e upon it, like a piece of
hot iron upon an anvil, into what form he pleases. There is no art in
the world so rich in terms as poetry; a whole dictionary is scarce able
to contain them; for there is hardly a pond, a sheep-walk, or a
gravel-pit in all Greece, but the ancient name of it is become a term
of art in poetry. By this means, small poets have such a stock of able
hard words lying by them, as dryades, hamadryades, aoenides, fauni,
nymphae, sylvani, &c. that signify nothing at all; and such a world of
pedantic terms of the same kind, as may serve to furnish all the new
inventions and "thorough reformations" that can happen between this and
Plato's great year.

ANDREW MARVELL.

(1621-1678.)

XVI. NOSTRADAMUS'S PROPHECY.

From _Political Satires and other Pieces_. It is curious to note
how much of the prophecy was actually fulfilled.

For faults and follies London's doom shall fix,
And she must sink in flames in "sixty-six";
Fire-balls shall fly, but few shall see the train,
As far as from Whitehall to Pudding-Lane;
To burn the city, which again shall rise,
Beyond all hopes aspiring to the skies,
Where vengeance dwells. But there is one thing more
(Tho' its walls stand) shall bring the city low'r;
When legislators shall their trust betray,
Saving their own, shall give the rest away;
And those false men by th' easy people sent,
Give taxes to the King by Parliament;
When barefaced villains shall not blush to cheat
And chequer doors shall shut up Lombard Street.
When players come to act the part of queens,
Within the curtains, and behind the scenes:
When no man knows in whom to put his trust,
And e'en to rob the chequer shall be just,
When declarations, lies and every oath
Shall be in use at court, but faith and troth.
When two good kings shall be at Brentford town,
And when in London there shall not be one:
When the seat's given to a talking fool,
Whom wise men laugh at, and whom women rule;
A minister able only in his tongue
To make harsh empty speeches two hours long
When an old Scots Covenanter shall be
The champion for the English hierarchy:
When bishops shall lay all religion by,
And strive by law to establish tyranny,
When a lean treasurer shall in one year
Make himself fat, his King and people bare:
When the English Prince shall Englishmen despise,
And think French only loyal, Irish wise;
When wooden shoon