POETRY. DA Aap 
® A novel now,” fays Will, “ is nothing more 
“ Than an old caftle—and a creaking door— 
“ A diftant hovel— | 
“ Clanking of chains—a gallery—a light— 
* Old armour—and a phantom all in white— 
*¢ And there’s a novel.” 
* Scourge me fuch catch-penny inditers ie 
** Out of the Jand,”’ quoth Will, roufing in paflion, 
*¢ And fye upon the readers’of fuch writers, 
*¢ Who bring them into fafhion !” 
Will rofe in declamation, “’Tis the bane,” ° 
Says he, “ of youth, ’tis the. perdition : 
Tt fills a giddy female brain 
‘* With vice, romance, luft, terror, pain, » 
“ With fuperitition. 
“ Were I a paftor in a boarding-fchool, 
“I'd quafh fuch books iz toto; if Icou’dn’t, 
* Let me but catch one Mifs that broke my rule, 
“Td flog her foundly, damine if 1 wou’dn’t.’’ 
William, ’tis plain, was getting in a rage; 
But Thomas drily faid, for he was cool, 
“I think no gentleman would mend the age 
“* By flogging ladies at a boarding-fchool.” 
Dick knock’d the afhes from his pipe, 
And faid, friend Will, 
“You give the novels a fair wipe ; 
*¢ But ftill, ; 
** While you, my friend, with paffion run ’em down, 
“ They’re in the hands of all the town. 
* The reafon’s plain,” proceeded Dick, 
“ And fimply thus :— Re 
 Tafte overglutted, grows deprav’d.and fick, 
“ And needs a ftimulus. 
“ Time was, when honeft Fielding writ 
“ Tales full of nature, character, and wit, rou etl 
“© Were reckon’d moft delicious, boil’d and roatt ; 
“ But ftomachs are fo cloy’d with novel-feeding, 
* Folks get a vitiated tafte in reading, . 
“ And want that ftrong provocative,—a ghoft; — 
“ Or, to‘come nearer, 94 
“« And put the cafe a little clearer:— 
“ Minds, juit like bodies, fuffer enervation 
“ By too much ufe; 
** And fink into a ftate of relaxation 
“ With long abufe. 
“ Now a romance with reading-debauchees, 
“ Roufes their torpid pow’rs when nature fails : 
“ And all thefe legendary tales ~ 
“ Are to 4 worn-out mind—-cantharides. 
Vor. XXXIX. Ff st But 
