which is very fublime, when properly fwelled out into an account of heaping hill upon hill, of the rattling of thunder, and of the several mountains being restored to their places on the destruction of the giants.

Land, however, foon got up: for in the ages properly called heroic, the most distinguished perfons applied themfelves to improving the breed of cattle, with as much judgment and fuccefs as Mr. Bakewell, Mr. Cully, or Mr. Collins, in our time. There was a king of Spain, and another eminent dealer in Thrace, who improved the breed of horses, and fweated the grooms who attended them fo thoroughly to skin and bone, that they were faid to feed their favourites with human flesh-There was a queen of Mycena, who prided herself fo much on a cow produced by a peculiar crop, and called Io, that the hired a man to fhew her all about the country, as we learn from to herself, in one of the tragedies of Efchylus: for machinery was carried to fuch perfection on the Athenian ftage, that Efchylus was enabled to introduce this cow (whilft on her travels) giving an account of her adven. tures in a very long fpeech. It would be tedious to enumerate here all the great breeders of Greece; but the fafhion proves the general preference given to landed pro perty at that time. Indeed I find no inftance of the prevalence of the funds throughout the Grecian history, excépt in refpect to Sparta, where the whole funding fyftem was carried by the law of the land to its greatest extent, and a fpecies of iron affignats introduced, which were pre. ferable to our ftamped paper, on account of their durabi

litys

lity, however inferior they might be to ours in convenience of carriage.

What was the opinion of the Athenians on this point, during the latter periods of the republic, may be collected from a paffage of Menander, which reprobates the stockholders as a parcel of noodles. He says,

:

which means (I tranflate for the benefit of the country gentlemen) O dearest parent earth! how refpectable a property art thou confidered by fuch as have their wits about them!' and intimates pretty ftrongly, that they who prefer government fecurities are of a different def cription. This was probably occafioned by the fall of ftock during the troublesome times in which the poet lived and I think I am warranted, from the whole review of Grecian hiftory, in pronouncing, that whenever any one of these petty governments was flourishing, its funds were above par. Being, however, now arrived at those limits which my fheet prefcribes, I must refer the confi. deration of this question, as illustrated by other anecdotes respecting Greece, and by the whole Roman History, to fome future paper in the mean time earnestly requesting my readers to recollect, that the nine acres of Tityus, and the mountains, of Briareus, are reflected by many fpeculations befides those which, according to my glofs, are directly typified by the story:-for difappointment,

remorse, and humiliation are the neceffary followers of inordinate grafping, be its object what it may.

No. 29.

Men fome to business fome to pleasure take,
But every woman is at heart a rake.

Prodiga non feutit pereuntem fæmina cenfus.

I

BELPHEGOR, A TALE,

N modern times, as Authors tell,

Strict order is obferv'd in Hell;
A court of juftice is erected,

And orphans' rights, like ours, protected:
Due aids the fov'reign's cares retrench;
A Chanc'ry, king's and common bench,
And ev'ry other folemn fhew

Which here on earth we mortals know,
Is grown in common use below.
But once, when from the fitting court
My Lord Chief Juftice made report,
That all men who came to his bar
(And few went upwards he could hear,)

Loudly on womankind exclaim'd ;

And wives for all their mis'ries blam'd;
Nay, call'd the fex man's greatest curfe,
When ta'en for better or for worse:

Satan aftonish'd heard the tale,

And thought the rogues were leagued to rail;
Swore he had found them much more pleasant ;
When caught in Eden, damage feasant ;
Declar'd he thought the mortals lied,
And vow'd the queftion fhould be tried.

But who to take the Inquifition?
What Fiend of daring difpofition

Would leave the fweets of Hell's domain
For pleasures of an earthly ftrain?
He knew the magic mint of Hell
Was fafer than a gambler's fpell;
And fear'd no Demon might be found
To quit his flames for upper ground,
And (e'en but for fome years) to dare
The horrors of connubial war.

The black rod flew: the peers affembled;
Hell's concave with their coaches trembled.
When met at length in full divan,

Th' imperial Speaker thus began:-
"Tho' here we rule with fingle sway,
"And all our fov'reign nod obey;
"Yet at this juncture we think best
"To broach the purpose to your breast,

And

"And your good counsel to require-
"Be grateful, and affist your Sire.
"Reflect how Eve in early times,
"The mother of terrestrial crimes,
By longing in a lucky hour,
"Advanc'd on earth Satanic power:
"Sure then that Lady's daughters merit
"Some gratitude from ev'ry Spirit,
"And all of ye, I trust who hear us,
"The fex's champions will appear as :
"My Lords, the Dames are in bad plight;
"I have it here in black and white
"(By oath of all who crofs the ferry)
"That man is never after merry.

"When once united to a wife:

"But fhame, or penitence or ftrife, "Or Jealoufy, the wretch afflicts

"Till Fate dispatch him o'er the Styr.

"Is then, ye potentates, mankind

"In one malevolence combin'd,

"To fhift the noofe from their one necks

"And fcandalize the weaker fex:

"Or, by a female as we trace

"Our right below to all the race,

"Has now the fame bold fex unfurl'd

"And ftretch'd our late confin'd domain

"Triumphant o'er the feats of men?

“Haste then, fome Fiend, with speed away, "Infold himself in mortal clay,

"The