That paganism should oblige its profelytes to fo cruel a behaviour, we must forbear to wonder, fince the great deftroyer, the grand adverfary of mankind was the object of their worship; but if it be enquir'd (as we fuppofe it by the Querift) why the profeffors of Chriftianity, tho' the prince of peace, tho' that great preferver of men be the author and finisher of their faith, fhould yet be guilty of fuch barbarous proceedings, as tho' their mafter came to destroy, and not to fave mens lives; to this enquiry we fubjoin a very noted axiom, The best things when corrupted become the worst.

Q. Why does a ftrait ftick look crooked in the water? A. When light goes out of a thinner medium inte a thicker, or the contrary, it is refracted, that is, it goes nearer to, or farther from a perpendicular. When it goes out of a thicker into a thinner, as out of the water into the air, it goes nearer to a perpendicular, and confequently reprefents the ftick in the water in a place different from that wherein it is; whence of course the stick cannot but feem crooked, fince that part of it, which is out of the water, is represented in its true place, but the other part in a different one, If therefore you put the whole ftick into the water, it will appear ftrait.

Q. I am fometimes fubject to fart when asleep, and alfo (but feldomer) when awake.

4. Starting in fleep generally proceeds from dreadful apprehenfions occurring in dreams: but fince this fymptom attends you when awake, it may not be improperly attributed to worms, fharp humours, or malignant fumes, afcending from the ftomach up to the brain, and causing a fudden irritation of the ner vous parts.

Q. What is the occafion of the heart-burn?

A. The heart-burn is a common denomination for pain of the ftomach, generally arifing from an acid humour, gnawing and vellicating the bottom thereof.

Q. Whe

Q. Whether is most glory, to conquer one's felf, or o

thers?

A. One's felf, fince it will render a conquest more eafy over others; whereas a conqueft over others first, by puffing up the mind with pride, makes a conquest over one's felf more difficult after.

Q. Gentlemen, my fifter and my felf are fatherless and motherless children, and have little of our own to depend on, but have a rich uncle, and a rich aunt, who having no children, promife to leave us confiderably, if we marry to their liking. However my fifter hath contracted matrimony with a fober, ingenious limb of the law; notwithstanding (not being with their confent) they have fully caft her off, and they promife to do the like by me, if I marry without their confent. Now fince few of any account will offer at addreffes on bare expectations, what would you advife me to in this unhappy condition?

4. Doubtlefs, Sir, your uncle and aunt have a full liberty to difpofe of their own, and upon their own terms, how kind or unkind foever they may appear therein. We can advise but two remedies in the cafe, viz. If a match offers it self of worth, either to obtain of fome friend, who hath an afcendant over them, to intercede in the affair; or elfe to run the rifque your fifter has done, and caft your felf upon Providence for the confequence; only confider that as on one hand a bare promife from them is a precarious dependence for the hazarding the advantage of your youth upon, fo on the other, your fifter will have more hopes of reconciliation than you, because you are warned by both precept and example, and fhe but by the former.

Q. There is a wager laid concerning the value of a fhekel of filver, and that of gold; you are defired to end the difpute 'twixt the wagerers, it being agreed by them to abide by your determination?

4. You will be able to decide your wager by re ferring the difpute to a table of Scripture-weights and meafures, by the B fhop of Peterborough, annex'd to a large quarto Bible, printed in the year 1703, by Charles

Y 2

Bill,

Bill, and the executrix of Thomas Newcomb; but if you fhould not chance to have a Bible by you of that impreffion, you may be fure that the fhekel of filver was about the value of an English half crown, and that of gold, as it was equal in its weight, was fuperior in its value, according to the difference in worth between one metal and the other.

›Q2 Long alas! I've lov'd in vain
And been flouted for my pain,
Elfe fhould not to you complain;
Therefore pray to me opine

How I may foon quench this fire,
And his love wholly refign,
Which is Sylvia's defire.

I know your godfhip have the skill
To advise me if you will;

As you've been kind, ○ be so still? 4. Change into contempt your love, This may efficacious prove,

And more than compliance move:
Or if you would quench your flame,
Summon up his rougher parts,
Those in wars may get him fame,
But 'tis kindness conquers hearts.
Love does love beget, as true,
Slights the very fame may do,
Why fhould thofe then conquer you?
Q. From Leaden-hall-street
Learn'd Apollo I greet,

And to ask his advice I am come;
If with others I find

Faults in body and mind,

Had not I beft first look at home?

Of late I a Momus am grown,

A poet, a beau, and the scourge of the town:
I others advife,

Yet all others defpife,

And fee others faults, not my own.

4. Now our leaden-beel'd bard

Thinks Apollo's enfnar'd,

}

By

By this fatyrick infinuation;

But the beau may be fure.

That our works are fécure

From the lash of his fly caftigation.

Then thou that doft Momus commence,
Prithee draw fome corollaries hence,
Left others deride,

When they fee thy blind fide,
And thy fcourges will yield no defence:
Q. Here lowly proftrate at your highness's feet
A fappliant lies, and humbly does entreat,
You'd pleafe to answer his fublime request,
That fo his tired mind may gain its wonted reft.
Tis this, I hope your godship 'twon't furprize;
Altho' perhaps it may a little pofe,

How long fince fpectacles, to fave folks eyes,
Were first bung on their boltfprit, alias nofe?
A. This wond'rous myft'ry plainly to unfold,
Will fcarce, dear Querift, our Apollo pofe;
Nor need we spectacles at a distance hold,
Nor fix 'em nearer on our boltsprit nose.
Fam'd Archimedes did at first invent,
But many after him the art improv'd,
To ufe 'em with the hand was his intent,
But now they are conveniently remov'd.

Q. Since no one to your altar fues in vain,
Accept the first fruits of an humble fwain,
And mildly tell him, how he may remove
From's heart ambition and defiring love;
By both at this time is his mind oppreft,
And confequently he depriv'd of reft;
Therefore difplay your rays of wisdom foon,
Left by delay the perfon be undone?

4. As when fome arrow in a lofty flight
Mounts fwiftly upwards, and out-tow'rs the fights
The gazing archers view with aking eyes
Their feather'd meffenger invade the skies,
Forgetting when its fhort-liv'd pow'r is spent,
Twill falling deeper fink, the loftier height it went.

So thoughtful mortals view ambition's joys,
And for true blifs mistake love's trifling toys.
Q. Moft wonderful Phoebus

In plurimis rebus,

Sed præcipuè in giving of answers
To queftions and puns
Gratis, fine duns
Sapientibus, five romancers:
I've a query, fit, why
That a vates may lye
By licence, etiamque viator;
Unde hoc dictum eft,
Is nunc my request,
Quæfo, domine, ne fis negator?
A. O propofer fublime!
In hujufmodi rhime,

Qui lo fuaviter aures attingis,
We'll folve quoad vim
Your poetical whim,
Etiamfi videtur bilinguis.
A bard cannot write
A figmentum polite,
Sine quidlibet power audendi:
And viators will fign

Fables ultramarine,

As not fearing rem contradicendi.

Lufus pila (amatorius) ex nive coactâ. Petronii Afranii epigramma.

Wh

A game at Snow-ball.

71th fhow-ball Julia me attack'd; I thought Snow wanted fire, yet by the fire was caught. Than fnow, what colder? yet congealing (now, From Julia fent me, made my breast to glow. Whither from Cupid's fnares fhall I return, When fire (who'd think it?) does in water burn? But what can make the mounting flames expire? Can fnow, can ice? no fuch, but equal fire.

Q. Gentle