Coalitionists, was holden at the Goofe and Gridiron, in order to hit upon fome new mountebank tricks, more effectually to gull the gaping family of John Bull during the Eafter holidays. Reports were received, and read, of many of their late experimental performances; from which it appeared, that they had not been honoured with the popular fuccefs to which fuch ingenious devices were fo unquestionably entitled.

The Chevalier P-tt's famous Marine Camera Ob→ fcura, reprefenting a fea-fight, in which a French cock-boat engaged and funk an English man of war, though fo highly coloured and varnished, had not only failed of effect, but had been very roughly treated by an impudent Tar, who getting an early peep at it," ftove in," as he termed it," the dead lights," and then " capfized" the whole apparatus into a horfe-pond, where it went to the bottom!

The Sieur Wd—m, fire-eater in ordinary to the troop, had been equally unfuccefsful in his most dexterous trick: for, unfortunately forgetting previously to apply his metaphyfico-chemical antidote, he fo burnt the tip end of his delicate tongue, and palate, in exhibiting, with too broad a grin, how volunteers ought to eat fire! that it is feared, the undaunted Sieur will be obliged, through the rest of the feafon, "to laugh on the wrong fide of his mouth !”

The notorious Mafter G. C-n-g appeared as Merry Andrew of the troop, in propria perfona: he was characteristically habited in an oracular jacket, and trowser-breeches, compofed of typographical bon mots, cut out of daily journals, hot-preffed, and neatly ftitched in fuit: the buttons on the jacket, though apparently in unifon, were fancifully covered with various epigrammatic mottos, fuch as, "Twig the Doctor!"" the Doctor in the Dumps !"-" Doctor Sangrado !"-" Doctor Double Fee !"-" Doctor Factotum !"-" the Doctor's laft Shift!"-" Death

and the Doctor!" &c.-His large pantaloon small clothes were as facetiously impreffed with emblematical devices, viz. clyfter-pipes, large wigs, gallipots, pefiles and mortars, &c. &c. On its being remarked by one of the meeting, that his jacket was growing fomewhat threadbare, Merryman, with a serious air, faid he thought fo too, and therefore had a notion of turning it; but, inftead of provoking the fun he intended, it began to draw down upon himself fome cutting retorts, which he did not much admire. He added, "For my part, I think the D-l's in the Doctor; for, in fpite of all I can fcribble, or my mafter can fay, the people will continue to take his d―d plain pills, in preference to ours, though never fo well gilded; nay, my cant cry of Quack! quack! quack! instead of being fwallowed as a good joke, excites no more laughter now than the hobbling of a lame duck!"— Poor Merryman, however, recovering his fpirits a little, clofed the bufinefs of the day with one of his beft ftrokes of sheer wit,-humorously remarking,

that unlefs fome more fruitful tricks could be speedily devifed for the general benefit of the troop, many of the inferior performers mutt recur to the degrading expedient of grinning through a horse-collar for a hafly pudding," to avoid the more painful exhibitions of dancing on the tight rope!"-Adjourned to the Hole in the Wall.

March 31.

THE DOCTOR'S FRIENDS.

[From the Oracle.]

"He has good intentions!"

WHEN Adn provides for friends,
And ferves them for his private ends—

When he expends the public money,
And feeds the drones with all the honey-

"Be your cafe ever fo desperate, truft to the Doctor."-BRODUM,

CONFIDE in us, the Doctor cries ;
Confide, re-echoes Jenky:

Confide in us-but fhut your eyes,
Nor of former times bethink ye.
Bethink ye not how both were pledg'd,
Mercurio tam quam Marte;
Nor how thofe promifes were hedg'd
By peace with Bonaparté.

Bethink ye not how both declar'd
This peace of long duration:
Nor how in eight fhort months ye ftar'd,
When threaten'd with invafion.

Bethink ye not of fifty fail,

(The Doctor's promis'd Navy :) Nor yet of Jenky's flattering tale, How Ruffia meant to fave ye.

Bethink ye not of all ye heard

That vouch'd for Ireland's quiet,
But trust the Doctor's truth and word,
"'T was nothing but a riot."

Bethink ye not of all the gold
Coin'd by the Doctor's budget,
But truft his Income tax; we're told
'Tis light, and none can grudge it.

Of wifer heads, or truer hearts,

Nor of Fox nor Pitt bethink ye; But truft the well-tried truth anď parts

Of Ad-n and Jeriky!

TELL TRUTH, AND SHAME THE DEVIL.

[From the fame.]

WHEN from the lips of Brother Hiley
A meffage from the King was heard,

The Commons ftar'd, and whisper'd flily-
"We never doubt a Member's word."
But when this meffage was receiv'd,

Vouch'd from the Woolfack by Lord E-n,
Their Lordships chuckled and believ'd-
And nothing fure was e'er fo well done!
Hiley vouch'd he the King had feen;
T'other, that he had got quite well ;-
God bless the King, and eke the Queen,
And Minifters who truth do tell.

April 15.

MARVEL.

EPIGRAM.

TH

TWO OF A TRADE NEVER AGREE.

[From the Morning Chronicle.]

HE M. D.'s give one statement, and I give another;
For, born to the trade, I've no faith in a brother ;-
The four Doctors may write the report of the day,
But, liften to me-never mind what they fay.

ADVERTISEMENT EXTRAORDINARY!

[From the Oracle]

NOW to be difpofed of, a blind man's walk*, in a very charitable neighbourhood, from Downing Street to St. Stephen's Chapel. His dog, Hiley, is well drilled; and though the parliamentary staff is in bad repair, and rather unfound, it may be fpliced by an effort of extraordinary ingenuity. The comings in are very good; but the poor blind man has had fome

"The walk of a deceased blind beggar (in a charitable neighbourhood), with his dog and ftaff," were actually advertised for, fale in the newspapers about this time.

awkward

awkward fumbles of late, and now finds that pity is changed into contempt and indignation!

It is not through any confidence in his own powers that he still holds faft the rotten ftaff; but merely to procure fome partner or partners, who may be able to keep up the farce, and to levy more contributions on public credulity. As he has reafon to believe that the decline of his fuccefs is owing to the total want of genius, eloquence, decifion, and energy, thefe requifites are effential on the part of any new affociate, or new fupporter.

The poor blind man, having made a handsome provifion for himself and his children, aims at nothing more than a decent retreat, as well as keeping up a fort of nominal confequence, and fecuring a little part of the future profits for two brothers, fome few other relations, and a principal fecretary of the Yorkshire breed, who certainly mean well, but have very much injured the scheme by their filly babbling and loqua

city.

N. B. Applications, either in the way of purchase, patnership, or fupport, must be made without delay, or the advertiser will be forced to quit his walk, the object of public fcorn and public ridicule-the place, perhaps, fold by inch of candle, and he himself knocked down for much less than the King's duty.Now or never is the word to bold adventurers.

BLIND MAN'S WALK.

MR. EDITOR,

[From the Morning Chronicle.]

TEPPING into a coffee-houfe on Wednesday laft, I obferved a knot of politicians and wits amufing themselves with an advertisement in your paper of that day, in which a blind man's walk is offered to fale, with a well-trained dog, ftaff, &c. Various comments were

made