But when I fay that I have verfified you, I take pride in boafting, that I am not your mere verfifier. I take a pleasure too in owning, that you yourfelf led me to attempt a nobler fpecies of compofition. I had read, fome years ago, your very delectable Eclogue of The 'Squire and the Parfon, written on occafion of that glorious peace, the honour of making which, is to be inscribed one day (may it be a late one!) on the mausoleum of the Earl of Bute. This, Sir, led me to think of giving my present performance a dramatic caft, fo far as an eclogue can poffefs that title. On this idea, having refolved to make you my TITYRUS, I had not far to feek for a MELIBOEUS. A brother writer, who has of late endeavoured to diffeminate principles, fimilar to fome of yours, with unufual, though abortive induftry, immediately occured to my imagination. And as immediately I refolved to read his more elaborate treatise, in order to enable me to execute my plan with greater exactitude, and better prefervation of fentiment and character.

Although I must own, that this exercitation of my patience coft me many a yawn, yet I found, to my great fatisfaction, that this writer allowed for true, what you hold to be falfe, those

two first principles of Mr. Locke, that men are equal, and that men are free . I concluded, therefore, that he was a very proper person to difpute thofe points with you. Accordingly, without farther ceremonial, I fet you both down, not indeed fub tegmine fagi, but, for the sake of the costume, in a fnug town coffee-house, and there entered you fairly into debate.

If on your part, Sir, I have ever done more than elucidated any of those affertions, which you call arguments, I humbly ask your pardon : and on the Dean's, if I have made him a little too lively and spirituel, I as humbly afk his. I know nothing does fo much harm to an ecclefiaftic, in the road of preferment, as the bare fufpicion of being witty. But, as the Divine in queftion has long been a dean, and has fworn that he will never be a bishop, I hope no great harm is done.

That you may long remain on the illuftrious Lift of Penfioners, even after the useful Board, from which you derive that right, shall be no more; that, having changed from Tory to Whig in the ministry of the Duke of Newcastle, ́ from Whig to Tory under those, or rather that

See Tucker on Government ch. ift.

of

of Lords Bute and North, you may now again change from Tory to Whig under the New Administration ;-and (fince we have it on very eloquent evidence, that it is now the fashion for perfons of the greatest consequence to be no longer in fhackles) that you may foon cease to be encumbered with your prefent flavish principles, is the fincere and fervent with of,

THE

DEAN AND THE SQUIRE.

IN Coffee-houfe of good account,

Not far from Bond-ftreet, call'd The Mount,
Soame Jenyns met the Dean of Gloucester ;
And, as they fate in lounging posture,
Each on his bench, and face to face,
The Dean began in tone of bafs :
While Jenyns, in his treble key,

Replied with much alacrity.

Repeat, my mufe, th' alternate trains,
That flow'd from these Arcadian swains,
Who both were equally alert

Or to deny, or to affert.

DEAN.

'Squire Jenyns, fince with like intent
We both have writ on Government,
And both ftand ftubborn as a rock
Against the principles of Locke,

Let us, like brother meeting brother,
Compare our notes with one another.
'Tis true, I've not had time to look,
Tho' much I wish'd it, in your book.

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10

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SQUIRE.

Doctor, my book is quickly read.

DEAN.

I'd other crotchets in my head.
But you, I guefs, have ftudied mine.

'S QUIRE.

No, to my shame, not ev'n a line.

DEAN.

That's fomething strange-yet fortunate;

For now on par we shall debate.

'S. QUIRE.

True. Who to play at whift regards,
When he, that deals, has feen the cards?

DEAN.

Well put. First then, 'tis fit, I deem,

You tell me how you treat your theme.

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