1

ON MR. SECRETARY BRADSHAW.

ESTATE and honours !--.mere caprich!

Better be fortunate than rich:

Since oft we find, or foon, or late,

Is verify'd what proverbs prate.

Sure 'twill be reckon❜d a manœuvre,

That Bradshaw, once fo mean and pauvre,

Should for his life, and his two fons,

(For fo they fay the patent runs)

Be vested with a penfion clear,

Of fifteen hundred pounds a year:

For doing what?---" Aye, there's the question."--"Fierce the affault, unarm'd the bastion."

But lo! at hand I 'spy another,
In dirty work his elder brother,
Who, for perufing records dufty,
We dub a knight o'th' order Trufty;
"Quip him with fhield and coat of mail
Of impudence, that ne'er can fail :
And humbly hope they'll set a price on
The industry of Jerry Dyson.

Who, from his being fo deep read,
Doth much resemble Nimming Ned,

That

That steals and pilfers all he can,
Tho' on a widely different plan.

Unless they'll add a trifle more,

It is not worth his while to pore:

His present salary fcarce produces
Him fpectacles for private ufes :
And if wit fail, or fight grow dim,
A fpectacle they'd make of him:
Therefore, the fovereign balm to cure
Decay of fight's-a finecure!

Whatever comes within his grapple,
He'll pocket-- as one would an apple."
It matters not, peerage or pension,
To either he has vaft pretenfion,
But, with fubmiffion, would much rather
Kifs hands for both of them together.

No doubt they'll fit with ease and grace,
Happily form'd in caft of face

That ne'er knew blufh-except in th' dark,
Or higher foar'd than to be clerk,
A clerk i'th' office where he now

Makes better men with homage bow.

THE

STATE COACH,

A TA L E.

IN IMITATION OF THE MANNER OF DR. SWIFT.

ONCE on a time a grand lord-may's
(No matter when, no matter where)
Kept a huge pompous coach of state,
Of moft enormous bulk and weight;
And on the times of public joy,
To wheel about the pond'rous toy,
He kept befides a noble ftring
Of horses, fit to draw a king ;

All of high blood, all beafts of breeding,
But vicious from excefs of feeding;
Of course intractable and heady,
Yet in one point perverfely fteady,

Viz. each good steed was true and hearty
To his own intereft and his party;
Nay, this curs'd spirit haft poffeft
To such degree each sturdy beast,
That not a fingle chuff would move
From threats or foothing, fear or love,
Unless in partnership he drew

With thofe of his confed'rate crew,
Though thus the clumfy and the clever,
Ill-pair'd oft hobbled on together.

Hence when the coach was order'd out,
Buck would refufe to match with Stout,
At least one inch would not proceed
Unless impetuous Di'mond led,
Who when of late our grand premier,
And then uncheck'd in his career,

While he tugg'd on the vast machine

O'er rough and fmooth, through thick and thin,
Would often with their rapid turn

Make the wheels creak and axle burn;

Yet give the haughty devil his due,

Though bold his quarterings, they were true :
Yes, let us not his fkill difparage,
He never once o'erfet the carriage,
Though oft he whirl'd it, one would think,
Juft o'er the pitfall's headlong brink;
While at each hair-breadth 'scape, his foes
Would cry, there, there, by G-d, it goes!.
And as ftiff Buck would ne'er fubmit
But on these terms to champ the bit,
Stout in return was full as fullen,
Nor the fame harnefs would he pull in,
Unless by cautious Duke preceded,
Or by pacific Sawney headed:
The body-coachman, hence unable
To rule the refractory stable,
Was forc'd to leave the faucy brutes
To terminate their own disputes;

With double weight of brafs and lead,
Tho' vet'ran Bullface shake his head,
And fweat to earn his fee,
Each flower of Billingsgate his boast:
-He cannot reason, well thou know'ft,
But he fhall roar for thee.

With pedant fcoul and fretful look,
Now Bl-ckf-e talks without his book,
Now Th-rl-e croaks his wrath;
As wife, if not fo loud as Ns,
Bewilder'd M-rt-n spits and stares---
All petulance and froth.

Say, fluent D-nning, claffic Y-ke,
Dare ye refuse the dirty work,

And hope ye ftill to rife?
Alas! not lefs your filence ftung
Their cause, than W-rb-rn's bold tongue
Confronting all their lyes.

But truft not thou the brazen lungs
Of lawyers, placemen's oily tongues-
Nor Mungo's journals quote;

Tho' Cl-re in tinfel rhet'ric shine
And fophifts all their webs refine,

To guard a lying vote.

Lo!