Such grofs delufions could not pass
Through any ears but of an ass.

But gold defiles with frequent touch ;
There's nothing fouls the hand so much :
And scholars give it for the cause
Of British Midas' dirty paws ;
Which while the senate strove to scour,
They walh'd away the chemic power.

While he his utmost strength apply'd,
To swim against this popular tide,
The golden spoils flew off apace;
Here fell a penhon, there a place;
The torrent merciless imbibes
Commiffons, perquifites, and bribes;
By their own weight sunk to the bottom;
Much good may do them that have caught 'em!
And Midas now neglected stands,
With asses' ears, and dirty bands.

AN EXCELLENT NEW SONG: 1711.

BEING THE INTENDED SPEECH OF

A FAMOUS ORATOR AGAINST PEACE *.
A

N Orator dismal of Nottinghamsire,

Who has forty years let out his conscience to hire,
Out of zeal for his country, and want of a place,
Is come up, vi & armis, to break the queen's peace.

* The lord treasurer having hinted a wish one evening that a ballad might be made on the earl of Nortingham; this song was written and printed the next morning.

He

He has vamp'd an old speech, and the court, to their

forrow,
Shall hear him harangue against Prior to-morrow.
When once he begins, he never will finch,
But repeats the fame note a whole day, like a Finch.
I have heard all the speech repeated by Hoppy,
And, “ Mistakes to prevent, I've obtained a copy."

Τ Η Ε

S P E ECH.

WHEREAS, notwithstanding, I am in great pain, To hear we are making a peace without Spain ; But, most noble Senators, 'tis a great shame, There should be a peace, while I'm Not-in-game. The duke shew'd me all his fine house; and the dutchefs From her closet brought out a full purse in her clutches, I talk'd of a peace, and they both gave

a start, His grace

swore by G-d, and her grace let a f-t: My long old-fabion'd pocket was presently cramm'd; And sooner than vote for a peace I'll be damn’d.

But some will cry Turn-coat, and rip up old stories, How I always pretended to be for the. Tories : I answer; the Tories were in my good graces, Till all my relations were put into places. But still I 'm in principle ever the fame, And will quit my best friends, while I'm Not-in-gamko

When I and some others subscribed our names To a plot for expelling my master king James ;

I withdrew

I withdrew my subscription by help of a blot,
And so might discover or gain by the plot :
I had my advantage and stood at defiance,
For Daniel was got from the den of the lions :
I came in without danger, and was I to blame?
For, rather than bang, I would be Not-in-game.

I swore to the Queen, that the prince of Hanover
During her sacred life would never come over :
I made use of a trope ; that “ an heir to invite,
“ Was like keeping her monument always in sight.”
But, when I thought proper, I alter'd my note ;
And in her own hearing I boldly did vote,
That her Majesty stood in great need of a Tutor,
And must have an old or a young Coadjutor :
For why; I would fain have put all in a flame,
Because, for some reasons, I was Not-in-game.

Now my new benefactors have brought me about,
And I'll vote against Peace, with Spain, or without :
Though the Court gives my nepbews, and brothers,

and cousins,
And all my whole family, places by dozens ;
Yet, fince I know where a full-purse may be found,
And hardly pay eighteen-pence tax in the pound:
Since the Tories have thus disappointed my hopes,
And will neither regard my figures nor tropes ;
I'll speech against peace while Dismal's my name,
And be a true Whig, while I am Not-in-game.

THE

THE WINDSOR PROPHECY*. 1711. WHEN a holy black Swede, the son of Bobt,

With a faint I at his chin, and a seal 1 at his fob, Shall not see one s New-year's-day in that year, Then let old Englond make good chear : Windsor | and Bristow | then shall be Joined together in the Low-countree ll. Then shall the tall black Daventry Bird ** Speak against peace right many a word ;

* It is said, that Queen Anne had nominated Dr. Swift to an English bishoprick; which was opposed by Dr. Sharp, archbishop of York, and the dutchess of somerset, who had prevailed on his grace to go with her to the queen to lay aside the nomination, which her majesty refused; but, the dutchess falling on her knees, and fhewing the above prophecy to her majesty, the bishoprick was given to another. See p. 93.

+ Dr. John Robinson, bishop of Bristol, one of the plenipotentiaries at Utrecht.

He was dean of Windsor, and lord privy seal.

$ The New Style (which was not used in GreatBritain and Ireland till 1752) was then observed in most parts of Europe. The bishop set out from England the latter end of December, O. S.; and, on his arrival at Utrecht, by the variation of the style, he found January somewhat advanced.

| Alluding to the deanry and bishoprick being possessed by the same person, then at Utrecht. ** Earl of Nottingham.

And

And some shall admire his conying wit,
For many good groats his tongue shall Ait.
But, spight of the Harpy that crawls on all four,
There shall be peace, pardic, and war no more.
But Englond must cry alack and well-a-day,
If the fick be taken from the dead sea.
And, dear Englond, if aught I understond,
Beware of Carrots * from Nortbumberlond.
Carrots sown Thynne + a deep root may get,
If so be they are in Somer set:
Their Conyngs mark thou; for I have been told,
They afasline when young, and poison when old.
Root out these Carrots, O thou s, whose name
Is backwards and forwards always the same;
And keep close to thee always that name,
Which backwards and forwards || is almost the same.
And, Englond, wouldst thou be happy still,
Bury those Carrats under a Hil **.

* The dutchess of Somerset.

+ Thomas Thynne of Longleate, efq; a gentleman of very great estate, married the above lady after the death of her first husband Henry Cavendish earl of Ogle, only son to Henry duke of Newcastle, to whom he had been betrothed in her infancy.

1 Count Koningsmark.
Ś ANNA.
# MASHAM.

Lady Malham's maiden name was Hill.

EPIGRAM