"Soft Women fainted, prouder Man express'd "Wonder and woe, and Butchers smote the breast; 66 Eyes wept, Ears tingled; stiff'ning on each Head, "The Hair drew back, and Satan howl'd and fled. "In that soft Season when the gentle Breeze "Rises all round, and swells by slow degrees; "Till Tempests gather, when through all the Sky "The Thunders rattle, and the Lightnings fly; "When Rain in torrents Wood and Vale deform, “ And all is Horror, Hurricane, and Storm :

"So, when the Preacher in that glorious time, “ Than Clouds more melting, more than Storm sublime, "Dropp'd the new Word, there came a charm around; ، Tremors and terrors rose upon the sound ; "The stubborn Spirits by his force he broke, "As the fork'd Lightning rives the knotted Oak : "Fear, Hope, Dismay, all signs of Shame or Grace, "Chain'd every Foot, or featur'd every Face; "Then took his sacred Trump a louder swell, "And now they groan'd, they sicken'd, and they fell; “ Again he sounded, and we heard the cry "Of the Word-wounded, as about to die; "Further and further spread the conquering Word, "As loud he cried- the Battle of the Lord.' "Ev'n those apart who were the Sound denied, "Fell down instinctive, and in Spirit died.

"Nor staid he yet-his Eye, his Frown, his Speech, "His very Gesture had a power to teach;

"With out-stretch'd Arms, strong Voice and piercing

Call,

"He won the field, and made the Dagons fall;
"And thus in triumph took his glorious way,
"Through scenes of horror, terror, and dismay."

LETTER V.

ELECTIONS.

Say then which class to greater folly stoop,
The great in promise, or the poor in hope?

Be brave, for your Leader is brave, and vows Reformation; there shall be in England seven halfpenny loaves sold for a penny; and the three-hooped pot shall have ten hoops. I will make it felony to drink small-beer: all shall eat and drink on my score, and I will apparel them all in one livery, that they may agree like brothers; and they shall all worship me as their Lord,

Shakspeare's Henry VI.

LETTER V.

THE ELECTION.

The Evils of the Contest, and how in part to be avoided. -The Miseries endured by a Friend of the Candidate. -The various Liberties taken with him, who has no personal Interest in the Success.—The unreasonable Expectations of Voters.-The Censures of the opposing Party.-The Vices as well as Follies shown in such time of Contest.-Plans and Cunning of Electors.— Evils which remain after the Decision, opposed in vain by the Efforts of the Friendly: and of the Successful; among whom is the Mayor.-Story of his Advancement till he was raised to the Government of the Borough.These Evils not to be placed in balance with the Liberty of the People, but are yet Subjects of just Complaint.

YES, our Election's past, and we've been free,
Somewhat as Madmen without Keepers be;
And such desire of Freedom has been shown,
That both the Parties wish'd her all their own:
All our free Smiths and Cobblers in the Town,
Were loth to lay such pleasant Freedom down;
To put the Bludgeon and Cockade aside,
And let us pass unhurt and undefied.

True! you might then your Party's Sign produce, And so escape with only half th' abuse;

With half the danger as you walk'd along

With rage and threat'ning but from half the throng;

This you might do, and not your Fortune mend,
For where you lost a Foe, you gain'd a Friend;
And to distress you, vex you, and expose,
Election-Friends are worse than any Foes;
The Party-Curse is with the Canvass past,
But Party-Friendship, for your grief, will last.
Friends of all kinds, the Civil and the Rude,
Who humbly wish, or boldly dare t' intrude;
These beg or take a liberty to come,

(Friends should be free,) and make your House their home;

They know that warmly you their Cause espouse,
And come to make their boastings and their bows:
You scorn their manners, you their words mistrust,
But you must hear them, and they know you must.

One plainly sees a Friendship firm and true,
Between the noble Candidate and you;
So humbly begs (and states at large the Case),
"You'll think of Bobby and the little Place."

Stifling his shame by drink, a wretch will come,
And prate your Wife and Daughter from the room:
In pain you hear him, and at heart despise,
Yet with heroic mind your pangs disguise;
And still in patience to the Sot attend,

To show what man can bear to serve a Friend.
One enters hungry-not to be denied,
And takes his place and jokes-"We're of a Side."
Yet worse, the Proser who, upon the strength
Of his one Vote, has Tales of three hours' length;
This sorry Rogue you bear, yet with surprise
Start at his Oaths, and sicken at his Lies.

Then comes there one, and tells in friendly way,
What the Opponents in their anger say;
All that through life has vex'd you, all Abuse,
Will this kind Friend in pure regard produce;

And having through your own Offences run,

Adds (as appendage) what your Friends have done.
Has any female Cousin made a Trip

To Gretna-Green, or more vexatious slip ?
Has your Wife's Brother, or your Uncle's Son
Done aught amiss, or is he thought t' have done?
Is there all of your Kindred some who lack
Vision direct, or have a gibbous Back?

From your unlucky Name may Quips and Puns
Be made by these upbraiding Goths and Huns?
To some great public Character have you
Assign'd the fame to Worth and Talents due,
Proud of your Praise ?—In this, in any case,
Where the Brute-Spirit may affix disgrace,
These Friends will smiling bring it, and the while
You silent sit, and practise for a smile.

Vain of their power, and of their value sure,
They nearly guess the tortures you endure;
Nor spare one pang-for they perceive your Heart
Goes with the Cause; you'd die before you'd start;
Do what they may, they're sure you'll not offend
Men who have pledg'd their Honours to your Friend.
Those Friends indeed, who start as in a Race,
May love the sport, and laugh at this disgrace;
They have in view the Glory and the Prize,
Nor heed the dirty steps by which they rise:
But we their poor Associates lose the Fame,
Though more than Partners in the Toil and Shame.
Were this the whole: and did the time produce
But Shame and Toil, but Riot and Abuse;
We might be then from serious Griefs exempt,
And view the whole with Pity and Contempt.
Alas! but here the vilest passions rule;
It is Seduction's, is Temptation's School;