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Oh, born in ev'ry thing to shake
The systems plann'd by me!
So heterodox, that he would make
Both soul and body free.

Nor clime nor colour stays his hand;
With charity deprav'd,

He would from Thames' to Gambia's Strand,
Have all be free and sav'd.

And who shall change his wayward heart,
His wilful spirit turn?

For those his labours can't convert,

His weakness will not burn.

Ann. Dom, 1900.

A GOOD OLD PAPIST.

By the lapse of time the three last Stanzas are become unintelligible. Old Chronicles say, that towards the latter end of the 18th century, a bill was brought into the British Parliament, by an active young Reformer, for the Abolition of a pretended Traffic of the Human Species. But this only shows how little faith is to be given to the exaggerations of History; for as no vestige of this incredible Trade now remains, we look upon the whole story to have been one of those fictions, not uncommon among Authors, to blacken the memory of former ages.

FLORIO:

A TALE,

FOR FINE GENTLEMEN AND FINE LADIES.

In Two Parts.

TO

THE HONOURABLE

HORACE WALPOLE. *

MY DEAR SIR,

Ir would be very flattering to me, if I might hope that the little Tale, which I now take the liberty of presenting to you, could amuse a few moments of your tedious indisposition. It is, I confess, but a paltry return for the many hours of agreeable information and elegant amusement which I have received from your spirited and very entertaining writings: yet I am persuaded that you will receive it with favour, as a small offering of esteem and gratitude; as an offering of which the intention alone makes all the little value.

The slight verses, Sir, which I place under your protection, will not, I fear, impress the world with a very favourable idea of my poetical powers: But I shall, at least, be suspected of having some taste, and of keeping good company, when I confess that some of the pleasantest hours of my life have been passed in your conversation. I should be unjust to your very engaging and well-bred turn of wit, if I did not declare that, among all the lively and brilliant things I have heard from you, I do not remember

. Afterwards Earl of ORFORD.

316

ever to have heard an unkind or an ungenerous one. Let me be allowed to bear my feeble testimony to your temperate use of this charming faculty, so delightful in itself, but which can only be safely trusted in such hands as yours, where it is guarded by politeness, and directed by humanity.

JANUARY 27.

1786.

I have the honour to be,

My Dear SIR,

Your much obliged,

And most obedient,

Humble Servant,

THE AUTHOR.

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