k, and his interested
Writing for Religion, made a Return in a Paper intituled, _The Hind and
Panther transvers'd to the Story of the Country-Mouse and City-Mouse_: Out
of which, for a Specimen of _just Irony_, and _fine Raillery_, I will give
you the following Passage.

"_Sirrah, says_ Brindle, _thou hast brought us_ Wine,
"_Sour to my Taste, and to my Eyes unfine._
"_Says_ Will, _All Gentlemen like it. Ah! says_ White,
"_What is approved by them must needs be right._
"_'Tis true, I thought it bad, but if the_ House
"_Commend it, I submit, a_ private Mouse.
"_Nor to their Catholick Consent oppose_
"_My erring Judgment and reforming Nose._
"[86]_Why, what a Devil, shan't I trust my Eyes,_
"_Must I drink Stum, because the Rascal lies,_
"_And palms upon us_ Catholick _Consent,_
"_To give_ sophisticated Brewings _Vent?_
"_Says_ White, _what antient Evidence can sway,_
"_If you must argue thus and not obey?_
"Drawers _must be trusted, thro' whose hands convey'd_
"_You take the Liquor, or you spoil the Trade._
"_For sure those honest_ Fellows _have no Knack_
"_Of putting off stum'd Claret for_ Pontack.
"_How long alas! would the poor Vintner last,_ }
"_If all that drink must_ judge, _and every Guest_ }
"_Be allow'd to have an understanding_ Taste? }

VII. I question whether High-Church would be willing to have the reverend
Author of the _Tale of a Tub_, one of the greatest _Droles_ that ever
appear'd upon the Stage of the World, punish'd for that or any other of
his _drolling_ Works: For tho religious Matters, and all the various Forms
of Christianity have therein a considerable Share of _Ridicule_; yet in
regard of his _Drollery_ upon the _Whigs_, _Dissenters_, and the _War_
with _France_ (things of as _serious_ and weighty Consideration, and as
much affecting the Peace of Society, as _Justification_ by _Faith only_,
_Predestination_, _Transubstantiation_, or _Constansubstantiation_, or
_Questions_ about _religious Ceremonies_, or any such interested Matters)
the _Convocation_ in their famous _Representation_ of the _Profaneness_
and _Blasphemy_ of the Nation, took no notice of his _drolling_ on
Christianity: And his Usefulness in _Drollery_ and _Ridicule_ was deem'd
sufficient by the _Pious_ Queen _Anne_, and her _pious Ministry_, to
intitle him to a Church Preferment of several hundred Pounds _per Ann._
[87] which she bestow'd upon him, notwithstanding a _fanat