With a huge Mountain-load of Heroical-Lumber,

Which from TONSON to CURLL ev'ry Prefs had groan'd under;

Came BLE, and cry'd look, all these are my Lays, But at present I beg you'd but read my Effays.

Lampooners and Criticks rufh'd in like a Tide, Stern DENNIS and GILDON came first fide by fide. APOLLO Confefs'd that their Lashes had Stings, But Beadles and Hangmen were never chose Kings.

STEEL long had fo cunningly manag'd the Town, He could not be blam'd for expecting the Crown: APOLLO demurr'd as to granting his Wish,

But wifh'd him good luck in his Project of Fish.

Lame CONGREVE unable fuch things to endure, Of APOLLO begg'd either a Crown or a Cure? To refufe fuch a Writer, APOLLO was loth, And almost inclin'd to have granted him both.

When

WhenBUCKINGHAM came,he scarce car'd to be seen,

Till PHOEBUSs defir'd his old Friend to walk in:
But a Laureat Peer had never been known,
The Commoners claim'd that Place as their own.

Yet if the kind God had been ne'er fo inclin'd To break an old Rule, yet he well knew his Mind, Who of fuch Preferment would only make fport, And laugh'd at all Suitors for Places at Court.

Notwithstanding this Law, yet LANSDOWN Was nam'd,

But APOLLO with kindness his Indolence blam'd; And said he would chufe him, but that he fhould fear, An Employment of Trouble he never could bear.

A Prelate for Wit and for Eloquence fam'd, APOLLO foon miss'd, and he needs not be nam'd Since amidst a whole Bench,ofwhich fome are fo bright, No one of them fhines fo learn'd and polite.

* Dr. Atterbury, Bishop of Rochester.

TO SHIPPEN, APOLLO was cold with Respect,
Since he for the State could the Mufes neglect:
But faid, in a greater Affembly he shin'd,
And Places were things he had ever declin❜d.

TR--P, Y-G and VANBRUGH expected Reward,
For fome things writ well, but APOLLO declar'd,
That one was too flat, the other too rough,
And the third fure already had Places enough.

Pert B-LL came next, and demanding the Bays,
Said, thofe Works must be good, which hadADDISON'S
Praise ;

But APOLLO reply'd, Child EUSTACE, 'tis known
Moft Authors will praise whatsoever's their own.

Then PHPS came forth, as ftarch as a Quaker, Whose fimple Profeffion's a Paftoral-maker; APOLLO advis'd him from Playhouse to keep,

And pipe to nought elfe but his Dog and his Sheep.

3

H-HS,

H-HS, FTON, and G-Y, came laft in the Train, Too modeft to ask for the Crown they would gain:

PHOEBUS thought them too bafhful, and said they

would need

く

More Boldness if ever they hop'd to fucceed.

APOLLO now driv'n to a curfed Quandary,

Was wishing for SWIFT, or the fam'd Lady MARY: Nay, had honeft TOM SOUTHERN but been within call

But at last he grew wanton, and laugh'd at them all:

And fo'fpying one who came only to gaze,
A Hater of Verfe, and Despiser of Plays :
To him in great form, without any Delay
(Tho' a zealous Fanatick) prefented the Bay.

All the Wits stood astonish'd, at hearing the God So gravely pronounce an Election fo odd:

And tho' PRIOR and POPE only laugh'd in his Face,

Most others were ready to fink in the Place.

Yet

Yet fome thought the Vacancy open was kept, Concluding the Bigot would never accept: But the Hypocrite told them, he well understood, Tho' the Function was wicked, the Stipend was good.

At laft in rush'd EUSDEN, and cry'd, "Who fhall have it,

"But I, the true Laureat, to whom the King gave it? APOLLO begg'd pardon, and granted his Claim ; But vow'd, tho' till then he ne'er heard of his Name.

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