The Adventures of Sir Launcelot Greaves

APOLOGUE.

A Young painter indulging a vein of pleasantry, Sketched a kind of converfation-piece, reprefenting a bear, an owl, a monkey, and an afs; and to render is more striking, humorous, and moral, diftinguished every figure by fome emblem of human life.

Bruin was exhibited in the garb and attitude of an old, toothless, drunken foldier; the owl perched upon the bandle of a coffee-pot, with spectacles on nofe, feemed to contemplate a news paper; and the afs ornamented with a huge tye-wig, (which, however, could not conceal his long ears) fat for his picture to the monkey, who appeared with the implements of painting. This whimfical groupe afforded fome mirth, and met with general approbation, until tome mischievous wag hinted that the whole was a lampoon upon the friends of the performer: an infinuation which was no fooner circulated, than thofe very people who applauded it before, began to be alarmed, and even to fancy themselves fignified by the Jeveral figures of the piece.

Among others, a worthy perfonage in years, who had ferved in the army with reputation, being incensed at the fuppofed outrage, repaired to the lodgings of the painter, and finding him at home, "Hark ye, Mr.

Monkey, faid he, I have a good mind to convince "you that though the bear has loft his teeth, he retains "bis paws, and that he is not fo drunk but he can perceive your impertinence-'Sblood! fir, that tooth"lefs jaw is a damned fcandalous libel-but, don't you "imagine me fo chopfallen as not to be able to chew the "cud of resentment." Here he was interrupted by The arrival of a learned physician, who advancing to the culprit

culprit with fury in his afpect, exclaimed, "Suppofe "the augmentation of the afs's ears should prove the diminution of the baboon's-nay, feek not to pre"varicate, for by the beard of Afculapius! there is "not one hair in this periwig that will not ftand up in "judgment to convict thee of perfonal abuse-Do but "obferve, captain, how this pitiful little fellow has copied the very curls-the colour, indeed, is different, but then the form and foretop are quite fimilar." While he thus remonstrated in a strain of vociferation, a venerable fenator entered, and waddling up to the delinquent," Jackanapes! cried he, I will now let thee fee, I can read fomething else than a news-paper, and that, without the help of Spectacles-here is your own "note of hand, firrah, for money, which if I had not "advanced, you yourself would have resembled an owl, "in not daring to fhew your face by day, you ungrateful, "flanderous knave!"

In vain the aftonished painter declared that he had no intention to give offence, or to characterize particular persons: they affirmed the resemblance was too palpable to be overlooked, they taxed him with infolence, malice, and ingratitude; and their clamours being overheard by the public, the captain was a bear, the doctor an afs, and the fenator an owl to his dying day.

Chriftian reader, I beseech thee, in the bowels of the Lord, remember this example while thou art employed in the perufal of the following Sheets; and feek not to appropriate to thyself that which equally belongs to five hundred different people. If thou should't meet with a character that reflects thee in fome ungracious particular, keep thy own counsel; confider that one feature makes not a face, and that though thou art, perhaps, diftinguished by a bottle nose, twenty of thy neighbours may be in the fame predicament.

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