The rest of the volume remains in its original

state.

66

April 20, 1814.

* A new reading has been suggested in the original of the Ode of Horace, freely translated by Lord ELD-N, page 73. In the line "Sive per Syrteis iter æstuosas," it is proposed, by a very trifling alteration, to read "Surtees" instead of Syrteis," which brings the Ode, it is said, more home to the noble Translator, and gives a peculiar force and aptness to the epithet "æstuosas." I merely throw out this emendation for the learned, being unable myself to decide upon its merits.

INTERCEPTED LETTERS,

ETC.

LETTER I.

FROM THE PR-NC-SS CH-——E OF WS TO
THE LADY B-RB-A ASHLY. *

My dear Lady BAB, you'll be shock'd, I'm afraid,
When you hear the sad rumpus your ponies have made ;
Since the time of horse-consuls (now long out of date)
No nags ever made such a stir in the State!

Lord ELD-N first heard-and as instantly pray'd he To God and his King-that a Popish young Lady (For though you've bright eyes and twelve thousand a

year,

It is still but too true you're a Papist, my dear,)

*This young Lady, who is a Roman Catholic, has lately made a present of some beautiful Ponies to the Pr

-nc-ss.

Had insidiously sent, by a tall Irish groom,

Two priest-ridden ponies, just landed from Rome,

And so full, little rogues, of pontifical tricks,

That the dome of St. Paul's was scarce safe from their kicks!

Off at once to Papa, in a flurry, he flies

For Papa always does what these statesmen advise,
On condition that they'll be, in turn, so polite
As in no case whate'er to advise him too right-
"Pretty doings are here, Sir (he angrily cries,

While by dint of dark eyebrows he strives to look wise),
"'Tis a scheme of the Romanists, so help me God!
"To ride over your most Royal Highness rough-shod—
"Excuse, Sir, my tears-they're from loyalty's source-
"Bad enough 'twas for Troy to be sack'd by a Horse,
"But for us to be ruin'd by Ponies, still worse!"

Quick a Council is call'd-the whole Cabinet sits-
The Archbishops declare, frighten'd out of their wits,
That if vile Popish Ponies should eat at my manger,
From that awful moment the Church is in danger!
As, give them but stabling, and shortly no stalls
Will suit their proud stomachs but those at St. Paul's.

The Doctor, and he, the devout man of Leather, V-NS-TT-T, now laying their Saint-heads together, Declare that these skittish young a-bominations Are clearly foretold in chap. vi. Revelations—

Nay, they verily think they could point out the one Which the Doctor's friend Death was to canter upon!

Lord H-RR-BY, hoping that no one imputes
To the Court any fancy to persecute brutes,
Protests, on the word of himself and his cronies,
That had these said creatures been Asses, not Ponies,
The court would have started no sort of objection,
As Asses were, there, always sure of protection.

“If the PR-NC-Ss will keep them (says Lord C-STL-r-gh), "To make them quite harmless the only true way "Is (as certain Chief-Justices do with their wives) “To flog them within half an inch of their lives-"If they've any bad Irish blood lurking about, "This (he knew by experience) would soon draw it out." Or-if this be thought cruel-his Lordship proposes "The new Veto snaffle to bind down their noses"A pretty contrivance, made out of old chains,

"Which appears to indulge, while it doubly restrains;