"Murder'd by merciless and mangling C----K. "But cease we this, the recent Matter try, "All who the present pidling Quarrel ply, "Stand forth"----In Party-colour'd Vest CLODDY appear'd, his _Dialogue_ addrest, And swore he'd study'd SWIFT with so much Pains, He thought, at last, he'd gain'd his very Strains: The Piece perus'd, this Answer she return'd, "Obscenity, when dull, is always scorn'd; "And who _puffs_ this, will, to his Sorrow, find "'Tis but a _F--t_ will _stink_ to all _Mankind_." BLAST claim'd the Prize, and said, he did deride The POET, by appearing on his Side; The Goddess sent her Maid to kick him down, But e'er she rais'd her Foot, the Wretch was gone. Next, in a borrow'd Shape, by CLYTUS worn, In fierce theatric Battles hackt and torn, A Wight stalkt in, and, under VIRTUE's Name, On HORACE, SALUST, SENECA and POPE cry'd Shame; _False English!_ baul'd he loud--the Goddess heard, And to the School-boys his Address preferr'd. He disappear'd, nor know we if he's found, But _horse him, horse him_, dy'd in distant Sound. And now of ev'ry Sort came rushing in, _Scriblers_ and _Puffers_, with a horrid Din; All who in various Occupations strive To keep their sev'ral Mist'ries alive, From _Statesmen_, who, for Coronets resign'd, To the _Dutch Kettle_, and the Window-Blind; But far above the rest, each Rival Stage The Favour of the Goddess wou'd engage; The angry _Quack_ his Nostrums all forsakes, And, in Revenge, his Gallipots he breaks, 'Cause _R--ch_ bestows an ORPHEUS on the Town, When _he_ had, long before, run mad with one: Then Paper Wars, and long-ear'd Quarrels rise, And each the Goddess sues for fresh Supplies. In spite of City Wrath and Aldermen, A _Concert_ takes the Dregs of _Drury-Lane_: In pompous Stanzas they their Genius raise, And sound, in ev'ry Paper, their own Praise, From _Rome_ and Death old surly CATO tear, To see the modern _Liliputian_ lear, _Greece_ is outdone, and learned _Athens_ yields To the politer Stage of _G------n's-F--ds_. _Ambivius Turpia_, the Stage 'Squire appear'd, The Nurse, who ev'ry modern TERENCE rear'd; A meagre Shade, quite uninform'd and wild, Yet still he flatter'd, smooth'd, and still he smil'd: Ne'er, but when frighten'd, cou'd he be sincere, And ne'er ap'd _Honesty_, but 'twas thro' _Fear_; Revil'd, exploded on a rival Stage, To dull the Sting the Libellers engage; If double Pay is given them on his own, He smil'd Consent, and turns them on the Town. Then thus--Great Pow'r! thy darling Child behold, I've courted thee with _Orders_ and with _Gold_, This Scheme let the contending POLLYS tell, This ev'ry _Inns o' Court_ Man knows full well. But mark, dear Goddess, this my Master-piece, Thus I revive the Arts of _Rome_ and _Greece_; For SHAKESPEAR's Monument I gave a Play, } And stopp'd the starving Actors hard-got Pay, }