G

A ODE, to bis Royal Highness on bis Birth-Day.

F

ITLY to hail this happy day,

Freedom demands a feftal lay,
And wakes the filent ftring.
The generous Mufe, untaught to fear,
Infpires what Britain's prince fhould hear,
And Britain's bards should fing.

Accurs'd the wretches ever be,
The foes to facred liberty,

Who impious dare prefume

To footh his ear with fuch a ftrain,
As better fits the cringing train,
The flaves of France or Rome.
Far other fpeaks the voice of truth
Oh! may it warn thee, royal youth!
To fly bafe flattery's lore.
The Syren fings; who liften, die:
Behold yon wreck with cautious eye!
Nor truft the faithless shore!

And when, beneath thy counfel'd reign,
Britain fhall plow the fubject main,
Compleat heaven's great defign!
Reftrain thy powers with binding
And grateful own the glorious cause,
That rais'd thy fcepter'd line!
So fhalt thou earn unequal'd fame
From bleffings deathlefs as thy name
By latest time enjoy'd."
While gifts from arbitrary fway,
Shine the vain pageants of a day,
Neglected and destroy'd.

Thy throne fhall thus unfhaken ftand,
Its ample bafe a profperous land,

Thy ftrength a nation's might.
And thus thy future race fhall be
Safe in a blefs'd neceffity,

Guided and rul'd by right.

OR

But oh! how folemn is the fcene,

When now at even-tide
The fhadowy Moon afcends her throne,
And rules with milder pride.

The ftretching eye, with curious gaze,
Travels thro' fields of light,
Amaz'd, beholds the rolling fpheres,
And glitt'ring hofts of night.
What countlefs myriads of flars
Adorn the wide expanfe!

And yet what numbers fhine remote,
And mock the keenest glance!
Millions of orbs divinely bright,

And of enormous fize,

That with their beams glad other worlds,
And lumine other skies.

Perhaps themfelves are glorious worlds,
Each of more perfect kind,

Stock'd with a race of nobler form,

And more exalted mind.

Who knows how far creation may
In just gradation rife,

LIBR

NY

Let priefts an hallow'd bondage preach! Let school-men earth-born godhead teach! Let loyal mad-men rave!

Wife nature feels, fhe mocks their rules,
And laws opprefs'd, from diff'rent fchools,
Unite the free and brave.

So form'd now fhines the patriot-band,
The guardians of a threaten'd land,
Of Britain, and her Crown.
May fuch adorn each future age,
Equal to ftem wild faction's rage,
Or pull a tyrant down!
Genius of freedom, and of peace!
Bid rapine and contention ceafe!

Protect what you beftow'd!
Well may a burden'd realm complain,
If, refcu'd from the galling chain,
She finks beneath her load.

An O D E.

WHEN I the heav'ns contemplate, Lord, And all the shining frame,

My foul, in filent tranfport loft,

Adores thy hely name.

There runs the Sun his radiant courfe,
Thro' known, tho puthless ways,

Difpenfing light and genial heat,

To all his orb furvee

ping new wonders to the thought, New beauties to the eyes?

Thmagination fires my

foul,

My breaft with rapture glows,
And ev'ry faculty, O Lord,
In gratitude 'erflows.

If the reflection gives fuch joys,
Where all we fee is veil'd;
How muft they rife in excellence,
Their glories unconceal'd!
When we shall clearly comprehend
Thy wisdom, boundless love,
Protecting, guiding all below,
And bleffing all above.
Haften, O Lord, the happy hour,

When, freed from this dull clay, My foul fhall reach,jts native skies,

And view the realms of day. How long fhall I, oppreft with life, Pour out my plaints to thee? O fpeed my flight where, face to face, Thy prefence I may fee! Admit me to that heav'n of heav'ns, Where thou fupreme doft reign, In blifs too vaft for thought to reach, Or language to explain.

AMASIUS.

Upon a young LADY's faying, "Where there is no Love, there can be no SEvere expreffion! but alas! too true;

Jealousy.

But why, lov'd nymph, exemplify'd in you? Your conduct fhews the maxim over clear: The reafon, why you hate, does not appear. And fince where love, there may be jealouiy, Ah! think, how much I have endur'd for thee. If to be lov'd, might afk returns of love, Then I'll appeal unto the pow'rs above.

This all who know me, know, who fee me, fee, That not to love you, cou'd not learn of me. 'Tis well difdain na tartha

Verfes to the Memory of Mrs Row E.
By a FRIEND.

W Hile penfive in the lonely fhades I ftray,

Or thro' enamel'd meads purfue my way,
A gloomy forrow hangs about my heart,
And fudden tears o'er my dim eye-balls start.
In vain (I cry) in vain, delightful fpring,
Thou deck'ft the plains; who now thy charms fhall
fing?

Who, from the various beauty of the fields,
And ev'ry herb thy genial influence yelds,
Shall teach us their Great Author to difcern,
And from each tree and flow'r his goodness learn?
Since Philomela her laft debt has paid,
And cold, and filent, in the tomb is laid.
No more the echoes fhall repeat her fong;
Nor cryftal riv'lets, as they glide along,
Shall on their waters bear her tuneful lays,
Devoted all to her REDEEMER's praife:
No more fhall I her friendly converse share,
Nor hear the dictates of her pious care.

Yet tho' the bright example is remov'd,
Be its idea ftill rever'd, and lov'd;
To imitate her virtue may I try,
And on the path fhe mark'd ftill fix my eye.
Tho' far behind, imperfect, and diftreft,
Fain would I feck the climes of balmy reft:
Where fin no more con tempt, nor pain annoy,
Nor pining forrow interrupt their joy;
Where rivers of eternal pleasure flow,
And gales of peace forever round them blow.
Say, could I fee her in this happy state,
And that the lives no more on earth regret?
That free'd, and victor in the glorious ftrife,
No more the labours thro' the toil of life;
But wears the ftarry crown, the bright reward,
By God himself for all his faints prepar'd?

How often, when I join'd her ev'ning walk,
Would the in rapture of this period talk!
How oft the fetters of her clay bemoan,
And with them broke, impatient to be gone!
Yet ftill refign'd to wait th' appointed day,
Nor dar'd to murmur at her fate's delay.
The thought of earthly blifs me long had fled,
Defirous to be numbe'd with the dead,
And meet her dear Alexis, on that fhore,
Where fear of parting can torment no more:
Faithful to him, fhe from the world retir'd,
Tho' by that world diftinguifh'd and admir'd.
In folitude the paft the circling days,
Fearless of cenfure, negligent of praife.
In contemplation all her hours were spent,
Her thoughts on heav'nly objects ever bent,
Till by the hand of death from hence remov'd;
Whofe dart fhe met in the retreat the lov'd.

Obfcure and peaceful may her afhes lie,
No marble pomp attract the curious eye;
Nor weeping angel fhall her grave adorn,
And teach the careless paffenger to moura;
No fun-burnt pilgrim from afar fhall come,
With fuperftitious rites to hail her tomb;
Nor shining tapers, thro' the gloom of night,
Upon her urn diffufe a trembling light:

Her worth a far more lafting fame fhall give,
Her worth in ev'ry virtuous breaft fhall live.

On the Death of Mrs Row E.
ACCEPT, illuftrious fhade! thefe artlefs lays,

The Mufe a tribute to thy mem'ry pays:

Thy lofs, to no one private grief confin'd,
Demands the gen'ral forrow of mankind.

Oft did Intrigue its guilty arts unite,
To blacken the records of female wit;
The tuneful fong loft ev'ry modeft grace,
And lawless freedoms triumph'd in their place.
The Mufe, for vices not her own accus'd,
Thofe gifts for nobler purposes defign'd,
With blushes view'd her facred gifts abus'd:

To raife the thoughts, and moralize the mind,
The chafte delights of virtue to inspire,
And warm the bofom with feraphic fire,
Sublime the paffions, lend devotion wings,
And celebrate the first great cause of things.

Thefe glorious talks were Philomela's part,
Who charms the fancy, and who mends the heart.
In her was ev'ry bright perfection join'd,
Whate'er adorns, or dignifies the mind;
Her's ev'ry happy elegance of thought,
Refin'd by virtue, as by genius wrought:
Each low-born care her pow'rful ftrains controul,
And wake the nobler paffions of the foul.
When to the vocal grove, or winding stream,
She hymn'd th' almighty author of its frame,
Tranfported echoes bore the founds along,
And all creation lift'ned to the fong.
Bold as when raptur'd feraphs ftrike the lyre,
Chafe as the veftal's confecrated fire,
Soft as the balmy airs that gently play
In the calm fun-fet of a vernal day,
Sublime as virtue, elegant as wit,
As fancy various, and as bounty fweet.
Applauding angels with attention hung,
To learn the heav'nly accents from her tongue :
They in the midnight hour beheld her rife
Beyond the verge of thefe inferior skies;
Where rapt in joys to vulgar minds unknown,
She felt a flame ecftatic as their own.

Oh! while diftinguifh'd in the realms above,
The blissful feats of harmony and love,
Thy happy fpirit joins the heav'nly throng,
Glows their tranfports, and partakes their fong;
Fix'd on my foul fhall thy example grow,
And be my genius and my guide below:
To this I'll point my firft, my nobleft views,
Thy fpotlefs verfe fhall regulate my Mufe.
And oh forgive (tho' faint the tranfcript be,
That copies an original like thee)
My higheft pride, my beft attempt for fame,
That joins my own to Philomela's name.

ELIZABETH CARTER.

On the prefent publication of Mrs Rowe's Poems after her death.

THUS Philomela fung, on earth detain'd,

While cumb'rous clay rifing foul restrain'd:
Now the free'd fpirit, with th' angelic choir,
In fields of light attunes th' immortal lyre,
And hymns her God in ftrains more feft, more
ftrong;

There only could fhe learn a loftier long.

ERRAT. Page 98. in Mrs Rowe's Verses, after v. 16. omitted the following couplet

Tranquillity and pleasure fly your shades,
And reftlefs care your folitude invades.
Laft v. but one for fleep read, ftretch'd.

N. B. Love's no irregular defire, &c. fent by
J. Ch's from Oxford, is in Vol. I. p. 315.

« AnteriorContinuar »