pours, and did not know what they would be at s I was prodigiously careffed at Court, the Royal Family (as in all other polite Arts and Sciences) being not only Lovers, but perfect Judges of Mufick; but more particularly the divine Princess Urania, who condefcended to be my Scholar, and made that Proficiency, as feemed almoft miraculous to me her Mafter; nay, to that exquifite Degree, that the Amusement only carried it to as great a Height in her, as in the moft Ingenious who made it their Profeffion: This Favour, fo far from diminishing, created me fresh Foes, who generally sprouted up from Stocks and Stones, like the new Race after Ovid's Deluge: Upon which the fplenetick Tribe of fine Gentlemen and very fine Ladies, (quite out of Patience that I gave them no Mufick to find Fault with) determined to oppofe my Scheme, and have an Opera of their own, where they were fure to have as much bad Mufick as their Hearts could defire: They lifted Compofers, who never dared to fhew their Heads in Moon-land as fuch, but under their Banners; and then taking into Pay fome caft-off Performers, who had appeared in under Parts in my Operas, and fome Strollers, who fung Ballads about the Streets, with an old noted Gelderino at their Head (who was almoft paft his Bufinefs, and had befides a great Hole quite through his Lungs, fo that more of his Breath broke out downwards than upwards) with this Ragamuffin Troop they pretended to fet up against me, having hired a large Booth for that Purpose, where there had been formerly Puppetfhows and Rope-dancing; they made a vaft Subscription to carry on this grand Design, drawing in most of the young Fellows of their Acquaintance, by great Promifes and notorious Falfhoods, but who foon became fick of the Project, and would have

parted with their Billets at a very great Discount: The most violent (and who headed their Party) were the Duc de Buffalo, the Duc de Trincalo, the Marquis Sanfterre, Comte Spend-All, Comte Fathead, Baron Sad-dog, and the Chevalier Squatt : Nay, they went fo far as to give out, that they received fome Encouragement from Monfeigneur, the King's eldeft Son, who only laughed at them in his Sleeve.

I had then in Pay a perfect Set of Performers, particularly Angelo Carrioli, and Coelefte Vocale; the Unprejudiced were amazed at the Vaftnefs of their Judgment and Juftice, as well as Beauty of their Execution. My Opponents were obliged to make ufe of all their Intereft and Induftry, not only to get Company to their House, but to keep thofe who could not fuffer their low Entertainments from coming, to mine; nor did they fpare entering into the most indirect Means to ruin me; having not only decoyed a noted Performer from me, after having for a Term formally bound himfelf to serve me but by fome underhand Slight they fpirited away two very remarkable Monsters, the firft Night of a new Opera, who had for a confiderable Time been trained up to the Stage; but by good Luck I had fome more Monsters in another Den, though not fo expert at their Business.

They opened their Mufical Droll the first Night to a crouded Audience, Numbers being drawn thither by Curiofity, and by the Boldness or Stupidity of the Attempt; their Succefs confifted in a full House that Night, but Applaufe no Night; their Company dropped off at once, and then they had recourfe to the most unfair and ungentlemanlike Behaviour that ever was known upon fuch an Occafion, to make an Audience; even ufing

Force

Force rudely to fuch as would not comply; and bribing or hiring others, to visit their House.

For fome Time I played gently with thefe charming Gudgeons, and, maugre all their pitiful Efforts, kept my Head above Water; but at last I came flapdash upon them with a new Opera of my own Compofition; which answered to my Profit, and the Plea fure of the Town; their Weakness was made manifest, they were defeated, and 1 triumphed. Indeed they made another fmall Pufh, in bringing upon the Stage one of the most execrable, low Entertainments that ever was heard; it was received according to its Merit, which enhanced the Value of mine the

more.

I might now have ruled, undisturbed, the whole Empire of Harmony in the Moon, it being reckoned the highest Presumption or Rashness to oppose me in a Dominion fo lawfully gained, and fo equitably fupported.

But being fired with a juft Indignation at the unworthy Treatment I met with from a People I fo long honoured and charmed with my Performances, and for whom I had inceffantly laboured for above twenty Years, I refolved to quit the Country : Accordingly, as foon as my Contract for that Seafon was expired, I hired a large Palanquin, and carried off the Principal of my Voices and Performers inftrumental to the Kingdom of the Sun; where I was careffed to the higheft Degree, not oppreffed by the Great, nor chagrined by the impotent Attempts of any jealous Rival in the Art. There I remained several Years, honoured and beloved, loaded with Riches and Reputation; yet my kind Reception could never ftifle my innate Love for my own Country; where being happily arrived, I hope to spend the Remainder of my Days in that Quiet of Mind and reasonable Enjoy

ment

ment of Fortune, which none of my mean-fpirited Oppofers ever can taste.

-

Now, Sir, What think you of my Tale? Or how like you my Jaunt to the World in the Moon?--If in this fmall Sketch of fome Part of my Life, you find any Rules for your future Conduct, in obferving them you may make me your Friend, and fhew yourself a wife Man.

But to return to the Subject of the former Part of my Letter; I think I have made it very plainly appear, that you or fomebody elfe is damnably in the Wrong; and I believe most People will allow (even the most warm Partisans of both Sides of the Question) that it is abfolutely neceffary, for the better Entertainment of the Court, Nobility, and Gentry, to contrive fome Method of gently blowing into the Air one OperaHoufe, and all concerned in it.

As you have fome Reason to dread this Propofal, yet you cannot plead Ignorance, or not having timely Warning given you by,

From my Apartments in Moor-field-Palace, February 12, 1733.

Wonderful S IR!

Yours, as you merit it,

Hurlothrumbo Johnson.

The

The Hiftory of JOHN BULL.

PART III.

CONTAINING,

Among many other Curious Particulars, A Faithful Narrative of the most Secret and Important Tranfa&tions of the Worshipful and Antient Family of the BULLS, from Aug. 1. 1714, to June 11, 1727.

Published from the Manufcripts of the Learned and Celebrated Biographer, the late Sir Humphry Polefworth, Author of the First and Second Parts of this Work, published in 1712.

By NATHAN POLESWORTH,

Sir Humphry's Nephew, and fole Executor.

T

The PREFACE.

PHE Editor of this curious and inftructive Hiftory affumes no other Merit to himself than that of collecting the Work from his learned Uncle's Manufcripts with the utmoft Caution and Fidelity: For though he pretends not to that Great Man's Erudition, he won't allow him or any Man to outstrip him in Candour aad Truth. Thefe, as he inherits them from a long Line of upright Ancestors, he proposes to convey down unimpeached and unimpaired, along with the Family-Eftate, to the latest Pofterity.

Had