LIBERTY. W AN ODE. HILE Knaves and Fools, in deep debate, By Fancy's aid I mount the wind, High on a throne, from human fight, The Goddefs fits-on either hand Mirth, Plenty, Innocence, and Love, The power that keeps dull flaves in awe, Emblems of LIBERTY, their Queen, Two Two Lions of stupendous size, Greece, Rome, and other names were fhewn, Deeply engraven on the ftone; But fronger, fairer, than the rest, BRITANNIA! ftood thy name confeft; While underneath, in words of gold Thefe ever-during truths were told.— My best belov'd! my favour'd ifle! While bleft with my aufpicious fmile, ANEC ANECDOTE OF A THE LATE KING OF PRUSSIA. Lieutenant Colonel in the Pruffian fervice having been difbanded at the end of the laft continental war, importuned his Majefty by his daily folicitations to be reinstated. Tired with the inceffant clamours of his troublesome vifitor, the King forbade his being ever admitted to his prefence. Some weeks elapfed, when a most severe libel was published against his Majefty. The Monarch was fo nettled at the audacity of the writer, that through a spirit of indignation and revenge, he caufed a reward of fifty gold Frederics. to be proclaimed, for any one who should difcover and apprehend the author. The next day after the publication of fo tempting a reward, the fame Lieutenant Colonel obtained an audience under pretence that he had a fecret of the utmost importance to reveal. Being admitted into the King's prefence, Sire, faid he, "Your Majefty, on a fresh occurrence, has promifed fifty Frederics; I am come to claim the recompence; behold in me the author of the libel; my life I freely forfeit; but remember your royal promife, and whilft you punish the guilty, tranfmit to my poor wife and her deftitute children, the reward due to the informer." The King, who already knew the real author, was struck at the fad extremity to which the brave officer had been reduced. No matter, he acknowledged himfelf guilty; "Go you inftantly to the fortrefs of Spendau, and there await a sentence proportioned to my juft refentment." "I obey," replied the culprit, "but the fifty Frederics." "Within two hours your wife shall receive them. Take this letter, give it to the commanding offiHe is not to open it till after dinner." cer. The Lieutenant Colonel arrived at Spendau, conftitutes himself a prifoner there; but how joyfully difappointed in his fad expectations, when the Governor opening the letter at the moment prefcribed, he read aloud the following words. "To the bearer I give the command of Spendau, his wife and children, with the fifty Frederics; I will be with him in a few days. The former Governor is to take the command of Berlin, to which I promote him as a reward for his paft fervices. Signed, "FREDERIC." ANEC ANECDOTE. A Country Attorney happened to be at a tavern with an honeft peafant, and was very facetious at the countryman's expence. They nevertheless agreed to try for a bottle of wine who could make the best rhyme. The lawyer enquired the peafant's occupation, who chearfully informed him he was a weaver, upon which the lawyer wrote thefe lines: The world, tho' large, is but a span, It takes nine weavers to make a man. The weaver, in his turn, enquired the lawyer's occupation, and being informed, I thought, fays he, you were of the law by the glibnefs of your tongue; but fince you have rhymed about the world, fo will I too, and then he wrote, The world is wide, and full of evil, HISTORY |