as the other) may probably die first a natural death, yet the other is likely to attend it by an accidental one; not only because all we meet with in history have died together, or immediately after one another, who have been unfortunately join'd, but also because these are more strictly join'd in the inteftinum re&tum, in the necks of the womb (and probably in their bladders) than others which were in history; which coalition may probably convey the diftemper from one to the other, both having a mutual sense or feeling, both at and near the place of conjunction. Besides, it has been thought that the melancholy consideration of what shall become of one, if the other dies, has baftned the end of the survivor.

Q. Gentlemen, why are the months of March and October reputed 10 be the best to brew beer in ? Your humble servant, J. Barley.

A. Mr. Barley, very cold weather prevents a due fermentation, and hot increases it too much, therefore those two months are judgd the best

, as not being subject to the violence of either. But the secureit way to make it in either potent, is to have the liquor sufficiently charg'd with your name-sake.

Q. Isle just cun owt a Terkshire, to kno why our dog Golly rens round afore he liggs doune ? Tours J. Tike.

Å. Goodman Tike, your dog Golly rens round to / prepeer his bid, and to ze nothing liggs in his way, that he may reeft the beeter.

Q. If Heaven be just, as Heavin muft sure be just,
And man must fin, as certainly he must;
Pray tell me, why should the divine decree
Ordain that man Mould damn'd for ever be
For fin, who fins of meer neceffity?
True, Adam bound us all, 'tis not deny'd,
But since his band was more than satisfy'd,
When our sweet Saviour and Redeemer dy'd:
If over-payment satisfaction be,
Why then does Heav'n exact the penalty ?

A. The Lamb our debts conditionally paid,
Whence mercy in its luftre be display'd ;

Yet

0

Yet from contempt securid the sacred law,
And fenc'd it round with a regardful awe.

Q. Great Delphin Sir, that knows full well
What does belong to a pretty girl ;

Tell me, am I not in the right,

There's nothing like the wedding-night.;
Sure that's the pimacle of bliss,

When by your side,

The pretty bride,
Starts forth a blush for every kifs.
Those modest gestures win the heart;

But when inured,

They grow more assured,

And joys into a toil convert.
When ye attempt a renovation,
Alas ! re do but baulk your passion,
You're got into the same old station ;.
30 by degrees yohr loves decline,
Till you are got into your shrine ?

A. They who but at fruition aim,
Not love, which you will think the same;
To noble thoughts we tune our song,
And know your notions all are wrong :

The wedding night does but prepare,

By blushing kitles,

Reluctant wishes,

After more delicious fare: For when confiding in his love,

The nymph inured,

Grows far more affured,
To Gratitude her swain 'twill move.
Th' amorous couple thus complying,
In wishing, fighing, murmuring, dying,
In
raptures

all their moments plying, Their passion grows still

' more divine, Increasing till they reach their shrine.

Q. Apollo of late,

I have had a debate,
Concerning the navel of Adam;

'Tis strange I declare,

How it should come there,
So I scarce can believe that he had one.

I desire to know,

whereabouts it did grovo ; And I'll make you amends with a present ;

And if such a thing

Was proper for him,
Be so kind as to tell me the use on't ?'

Tho wits there are many,

I could not find any That

suited fo neatly for my turn ;
Then tell me brave fellows,

How many Apollo's
Will reach from Newgate to Tyburn ?

As I promis’d ( my friends)

To make you amends,
I've a gift to commit to your trufi, Sirs,

I'll give ye the gallow's,

That all the Apollo's,
May hang themselves on 'em in clusters

A. A navel he had,

As sure as your dad,
But to ask whereabouts we suppose

It was fixt, is as wise,

And much of the size,
As to ask whereabouts is your nose.

Its use, and its end,

Do not only tend
To nourish the child in the womb;,

But 'tis also the seat,

The man to compleat
With strength, till he drops to his tomb.

But as for your gift,

Which on us you'd shift,
A present, by way of requital;

You first must prevail,

To cut off th' intail,
Before you can make us a title.

Q. Corte

a

Q. Compare prayer and preaching, that we may knop their difference ?

A. Prayer is an act of piety, preaching but a meansof piety; prayer is a fundamental duty, preaching but an information of our duty; prayer is one of the ways that leads to heaven, preaching but a direction to the ways that lead us thither ; by prayer. We approach to God, by preaching we are taught, we are persuaded to approach him ; prayer, ( for what is tbanksgiving, but a branch of prayer ?) raises us to a level with the celestial choir, preaching denotes that we are but men. Had we all knowledge, preaching would be useless, bad we the knowledge of Angels, praying would be necessary. Preaching shall cease, but prayer, but thanksgiving never faileth; for conftant, for eternal will be our song, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour, and power, for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

But yet the pre-eminence of prayer must not derogate from the necessity of preaching. For how can we call on him, whom we have not beard ; and how can we hear without a preacher ?

Q. I am a simner, and for that reafon am unworthy to frequent the company of good men ; and am unwilling to keep, any longer ill. company. For fear of the latter I live retir'd, and for want of the former i grow melancholy: Pray advise me how I must prevent the growth of this dull diftemper?

A. When you say you are a linner, we suppose you mean it in the worst sense of the word. But, however modestly you may think of your self, your unwillingness to keep ill company makes you fit for

.. that good company, you with so much humility decline. Do you grow melancholy in your retirement ? Why then put on a modest afsurance, and fly to some innocent companions, as to a refuge from the very worst of evils. Fór to none fo properly, as to one in your circumstances, does that woe belong, Woe to him that is alone.

Q. Sirs

a

Q. Sirs, Can a man be said to repent sincerely, when he relapses into the same crime again ?

A. No doubt, 'tis possible for a man to repent fincerely, and yet afterwards relapfe. For, otherwise a fincere good man could never be guilty of any wilful fin. But if we repent of any crime, and

yet

submit to the next temptation, we have too much reason to call in question the fincerity of our repentance. And as for those who run a circle of repenting and relapfing, it must be something more than Christian charity that can persuade us to believe, that their repen tance is at any time sincere.

Q. Gentlemen, Pray resolve me why the word which Signifies Deus in Hebrew, viz. O'M78 is always in the plural number :

A. Tho' it be an usual thing in the Hebrew, as well as other languages, for a plural word to denote a fingularity, yet it may be thought, at least, not improbable, that it includes the myfterious doctrine of the Trinity.

Q. Pray, Gentlemen, are people capable of sinning in. their peep, seeing many times they dream vicious dreams ? I am formething concern'd about it.

A. We do not believe a dream in it self can be vicious ; , but such dreams are too often the effects of foregoing vicious inclinations, which, if you take care to prevent, and seal not your dreams with the consent of your waking thoughts, we think you need not fear such dreams Mall be imputed to you for sin.

Q. Whether there were a rainbow before the flood ?

A. Tho' it be the opinion of the most learned, that the rainbow was pre-existent to the flood, but then appointed for a certain fign, (and that a very proper one, inasmuch as the rainbow is produc'd in rarifying and dispersing clouds) yet some great men have infer'd the contrary, because, say they, every cloud is not fitly dispos’d to produce a rainbow. But: tho' we grant the proposition, we deny the consequence ; for if we maintain, that none of the antedi. luvian clouds were fitly disposed to produce a rain-

bow,

a