smiling fly
Above his head, &c._

A whole poem of this kind may be ready against an ensuing campaign, as
well as a space left in the canvas of a piece of tapestry for the
principal figure, while the underparts are working: so that in effect,
the adviser copies after the man he pretends to direct. This method
should, methinks, encourage young beginners: for the invention is so
fitted to all capacities, that by the help of it a man may make a
receipt for a poem. A young man may observe, that the jig[91] of the
thing is, as I said, finding out all that can be said of his way [whom]
you employ to set forth your worthy. Waller and Denham had worn out the
expedient of "Advice to a Painter."[92] This author has transferred the
work, and sent his advice to the Poets; that is to say, to the turners
of verse, as he calls them. Well, that thought is worn out also,
therefore he directs his genius to the loom, and will have a new set of
hangings in honour of the last year in Flanders. I must own to you, I
approve extremely this invention, and it might be improved for the
benefit of manufactory: as, suppose an ingenious gentleman should write
a poem of advice to a calico-printer: do you think there is a girl in
England, that would wear anything but the taking of Lille, or the Battle
of Oudenarde? They would certainly be all the fashion, till the heroes
abroad had cut out some more patterns. I should fancy small skirmishes
might do for under-petticoats, provided they had a siege for the upper.
If our adviser were well imitated, many industrious people might be put
to work. Little Mr. Dactile, now in the room, who formerly writ a song
and a half, is a week gone in a very pretty work upon this hint: he is
writing an epigram to a young virgin who knits very well ('tis a
thousand pities he is a Jacobite); but his epigram is by way of advice
to this damsel, to knit all the actions of the Pretender and the Duke of
Burgundy last campaign in the clock of a stocking. It were endless to
enumerate the many hands and trades that may be employed by poets, of so
useful a turn as this adviser's. I shall think of it; and in this time
of taxes, shall consult a great critic employed in the custom-house, in
order to propose what tax may be proper to put upon knives, seals,
rings, hangings, wrought-beds, gowns and petticoats, where any of those
commodities bear mottoes, or are worked upon poetical grounds.

St. James's Coffee-house, April 15.

L