Read here in fofteft founds the fweeteft fatire; ANONYM EDINBURG: AT THE Apollo Peels, BY THE MARTINS. PREFACE. THE Author of the following Poem may be thought to write for fame and the applause of the Town, but he wholly difowns it, for he writes only for the pu blick good, the benefit of his country, and the manu→ facture of England. It is well known that grave senators have often at the Palace yard refreshed themselves with barley broth in a morning, which has had a very folid influence on their counfels; it is therefore hoped that other perfons may ufe it with the like fuccess. No man can be ignorant how of late years coffee and tea in a morning has prevailed; nay, cold waters have obtained their commendation; andwells are fprung up from Acton to Islington, and cross the wa ter to Lambeth. Thefe liquors have several eminent champions of all profeflions; but there have not been wanting perfons in all ages that have shewn a true love for their country and the proper diet of it, as wa tergruel, milk porridge, ricemilk, and especially Frumenty, both with plums and without. To this end feveral worthy persons have encouraged the eating fuch wholesome diet in a morning; and that the poor may be provided, they have defired feveral matronsto Written to pleafe a gentleman who thought nothing fmooth or lofty could be written upon a mean fubje&t, bût had no intent of making any reflection upon The Dispensary, which has defervedly gained a lafting reputation. King. stand at Smithfield-bars, Leadenhall-market, Stockimarket, and divers other noted places in the City, efpecially at Fleet-ditch, there to dispense Frumenty to labouring people and the poor at reasonable rates, at three halfpence and twopence a dish, which is not dear, the plums being confidered. The places are generally styled Frumentaries, because that food has got the general esteem; but that at Fleet-ditch I take to be one of the most remarkable, and therefore I have styled it The Frumentary; and could easily have had a certificate of the usefulness of this Frumentary figned by feveral eminent carmen, gardeners, journeymen tailors, and basketwomen, who have promised to contribute to the maintenance of the fame in cafe the coffeehouses fhould proceed to oppose it. I have thought this a very proper fubject for an heroick poem, and endeavoured to be as smooth in my verfe and as inoffenfive in my characters as was poffible. It is my cafe, with Lucretius, that I write upon a fubject not treated of by the Ancients: but the greater labour the greater glory. Virgil had a Homer to imitate; but I ftand upon my own legs, without any support from abroad. I therefore fhall have more occafion for the reader's favour, who from the kind acceptance of this may expect the description of other Frumentaries about this City from his most humble fervant, AND PER SE AND. |