needs be had: Even for this we have a remedy. We can easily derive our Hero's Pedigree from a Goddess of no small power and authority amongst men; and legitimate and install him after the right claffical and authentic fashion: For, like as the ancient Sages found a Son of Mars in a mighty Warrior; a Son of Neptune in a skilful Seaman; a Son of Phoebus in a harmonious Poet; so have we here, if need be, a Son of FORTUNE in an artful Gamefter. And who fitter than the Offspring of Chance, to affist in reftoring the Empire of Night and Chaos ?

There is in truth another objection of greater weight, namely, "That this Hero ftill exifteth, and hath not "yet finished his earthly courfe. For if Solon faid well, -ultima femper

Expectanda dies homini: dicique beatus

Ante obitum nemo fupremaque funera debet! "if no man can be called happy till his death, fure"ly much less can any one, till then, be pronoun"ced a Hero: this fpecies of men being far more fub"ject than others to the caprices of Fortune and Hu"mour." But to this also we have an answer, that will (we hope) be deemed decifive. It cometh from himself; who, to cut this matter fhort, hath folemnly protested that he will never change or amend.

With regard to his Vanity, he declareth that nothing fhall ever part them. "Nature (faith he) hath amply "supplied me in Vanity; a pleasure which neither the "pertnefs of Wit, nor the gravity of Wisdom, will

of ever

"ever perfuade me to part with d." Our poet had charitably endeavoured to administer a cure to it: But he telleth us plainly, "My fuperiors perhaps may be "mended by him; but for my part I own myself in"corrigible. I look upon my Follies as the best part "of my Fortune e." And with good reason: We see to what they have brought him!

Secondly, as to Buffoonry, "Is it (faith he) a time "of day for me to leave off these fooleries, and set up "a new character? I can no more put off my Follies "than my Skin; I have often tried, but they stick "too close to me: nor am I fure my friends are dif"pleased with them, for in this light I afford them ❝ frequent matter of mirth, &c. &c. f"

Having then he is become

fo publickly declared himself incorrigible, dead in law (I mean the law Epopoeian), and devolveth upon the Poet as his property; who may take him, and deal with him as if he had been dead as long as an old Egyptian hero; that is to say, embowel and embalm him for pofterity.

Nothing therefore (we conceive) remaineth to hinder his own prophecy of himself from taking immediate effect. A rare felicity! and what few Prophets have had the fatisfaction to fee, alive! Nor can we conclude better than with that extraordinary one of his, which is conceived in thefe Oraculous words, MY DULNESS WILL FIND SOMEBODY TO DO IT RIGHT %.

d Life, p. 424. P. 243. octavo edit.

e P. 19.

F 3

f P. 17.

"Tandem

"Tandem Phoebus adeft, morfufque inferre parantem "Congelat, et patulos, ut erant, INDURAT hiatus h."

h Ovid, of the ferpent biting at Orpheus's head.

By

Hot

man.

By AUTHORITY.

By virtue of the Authority in Us vested by the Act for fubjecting Poets to the Power of a Licenfer, we have reviled this Piece where finding the style and appellation of KING to have been given to a certain Pretender, Pfeudo-Poet, or Phantom, of the name of TIBBALD; and apprehending the same may be deemed in lôme fort a Reflection on Majefty, or at least an InCult on that Legal Authority which has bestowed on another Perlon the Crown of Poefy: We have ordered the laid Pretender, Pfeudo-Poet, or Phantom, utterly to vanish and evaporate out of this work: And do declare the laid Throne of Poely from henceforth to be abdicated and vacant, unless duly and lawfully supplied by the LAUREATE himself. And it is hereby enacted, that no other person do prelume to fill the fame.

OC. Ch.