OLYMPIC DIALOGUE. 



^uirinus^] How times may alter ! Formerly, it was 

 a dreadful misfortune for the whole roman empire, if 

 the facred fire on the altar of Vefta were extinct. — 



Mercury."] And now a greater clamour would be 

 raifed, if the profane fire of any roman cookfhop mould 

 go out, than if the vefcals mould let their' s become ex- 

 tinct twice every week. 



§{uirinus.'] But who then is to be their tutelary patron 

 for the future in my fread ? 



Mercury?] Saint Peter, with the pair of keys, has 

 taken that kind office upon him. 



ghtirinusJ] Saint Peter with the pair of keys ! Who 

 may that be ? 



Mercury .] That I cannot rightly fay myfelf; aflc 

 Apollo ; perhaps he may be able to give thee fome in- 

 formation on that matter. 



Apollo .] It is a man, Quirinus, who in his fuccefTors 

 for eight hundred years will rule over half the world, 

 though he himfelf was only a poor fifher. 



§iiirinus7\ How ! The world will allow itfelf to be 

 governed by fifliers ? 



dpollo'] At leaft by a particular fort of fifhers r of 

 fifliers of men; who, in a very ingenious fiftiing- net* 

 called the decretals, will by degrees catch all the nations 

 and princes of Europe. Their commands will pafs for 

 oracles ; and a piece of iheepikin or paper, fealed with 

 faint Peter's fifh-ring, will have the virtue to make and 

 unmake kings. 



Quirinus?] This faint Peter with the pair of keys 

 muft be a powerful inchanter ! 



Apollo?] By no means ! The moft wonderful and 

 miraculous things, as thou oughteft long ago to have 



known, 



