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of Majesty, that the sermon, which we understand was founded upon the text, "Let "him keep his tongue from evil, and his lips "that they speak no untruth," and which was not preached by Dr. Prettyman, was entirely neglected, and a message instantly written, honoured by the Sign Manual, and directed to the office of the Right Hon. Lord Sydney, Secretary for the Home Department, enjoining an immediate redress for Mr. Thomas, and a total suspension of any further proceedings in a measure which (as the energy of Royal eloquence expressed it) was of such unexampled injustice, illegality, and oppression, as that of a scrutiny after a fair poll, and a decided superiority of admitted suffrages. This message, conveyed, as its solemnity well required, by no other person than the Honourable young Tommy himself, Secretary to his amazing father, had its due influence with the Court; the Noble Lord broke his wand; Mr. Delpini executed a chacone, and tried at a somerset'; he grinned a grim obedience to the mandate, and calling for pen, ink, and paper, wrote the following letter to the Printer of that favourite diurnal vehicle, through whose

medium these effusions had been heretofore submitted to the public:

"Monsieur,

"On vous requis, you are hereby com"mandie not to pooblish any more of de "Ode Probationare-mon cher ami, Monsieur George le Roi, says it be ver bad to vex Monsieur le petit homme avec le grand paunch-Monsieur Wharton, any *more vid scrutinée; je vous commande

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derefore to finis-Qué le Roi soit loué!· "God save the King! mind vat I say-ou *le grand George and le bon Dieu damǹ "votre ame & bodie, vos jambes, & vos "pies, for ever and ever-pour jamais.

(Signed) DELPINI."

BB

Nothing now remained, but for the Judges to make their return, which having done in favour of Mr. Thomas Warton, the original object of their preference, whom they now pronounced duly elected, the following Iniperial notice was published in the succeeding Saturday's Gazette, confirming the Nomination, and giving legal Sanction to the Appointment.

$70

PROCLAMATION.

To all CHRISTIAN PEOPLE to whom these presents shall come, greeting.

KNOW YE, That by and with the advice, consent, concurrence, and approbation of our right trusty and well-beloved cousins, James Cecil Earl of Salisbury, and Antonio Franciso Ignicio Delpini, Esq. Aur. and Pierot to the Theatre Royal, Haymarket, WE, for divers good causes and considerations us thereunto especially moving, have made, ordained, nominated, constituted, and appointed, and by these presents do make, ordain, nominate, constitute, and appoint, the Rev. Thomas Warton, B. D. to be our true and only legal Laureat, Poet, and Poetaster; that is to say, to pen, write, compose, transpose, select, dictate, compile, indite, edite, invent, design, steal, put together, transcribe, frame, fabricate, manufacture, make, join, build, scrape, grub, collect, vamp, find, discover, catch, smuggle, pickup, beg, borrow, or buy, in the same manner and with the same privileges as have

been usually practised, and heretofore enjoyed, by every other Laureat, whether by our Sacred Self appointed, or by our Royal predecessors, who now dwell with their fathers: and for this purpose, to produce, deliver, chaunt, or sing, as in our wisdom aforesaid we shall judge proper, at the least three good and substantial Odes, in the best English or German verse, in every year, that is to say, one due and proper Ode on the Nativity of our blessed Self; one due and proper Ode on the Nativity of our dearest and best beloved Royal Consort for the time being; and also one due and proper Ode on the day of the Nativity of every future Year, of which God grant we may see many. And we do hereby most strictly command and enjoin, that no Scholar, Critic, Wit, Orthographer, or Scribbler, shall, by gibes, sneers, jests, judgments, quibbles, or criticisms, molest, interrupt, incommode, disturb, or confound the said Thomas Warton, or break the peace of his orderly, quiet, pains-taking, and inoffensive Muse, in the said exercise of his said duty. And we do hereby will and direct, that if any of the person or persons aforesaid, notwithstanding our

absolute and positive command, shall be found offending against this our Royal Pro clamation, that he, she, or they being duly convicted, shall, for every such crime and misdemeanor, be punished in the manner and form following; to wit-For the first offence he shall be drawn on a sledge to the most conspicuous and notorious part of our ever faithful city of London, and shall then and there, with an audible voice, pronounce, read, and deliver three several printed speeches of our right trusty and approved MAJOR JOHN SCOTT.-For the second offence, that he be required to translate into good and lawful English one whole unspoken speech of our right trusty and wellbeloved cousin and counsellor, Lord Viscount MOUNTMORRES, of the kingdom of Ireland;-and for the third offence, that he be condemned to read one whole page of the Poems, Essays, or Criticisms of our said Laureat, Mr. Thomas Warton.And whereas the said office of Laureat is a place of the last importance, inasmuch as the person holding it has confided to him the care of making the Royal virtues known to the world; and we being minded and desirous