1955

Differtation on a WALKING-STICK.

fide had produced in their reply, a motion was made by the friends of the old intereft, "That all copyholders, holding their eftates by copy of court roll, not having the words, ad voluntatem domini, or, at the vill of the lord, inferted in the copies by which fuch eftates are holden, have a right to vote at elections for knights of the fhire to ferve in parliament for that part of Great-Britain called England, within the intent and meaning of the laws confining the faid right of election to eftates of freehold only."

339

At this time it was made with an indented head, that it might be more easy to the hand that leant on it. Soon after it received the addition of a round, hol-" low top, the cavern of which contained fometimes a piece of nutmeg or ginger, to warm the cold ftomach of its aged mafter and in asthmatic cafes it fomeA times fecreted a few drops of lemon-juice, fweetened with fugar or honey; and when the political powder, called fnuff, was first in fashion, it ferved as a fnuffbox.

B

This motion was made on purpose to have a negative put upon it; but this the friends of the new intereft did not think proper to have done upon the prefent occafion, and therefore they moved the pre. vious queftion, which was carried in the negative; after which they moved, That the Rt. Hon. Philip Wenman, lord vifcount Wenman in the kingdom of Ireland, is duly elected a knight of the shire to ferve in this prefent parliament for the county of Oxford, whereupon the previous question was moved for by the other fide, which, after a long debate, was earried in the affirmative, by 233 to 105, and the question being then put upon the motion, it was carried in the negative, after which the lord Parker was voted duly elected, Sir James Dashwood not duly elected, and Sir Edward Turner duly elected for the faid county! Whereupon D

the clerk of the crown was ordered, and he accordingly amended the return, by erazing the names of lord Wenman and Sir James Dashwood.

There were fome other contested electi-
ons determined during this feffion, but
nothing very remarkable happened in any
of them, except that for the borough of E
Mid:holl, otherwife Mitchell, in Cora-
wall, which, in the committee of privi
leges and elections, was determined in
favour of the fitting members; but upon
the report, which was by order made on
Monday, March 24, it was determined by
the house in favour of the petitioners, and
the return amended accordingly by eraz-

ing the names of Robert Clive, Efq; and
John Stephenfon, Efq; and inferting the
names of Simon Luttrell, Efq; and Rich-
ard Huffey, Efq; in their ftead.
[This SUMMARY to be continued in our next.

Differtation on a WALKING-STICK.

A

F

In a few years after it received a very whimsical alteration, which rendered it of fome amufement to the grandchildren of the old worthies who used them, not. withstanding its utility was not in the leaft decreased. This revolution happen. ed as follows; a humorous, good-natured old gentleman who took delight to fee his grandchildren, when his cane was out of ufe, ftride across it and ride back ward and forward on the floor, one day, in order to make it still more agreeable to their infant pleafures, thought of having * added the contrivance of a whiftle in the head, and therefore befpoke one immedi ately This gave fo much fatisfaction to the little ones, that the fashion became general, and all the fathers and grandfa thers bought them with a view of pleaf ing the children.

BOUT a century ago it was firft G brought into use, and was just a proper height for those who carried it, who were generally perfons of decayed conftitutions, that could not by any means walk without it.

In the time of Ifaac Bickerstaff it bezun to fall off, as plainly appears by the remonftrances of that ingenious perfonwalking canes being worn with a firing, or a ribbon, dangling upon the fifth bute. ton, as he obferves; and from this time they gradually decreased in point of utility.

Soon after they were taken from the button, hung upon the wiift, and wore in common by people of all ranks and denominations.

At laft they dwindled into a little fwitch, and were by the jeffamy fellows about town diftinguithed by the titles of jemmies, tartars, &c. All on a fudden they underwent a monftrous transformation, and were fwelled to the thickness of broomsticks, with a nob of prodigious fize: As the fathion grew older they grew taller, and are wore even fome four or five feet high; and if the fashion to lengthen them continues, the stickmakers must buy up all the barbers poles about town; what elfe they can do is beyond my skill to imagine, but I fancy fuch a fashion would foon grow univerfal, because I cannot think but a fine gentleman ftrutting along the Mall with a barber'spole in his hand, would cut a very pretty figure.

Poetical ESSAYS in JULY, 1755.

In yonder myrtle grove we'll dwell,
With more content than tongue can tell;
Where hungry moles fhall not affright,
Thy tender lambs or thee by night:
There we the wanton thieves will play,
And steal each others hearts away.

A MINUET.

Poetical ESSAYs in JULY, 1755.

Poetical Essays in JULY, 1755

Mock'd of his hope, dire fury in his breaft,
And varying passions in his looks exprefs'd,
Mad imprecations on the bowl he throws,
The guiltless wood upbraiding with his

In vain the bowl with its own tenor hies,
Difdains his threats, nor liftens to his cries.
But well deferved praise the bowl attends,
Which from its courfe no devious error
bends
[plain,

No weakness flops, till, meafar'd all the
Close by the mark the inmost space it gain.
Yet fee th' antagonist with levell'd eyes
To frike it from the happy ftation tries,
Calls up his ev'ry art to aid the flight,
And to the throw collects his utmost might;
The weighty fphere with lab'ring finew
flung
[long.
Stours o'er the grafs, and rapid whirls a-.
So when the courfers on the Elian plain
Forth from the barrier burst with flacken'd

Poetical ESSAYS in JULY, 1755

Pretty like her fenfe, and little,"
Like her beauty frail and brittle.
Be her thining locks confin'd
In a threefold braid behind;
Let an artificial flow'r

Set the frifure off before;

Here, and there, weave ribbon pat in,
Ribbon of the finest fattin.

Circling round her iv'ry neck
Frizzle out the smart Vandike;
Like the ruff that heretofore
Good queen Befs's maidens wore ;
Happy maidens, as we read,
Maids of honour, maids indeed.

Let her breaft look rich and bold
With a ftomacher of gold;
Let it keep her bofom warm,
Amply stretch'd from arm to arm;
Whimsically travers'd o'er,
Here a knot and there a flow'r,
Like her little heart that dances,
Fu
Full of maggots, full of fancies.
Flowing loosely down her back
Draw with art the graceful fack;
Ornament it well with gimping,
Flounces, furbelows, and crimping;
Let of ruffles many a row

Guard her elbows white as fnow;
Knots below, and knots above;
Emblems of the tyes of love.

Let her hoop, extended wide,
Shew, what petticoats fhould hide,
Garters of the fofteft filk,
Stockings whiter than the milk;
Charming part of female drefs,
Did it thew us more, or lefs.

Let a pair of velvet shoes
Gently prefs her pretty-toes,
'Gently prefs, and foftly fqueeze:
Tott'ring like the fair Chinese,
Mounted high and buckled low,
Tott'ring ev'ry fep they go.

Take these hints, and do thy duty,
Fashions-are the tests of beauty:
Features vary, and perplex,
Mode's the woman, and the fex.

Oxon.

343

Rejected love-e'en then more bleft than

me,

Time might have made him happy, and

his truth [hour, Might have rewarded; but, ah ! where's the When thail it come to bring my peace

again?

Can it reftore Amanda? Say, fhall time
Open the grave? And force its marbled

jaws

[frame

To render back to life the beauteous
It has enclos'd? No, no, fhe's gone for

ever

For ever, ever gone!

Hark! pretty warbler! And doft thou mourn thy love too? How my foul

Doth pity thee! 'Tis Philomel; and now,
Whilft all the foreft fleeps, the tells her

lofs,

[too:
Her bitter lofs like mine: Yet, he's bleft
Pafs but a fummer,-a fhort year-and
then
[being,

She refts; but I must bear this hated
Perhaps for me death has an age to wait:
And then heav'n's vengeance 'gainst self

murder's ftor'd:

O infupportable! the horrid thought Throws grief on grief :-And yet it cannot be

[long
The wound's too deeply given: 'Tis not
That I can laft; and we thall meet again-
Sure, fure we fhall; O! might thy virgin
ghoft
[but fpeak

But blefs for once my eyes, would't thou
The words of peace to my distracted foul,
I should be happy: I could wait the will"
Of heav'n, but in this doubtful state I'm
curft.-
[but that
For there must be a heav'n-nought-nought
Could form thee as thou waft-from thence
thou.cam'ft,

And thither art return'd;-yet if there be,
Why are things fo? why am I punish'd
thus ?

My love was ever pure as veftal flames,
No grofs defires e'er tainted it, and thou
Walt innocence herfelf: Is there a reafon
I fhould be tortured thus ? * * * * I've
heard
freturn'd
That maids like thee in fhades have oft
To footh their lover's forrows, till the
· time

Of bli arrive: But here no comfort dawns,
Nowhite rob'd meffenger of peace defcends,
Nought to my plaint refponfive, fave the
fcream
[groans

Of nights foul bird, the owl; and hollow
From yon old fane, which ever and ancn
With hideous noife comes tumbling
down,