X.

"Several petitions have been lately presented to the E-1 of Cm, by the different clubs in London, such as punch clubs, cyder-cellar clubs, porter-house clubs, and small-beer clubs, praying, that he would make them acquainted with the manner of Mr. Pitt's death, and what his motive was for destroying himself; which, it is hoped, his lordship, from his great love to the people, will comply with, as it will be a means of preventing many angry disputes, which must otherwise continue amongst the several members of those clubs, to the great prejudice of civil society."

The whole of the above jeux d' esprit, appeared within one month of Earl Chatham's elevation to the peerage. The following epigram is of a later date, and was printed in the London Chronicle for March 1, 1770. In order to understand its point, it is necessary to state now, what then was sufficiently known,-that Earl Chatham was much tormented with the gout; and that his brother-in-law, Earl Temple, on account of his awkward appearance, obtained the name of Gawkie.

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XI.

Epigram on Earls Temple and Chatham.

Says Gouty to Gawkie, pray what do you mean?
Says Gawkie to Gouty-to mob king and queen :
Says Gawkie to Gouty, pray what's your intention?
Says Gouty to Gawkie to double my pension."

BACCHANALIAN ODE.

Written by Walter de Mapes, Archdeacon of Oxford, the Anacreon of the Eleventh Century.

I.

Mihi est propositum in tabernum mori,
Vinum sit appositum morientis ori,
Ut dicant cum venerint angelorum chori
"Deus sit propitius huic potatori!"

II.

Poculis accenditur animi lucerna,
Cor imbutum nectare volat ad superna;
Mihi sapit dulcius vinum in taberna,
Quam quod aqua miscuit Præsulis pincerna.

III.

Suum cuique proprium dat natura munus,
Ego nunquam potui scribere jejunus,
Me jejunum vincere posset puer unus;
Sitim et jejunium odi tanquam funus.

IV.

Tales versus facio quale vinum bibo,
Non possum scribere nisi sumpto cibo;
Nihil valet penitus quod jejunus scribo,
Nasonem post calices facile præibo.

V.

Mihi nunquam spiritus propheticè datur,
Nisi cum fuerit, venter bene satur;
Cum in arce cerebri Bacchus dominatur,
In me Phoebus irruit, ac miranda fatur.

Free Translation.

I.

Let me die at the vintner's, I pray;
And die not 'till drunk up's the bowl;
The worst that of me they can say,
Is, "Alas! for his tippling soul."

II.

"Tis by wine that the soul is enlighten'd;
By wine it is lifted on high;
And tenfold its pleasures are heighten'd
When no surly cynic is nigh.

III.

Each man his way; give me but mine,
And that is, to eat, drink and jest;
Write I ne'er could, while lacking good wine,
But merry, I'll rhyme with the best.

IV.

Choice be my wine, else poor are my strains,
Not worth, were it weaker, a groat;

As long, then, as fancy there reigns,
Let no one call Mapes a sot.

V.

Not prophecy's self could inspire me,
Till once my poor belly's well lin❜d;
When Ceres and Bacchus once fire me,
Kind Phoebus stays seldom behind.

THE TEMPLE.

On the Two Figures of a Horse and a Lamb, over the Inner
Temple Gate.

As by the Templar's holds you go,
The horse and lamb, display'd

In emblematic figures, shew

The merits of their trade.

That clients may infer from thence
How just is their profession,
The lamb sets forth their innocence,
The horse their expedition.

O happy Britons! happy isle!
Let foreign nations say,
Where you get justice without guile,
And law without delay.

Answer.

Deluded men, these holds forego,
Nor trust such cunning elves;
These artful emblems tend to show
Their clients, not themselves.

'Tis all a trick, these are all shams,

By which they mean to cheat you;
But have a care, for you're the lambs,
And they the wolves that eat you.

Nor let the thought of no delay,

To these their courts misguide you; 'Tis you're the shewey horse, and they The jockeys that will ride you.

ROBINSON CRUSOE.

IT has been too much the fashion to calumniate De Foe, as having surreptitiously made use of the information given him by Alexander Selkirk, who, as every one knows, passed four years and four months on the then uninhabited island of Juan Fernandez, in the South Sea. The fact however is, that had it not been for the admirable manner in which De Foe dressed up the narrative in the immortal tale of Robinson Crusoe, Selkirk and his sufferings had been long ago forgotten,

Indeed, Selkirk's story was known several years to the public, before Robinson Crusoe appeared, without attracting any extraordinary attention.

Selkirk, in early life, appears to have been of a most unruly disposition, and to have exhibited an instability and violence of temper, but ill adapted to sustain his future destiny, though likely enough to lead to it. In the parish records of Largo, in Fife, where he was born, there are some very curious memoranda relative to his conduct. These notices throw considerable light on the state of manners in the country parishes of Scotland, at the beginning of the eighteenth century, when religion seems to have supplied the place of law, and its ministers that of civil magistrates,--when the terror of public sentence probably operated with as much effect in checking the progress of vice, as the fear of Bridewell or Botany Bay in our own times. Even the turbulent spirit of Selkirk yielded to the influence of his early associations; though, it would appear, not without a struggle.

"1695, August 25.-The same day the Session mett.
"Alex. Selchraige to be summoned.

"The qlk day Alex' Selcraige, son of John Selcraige, elder, in Nether Largo, was dilated for his undecent beaiviar in ye church; the church officer is ordirred to ga and cite him to compear befoor our Session agt ye nixt dyett.

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August 27.-Ye Session mett.

"Alex. Selcraige did not compear.

"The qlk day Alex' Selcraige, son to John Selcraige, elder, in Nether Largo, called, but did not compear, being gone avay to ye seas; this business is continued 'till his return.

"1701, November 25, the Session mett.

"John Selcraige compeared.

"The same day, John Selcraige, elder, called, compeared, and being examined what was the occasion of the tumult that was in his house, he said he knew not, but that Andrew Selcraige, having brought in a cane full of salt water, of qch his brother Alex did take a drink through mistake, and he laughing at him for it, his brother Alex' came and beat him, upon qch he rune out of the house, and called his brother. John Selcraige, elder, being againe questioned, what made him to site one the floor with his backe at the door, he said it was to keep down his sone Alex', who was seeking to go up to get his pystole; and being enquired what he was to do with it, he said he could not tell.

"Alex. Selcraige compeared not.

"The same day Alex' Selcraige, called, compeared not, because he was at Coupar, he is to be cited, pro secundo, agst the

nixt Session.

"John Selcraige, younger, compeared.

"The same day John Selcraige, younger, called, compeared, and being questioned concerning the tumult that was in his father's house on the seventh of Nov", declared, that he being called by his brother Andrew, came to it, and when he entered the house, his mother went out, and he seeing his father sitting on the floor, with his back at the door, was much troubled, and offered to help him up, and brang him to the fire, at which time he did see his brother Alex' in the other end of the house casting off his coate, and coming towards him, whereupon his father did get betwixt them, but he knew not what he did otherwayes, his head being born down by his brother Alex', but afterwards being liberate by his wife, did mak his escape.

"The same day Margaret Bell, called, compeared, and being enquired what was the occasion of the tumult which fell out in her father of law's house, on the seventh of Nov'. she said, that Andrew Selcraige came running for her husband John, and desiring him to go to his father's house, which he doing, the said Margaret did follow her husband; and coming into the house, she found Alex' Selcraige gripping both his father and her husband, and she labouring to loose Alex's hands from her husband's head and breast, her husband fled out of doors and she followed him, and called back againe, "you fals loun, will you murder your father and my husband both?" whereupon he followed her to the door, but wither he beat her or not, she was in so great confusion, she cannot distinctly tell, but ever since she hath a sore pain in her head.

"Andrew Selcraige compeared.

"The same day Andrew Selcraige, called, compeared, but said nothing to purpose in the foresaid business.

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This business is delayed untill the next Session, 'till further enquiry be mad yrunto.

"November 29, the Session mett.

"Alex. Selcraige compeared.

"The qlk day sederunt, the minister, moderator, John Lundine of Baldastard, Magnus Wilsone, James Beat, James Smith, in the Kirktowne, William Beat, John Guthrie, James.