These hints are thrown out for the particular use of some sprightly persons, with whose facetiousness we have been of late extremely pestered--we apologise to our rational readers for the insertion of such stuff, even by way of surfeit to our quibbling patients. CAUTIONARY VERSES TO YOUTH OF BOTH SEXES.[56] My readers may know that to all the editions of Entick's Dictionary, commonly used in schools, there is prefixed "A table of words that are alike, or nearly alike, in sound, but different in spelling and signification." It must be evident that this table is neither more nor less than an early provocation to punning; the whole mystery of which vain art consists in the use of words, the sound and sense of which are at variance. In order, if possible, to check any disposition to punning in youth, which may be fostered by this manual, I have thrown together the following adaptation of Entick's hints to young beginners, hoping thereby to afford a warning, and exhibit a deformity to be avoided, rather than an example to be followed; and at the same time showing the caution children should observe in using words which have more than one meaning. "My little dears, who learn to read, pray early learn to shun That very silly thing indeed which people call a pun: Read Entick's rules, and 'twill be found how simple an offence It is, to make the self-same sound afford a double sense. "For instance, _ale_ may make you _ail_, your _aunt_ an _ant_ may kill, You in a _vale_ may buy a _veil_, and _Bill_ may pay the _bill_. Or if to France your _bark_ you steer, at Dover, it may be, A _peer appears_ upon the _pier_, who, blind, still goes to _sea_. "Thus one might say, when to a treat good friends accept our greeting, 'Tis _meet_ that men who _meet_ to eat should eat their _meat_ when meeting. Brawn on the board's no _bore_ indeed, although from _boar_ prepared; Nor can the _fowl_, on which we feed, _foul_ feeding be declared. "Thus _one_ ripe fruit may be a _pear_, and yet be _pared_ again, And still be _one_, which seemeth rare until we do explain. It therefore should be all your aim to speak with ample care: For who, however fond of game, would choose to swallow _hair_? "A fat man's _gait_ may make us smile, who has no _gate_ to close: The farmer sitting on his _style_ no _stylish_ person knows: Perfumers men of _scents_ must be; some _Scilly_ men are bright; A _brown_ man oft deep _read_ we see, a _black_ a wicked _wight_. "Most wealthy men good _manors_ have, however vulgar they; And actors still the harder slave, the oftener they _play_: So poets can't the _baize_ obtain, unless their tailors choose; While grooms and coachmen, not in vain, each evening seek the _Mews_.