be in due time: and I think I have not forced the words by my explication into any other fenfe, than what they will naturally bear. If this be granted, I am fure it must be also allowed, that the author (whoever he were) was a perfon of extraordinary fagacity; and that aftrology brought to fuch perfection as this is by no means an art to be despised, whatever Mr. Bickerfaff, or other merry gentlemen are pleafed to think. As to the tradition of thefe lines having been writ in the original by Merlin, I confefs I lay not much weight upon it: but it is enough to juftify their authority, that the book from whence I have tranfcribed them, was printed 170 years ago, as appears by the title-page. For the fatisfaction of any gentleman, who may be either doubtful of the truth, or curious to be informed; I shall give order to have the very book fent to the prin ter of this paper, with directions to let any body fee it that pleafes, because I believe it is pretty scarce.

A ME.

À

MEDITATION

UPON A

BROOM-STICK.

According to the ftyle and manner of the honourable Robert Boyle's Meditations *.

T

HIS fingle ftick, which you now behold ingloriously lying in that neglected corner, I once knew in a flourishing state in a foreft: it was full of fap, full of leaves, and full of boughs: but now in vain does the busy art of man pretend to vye with nature, by tying that withered bundle of twigs to its fapless trunk: it is now at best but the reverse of what it was, a tree turned upfide down, the branches on the earth, and the root in the air; it is now handled by every dirty wench, condemned to do her drudgery, and, by a capricious kind of fate, deftined to make her things clean, and be nasty itself;

* The fword of wit like the fcythe of time cuts down friend and foe, and attacks every object that accidentally lies in its way: but, fharp and irrefiftible as the edge of it may be, Mr. Boyle will always remain invulnerable. ORRERY.

at length worn out to the ftumps in the fer vice of the maids, it is either thrown out of doors, or condemned to the last use, of kindling a fire. When I beheld this, I fighed, and faid within myfelf, Surely mortal Man is a Broom-flick! nature fent him into the world ftrong and lufty, in a thriving condition, wearing his own hair on his head, the proper branches of this reafoning vegetable, until the axe of intemperance has lopped off his green boughs, and left him a withered trunk: he then flies to art, and puts on a perriwig, valuing himself upon an unnatural bundle of hairs, all covered with powder, that never grew on his head; but now should this our broom-ftick pretend to enter the scene, proud of thofe birchen fpoils it never bore, and all covered with duft, though the sweepings of the finest lady's chamber, we should be apt to ridicule and despise its vanity. Par tial judges that we are of our own excellencies, and other men's defaults!

But a broom-flick, perhaps you will fay, is an emblem of a tree ftanding on its head; and pray what is man, but a topsy-turvey creature, his animal faculties perpetually mounted on his rational, his head where his heels fhould be, groveling on the earth! and yet, with all his faults, he fets up to be an univerfal reformer and corrector of abuses, a remover of grievances, rakes into every flut's corner of nature, bringing hidden corruptions to the light, and raifes a mighty duft where

there

there was none before, fharing deeply all the while in the very same pollutions he pretends to sweep away: his last days are spent in flavery to women, and generally the least deferving; till worn to the ftumps, like his brother beefom, he is either kicked out of doors, or made ufe of to kindle flames for others to warm themselves by.

A

PROPOSAL

For correcting, improving, and afcertaining the

ENGLISH TONGUE.

In a letter to the most honourable Robert earl of Oxford and Mortimer, lord high treasurer of Great Britain.

To the most honourable Robert earl of Oxford, etc.

My Lord,

W

HAT I had the honour of mentioning to your lordship fome time ago in converfation, was not a new thought, juft then started by accident or occafion, but the refult of long reflection, and I have been confirmed in my fentiments by the opinion of fome very judicious perfons, with whom I confulted. They all agreed, that nothing would be of greater use towards the improvement of knowledge and politeness, than fome effectual method for correcting, enlarging, and afcertaining our language; and they think it a work very poffible to be compaffed under the protection of a prince, the countenance and encouragement of a miniftry, and the care of proper perfons chofen for fuch an undertaking. I was glad to find your lordâhip's an

fwer