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<DATE>2014-08-08</DATE>
<RESPSTMT>
<NAME>John Pas</NAME>
<RESP>MURP</RESP>
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<ITEM>Proofed and reviewed as part of batch B140617.pdcc.</ITEM>
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<EEBO>
<IDG S="marc" R="UM" ID="B28229">
<STC T="W">P2738A</STC>
<BIBNO T="oclc">[ocm]10595035</BIBNO>
<VID>204724</VID>
</IDG>
<TEXT LANG="eng">
<FRONT>
<DIV1 TYPE="half title">
<PB REF="1" MS="y">
<PB REF="1">
<P>THE POETS ADDRESS To the Honourable Sir Charles Duncomb.</P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
<PB REF="2">
<PB REF="2">
<P>The POET'S ADDRESS To the Honourable Sir Charles Duncomb, Knight, and Alderman OF THE CITY of LONDON.</P>
<P><HI>LONDON:</HI> Printed in the Year MDCC.</P>
</DIV1>
</FRONT>
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="poem">
<PB REF="3">
<PB N="3" REF="3">
<HEAD>THE POETS ADDRESS To the Honourable Sir Charles Duncomb.</HEAD>
<LG>
<L>THE fair <HI>Augu&s;ta</HI> of all Lands the Pride,</L>
<L>And Wonder of the Gazing World be&s;ide;</L>
<L>The fair <HI>Augu&s;ta</HI> heretofore could Boa&s;t,</L>
<L>Of noble <HI>Praetors</HI> at their proper Co&s;t:</L>
<L>Men Wi&s;e in Council, as for Wealth renown'd,</L>
<L>And with the Prai&s;es of their People crown'd.</L>
<L>Who&s;e well-&s;pread Tables Di&s;hes did a<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="3 letters">d,</L>
<L>Equal in Plenty to a Potent Lord:</L>
<L>Who&s;e Kitchins were no <HI>Ordinarys</HI> then,</L>
<L>To Treat at their own Charge the <HI>Liv'ry Men.</HI></L>
<L>Who for the Dinner they had got at Noon</L>
<L>Pay in the Evening with a Silver <HI>Spoon;</HI></L>
<L>As finely Guilt as Dr. Quack's fam'd Pills,</L>
<L>Which fills &s;o many of our Weekly Bills.</L>
<L>They were not open-handed to receive,</L>
<L>But their ennobl'd Talent was to give.</L>
</LG>
<PB N="4" REF="4">
<LG>
<L>And &s;uch is yours who&s;e brighter Virtues are</L>
<L>Of the &s;ame Stamp, your Predece&s;&s;ors were;</L>
<L>I mean not tho&s;e of a more Modern Date,</L>
<L>Who kept their Fea&s;ts upon a &s;ingle Plate</L>
<L>Who&s;e <HI>Shreival</HI> Board produc'd a Bill of Fare,</L>
<L><HI>Nine Pence per Diem</HI> thro' the gaudy Year;</L>
<L>Who chew'd the Cud in&s;tead of whol&s;om Meat,</L>
<L>And thought it was Original Sin to Eat;</L>
<L>Lord! What a goodly Time had Cocks and Hens,</L>
<L>The Calves were &s;afe within our <HI>Smithfield</HI> Pens.</L>
<L>No Foes from City Halls did them Invade,</L>
<L>The Butchers had almo&s;t forgot their Trade.</L>
<L>The Godly Folk deem'd every Man a Bea&s;t,</L>
<L>A Wicked Glutton, who proclaim'd a Fea&s;t.</L>
<L>The Bucks grew wilder and for&s;ook their Mounds,</L>
<L>And quite unlearnt the Opening of the Hounds&punc;</L>
<L>The&s;e Pious Times in which dark Plots were rife,</L>
<L>And Men Eat <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="3 letters">ion to &s;upport their Life;</L>
<L>To open Veni&s;on Pa&s;ty no Man dur&s;t,</L>
<L>For fear of Plotters underneath the Cru&s;t.</L>
<L>So cautious were they of pre&s;erving Life,</L>
<L>They quite forgot the U&s;e of Fork and Knife.</L>
<L>Self-Pre&s;ervation did Improve their Skill,</L>
<L>They'd u&s;e no Weapons which would wound or kill.</L>
<L>Still in their Food &s;ome hidden Mi&s;chief &s;moak'd,</L>
<L>They wou'd not Eat for fear they &s;hou'd be choak'd.</L>
<L>Their Cupboard founder'd does to pieces fall</L>
<L>And Good Boil'd Beef becomes Apocryphal.</L>
<PB N="5" REF="4">
<L>No racy Wine their duller Hearts united,</L>
<L>And honourable <HI>Sir-Loyn</HI> was Unknighted;</L>
<L>They were to any hone&s;t Mortals thinking,</L>
<L>Green Schi&s;maticks in Eating and in Drinking.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Now Vile&s;t Avarice u&s;urp'd the Place</L>
<L>Of Charity, and Vice &s;upplanted Grace.</L>
<L>Frugality's a Grace they ne'er did want,</L>
<L>For every Niggard was e&s;teem'd a Saint.</L>
<L>That &s;ober Party, who did others Mock;</L>
<L>And ne'er were drunk but on the Publick Stock,</L>
<L>At their own Tables are extremely Nice,</L>
<L>And make Good Eating an Enormous Vice;</L>
<L>Can when on Free-Co&s;t gormandize the Be&s;t,</L>
<L>And feed as much like Gluttons as the re&s;t.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>But you pur&s;ue the Methods as of old,</L>
<L>When Men did u&s;e, not Idolize their Gold,</L>
<L>When City <HI>May'rs,</HI> and <HI>Sheriffs</HI> of Reque&s;t,</L>
<L>Di&s;&s;olv'd the Winters in continual Fea&s;t;</L>
<L>Who&s;e Kitchins Heat did &s;hivering Mortals Warm,</L>
<L>What the far di&s;tant Sun could not perform.</L>
<L>You on their Dre&s;&s;ers every Day might &s;ee,</L>
<L>The Nations Wealth in an Epitomy.</L>
<L>Nor only did our Dainties fill their Board,</L>
<L>But generous Wines Imported from abroad,</L>
<L>Their daily Revels and their Banquets crown'd,</L>
<L>Whil&s;t fair <HI>Augu&s;ta</HI>'s Health went round.</L>
</LG>
<PB N="4" REF="5">
<LG>
<L>If you when <HI>Sheriff</HI> did &s;uch Fea&s;ts prepare,</L>
<L>What will you do when once elected <HI>May'r?</HI></L>
<L>If &s;uch great Treatment from the <HI>Sheriff</HI> comes</L>
<L>We from the <HI>May'r</HI> expect whole Hecatombs?</L>
<L>The Sober Party &s;ay, you will undo 'em,</L>
<L>And &s;ad Example of Profu&s;ene&s;s &s;hew 'em;</L>
<L>For &s;hould you ever thus debauch their Gullets,</L>
<L>You'l make a Dearth of Capons and of Pullets:</L>
<L>We'll by &s;uch Slaughters with De&s;truction meet,</L>
<L>And want both Beef and Pork to &s;erve the <HI>Fleet;</HI></L>
<L>Your Wine and Meat will cau&s;e a double Pain,</L>
<L>O'er charge their Stomachs, and di&s;turb their Brain.</L>
<L>For Wine in <HI>Noddle</HI> as in <HI>Ship</HI> is to&s;t,</L>
<L>And bounc'd alas from Pillow unto Po&s;t;</L>
<L>Ca&s;t on the Rocks by Seas which loudly Roar,</L>
<L>And here di&s;gorg'd into the Common Shoar:</L>
<L>Wine makes Indentures, and what's wor&s;t of all,</L>
<L>Makes the mo&s;t upright Mortal downwards fall,</L>
<L>When tho' no Limbs are broke, or Sculls are torn,</L>
<L>It often Damage does to &s;tronge&s;t Horn;</L>
<L>For &s;ad Di&s;a&s;ters happen in the Fight,</L>
<L>Where Head's too heavy, and the Heells too light.</L>
<L>Thus who's beholding for a Sumptuous Dinner,</L>
<L>Which turns a Saint into a very Sinner.</L>
<L>Who after &s;uch In&s;atiate Wicked Poring,</L>
<L>Forgets the <HI>Wife,</HI> and runs to <HI>Mi&s;s</HI> a Whoring,</L>
<L>Or by repleni&s;h'd Nature is beguil'd,</L>
<L>At his own Charge gets his own Wife with Child.</L>
</LG>
<PB N="7" REF="5">
<LG>
<L>'Tis not for <HI>Poets</HI> to di&s;pute Elections,</L>
<L>Or Troubles rai&s;e by Scandalous Reflections;</L>
<L>We for <HI>Parna&s;&s;us</HI> chu&s;e no Lordly <HI>May'r,</HI></L>
<L>Or ever vote to fill the vacant Chair;</L>
<L>Tho in this Age we Schi&s;matick's are grown,</L>
<L>And would for <HI>Claret</HI> change our <HI>Hellicon.</HI></L>
<L>We love not Mony but to buy us Drink,</L>
<L>And always Mump for Paper, Pens and Ink;</L>
<L>With which, and of <HI>Canary</HI> a Good Cup,</L>
<L>Is a Good Stock to &s;et a Poet up.</L>
<L>We know no difference 'twixt a <HI>Guild-hall</HI> Pole,</L>
<L>And tho&s;e round which the wand'ring Stars do Role;</L>
<L>But yet we know th' Opinion of the Gods,</L>
<L><HI>Who give the Choice to him that has the Odds;</HI></L>
<L>Were we to Vote I certainly do think,</L>
<L>We &s;hould Elect &s;uch as would make us Drink.</L>
<L>Such as would give us Meat without Di&s;dain,</L>
<L>The fitte&s;t Props to fortify the Brain:</L>
<L>Deny us &s;uch A&s;&s;i&s;tance, Sirs, and then</L>
<L>Poets as &s;tupid are as other Men;</L>
<L>They dully will the <HI>Ma&s;es</HI> Chariot draw,</L>
<L>As for Example, Brother <HI>Elkanah;</HI></L>
<L>Who long Time has from Rules of Rea&s;on &s;werv'd,</L>
<L>And underneath his glorious <HI>Pageants</HI> &s;tarv'd:</L>
<L>Who mounts no higher than a few dull Speeches;</L>
<L>Not from his Brain, but voided in his Breeches;</L>
<L>And tho&s;e the be&s;t upon a Poets Word,</L>
<L>He can from &s;uch Encouragement Afford.</L>
</LG>
<PB N="8" REF="6">
<LG>
<L>How &s;ad's the State of every Mortal <HI>Cit,</HI></L>
<L>A Dearth of Victuals, and a Dearth of Wit;</L>
<L>While we &s;uch Good Accommodations want,</L>
<L>Old <HI>London</HI> is again turn'd <HI>Troynovant.</HI></L>
<L>The <HI>Mu&s;es</HI> State is &s;ettl'd not at all,</L>
<L>But like the Stocks, does either ri&s;e or fall;</L>
<L>Sometimes we rai&s;e our Thoughts in Notes &s;ublime,</L>
<L>And half way up <HI>Parna&s;&s;us</HI> Mount do climb;</L>
<L>But then de&s;cending with uneven pace,</L>
<L>For want of Ammunition quit the Place.</L>
<L>Time was, alas! but in the Days of Yore,</L>
<L>When <HI>London</HI>'s Soil &s;ublime&s;t fancies bore.</L>
<L>When thence the <HI>Mu&s;es</HI> did their Minious take,</L>
<L>And every <HI>Prentice</HI> could a <HI>Ballad</HI> make;</L>
<L>And Songs compos'd by <HI>Poets</HI> Grave and Wi&s;e,</L>
<L>At <HI>Chri&s;tmas,</HI> plenty were as <HI>Chri&s;tmas Pies.</HI></L>
<L>But now to Learning we have no pretence;</L>
<L>Bankrupt in Trade, in Poetry and Sen&s;e.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Will no kind <HI>Magi&s;trate</HI> our Griefs redre&s;s,</L>
<L>And vouch&s;afe Life unto Immortal Ver&s;e.</L>
<L>How awkardly &s;hall we a <HI>Chri&s;tmas</HI> keep?</L>
<L>Our Mu&s;e will &s;lumber, and our Sen&s;es Sleep.</L>
<L>If no Good Patriot at that time encourage,</L>
<L>I&s;lands of Meat in Oceans of Plumb-porridge;</L>
<L>Which makes the Jolly Citizens rejoyce,</L>
<L>And tune their Throats in a melodious Noi&s;e.</L>
<L>In&s;tead of Meat we now mu&s;t &s;uck our Fingers;</L>
<L>The Poets &s;tarv'd, and whipt the Ballad-&s;ingers.</L>
<PB N="9" REF="6">
<L>If once in <HI>London</HI> we &s;hould play the Fool,</L>
<L>Our Land is grown incorrigibly dull.</L>
<L>Now both the <HI>&V;niver&s;ities</HI> are broke,</L>
<L>And can't afford the <HI>Nine</HI> one tuneful &s;troke;</L>
<L>Who&s;e Songs of late on <HI>Dryden</HI> plainly told,</L>
<L>Their Wit is &s;hrivl'd, and their Brains are cold;</L>
<L>No Ver&s;e exalted, and no Thoughts Divine,</L>
<L>Th' Effects of <HI>Water-gruel</HI> not of <HI>Wine.</HI></L>
<L><HI>Apollo</HI> now di&s;owns 'em for his Sons,</L>
<L>And from their di&s;in&s;pired Man&s;ions runs:</L>
<L>Yet would make <HI>London</HI> his mo&s;t ble&s;t Abode,</L>
<L>Had he but Grace to entertain the <HI>God.</HI></L>
<L>Here would erect his high Imperial Seat;</L>
<L>And as in Wealth, in Wi&s;dom make us Great.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>It is re&s;olv'd, and by the <HI>God</HI> decreed;</L>
<L>The Times &s;hall mend when <HI>Du<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">comb</HI> &s;hall &s;ucceed.</L>
<L>He Good Pre&s;ages gave of peaceful Sway,</L>
<L>And mark'd the Tract, where Virtue led the Way.</L>
<L>Enfeebl'd <HI>Charity,</HI> grown Stiff and Cold,</L>
<L>He brought to Life by &s;howr's of Liquid <HI>Gold;</HI></L>
<L>His Bounty more Exten&s;ive than the Sun,</L>
<L>Did not o'er Hills and lofty Mountains run;</L>
<L>But dark Rece&s;&s;es of the <HI>Pri&s;ons</HI> warm'd,</L>
<L>And drooping Spirits with his <HI>Bounty</HI> charm'd.</L>
<L>He <HI>Ludgate</HI>'s Hell did Ble&s;s with Rays of Light,</L>
<L>Where Shackl'd Souls keep an Eternal Night;</L>
<L>Cag'd up like Birds to &s;ing the Infamy</L>
<L>Of <HI>Creditors,</HI> and their own <HI>Elegy:</HI></L>
<PB N="10" REF="7">
<L>The&s;e he let fly, and &s;et upon the Wing,</L>
<L>Who now for ever will his Prai&s;es Sing:</L>
<L>In vain do Niggard Saints their Virtues Cant,</L>
<L>While they exten&s;ive Charity do want.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Methinks I &s;ee of his good Reign a Scene,</L>
<L>Tho with a Space of Twelve &s;ad Months between,</L>
<L>In which <HI>Augu&s;ta</HI> is again in State,</L>
<L>Reviv'd in Pomp, magnificently Great:</L>
<L>In which her lively <HI>Children</HI> do appear,</L>
<L>Ble&s;t with &s;uch Features as their Fathers were.</L>
<L>Greaz'd with his Oyl, each <HI>Bacchus</HI> Cheeks do's &s;hine,</L>
<L>Plump'd up with Bumpers of his Racy Wine;</L>
<L>To grace his Court the wretched do advance,</L>
<L>The Orphans Singing, as the Widows Dance.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L><HI>Poets</HI> like <HI>Batts,</HI> this tedious <HI>Winter</HI> dwell,</L>
<L>In &s;ome retir'd and Melancholly <HI>Cell.</HI></L>
<L>But like the <HI>Swallows</HI> will Ari&s;e and Sing,</L>
<L>At the Approach of his more fragrant <HI>Spring.</HI></L>
<L>When <HI>Duncomb</HI> gives to Gladne&s;s a new Birth,</L>
<L>And like the Sun repleni&s;hes the Earth.</L>
</LG>
<TRAILER>FINIS.</TRAILER>
<PB REF="7">
</DIV1>
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</TEXT>
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