_Esop._ Who have made you---- _Gent._ A Senator. _Esop._ Sir, I reverence you. [_Bowing._ _Gent._ Sir, you may reverence as low as you please; but I shall spare none of you. Sir, I am intrusted by my Country with above ten Thousand of their Grievances, and, in order to redress them, my Design is to hang ten thousand Courtiers. _Esop._ Why, 'tis making short Work, I must confess; but are you sure, Sir, that wou'd do't? _Gent._ Sure,----Ay, sure. _Esop._ How do you know? _Gent._ Why, the whole Country says so, and I at the Head of 'em. Now let me see who dares say the contrary. _Esop._ Not I, truly. But, Sir, if you won't take it ill, I'll ask you a Question or two. _Gent._ Sir, I shall take ill what I please. And if you, or e'er a Courtier of you all pretend the contrary, I say, 'tis a Breach of Privilege----Now put your Question, if you think fit. _Esop._ Why then, Sir, with all due regard to your Character, and your Privilege too, I wou'd be glad to know what you chiefly complain of? _Gent._ Why, Sir, I do chiefly complain, that we have A great many Ships, and very little Trade; A great many Tenants, and very little Money; A great many Soldiers, and very little fighting; A great many _Gazettes_, and little good News; A great many Statesmen, and very little Wisdom; A great many Parsons, and not an Ounce of Religion. _Esop._ Why truly, Sir, I do confess these are Grievances very well worth your redressing. And I perceive you are truly sensible of our Diseases, but I'm afraid you are a little out in the Cure. _Gent._ Sir, I perceive you take me for a Country-Physician: but you shall find, Sir, that a Country-Doctor is able to deal with a Court-Quack; and to shew you that I do understand something of the State of the Body-Politic, I will tell you, Sir, that I have heard a wise Man say, the Court is the Stomach of the Nation, in which, if the Business be not thoroughly digested, the whole Carcase will be in Disorder. Now, Sir, I do find by the Feebleness of the Members, and the Vapours that fly into the Head, that this same Stomach is full of indigestions, which must be remov'd: And therefore, Sir, I am come Post to Town with my Head full of _Crocus Metallorum_, and design to give the Court a Vomit. _Esop._ Sir, the Physic you mention, tho' necessary sometimes, is of too violent a Nature to be us'd without a great deal of Caution. I'm afraid, you are a little too rash in your Prescriptions. Is it not possible you may be mistaken in the Cause of the Distemper? _Gent._ Sir, I do not think it possible I shou'd be mistaken in any thing. _Esop._ Have you been long a Senator? _Gent._ No, Sir. _Esop._ Have you been much about Town? _Gent._ No, Sir. _Esop._ Have you convers'd much with Men of Business? _Gent._ No, Sir. _Esop._ Have you made any serious Enquiry into the present Disorders of the Nation? _Gent._ No, Sir.