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To the EDITOR of the OXFORD MAGAZINE.

SIR,

Saw a few nights ago, in one of the news-papers, a paragraph mentioning that a fervant maid had taken Arfenick by mistake on Thursday, and died on the Saturday evening following, notwithstanding the mistake was foon dif

covered.

I fhould think myself blame-worthy if I did not on this occafion inform the Public, that fallad or olive oil taken warm, and repeated difcretionally, will infallibly prevent any bad confequences, if the Arfenick has not been taken very long before. It is the true antidote for Arfenick and the bite of a Viper; I could therefore with, that no one would neglect making ufe of it as foon as it is difcovered that any perfon has swallowed Arfenick by miftake, diftrefs of circumftances, or otherwife.

Above twenty years ago, and at different times, I publifhed in different news-papers the efficacy of common oil of olives for the cure of the bite of a Viper, and referred to the Philofophical Tranfactions, No. 443. and 444. Notwithstanding this, I have frequently heard fince of many perfons dying from the bite of a Viper, without any application of the oil: It is great pity that people are fo inattentive when the life of a fellow-creature is at ftake. I hope this letter will be however of fome ufe, and that those who wish to affift their brethren in diftrefs, will note down these

matters.

Thofe that have the Philofophical Tranfactions, I would advife to look into those two numbers; but as many may be at a lofs for the bite of a Viper, I will repeat here the method of cure.

Let the wound be well rubbed as foon as poffible with warin oil, over a chafing-difh, repeatedly at different times; and that alone will effectually cure. But if the poifon has extended too far into the body before the oil has been applied, then the Patient muft drink warm oil at different times, always bathing the wound alfo with it, and likewife that part of the body where pain may be felt, and this will effectually cure without any other remedies.

With regard to Arfenick I muft obferve, that a gentle vomit given just after taking it, and then repeatedly drinking very fat mutton broth, will also effectually cure it. By this method, Sir Hans Sloane faved the life of a young man, who, at his houfe at Chelfea, had drank a quantity of milk in which Arfenick had been put to poison the Rats.

As letters that are anonymous are generally little regarded, I have thought it proper, that the advice hercin contained may not on that account be rejected, to put my name to this, and am SIR,

Chelsea, Your very humble fervant, May, 1772. H. DE LA TOUCHE.

To the EDITOR of the OXFORD MAGAZINE. (With a Copper-Plate reprefenting Britannia intoxicated.)

SIR,

I ha

have long thought that the rulers endeavour to reduce the extravagant high in B-----n may vie in luxury and de- price of provitions:---Thofe at the helin. bauchery with thofe of any other king---Look at the Copper-Plate annexed and dom. Who are the greatest drunkards? fee if you can in that find any face that ---Thofe at the helm---Who are most ad- you have feen before, and judge whether dicted to gaming---Thofe at the helin he is not properly delineated. ---Who fet the moft glaring examples of adultery, fornication, &c. ---Thofe at the helm.---Who are fo regardlefs of the cries and diftreffes of the poor as not to VOL. VIII.

----

A a

I am, Sir,

Your humble Servant.

For

For the OXFORD MAGAZINE.

An Eflay on SATIRICAL ENTERTAINMENTS; to which is added, STEVENS'S NEW LECTURE UPON HEADS, with Critical Obfervations.

VERY near the whole of this pamphlet upon the stage put on, and what a

is taken up with Mr. Stevens's New Lecture upon Heads, and the Remarks on it. The Author of the latter informs the public, that his Remarks are the hafty production of a few hours; that they were made on the first night's Lecture delivered this feafen at the Hay-market; and confirmed to the Obferver by feveral other evenings punctual attendance. He confeffes the highest opinion of the abili.ties of Mr. George Alexander Stevens ; and his critical obfervations on the Lecture are made with candour and judg

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treme politenefs never indulging in any effufion of the fenfes.'

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great many, who are not upon the ftage, can never put off.---He is always teizing you when in company, to tell a story to make 'em, all laugh: Now do Mr. What-d'-yé-call-'em, tell us fomething to make us all laugh. And he'll tell you the most bestest, and moft comicaleft ftory that ever you heard in all your born days; that will make you die a laughing. And he interlards his story with, and fo fays I--and fo fays he---and fo fays I to him ---and he to me---and as I was a faying to him, &c. Thus finifhing his ftory and finding nobody laugh at it, he hangs down his jaw in a difconfolate manner, and fays, Why---Why it was a good ftory when---when I heard it; Why then---that's all.'

The roar this reprefentation caufes in the houfe, is a proof of its agreeable effect. The head of this Broad grinner is well executed. And is a juft emblem of that numerous herd of Baboons, who from their faint refemblance of human nature, but more from their connection with fortune, are permitted thus to infeft fociety. The Lecturer's perfonification of one of them, is highly entertaining; as we are here indulged with a difplay of his great comic powers.

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Buf of a Sheep's Tail Macaroni,

Poets of old lampooned the beaus of their times, for affixing monkies tails to their heads. Our Jemmies more innocent, only wear fleeps tails added to theirs. They are copied from the

From the affected languifh of the eye,---Turkifh fheep, who are obliged to have

The drefs of the hair,---The delicacy of the complexion, &c. The mechanic has in this buit, given us a ftriking refemblance of this race of the Infipids. The reflections delivered upon thefe heterogeneous kind of animals, are just and humourous.

Buft of a Broad Grinner.

This is the reprefentation of one of thofe, who fancy, that men to be witty muft always be upon the broadgrin. This appearance is what many

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a fmall carriage on two wheels to draw their tails along. Mr. Moore is now inventing fome felf-moving machines, on purpose to lighten the heads of our modern fine gentlemen. This (turning the twisted tail) seems like the handle to a bell-rope, to ring and enquire if any body is at home. But if any one was at home, Reason would turn fcavenger, and remove this nuifance.----But what adds to the ridicule, is, that it does not belong

to

Stevens's Lecture upon Heads

to the head, but like an artificial tail upon a docked coach-horfe, is only hung on for fhew. (pulls it off.)'

187

FINNICALS we are indebted for that refinement on our language, so often made ufe of in the bon ton.---Immenfely pon onner,---vaftly,---pon onner immenfely!--as if it were fpelt thus ; PON ONNER (holding up a garter.)--"Is it not strange, that perfons who pretend politenefs, fhould utter fuch vulgarifms as thefe:---prodigiously thin!

Buft of a thick Stock Macaroni. Here is another fafhionable Lump! This is the thick stock fafhion. Might we not very naturally fuppofe there was fome epidemical hoarseness about town ✦ and that this bunch was put round the throat by way of cataplafmm, to prevent---monftroufly small;---vaftly little t the infection from fpreading---This is borrowed from the beau Hottentots, who twine the entrails of the beasts they kill in hunting about their necks, till they have enough to fet up a tripe-fhop, From hence, this little ornament on his fhirt bofom was called a chitterlin. Our fathers ufed to wear Cravats, or Turnovers: Their fons wear Turndowns. (Here he takes out the fhirt collar of an enormous fize.) This feems calculated to be let down at dinner time, to prevent little mafter from greafing himself.'

The fatirift's obfervations on these abfurdities in dress, are reasonable and diverting. The contradiftinction of the imitations of the former beaux who wore monkies tails, and the modern, who refemble Turkifh fheep in the figure and fize of their tails, is a juft lafh on the eccentric geniuffes of either time. The reflection on their deficiency in understanding in, Reafon would turn fcavenger, &c. is weighty.---The idea of fore throat, at the fight of fo much linen coiled round the neck, is natural;---and the ridiculous rife of this fafhion ironically afcribed to the Hottentots, is fevere and hu

morous.

Buft of a Finnical.

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and immenfely low There are laws for the prefervation of the game, but not one, for the eight parts of fpeech. If a statute in their behalf were made, and provided, it would be of fervice to Gentlemen on both fides of the question, and form a coalition of parties. For if all our politici" ans did but study their accidence, there could not be any more falfe concords.'

Thefe characters in high tafte, as they principally abound with abfurdities, fo they are here treated with the feverity they merit. The power of the wind on one of their extravagant foretops, we are humourously fhewn, is counteracted by what they call a Club; which huge bundle is exhibited. Poignant as the fatire really is in this representation, we fee thefe very Finnical coxcombs every night at the Haymarket, who come there but to fport with their own inconfiftencies.

The obfervations on those vulgarifms made ufe of by thefe gentry are trite, and the authors of fuch pitiful innovations ludicrously expofed.---Confidering Mr. Stevens's unhappy propensity to punning, he difmiffes this Finnical's head with great wit and pleasantry.--

Buft of a London Blood.

Here is a head in high tafte; one of As there was a head in high taite, the family of the FINNICALS. His fo here is one in low tafte. This is the head-drefs is called the Forehead fhrub-head of a London Blood, taken from bery; and refembles the cabbage-tree the life: he wears a bull's foretop, plant, whofe fruit grows all on the

• top.

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in commemoration of that celebrated

At the first view, the fpecta-blood of antiquity Jupiter, who tranftor would be apprehenfive, that the wearer might be in danger of being over-fet by a guft of wind; but that is prevented by this balance affixed behind, which they cali a Club.---They are a fociety who never fay great things, being only haberdashers of finall talk: they never give a sentence its force and and utterance, for fear of putting their ⚫ lips out of order. It is to these pretty

formed himfelf into a bull, that he might run away with Europa: And ever fince that time, the Bloods have been very fond of making beafts of themselves.---He was a genus and lov'd fun! He was quite the thing, either for kicking up a riot, or keeping it up after he had kickt it up. This was a very high fellow he would tofs a beg'gar in a blanket: chuck a waiter out of A a 2

:

the

Stevens's Lecture upon Heads.

188 the window, and bid him be put in the ' reckoning,-----run his head against a wall;---hop round the room with a red 'hot poker between his teeth, and fay 'done firft for fifty. He was a man of

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infinite fancy, for one day he kicked an old woman's coddling kettle about the ftreets because he loved fun ----And not a long time fince, he pushed a blind horfe into a china-fhop: That was damn'd jolly!---He is a terror to modest women and a dupe to women of the town of the latter, this is exhibited as a portrait :

Buft of a Woman of the Town.

As this (pointing to the Blood) is the head of a Blood of the town or a Buck, fo this, is the head of a woman of the 'town, or a ---, but whatever other title the lady may have, we are not entitled here to take notice of it. All that we fhall obferve is, that when we attempted a diffection of this (the blood) it was too hard for our inftruments to penetrate; and this we found fo tender (the woman of the town) that it mouldered away, as we laid our hands upon • it.'

The buft of the Blood, is a ftriking re-. femblance of that character. The figure, and the mafterly manner in which it is expofed, combine to raise an univerfal deteftation for fuch an object. The obfervations of the lecturer fpeak for themfelves but they cannot be done strict juftice to, when abstracted from the humoritt's drollery.

The modeft apotheopefis concerning the women of the town does Mr. Stevens great credit. As the want of understanding in thefe women is well displayed by a chirurgical metaphor, fo the deviations of the fair fex from rectitude and virtue, are prettily remarked by the fame figure. Buft of a Blood after he has kept it up. And here is a London Blood, after he has kept it up. This is a married blood too! But it is ridiculous for a man with a bumper in his hand, to think of a wife, that would be fpoiling his fentiment.---He muft keep it up! What a pretty piece of furniture this is for a delicate lady's bedchamber ---I fhall conclude the first part of this lecture by attempting an imitation of one of thefe • Bucks keeping it up!

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(Here he puts on a difhevelled wig, and reprefents the character in the following words.

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Keep it up ---He he he! he !--keep it up I'll tell you what makes me laugh. We were keeping it up the other night, till about four o'clock in the morning. And fo---and fo----there was Will the Waiter fast asleep ' down by the kitchen fire. The dog can't keep it up as we do. And fo he! he !--he and fo, I lays hold of the tongs, 'takes a fwingeing red hot coal out of the fire---and---and---claps it upon his foot, becaufe I love fun! and fo L laugh be--be---because I burnt the fellow.---Keep it up! he ha! ha ---I'll tell you a damn'd good thing I faid last week; its the belt thing I ever faid in all my life: its one of your bob mots, or repurtees. You must know I ftole a dog from a blind man; for I love fun! and fo the blind man cried for his dog. So fays I to the blind man, what, you want your dog? Yes Sir fays he. Now mind what I said to him. And fo you want your dog? Yes Sir. Why then--go look for him. There!---aw! aw! aw !--hehe ---keep it up

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I hate the parfons! I am fick whenever I think of one My brother's a parfon too. I went to dine with him the t'other day, and there were my fiters, and fome what ye call modent women but I foon fent them from the table before dinner was half over.--My brother can't bear fwearing; and 'fo I was a mind to fweat him. So I begun to swear, ay! I fwore all my new oaths!----I never fwore fo well in all my born days ---At laft my brother, • damn'd angry, laid down his knife and his fork, and turning up the whites of his eyes, called out, oh Tempora, oh Mores ---Look you brother faid I, 'don't think to bully me by calling all your fellows about you: let 'em come in; and I'll box Tempora first, and Mores after. Come---bring 'em in. I'll box 'em both together !---If they won't face me I'll go and meet them, &c.

(Lecturer retires strip'd, and in a boxing attitude, and the curtain drops.) This comic wag feems to play with

the

Remarkable Advertisements.

the character fo eafy and naturally, that
we threwdly guess it must have been in
part familiar to him. The various tranf-,
actions are told in the different tones of
voice expreffed by distorted features, fuch
as one may fuppofe the blood to affume
at the time they happened.---The plea-
fure he takes in infulting a brother's and
fitter's veneration for virtue, is ftrongly
exemplified. His ignorance---love of
boxing, &c. is fully difplayed, in the

189

droll idea of Tempora and Mores being his brother's fervants, &c. Upon the whole, it is unjust to attempt to defcribe this masterly imitation, as it can scarce appear the fhadow of Stevens's Blood; nor would that reprefentation have fuffered this violence, but from a defire in the author to indulge the publ, if poffible, with the whole of this celebrated lecture.

To the EDITOR of the OXFORD MAGAZINE, with a Copper-plate annexed of the Court and City Alderman.

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