etis, etc. "When Leo died, and poets were!" no more" (for I would not understand profli- 10 gatis literally, as if poets then were profligate)t this unhappy Laureate was forthwith reduced to t return to his country, where, oppreffed with old age and want, he miferably perifhed in a common hofpital.

We fee from this fad conclufion (which may be of example to the poets of our time) that it were happier to meet with no encouragement at all, to remain at the plough, or other lawful occupation, than to be elevated above their condition, and taken out of the common means of life, without a furer fupport than the temporary, or at best, mortal favours of the great. It was doubtless for this confideration, that when the Royal Bounty was lately extended to a rural genius, care was taken to fettle it upon him for life. And it hath been the practice of our Princes, never to remove from the ftation of Poet Laureate any man who hath once been chofen, tho' never fo much greater Genius's might arife in his time. A noble inftance, how much the charity of our monarchs hath exceeded their love of fame.

To come now to the intent of this paper. We have here the whole antient ceremonial of the Laureate. In the first place the crown is to be mixed with vine-leaves, as the vine is the plant of Bacchus, and full as effential to the honour, as the butt of fack to the falary.

Secondly, the braffica must be made use of as a qualifier of the former. It feems the cabbage was anciently accounted a remedy for drunken

nefs; a power the French now afcribe to the onion, and style a foup made of it, foupe d'rvrogne. I would recommend a large mixture of the braffica, if Mr. Dennis be chofen; but if Mr. Tibbald, it is not fo neceffary, unless the cabbage be fuppofed to fignify the fame thing with refpect to poets as to taylors, viz. ftealing. I should judge it not amifs to add another plant to this garland, to wit, ivy: Not only as it anciently belonged to Poets in general; but as it is emblematical of the three virtues of a court poet in particular; it is creeping, dirty, and dangling.

In the next place, a canticle must be compofed and fung in laud and praife of the new Poet. If Mr. ČIBBER be laureated, it is my opinion no man can write this but himfelf: And no man, I am fure, can fing it fo affectingly. But what this canticle fhould be, either in his or the other candidate's cafe, I fhall not pretend to determine.

Thirdly, there ought to be a public fhow, or entry of the poet: To fettle the order or proceffion of which, Mr. Anftis and Mr. DENNIS ought to have a conference. I apprehend here two difficulties: One, of procuring an elephant; the other of teaching the poet to ride him: Therefore I fhould imagine the next animal in fize or dignity would do best; either a mule or a large afs; particularly if that noble one could be had, whofe portraiture makes fo great an ornament of the Dunciad, and which (unless I am mifinformed) is yet in the park of a nobleman near this city-Unlefs Mr. CIBBER be the

man; who may, with great propriety and beauty, ride on a dragon, if he goes by land; or if he choose the water, upon one of his own fwans from Cæfar in Egypt.

We have spoken fufficiently of the ceremony; let us now speak of the qualifications and privileges of the Laureate. First, we see he must be able to make verfes extempore, and to pour forth innumerable, if required. In this I doubt Mr. TIBBALD. Secondly, he ought to fing, and intrepidly, patulo ore: Here, I confefs the excellency of Mr. CIBBER. Thirdly, he ought to carry a lyre about with him: If a large one be thought too cumbersome, a fmall one may be contrived to hang about the neck, like an order; and be very much a grace to the perfon. Fourthly, he ought to have a good stomach, to eat and drink whatever his betters think fit; and therefore it is in this high office as in many others, no puny conftitution can discharge it. I do not think CIBBER or TIBBALD here fo happy: but rather a ftanch, vigorous, feafon'd, and dry old gentleman, whom i have in my eye.

I could also wish at this juncture, fuch a perfon as is truly jealous of the honour and dignity of poetry; no joker, or trifler; but a bard in good earneft; nay, not amifs if a critic, and the better if a little obftinate. For when we confider what great privileges have been loft from this office (as we fee from the forecited authentick record of Jovius) namely those of feeding from the prince's table, drinking out of his own flaggon, becoming even his domestick and companion; it re

quires a man warm and refolute, to be able to claim and obtain the restoring of these high honours. I have cause to fear, most of the candidates would be liable, either through the influence of minifters, or for rewards or favours, to give up the glorious rights of the Laureate: Yet I am not without hopes, there is one, from whom a ferious and fteddy affertion of these privileges may be expected; and, if there be fuch a one, I must do him the justice to fay, it is Mr. DENNIs the worthy prefident of our fociety.

GUARDIANS.

N°. 4.

T

March 16, 1713.

HOUGH moft things which are wrong in their own nature, are at once confeffed and abfolved in that fingle word, the Cuftom; yet there are some, which as they have a dangerous tendency, a thinking man will the leís excufe on that very account. Among these I cannot but reckon the common practice of Dedications, which is of fo much the worfe confequence as it is generally ufed by people of politenefs, and whom a learned education for the most part ought to have infpired with nobler and juster fentiments. This proftitution of Praise is not only a deceit upon the grofs of mankind, who take their notion of characters from the Learned; but also the better fort must by this means lofe some part at least of that defire of Fame which is the incentive to generous actions, when they find it promifcuously beftowed on the meritorious and undeferving. Nay, the author himself, let him be supposed to have ever so true a value for the patron, can find no terms to express it, but what have been already ufed, and rendered fufpected by flatterers. Even Truth itself in a Dedication is like an honeft man in a difguife or Vizor-Mafque, and will appear a Cheat by be