not be in the winter, a very un seasonable time for traveling. And they had equal reason to defire that it might not be on the fabbath day, fince it is likely the fuperftitious Jeros would destroy them in their fight, for prophaning, as they would ignorantly imagine, that facred day of folemn reft.

Q. The difference between the old and new stile being in this century i 1 days computation, which in the last was but 10. and the reason commonly affigri'd being that every cenSuery

advances a day; whether, if that be allowed, it does mot follow that we ought to compute a day for every century since Julius Cæsar's time, and so the difference ought to be 17 days instead of 11, this being the 18th century since he compos'd his calendar; if with me you disapprove the common answer mention'd, align a substantial one of

1

your own?

A. When Julius Cafar, 46 years before our Saviour's birth, was informd by the Egyptians, that the folar year consisted of 365 days and fix hours, he accounted for the six hours, by adding a day to every fourth year, which he called Annus Biffextilis, and we Leap-gear ; but inasmuch as the solar year wants about 11 minutes of the aforementioned fix hours, we, who follow the Julian account, add a day too much in a. bout 130 years, and not every century, as you mistake; but may convince your self by making 11 (the number of the super-abundant minutes) the divisor 1440, the number of minutes contaia'd in a day. And according to this computation we ought to be about 13 days forwarder than we are. But tbe reason why they who use the new stile are yet but 11 days before us, is, because Gregory the 13th made his refore mation of the Julian Calendar to commence, not from Julius Cæfaris time, but from the Nicene council, which was held in the 325th year of Christ. And this he did, that the Vernal Equinox might then (namely in the year: 1582) fall out on the same day of the month, that it did at the celebration of the Nicene Synod, when the fathers there present fixt the time of Easter som lemnity.

Q. Why

Q. Why is an egg so hard to break the length way, and yet so easy the other ?

A. Because the two ends of an egg are so globular, that the stress of the pressure declines towards the cohesion of its parts; which is the reason why, an arch will bear more weight than a flat.

Q. Whence the custom of reckoning the year from the 25th of March

A. We presume it to have sprung from Romijh fuperftition, which in honour of the virgin Mary might appoint, that the year fhould commence at the same time that the commenc'd the mother of our Lord, tho' it might also more commendably refer to the commencement of our Saviour's incarnation.

Q. How does any cathartick potion operate ?

A. Cathartick, or purging potions, receiv'd into the stomach, cling to the inner coat thereof, their particles entring the nervous fibres, and causing a troublesom irritation, whereby the bottom and sides of the stomach are affected with expulsive contractions, and the purgativc liquor with other humours is cast forth into the intestines, where meeting with the cholerick and pancreatick juices, the aforesaid irritation is continued, and the expulsion propagated.

Q. Gentlemen, if the brain be the seat of fenfation, and spring of voluntary motion, pray how comes it to pass, • that a viper ( 12 hours after it has lost its head, bowels and skin) has the one, and performs the other, as may,

be undeniably demonstrated, if you prick it at a time when seemingly dead, and entirely at reji 3.5 Badia.sos

4. The reason hereof we conceive to be the grofrness and viscidity of the blood, wherein vipers differ from most other animals, ( as the learned Dr. Mead curiously observes) hereby the animal spirits are rendred more compact, and, confequently not. fo fubject to a comminution in tranfpiration : And it is obfervable in most other creatures, when life is expired, and all the force of the spirits flowing through the nerves hach quite ceafed, that the spirits implanted in the body will for some small time move

and shake the muscles, and force them into a kind of sconyullions.

Q. Ye heroes of thefe times,

Excuse these senseless mhimes :
And as you're fons of the British Apolle,

And as all things most dext

rous, pray folve in your next,
Why in gloomy chimney the Swallow

Does always affe&
Her neft to eredt,
And rather delight,
Be the day ne'er

fo bright,
In the smoak of a chimney to wallow ?
A. 'Tis not long since we told,

How the swallows fhun cold,
When in winter they duely forsake us :

But when summer draws acar,

They begin to appear,
And thus annual visits they make us ;

In pursuit then of beat,
Progne there makes her feat,
Where in corner secure,

She a warmth does ensure,
And keeps dry, when large showers o'ertake us.
Q. Dear youths inftru& me what to do,
Describe the path I must pursue

To find out sweet repose :
For I long time to ease my pain,
Have fought the spring, but fought in vain,

From whence that blefing flows?
A. Much dearer Nymph, we'd gladly show
That sweet repose you wish to know,

Could we your trouble find;
But since you name not the disease,
How
can Apollo give you ease,

Tho' ne'er so well inclin'd:
But that you may forget your pain,
The God directs you to maintain

Honour and peace of mind.

Q. Mr. Bri Q. Mr. British Apollo,

Your advice I will follow, if it happens to meet with my fix'd resolution ;

For already 1.owon

With the rest o the town,
That you're a nice spark at a queftion's folution,

Then tell me, I pray,
On my marriage-day,
If I must say,

That I will obey,
And not be allowed my own refervation ;

For my spirit's jo great,

That for me to submit
To a husband, Oh! 'would be a cursed vexation.
if an answer you will send

To your humble servant': letter,
Until she makes you fome amends,
She must remain your

debtor.

OLINDA A. Such a querift as yet,

We never have met,
Who asked advice, yet resolv'd what to do

But tho' 'tis in vain,

Your refolye to restrain,
We will tell you what all your reserves may come to.

Allowing your way,
To be false, when you say,
Honour and obey ;

The man we hope may
Retain for himself the like reservation :

And to love and to cherish,

Say but for a flourish, Then retract; and if so, who will find most vexations We've answer'd, Madam, thus

your

letter i And if

you

will believe, We therein have made you our debtor,

The debt we will forgive. Q. I am mightily fallin in love

With a son of the British Apollo ;

VOL. I.

L

and And if he my courtship approve,

In riches the stripling Thall wallow. What tho I am somewhat old,

My teeth are still found and white ; And my limbs are not yet so cold,

But I know when # flea does bite. If therefore you'll let your fon marry,

And like me for better or worse,
Pray let not your answer be tardy,

As you wile for a plenary purse ?
A. Hail ! fortunate, jolly old woman,

My son for thy bed shall be ready :
Make then farther offers 'to no man,

But to your propofals stand steady.
With you

we're resolv'd to engage,
Since
your

coffers with riches abound; Tho' you were of Methufalem's age,

And no tooth in your head could be found. Thus an answer with speed I have made ye,

Then let not your passion grow cold;
And fix on a day, buxom lady,

For we long to be fing'ring your gold.
Q. Once, wise Apollo, once I was more bleft,
By that deceiving fair, than all the rejt
of ber admirers, who, most vain, tike me,
Expected by the fair to pity'd be ;
Now, wife Apollo, either tell me how,

Quickly to make her to my wishes, bow,
Or elsé declare, how speedily may she,
Like Dapbne chajt, be tum'd into a trer.

A. She's to a rock already turn'd to thee,
So needless to be turn'd into a tree.

Q. Weary with toil, all hopes to gain I lose
If you a kind afifting band refuse.
To point me out a certain way to bliss,
To guide me in the search of happiness.
In diff'rent forms, i've long the goddess fought,

And when o'ertaken, nought but shadow caught.
Beauteous and fair, I ut a distance fee her,
But nothing view uncommon when she's nearer.

Like