enjoyed the ineffable pleasure of being for ever | A point that's keenly mooted still, pestered by visitors, who cared nothing about But certain 'tis that Mrs. Gill them; of being squeezed, and smothered, and par-Told Mrs. Grub she reckoned ten :-' boiled at nightly balls, and evening tea-parties; Fat Mrs. Hobbs came second-then they were allowed the privilege of forgetting the Came Mesdames Jinkins, Dump, and Spriggins, very few old friends they once possessed; they Tapps, Jacks, Briggs, Hoggins, Crump, a turned their noses up in the wind at every thing Wiggins. that was not genteel; and their superb manners and sublime affectation at length left it no longer a matter of doubt that the Giblets were perfectly in the style.

THE BACKBITer.

MRS. DOBBS AT HOME.

"The common chat of gossips when they meet."
DRYDEN.

He who knows Hackney, needs must know
That spot enchanting-Prospect-Row,
So called, because a view it shows
Of Shoreditch Road, and when there blows
No dust, the folks may one and all get
A peep-almost to Norton Falgate.
Here Mrs. Dobbs, at Number Three,
Invited all her friends to tea.
The Row had never heard before
Such double knocks at any door;

And heads were popp'd from every casement,
Counting the comers with amazement.

Some magnified them to eleven,

While others swore there were but seven ;

Dizen'd in all her best array,
Our melting hostess said her say,

As the souchong repast proceeded,
And curtsying and bobbing' press'd
By turns each gormandizing guest,

To stuff as heartily as she did.
Dear Mrs. Hoggins, what!-your cup
Turn'd in your saucer, bottom up!-
Dear me, how soon you've had your filf,
Let me persuade you one more sup,

Psha now, you're only making game,
'Twill do you good, indeed it will -
Or else you tea'd afore you came.

Stop Mrs. Jenkins, let me stir it,
Before I pour out any more.-
No, ma'am, that's just as I prefer it.-
Ó then I'll make it as before.

Lauk! Mrs. Dump, that toast seems dry,
Do take and eat this middle bit ;
The butter's fresh you may rely,

And a fine price I paid for it.—
No doubt, ma'm-what a shame it is,
And Cambridge too again has riz!
You don't deal now with Mrs. Keats?
No, she's a bad one-ma'am she cheats,
Hush! Mrs. Crump's her aunt-Good lack!
How lucky she has just turn'd her back.
Don't spare the toast, ma'am, don't say no,
I've got another round below;

I give folks plenty when I ax e'm,
For cut and come again's my maxim.
Nor should I deem it a misfort'n,
If you demolish'd the whole quart'n
Though bread is now a shameful price,—
Why did they 'bolish the assize!

THE LAUGHING PHILOSopher.

And then the CHIEF CHIEF-JUSTICE, venging crowd. I believe the church has as much capacit wrath as the minister,"

(Which he already often threaten'd hath), Shall make a bon-fire of this mighty ball, As once he made it a vast ocean all.

SWIFT UPON BURNET.

In the Lansdown library, there is a copy of "Burnet's History of his Own Times," filled with remarks on the margin in the hand-writing of Swift. Burnet, it is well known, was no favourite with the Dean. We select a few specimens :Preface, p. 3. Burnet. "Indeed, the peevishness, the ill-nature, and the ambition of many clergymen, have sharpened my spirits perhaps too much against them; so I warn my readers to take all that I say on those heads with some grains of allowance."-Swift. "I will take his warning." P. 28. Burnet. "The Earl of Argyle was a more solemn sort of man, grave and sober, and free of all scandalous vices."-Swift." As a man is free of a corporation, he means."

P. 163. Burnet. (Speaking of Paradise Lost "It was esteemed the beautifulest and perfecin poem that ever was writ, at least in our language. -Swift. "A mistake! for it is in English,"

P. 169. Burnet. "Patrick was esteemed great preacher, ** but a little too severe aga those who differed from him.-* He became after wards more moderate."-Swift. "Yes, for b turned a rank whig."

P. 263. Burnet, "And yet, after all, (King Charles II.) never treated her (Nell Gwyn with the decencies of a mistress."-Swift. "Pia what decencies are those?"

P. 327. Burnet." It seems the French mad no great account of their prisoners, for they re leased 25,000 Dutch for 50,000 crowns.”—Swit " What! ten shillings a-piece! By much too de for a Dutchman.

P. 483. Burnet. "I laid open the crueltic of the church of Rome in Queen Mary's tec P. 49. Burnet. "I will not enter farther which were not then known; and I aggravat into the military part; for I remember an advice though very truly, the danger of falling under of Marshal Schomberg, never to meddle in mili- power of that religion."-Swift. “A Bull.” tary matters. His observation was, Some af- P. 525. Burnet. "Home was convicted e fected to relate those affairs in all the terms of the credit of one evidence. Applications, t war, in which they committed great errors, that true, were made to the Duke of York for savit. exposed them to the scorn of all commanders, his life; but he was not born under a pardo who must despise relations that pretend to exact-planet."-Swift. "Silly fop." ness, when there were blunders in every part of P. 586. Burnet. "Baillie suffered sever them.'"-Swift. "Very foolish advice, for soldiers cannot write."

P. 5. Burnet. "Upon the King's death, the Scots proclaimed his son King, and sent over Sir George Wincan, that married my great aunt, to treat with him while he was in the Isle of Jersey." -Swift." Was that the reason why he was sent ?"

P. 63. Burnet. (Speaking of the Scotch preachers in the time of the civil wars.) "The crowds were far beyond the capacity of their churches or the reach of their voices."-Swift. “And the preaching beyond the capacity of the

hardships and fines, for being supposed to be composed, and even so cheerful, that his behavi the Rye-house plot; yet during this he seemed looked like the revival of the spirit of the noble Greeks and Romans."-Swift. "Take note: he was our cousin."

Vol. II. p. 669. Burnet, (Speaking of th sense I did soon nauseate.”—Swift.Notre progress of his own life.) "The pleasures a with the wine of some elections.”

P. 727. Burnet. "I come now to the ya 1688, which proved memorable, and product -extraordinary and unheard of revolution.”—Swiła

P. 816. Burnet. "It was proposed that the birth of the pretended Prince might be inquired iato, and he was ordered to gather together all the presumptive proofs that were formerly mentioned; it is true these did not amount to a full and legal Extremes he avoids, and in medium invites, proof; yet they seemed to be such violent pre- Tho' no blockhead, he often in foolscap delights, sumptions, that when they were all laid together, And handles his shooting-stick tho' he ne'er fights. Then carol, &c.

his family knowing what to do with him. A side, and having wrapt their master' in `warb famous High German doctor coming into the town, blankets, laid him into the coffin, put on thể tiế attended with fools and rope-dancers, to pick the and pretended to nail him up. They now ordent country people's pockets of a little money, hearing the great bell of the church to be tolled, that i of so eminent a person under this unaccountable might think they were bearing him to his grekri indisposition, took an occasion, the first time that instead of which, they carried him into his he mounted his public theatre, to mention this wine cellar, where they set a person to watch h matter to his country chubs, telling them their till a good supper was prepared; in the lower country physicians were all fools, and that the the doctor ordered his lady and her servants judge was only troubled with the mulligrubs; and disguise themselves in winding-sheets, to repres that if his lady would send for him he would ghosts or spirits, the doctor making one undertake to bring him to his speech, set him upon party. When they were thus equipped, the de his legs, make him walk, talk, eat, drink, or do led the van of these hobgoblins, and went any thing in four and twenty hours time, or else the cellar, where they altered their voices, he would desire nothing for his trouble. This into a merry, extravagant chat, concerning Jarge promise of the mountebank was soon com- affairs of the upper world, rattling the municated to the judge's lady, who sent immedi-and the glasses, extolling their happines ately for the Dutch tooth-drawer, to consult him death, and drinking to the remembrance about the matter; who told her positively he friends they had left behind. In a short time could soon cure him if she would promise a hun-per was laid, and they fell to with seeming jall dred guineas reward, provided he had leave, with-as they were thus merrily eating and carem out interruption, to do as he should see fit. Both What's the matter, (says the doctor,) win parties being agreed, the doctor sent his man for melancholy ghost, that he does not ri:e a joiner and a coffin. When every thing was in coffin? He has been amongst us this order, the doctor and the lady entered the room and has not yet given us any of his where the body lay. No sooner had the doctor surely he is sadly tired of his journey aut cast an eye upon his sullen patient, than he cried other world, for he has a long sleep after out to the lady, "Lord, madam, what makes you prithee wake him, and ask him to eat with send for a physician to a dead man; for shame, One of the most frightful of the spectres, keep him not above ground any longer. Upon my taper in his hand, now opened the lid. word, madam, he has been dead so long that if you coffin, and bawled in his ears, “* Mag-De do not bury him quickly, the scent of his corpse Huggle-Duggle, deputy-governor of the will breed a plague."" I have had a coffin in regions, desires your company to supp. the house for some time, (replied the lady,) but him." Upon which he raised his head to was loth to have him buried too soon."-" By all of the coffin, and beholding so many means, (said the doctor,) let it be brought in, and figures feeding heartily, “Pray, (said order him to be nailed up immediately."-"Pray, dead men eat?"—" Aye, and drink too, doctor, (said the lady,) do you stay a little in the doctor,) or how should they live?"—" Ti room, for fear the rats should disfigure the corpse, the judge,) if eating be the custom of t and I will step and order some of my servants to try, I will make my resurrection, and pică bring in the coffin presently." The patient heard with you." They now conducted bim all this, but was still too much amused to break at the table. "Truly, (said he,) I an silence; the lady came accordingly, and the ser- to find that dead men live so merrily vants with the coffin, who set it down by the bed- may we live so merrily, (said the doctor)