N° XIX. TUESDAY, JANUARY 9, 1753. QUODCUNQUE OSTENDIS MIHI SIC, INCREDULUS ODI. THE MONSTROUS TALE, INCREDULOUS I HATE. TH It is a peculiar happiness to me, as an Adventurer, that I fally forth in an age which emulates thofe heroick times of old, when nothing was pleafing but what was unnatural. Thousands have gaped at a wire-dancer daring to do what no one else would attempt; and thousands till gape at greater extravagancies in pantomime entertainments. Every street teems with incredibilities; and if the great mob have their little theatre in the Hay-market, the fmall vulgar can boaft their cheaper diverfions in two enormous bears, that jauntily trip it to the light tune of a Caledonian jig. The amazing docility of thefe heavy animals made me at first imagine, that they had been placed under the tuition of certain artists, who by their advertisements profefs to inftruct Grown Gen⚫tlemen in the modern way of footing;' but I have been fince informed, that the method of teaching them this modern way of footing was, by placing red-hot iron plates alternately under each hind leg, and in quicker or flower fucceffion as the variations of the tune required. That the intellectual faculties of brutes may be exerted beyond the narrow limits which we have hitherto proudly affigned to their capacities, I fawa fufficient proof in Mrs. Midnight's dogs and monkies. Man differs lefs from beafts in general, than these seem to approach to man in rationality. But while I applaud their exalted genius, I am in pain for the reft of their kindred, both of the Canine and Cercopithecan fpecies. The price of monkies has been confiderably raifed fince the appearance of Signior Ballard's Cavaliers: and I hear, that this inimitable preceptor gives lectures to the HOR. monkies of perfons of quality at their own houfes. Lady Bridget has destroyed three fets of china in teaching her Pug to hand about the cups, and fip tea with the air of Beau Bloffom; and Mifs Fanny has been labouring inceffantly to qualify her dear pretty creature to make one at the brag-table. But as thefe animals are of foreign extraction, I must confefs my concern is yet greater for my fellow-natives. English liberty fhould be universal as the fun; and I am jealous even for the prerogative of our dogs. Lady Bright's lap-dog, that ufed to repofe on downy cushions, or the fofter bofom of it's mistress, is now worried every hour with begging on it's diminutive hind-legs, and endeavouring to leap over fan-fticks: Captain Storm's little greyhound is made to ape the fierce fellows of the cockade in a red coat and a fword; whilft Mrs. Fanciful's Chloe is swathed up in a long fack, and finking beneath the weight of an enormous hoop. Every boarding-house romp and wanton fchool-boy is employed in perverting the end of the canine creation; and I wish the prevalence of Mrs. Midnight's example may not extend fo far, that hounds fhall be no longer broke to the fieldfervice, but inftructed only to climb up ladders, and troul wheelbarrows. After what has been faid, I fhall make no apology for printing the following letter, as it was elegantly done in English at Stockholm, and tranf. mitted to me by the publisher of the Swede-landte Magazine, an ingenious gentleman, who has done me the hohour of inferting feveral of my lucubrations in his most comprehenfive inonthly undertaking. TO MR., THE GRAND ADVEN. TURER, IN BRITAIN. MOST LEARNED SIR, MY worthy good friend Ifaac Gil derstein, book-merchant, having engaged to further this to your excellency, I moft humbly request that you G4 would 52 Seeing that the Chien Savant, and other most amazing learned animals, have met with fo gracious a reception in your grand city, I propofe to exhibit unto your good nation a concert of vocal and inftrumental mufic, to be performed by animals ONLY; and afterwards to entertain you with feveral grand feats of activity; as alfo with the balance and the dance. My performers of inftrumental mufic, great Sir, will confift of a felect number of Italian Cats, for the violin, violincello, and bafs-viol; a German afs for the kettle-drum; and a complete fet of Spanish hogs of different age and tone of voice for the organ con certos. But my vaft labour was to procure harmonious voices, and to confine them to proper time and measure. I have taught fome of your English mastiffs to bark in bafs, and fome Guinea-pigs to fqueak in treble: my cats alfo join in the vocal parts. I contrived divers means of deaths for fwans; but though the ancients are fo full of praises on their expiring melody, I could not get a fingle note from them, better than the fquall of a goofe. However, I fhall have a most charming grand chorus of Frogs from the Fens of Holland: the words, profound Sir, you too well know, Ariftophanes has furnifhed to my hand in Greek-Bpxxx nanoa-which a Leyden profeffor tranflated for me, Brekekekex koax koax. Befides thefe, I shall present you with a duett in recitativo, between a Parrot and a Magpye. My entertainments of dancing, and the like, will confift of a company of Norway Rats, who are to move in a As I am determined my whole theatre fhall confist of only Animal perform. ers, I must acquaint you likewife, that I am teaching two Squirrels to fweep the stage with their tails: and, if it be allowed me to call in affiftance from fishes, I fhall not defpair of being able, though it will require much time and practice, to make a Lobster snuff the candles with his claw. Other particulars, moft worthy Sir, I fhall beg leave to defer, till I have the extreme honour of kiffing your hands in England; and am, molt revered and refpectable patron, with the profoundest humiliation, your devoted slave and fervant, A GUSTAVUS GOOTENRUYSCHE. No XX. SATURDAY, JANUARY 13, 1753. -QUID VIOLENTIUS AURE TYRANNI. Juv. ROUGH TRUTH SOON IRRITATES A TYRANT'S EAR. OY which of the Indian fages of anwritten, or whether the people of the Eaft have any remote tradition upon which it is founded, is not known: but it was probably related in the first per- Metempfychofis is an article of faith, and the visible agency of Superior Beings admitted without fcruple. Amurath, Sultan of the Eaft, the judge of nations, the difciple of adverfity, records the wonders of his life: let thofe who prefumptuously question the ways of Providence, blush in filence and be wife; let the proud be humble and obtain honour; and let the fenfual ✦ reform and be happy. The angel of death clofed the eyes ⚫ of the Sultan Abradin my father, and his empire defcended to me in the ⚫ eighteenth year of my age. At first my mind was awed to humility, and foftened with grief; I was infenfible to the fplendor of dominion, I heard 'the addresses of flattery with disgust, ' and received the homage of dependent greatnefs with indifference. I had always regarded my father not only ' with love but reverence; and I was now perpetually recollecting inftances of his tendernefs, and reviewing the folemn scene, in which he recommend⚫ed me to heaven in imperfect language, and grafped my hand in the agonies ' of death. One evening, after having concealed mylelf all day in his chamber, I ⚫ vifited his grave: I proftrated myself on his tomb; forrow overflowed my eyes, and devotion kindled in iny bofom. I felt myfelf fuddenly fmitten on the shoulder as with a rod; and looking up, I perceived a man whofe eyes were piercing as light, and his beard whiter than fnow. "I am," faid he, "the Genius Syndarac, the "friend of thy father Abradin, who "was the fear of his enemies, and the "defire of his people; whofe fmile dif"fufed gladnefs like the luftre of the morning, and whofe frown was "dreadful as the gathering of a tem"pest: refign thyself to my influence, "and thou shalt be like him." I 'bowed myself to the earth in token of gratitude and obedience, and he put a ring on the middle finger of my ⚫ left-hand, in which I perceived a ruby of a deep colour and uncommon brightness." This ring," faid he, "fball mark out to thee the boundaries "of good and evil; that, without "weighing remote confequences, thou "mayeft know the nature and tenden. cy of every action. Be attentive, "therefore, to the filent admonition; immediately from what thou fhalt be "doing, and mak down that action in "thy memory as a tranfgreffion of the "rule of right: keep my gift as a pledge "of happiness and honour, and take it not off for a moment." I received the ring with a fenfe of obligation which I ftrove to exprefs, and an aftonishment that compelled me to be • filént. The Genius perceived my confufion; and, turning from me with a fimile of complacency, immediately difappeared. During the fir moon I was fo cautious and circumfpect, that the pleafure of reflecting that my ring had not ' once indicated a fault, was leffened by a doubt of it's virtue. I applied myfelf to publick butinefs; my melancholy decreafed as my mind was diverted to other objects; and left the youth of my court fhould think that recreation was too long fufpend'ed, I appointed to hunt the lion." But though I went out to the fport rather to gratify others than myfelf, yet my ufual ardour returned in the field; I grew warm in the purfuit, I continued the chace, which was unfuccefsful, too long, and returned fatigued and difappointed. As I entered the feraglio, I was met by a little dog that had been my father's, who expreffed his joy at my return by jumping round me, and endeavouring to reach my hand: but as I was not difpofed to receive his carefles, I ftruck him in the fretfulness of my difpleasure fo fevere a blow with my foot, that it left him fcarce power to crawl away and hide himfelf under a fofa in a corner of the apartment. At this moment I felt the ring prefs my finger, and looking upon the ruby, I perceived the glow of it's colour abated. I was at first ftruck with furprize and regret; but furprize and regret quickly give way to difdain "Shall not the Sultan Amurath," faid I, "to whom a thoufand kings pay tri "bute, and in whofe hand is the life of "nations, fhall not Amurath fuike a "dog that offends him, without being "reproached for having tranfgreffed the rule of right?" My ring again preffed my finger, and the ruby became |