The following poems are extracted from the manuscript of Lord Lanesborough, called the Whimsical Medley. They are here inserted in deference to the opinion of a most obliging correspondent, who thinks they may be juvenile attempts of Swift. own I cannot discover much internal evidence in support of the supposition.

I

ON MR. ROBARTS,

BY THE NAME OF PETER QUINCE.

As one Peter Quince,
With one grain of sense,
And courage to equal his wit,
From a beau of the town
Went to purchase renown,
But return'd without ever a whit;

With Pacolet's horse

Young Quince took his course,
Despising some fools that would fight:

And wisely took care,

In the hazard of war,

To prevent all mischances by flight.

Let the nation's scum,

For the time that's to come,

Lose a leg or an arm in the fray:
War's at best but mere stuff;
Peter Quince had enough,

When his heels to Breda made his way.

That head-piece of thine
Will much better shine

On one of the Parliament benches :

But, on second thought,

Wit is always best bought,

And, Quince, be thou safe among [wenches.]

For all thy ill stars,

In the house thou hast peers,

Or else the dull fools would ne'er choose you,

Of taxes complain,

But shun the campaign,

For soldiers will always abuse thee.

Thy pretty white hand
Was never design'd

To meddle with dirty cold iron;
You know you were made

For another guess trade,

When thy beauties the ladies environ.

Made Quince for to shine,

And scorn the poor rogues that are valiant.

* Sir John Cutler, a noted usurer.

UPON

THE POPE'S GIVING A CARDINAL'S CAP TO A JESUIT,

ON THE DEATH OF CARDINAL DE TOURNON.

TOURNON, the illustrious cardinal, is dead!
Died at Macao, by the Jesuit's hands:
Was ever thing so base!

The pope, however, unconcerned stands,
Although of holy church the head,

And puts a Jesuit in his place.
Men wonder at it; but the pope well knows
The hangman always has the dead man's clothes.

THE

FABLE OF THE BELLY

AND THE MEMBERS.

THE members on a time did meet,
As factious members do,

And were resolved, with hands and feet,

The Belly to o'erthrow.

The idle paunch they all decreed
An idle sluggish part,
Which never did, in time of need,
Aid or assist the heart.

So 'twas resolved in Parliament,
Nemine contradicente,

That trustees should be thither sent
To keep the Belly empty :

But when they found the Belly flagg'd
For want of due nutrition,
And that each member pined and lagg'd
In a poor weak condition,
They thought it wiser to allow
The Belly a free trade,
Lest that, one member waxing low
The whole should be decay'd.

THE HUMBLE PETITION

OF

GOSSIP JOAN TO HER FRIEND,

A NORTH BRITAIN LADY,'

WHO HAD PROMISED HER SOME SNUFF AT HER RETURN OUT OF

SCOTLAND.

IN forma pauperis I to you

Thus by petition humbly show:

Our little isle being barren of mundungus,
We praise the Lord you're come among us;
For, since by union we are the same,

We plead a right to what you claim.
We call you brethren; the next thing
Is to inquire what goods you bring,
To enrich or please us, else go forth;
We love you just as much as you are worth.
This your commissioners have taught us,
Who sold you to us, when they sought us.
So, just as they do in your name
Our promises, I do yours claim;
Which you may break, as we, at will,
Or, if it please, you may fulfil.
Since thus united we possess you,
When you make us sneeze, we cry, God bless
God bless you.
The snuff which you encouraged me
To hope for, will be charity;
Which to your slave when you convey,
Your poor petitioner shall pray.

B. C.

* "Whom he brings in among us,

And bribes with mundungus."-Lady's Lamentation.