and we hear Mr. Penkethman has removed his ingenious company of strollers to Greenwich. But other letters from Deptford say, the company is only making thither, and not yet settled; but that several heathen gods and goddesses, which are to descend in machines, landed at the King's. Head Stairs last Saturday. Venus and Cupid went on foot from thence to Greenwich; Mars got drunk in the town, and broke his landlord's head, for which he sat in the stocks the whole evening; but Mr. Penkethman giving security that he should do nothing this ensuing summer, he was set at liberty. The most melanci oly part of all was, that Diana was taken in the act of fornication with a boatman, and committed by justice Wrathful; which has, it seems, put a stop to the diversions of the theatre of Blackheath. But there goes down another Diana and a Patient Grissel next tide from Billingsgate. It is credibly reported that Mr. Dy * has agreed with Mr. Penkethman to have his play acted before that audience as soon as it has had its first sixteen days run in Drury Lane, St. James's Coffee-house, April 18. They write from Saxony of the thirteenth instant, N. S. that the grand general of the Crown of Poland was so far from entering into a treaty with king Stanislaus, that he had written circular letters, wherein he exhorted the Palatines to join against him; declaring that this was the most favourable conjuncture for asserting their liberty. Letters from the Hague of the twenty-third instant, N. S. say, they have advices from Vienna, which import, that his Electoral Highness of HaLover had signified to the Imperial Court, that he *Tom D'Urfey. to take that upon yourself: you may, in the lump, bid him you employ, raise him as high as he can; and if he does it not, let him answer for disobeying orders. I e fame and victory in inferior sky Hover with balinc'd wings, and smiling fly Above his head, &c. A whole poem of this kind may be ready against an ensuing campaign, as well as a space left in the canvas of a piece of tapestry for the principal figure, while the under-parts are working, so that, in effect, the adviser copies after the man he pretends to direct. This method should, methinks, encourage young beginners; for the invention is so fitted to all capacities, that by the help of it a man may make a receipt for a poem. A young man may observe that the jig of the thing is, as I said, finding out all that can be said in his way whom you cmploy to set forth your worthy. Waller and Denham bad worn out the expedience of " Advice to a Painter:" this author has transferred the work, and sent his Advice to the Poets; that is to say, to the Turners of Verse, as he calls them. Well; that thought is worn out also; therefore be directs his genius to the loom, and will have a new set of hangings in honour of the laft year in Flanders. I must own to you, I approve extremely this invention, and it might be improved for the benefit of manufactory; as, suppose an ingenious gentleman should write a poem of advice to a Callico-printer; do you think there is a girl in England, that would wear any thing but the Taking of Lisle," or, "The Battle of Oudenarde ?" They would certainly be all the fashion, until the heroes abroad had cut out some more patterns. I should fancy small skirmishes might do for under-petticoats, provided If our adviser were they had a siege for the upper. well imitated, many industrious people might be put to work. Little Mr. Dactile, now in the room, who formerly writ a song and a half, is a week gone in a very pretty work, upon this hint: he is writing an epigram to a young virgin who knits very well (it is a thousand pities he is a Jacobite): but his epigram is by way of advice to this damsel, to knit all the actions of the Pretender and the Duke of Burgundy's last campaign in the clock of a stocking. It were endless to enumerate the many hands and trades that may be employed by poets, of so useful a turn as this adviser. I shall think of it; and, in this time of taxes, shall consult a great critic employed in the custom-house, in order to propose what tax may be proper to be put upon knives, seals, rings, hangings, wrought beds, gowns, and petticoats, where any of these commodities bear mottoes, or are worked upon poetical grounds. St. James's Coffee-house, April 15. * Letters from Turin of the third instant, N. S. inform us, that his Royal Highness employs all his address in alarming the enemy, and perplexing their speculations concerning his real designs the ensuing campaign. Contracts are entered into with the merchants of Milan, for a great number of mules to transport his provisions and ammunition. His Royal Highness has ordered the train of artillery to be conveyed to Susa before the twentieth of the next month. In the mean time, all accounts agree, that the enemy are very backward in their preparations, and almost incapable of defending themselves against an invasion, by reason of the general murmurs of their own people; which, they find, are no way Prince Eugene. to be quieted, but by giving them hopes of a speedy peace. When these letters were dispatched, the Marshal de Thesse was arrived at Genoa, where he has taken much pains to keep the correspondents of the merchants of France in hopes that measures will be found out to support the credit and commerce between that state and Lyons; but the late declaration of the agents of Monsieur Bernard, that they cannot discharge the demands made upon them, has quite dispirited all those who are engaged in the remittances of France. From my own Apartment, April 15. It is a very natural passion in all good members of the commonwealth, to take what care they can of their families; therefore I hope the reader will forgive me, that I desire he would go to the play called the Stratagem this evening, which is to be acted for the benefit of my near kinsman, Mr. John Bickerstaff. I protest to you, the gentleman has not spoken to me to desire this favour; but I have a respect for him, as well in regard to consanguinity, as that he is an intimate friend of that famous and heroic actor, Mr. George Powel; who formerly played Alexander the Great in all places, though he is lately grown so reserved, as to act it only on the stage. A real player of that name. N° 4. TUESDAY, APRIL 19, 1709. Quicquid agunt bomines— nostri est farrago libelli. JUV. Sat. I. 85, 86. P. Whate'er men do, or say, or think, or dream, Our motley paper feizes for its theme. "Ir is usual with persons who mount the stage for the cure or information of the crowd about them, to make solemn professions of their being wholly disinterested in the pains they take for the public good. At the same time, those very men who make harangues in plush doublets, and extol their own abilities and generous inclinations, tear their lungs in vending a drug, and show no act of bounty, except it be, that they lower a demand of a crown to six, nay, to one penny. We have a contempt for such paltry barterers, and have therefore all along informed the publick, that we intend to give them our advices for our own sakes, and are labouring to make our lucubrations come to some price in money, for our more convenient support in the service of the publick. It is certain that many other schemes have been proposed to me; as a friend offered to show me a Treatise he had writ, which he called, "The whole Art of Life; or, The Introduction to great Men, illustrated in a Pack of Cards." But, being a novice at all manner of play, I declined the offer. Another advised me, for want of money, to set up my coach, and practise physic; but, having been bred a scholar, I feared I should not succeed that way neither; therefore resolved to go on in my present project. But you are to understand, that I shall not pretend to raise a credit |