_N. B._ There being a great Number of these Pieces of Wit and Humour at most Places of publick Resort in this Kingdom, it is hoped that all, who are pleased with, or willing to promote this Design, will be so good as to collect and send them to the Publisher hereof. The Editor does not care how merry they are, provided they are not obscene. THE MERRY-THOUGHT. PART IV. To the EDITOR of the Glass-Window, _&c._ Miscellany. _Mr._ BOG, Where Wit and Learning (as at present in this our Isle) so much abound, great Marvel it is to me, That so worthy a Compiler of other Men’s Labours as yourself, should be put to the little mean Shifts of copying from such _Cacascriptores_, who have from _Hudibras_, _Tom Brown_, and others of the like Rank, their little Bits and Scraps, basely purloined, whereby you run a Risque of being deem’d yourself a Plagiary: Nor is it less unbecoming the Dignity and Fidelity of your Undertaking, to supply the Want of Application and Diligence, by filling up your lifeless Pages with Musical Punctations, as vile and unrelishing as ever echo’d from your own natural Bagpipe. Therefore, that you may the better be enabled these Indecencies equally to avoid, I send you the following _Collectanea Nasutula_: If you honour them, I shall honour your next Performance; if not, _Non cuicunque datum est habere nasum_. _From a Boghouse near _Lincoln’s-Inn-Fields_._ _The_ WISH. Oh! may our Senate, learn’d and great, (In order to perpetuate The tuneful Strains and witty Flights, Of him that Studies while he sh - - ts) Decree all Landlords, thro’ the Nation, Shall lay (on Pain of Flagellation) In some meet Corner of their Dark Hole A cuspidated Piece of Charcoal; Or, where the Walls are cas’d with Wainscot, A Piece of Chalk with equal Pains cut; That those who labour at both Ends, To ease themselves, and serve their Friends, May not, reluctant, go from Sh - - t, And leave no Relict of their Wit, For want of necessary Tools To impart the _Proles_ of their Stools: Then _Cibber_’s Odes, and _Tindal_’s Sense, _Caleb_ and _Henley_’s Eloquence, _Woolston_, and all such learned Sophi’s, Would be cut down in House-of-Office: _Oxford_ and _Cambridge_ too would join Their Puns, to make the Boghouse shine Each learn’d Society would try all (From lowest Club, to that call’d Royal,) To furnish something might improve Religion, Politicks, or Love: Grand _Keyber_, Gormogons, Free Masons, And _Heydeger_, with all his gay Sons, Would find to suit, with Lectures there, Their Intellectuals to a Hair: _Bodens_ might pick up Wit from thence, and lay The _Drama_ of another Modish Play. So wise a Law would doubtless tend To prove our Senate, Learning’s Friend; Whilst Trade, and such like fond Chimeras, Might wait more fit and leisure _Æra’s._ _From a Window at the _Dolphin_ Inn in _Southampton_._