s learnt their mother-tongue to beg for pity. Some he stifles in
their cradles, others he frights into convulsions, whereof they
suddenly die, some he flays alive, others he tears limb from limb,
great numbers are offered to Moloch, and the rest, tainted by his
breath, die of a languishing consumption.

But the concern I have most at heart is for our Corporation of Poets,
from whom I am preparing a petition to your Highness, to be subscribed
with the names of one hundred and thirty-six of the first race, but
whose immortal productions are never likely to reach your eyes, though
each of them is now an humble and an earnest appellant for the laurel,
and has large comely volumes ready to show for a support to his
pretensions. The never-dying works of these illustrious persons your
governor, sir, has devoted to unavoidable death, and your Highness is
to be made believe that our age has never arrived at the honour to
produce one single poet.

We confess immortality to be a great and powerful goddess, but in vain
we offer up to her our devotions and our sacrifices if your Highness's
governor, who has usurped the priesthood, must, by an unparalled
ambition and avarice, wholly intercept and devour them.

To affirm that our age is altogether unlearned and devoid of writers in
any kind, seems to be an assertion so bold and so false, that I have
been sometimes thinking the contrary may almost be proved by
uncontrollable demonstration. It is true, indeed, that although their
numbers be vast and their productions numerous in proportion, yet are
they hurried so hastily off the scene that they escape our memory and
delude our sight. When I first thought of this address, I had prepared
a copious list of titles to present your Highness as an undisputed
argument for what I affirm. The originals were posted fresh upon all
gates and corners of streets; but returning in a very few hours to take
a review, they were all torn down and fresh ones in their places. I
inquired after them among readers and booksellers, but I inquired in
vain; the memorial of them was lost among men, their place was no more
to be found; and I was laughed to scorn for a clown and a pedant,
devoid of all taste and refinement, little versed in the course of
present affairs, and that knew nothing of what had passed in the best
companies of court and town. So that I can only avow in general to your
Highness that we do abound in learning and wit, but to fix upon
partic