duty on fwearing, that, if it was carefully exacted, the common people might as well pretend to drink wine as to swear; and an oath would be as rare among them as a clean fhirt. A fervant, that I employed to accompany the militia their last mufter-day, had fcored down, in the compafs of eight hours, three hundred oaths; but, as the putting the act in execution on those days would only fill the ftocks with porters, and pawn-fhops with muskets and fwords; and as it would be matter of great joy to Papifts, and difaffected perfons, to fee our militia fwear themselves out of their guns and fwords; it is refolved that no advantage fhall be taken of any militiaman's fwearing while he is under arms; nor shall any advantage be taken of any man's fwearing in the Four Courts, provided he is at hearing in the Exchequer, or has juft paid off an attorney's bill. The Medicinal use of oaths is what the undertaker would by no means difcourage, especially where it is neceffary to help the lungs to throw off any dif tilling humour. On certificate of a courfe courfe of fwearing prefcribed by any physician, a permit will be given to the patient, by the proper officer of the Bank, paying no more then fix-pence. It is expected, that a scheme of so much advantage to the publick will meet with more encouragement than their chimerical Banks; and the undertaker hopes, that, as he has spent a confiderable fortune in bringing this fcheme to bear, he may have the fatisfaction to fee it take place, for the public good, though he fhould have the fate of moft projectors, to be undone. It is refolved, that no compofitions shall be made, nor licences granted, for fwearing, under a notion of applying the money to pious ufes; a practice fo fcandalous as is fit only for the fee of Rome, where the money arifing from whoringlicences is applied ad propagandam fidem: and, to the shame of Smock-Alley, and of all Proteftant whores (efpecially those who live under the light of the Gofpel-miniftry), be it spoken, a whore in Rome never lies down, but the hopes it will be the means of converting fome poor Heathen, or Heretick. The The fwearing-revenues of the town of Cork will be given for ever, by the Bank, to the fupport of poor Clergymen's widows; and thofe of Ring fend will be allowed to the maintenance of Sailors baftards. The undertaker defigns, in a few days, to appoint time and place for taking subfcriptions; the fubfcribers must come prepared to pay down one fourth on subfcribing. POSTSCRIPT. THE Jews of Rotterdam have of fered to farm the Revenues of Dublin at twenty thousand pounds per Annum. Several eminent Quakers are alfo willing to take them at that rent; but the undertaker has rejected their Proposals, being refolved to deal with none but Chriftians. Application may be made to him about them, any day at, Pat's Coffee-house, where attendance will be given. A LET A LETTER of ADVICE то A Young POET; Together with a PROPOSAL for the Encouragement of POETRY in IRELAND. Sic bonor & nomen divinis vatibus atque SIR, As HOR, S I have always profeffed a friendfhip for you, and have therefore been more inquifitive into your conduct and ftudies than is ufually agreeable to young men; fo I muft own I am not a little pleased to find, by your laft account, that you have entirely bent your thoughts to English Poetry, with defign to make it your profeffion and bufinefs. Two reafons incline me to encourage you in this ftudy; one, the narrowness of prefent circumftances; the other, the great ufe of Poetry to mankind and fo your ciety, and in every employment of life. Upon these views, I cannot but commend your wife refolution to withdraw fo early from other unprofitable and severe studies, and betake yourself to that, which, if you have good luck, will advance your fortune, and make you an ornament to your friends and your country. It may be your juftification, and further encouragement, to confider, that Hiftory, Ancient or Modern, cannot furnish you an instance of one perfon, eminent in any ftation, who was not in fome measure verfed in Poetry, or at least a well-wifher to the profeffors of it; neither would I despair to prove, if legally called thereto, that it is impoffible to be a good foldier, divine, or lawyer, or even fo much as an eminent bell-man, or ballad-finger, without fome taste of Poetry, and a competent skill in verfification: but I fay the lefs of this, because the renowned Sir P. Sidney has exhausted the subject before me, in his Defence of Poefie, on which I shall make no other remark but this, that he argues there as if he really believed himself. |