the figning and fealing hereof. Our Wits leave us in Pairs; Garth and Row are just gone, and others of their Spirit and Genius are in a fair Way to follow them; but Debauchery, Beaus, and Infolence gather Ground and Numbers. For my Part, I cannot help foreseeing and dreading the Day, when it will be as unfashionable to be witty as it is now to be goodnatured or fober.

The Congress of BEES: or, Political Remarks on the the BEES Swarming at St. James's. With a Prognoftication on that Occasion, from the Smyrna Coffee-houfe.

Wherein are contained,

1. A furprifing Story of a Swarm of Bees, taken from a Manufcript in Grefham-College, and fuppofed to be wrote by Sir John Mande

ville.

II. A political Defcription of Hornets and Wafps; tranflated from the Works of that famous Roman Satyrift Petronius Arbiter.

Together with feveral remarkable and inftructive Occafions.

Here are Bees in the Country, and Bees in the Court,
Bees fubtle Contrivance and making of Sport;
Be candid, kind Reader, and judge as you please,
But if you're morofe, you'll be stung by the Bees.

S feveral of the antient Philofophers, as well as the most ingenious of our modern Virtuofo's, have amuféd themfelyes and the Publick

with Differtations on the Nature of Bees, and difcovered an infinite Share of Wisdom in the OEconomy of thefe little Animals: And as at this Time we have a furprizing Account of thefe Political People (if I may fo call them) leaving the rural Shades and coming to fwarm in his Majefty's Palace at St. James's, the Author of the following Sheets is of Opinion, That fome critical Obfervations, how far and in what Senfe this may be ominous, joined with an Infpection into the Government and Commonwealth of thefe pretty Creatures, will,,, be an agreeable Entertainment both to the Political and Curious.

Amongst the Roman Auguries there were none more depended upon than the Flights of Birds and Bees, and the greater Regard was fhewed, and the Expectations raised the higher, as thofe were of a base Nature, or of a more noble, thriving, or innocent Quality. The Eagle, though a Bird of Prey, yet as he was King of the winged World, was, in their Opinion, fent by the Gods only upon Matters of the greatest Confequence, either portending the Death of great Men, or the Rife and Fall of Kingdoms; the croaking Raven was a Sign of very ill Luck; the Partridge, of Plenty; the Swallow, of Changes in Life; the Dove, of all that was harmlefs; and the voracious Vulture, of Tyranny and Oppreffion.

But none merited the Obfervation of the Augurs fo much as a Swarm of Bees, which they looked upon as a certain Sign of the utmost Eafe and Plenty, and that the Houfe to whom the Gods fent them was fure of a lafting Tranquillity.

But was it not that the Ears of Men love to be tickled with fomething that is antient and foreign, we need not mention the Romans, nor run back to the Pfeudo-Prophets, for it is a prevailing Opinion

amongst our own felves, that there are Accidents in Life frequently foretold, which makes but a very idle Shew in the Eye of Reafon, yet plain Evidence every Day confirms fuch Myfteries in Nature as Art cannot account for.

The Swarm of Bees which fettled the other Day at St. James's Palace has occafioned great Speculation; and if there is any Reality in the Obfervations which are made on fuch Things, it certainly is a Sign of great Plenty, as well as a perfect Harmony; though I am not fuch a Prognofticator, as a Gentleman who faid on this Occafion at the Smyrna Coffee houfe, That as the Bees entered in a Hole in the Wall near his Majefty's Bedchamber, it plainly thewed, that all the Plenipotentiaries at the Congrefs at Soiffons would enter into our own Measures; and as the Bees fwarmed in a Cluster, not altogether unlike a Balance, it was an evident Proof that the Balance of Power would remain in the Hands of Great Britain: But whether this Gentleman's Obfervations were founded upon the antient Principle of Augury or meer Guefs-work, I cannot tell, but it is plain our Coffee-Houfe Wits are a very penetrating Sort of People, and will tell more by the Dregs of their Cup, than ever Mother Shipton could tell by the Sieve and Shears, or Doctor Fiber by his Female Fern or Green and Red Dragon. But fetting Prophecies afide; the Subject of Bees, as to their Economy, and the furprifing Things they perform by Inftinct, I hope will be an Entertainment, for which not one of our Citizens would grudge d. if it is but to carry down to their Country Seat, to leave with the dear Spouse of his Bofom, in order to keep her Mind from Mifchief, by fuch an innocent Employment as reading the Nature of Bees: If it was a Differtation on Goats, Sparrows, or even

on

wild Bucks, mad Bulls, or other Beafts that are diftinguished by large Antlers, he might fear this was a Plot to betray his Wife to make Monsters, or an ironical Picture of himself; but a Bee having no Horns, he need be under none of these dreadful Apprehenfions.

It is true, the Sting in a Bee's Tail carries fomething of an Idea of the, &c. but out of refpect to the Ladies, I forbear making any ill-natured Comparisons I would rather fay, that the Bees bear the nearest Resemblance to them than of any other Species, fince in both we find all that is fweet and delicious; and it is upon this Thought that our Citizens of the kinder Sort generally call their Wives HONEY.

An unlucky Wag in Cheapfide, formerly known by the Name of the Sleeping Vintner, carried it a little farther, and called his Wife Honey-Bee; which she not taking in a right Senfe, ftung him to that Degree, that he could not fleep for a Fortnight after. This was the Confequence of his carrying the Joke too far; for which Reafon I gave this Relation (though it does not immediately belong to us) that others may take Care how they provoke even the fweetest Creature in the World, that has a Way to revenge the Injury.

But to keep up to the Account of Bees; they are not only an induftrious but an innocent as well as cunning Animal; infomuch that Arifomachus of Soli, and Philifcus the Thracian, for threefcore Years together did nothing elfe but trace them through the Forefts, to obferve their fingular Conduct, and the various Amufements they afforded in the regular Management of their little Commonwealth; which it is faid was of great Service to the famous Lycurgus, in bringing

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