master so well, that I don't believe you can find a traitor in all his dominions. Judge. Oh! I shall be no great loser by that, the Irish have been always so obstinately loyal, that that branch never brought any great business to the benchbut proceed. Quirk. I am instructed, my Lord, by my client, to move to put off this trial for want of a witness. Judge. I cannot consent to that. Quirk. We conceive this to be a natural right. Judge. Aye-in common cases-such as a rape, or a murder, it is never denied— but this is a libel, and to be considered as a very heinous offence, and I question very much whether it does not amount to a nuisance, and fall under the legal description of a dunghil. Demur. It is bad enough, to be certain; but, however, if the prisoner will give security, my Lord, that he will remove his dunghil, and not carry any more my client Peter Paragraph into company where he is not-why we will consent to put off the trial-and indeed he ought to be bound to keep the pace to all his Majesty's subjects, and be forced to be only himself, all the while he stays here, but that I believe would be rather too hard upon him, for as he is so used to put on other people's faces, that I question very much if he has got ever a -one of his own. Judge. Be it so Quirk. Now, my Lord, I move for an information against Peter Paragraph for a libel. Judge. Upon whom? Quirk. Aye-for if my client is a libeller for writing The Orators, Peter Paragraph, for printing and publishing it, is as guilty as he every whit*. Judge. Unquestionably! take an information against Paragraph for libelling himself. It is a whimsical truth, that George Faulkner actually printed, published, and sold, The Orators. Demur. How! Judge. Whilst I sit here, I will take care that none of the King's subjects shall take the liberty to libel themselves. Demur. But he is the prosecutor. Judge. That may be, brother Demurbut an information is too good a thing not to be given, and I could not help granting it -though it was against my father himself— the Court is adjourned— (Exeunt all but Quirk.) Quirk. Will you desire Mr. Fot to walk in-faith I am sorry this affair has taken such a turn-Where is he? Oh! you must drop all proceedings against Peter. Mr. Foote. That's hard-I have, Mr. Counsellor, thrown a few couplets together; that, perhaps, may supply that deficiency, and I should be glad of your opinion— whether I could speak them with safety. Quirk. Let us have them? Foote. Hush! let me search before I speak aloudIs no informer skulking in the crowd? With art laconic, noting all that's said, And rouse the clam'rous legions of the bar! Is there none such ?-Not one; then en tre nous I will a tale unfold, though strange-yet true; The application must be made by you. At Athens, once fair Queen of arms and arts, There dwelt a citizen of moderate parts; Precise his manner, and demure his looks, His mind unletter'd-though he dealt in books: Amorous, though old; though dull-loved repartee +, And penn'd a paragraph most daintily. He aim'd at purity in all he said, And never once omitted eth, or ed; In hath, and doth, was seldom known to fail, Himself the hero of each little tale; With wits and lords this man was much delighted, And once (it hath been said) was near being knighted. George Faulkner. The words in italics were acted in imitation of Faulkner. One Aristophanes, a wicked wit, Who never heeded grace in what he writ, Had mark'd the manners of this Grecian sage, And thinking him a subject for the stage, Had from the lumber cull'd, with curious care, His voice-his looks-his gestures, gait and air, His affectation, consequence, and mien, And boldly launch'd him on the comic scene; Loud peals of plaudits through the circles ran, All felt the satire-for all knew the man. "The case you put I fully understand. A Grecian constable took up the poet, *The word Grecian is an appellation given to the natives of Ireland. |