NUMB. 91. TUESDAY, January 29, 1751.

Dulcis inexpertis cultura potentis amici,

Expertus metuit.

To court the great ones, and to footh their pride,
Seems a fweet task to thofe that never tried;

But thofe that have, know well that danger's near. CRLICH.

THE SCIENCES having long feen their votaries

labouring for the benefit of mankind without reward, put up their petition to Jupiter for a more equitable diftribution of riches and honours. Jupiter was moved at their complaints, and touched with the approaching miferies of men, whom the SCIENCES, wearied with perpetual ingratitude, were now threatening to forfake, and who would have been reduced by their departure to feed in dens upon the maft of trees, to hunt their prey in deferts, and to perith under the paws of animals ftronger and fiercer than themselves.

A fynod of the celeftials was therefore convened, in which it was refolved, that PATRONAGE fhould defcend to the affiftance of the SCIENCES. PATRONAGE was the daughter of ASTRLA, by a mortal father, and had been educated in the fchool of TRUTH, by the Goddeffes, whom fhe was now appointed to protest. She had from her mother that dignity of afpect, which ftruck terror into falíe merit, and from her mistress that referve, which made her only acceffible to those whom the SCIENCES brought into her prefence.

She came down, with the general acclamation of all the powers that favour learning. HOPE danced before her, and LIBERALITY ftood at her fide, ready to scatter by her direction the gifts which FORTUNE, who followed her, was commanded to fupply. As she advanced towards Parnaffus, the cloud which had long hung over it, was immediately difpelled. The fhades, before withered with drought, spread their original verdure, and the flowers that had languished with chilnefs brightened their colours, and invigorated their fcents; the Mufes tuned their harps and exerted their voices; and all the concert of na. ture welcomed her arrival.

On Parnaffus the fixed her refidence, in a palace raised by the SCIENCES, and adorned with whatever could delight the eye, elevate the imagination, or enlarge the understanding. Here the difperfed the gifts of FORTUNE with the impartiality of JUSTICE, and the difcernment of TRUTH. Her gate ftood always open, and HOPE fat at the portal, inviting to entrance all whom the SCIENCES numbered in their train. The court was therefore thronged with innumerable multitudes, of whom, though many returned disappointed, feldom any had confidence to complain; for PATRONAGE was known to neglect few, but for want of the due claims to her regard. Thofe, therefore, who had folicited her favour without fuccefs, generally withdrew from publick notice, and either diverted their attention to meaner employments, or endeavoured to fupply their deficiencies by clofer application.

In time, however, the number of those who had mifcarried in their pretenfions grew fo great, that

they

they became less afhamed of their repulfes; and inftead of hiding their difgrace in retirement, began to befiege the gates of the palace, and obftruct the entrance of fuch as they thought likely to be more careffed. The decifions of PATRONAGE, who was but half a Goddefs, had been fometimes erroneous; and though he always made hafte to rectify her miftakes, a few inftances of her fallibility encouraged every one to appeal from her judgment to his own and that of his companions, who are always ready to clamour in the common caufe, and elate each other with reciprocal applause.

HOPE was a steady friend to the difappointed, and IMPUDENCE incited them to accept a fecond invitation, and lay their claim again before PATRONAGE, They were again, for the most part, fent back with ignominy, but found HOPE not alienated, and IмPUDENCE more refolutely zealous; they therefore contrived new expedients, and hoped at laft to prevail by their multitudes which were always increafing, and their perfeverance which HOPE and IMPUDENCE forbad them to relax.

PATRONAGE having been long a stranger to the heavenly affemblies, began to degenerate towards terreftrial nature, and forget the precepts of JUSTICE and TRUTH. Instead of confining her friendship to the SCIENCES, fhe fuffered herself, by little and little, to contract an acquaintance with PRIDE, the fon of FALSEHOOD, by whofe embraces fhe had two daughters, FLATTERY and CAPRICE. FLATTERY was nurfed by LIBERALITY, and CAPRICE by FORTUNE, without any affittance from the leffons of the SCIENCES. PATRONAGE

PATRONAGE began openly to adopt the fentiments and imitate the manners of her husband, by whofe opinion the now directed her decifions with very little heed to the precepts of TRUTH; and as her daughters continually gained upon her affections, the SCIENCES loft their influence, till none found much reafon to boast of their reception, but those whom CAPRICE or FLATTERY conducted to her throne.

The throngs who had fo long waited, and fo often been difmiffed for want of recommendation from the SCIENCES, were delighted to see the power of those rigorous Goddeffes tending to its extinction. Their patroneffes now renewed their encouragements. HOPE fmiled at the approach of CAPRICE, and IмPUDENCE was always at hand to introduce her clients to FLATTERY.

PATRONAGE had now learned to procure herself reverence by ceremonies and formalities, and instead of admitting her petitioners to an immediate audience, ordered the antechamber to be erected, called among mortals, the Hall of Expectation. Into this hall the entrance was eafy to thofe whom IMPUDENCE had configned to FLATTERY, and it was therefore crowded with a promifcuous throng, affembled from every corner of the earth, preffing forward with the utmost eagerness of defire, and agitated with all the anxieties of competition.

They entered this general receptacle with ardour and alacrity, and made no doubt of speedy access, under the conduct of FLATTERY, to the prefence of PATRONAGE. But it generally happened that they were here left to their destiny, for the inner doors

were committed to CAPRICE, who opened and shut them, as it seemed, by chance, and rejected or admitted without any fettled rule of diftinction. In the mean time, the miferable attendants were left to wear out their lives in alternate exultation and dejection, delivered up to the fport of SUSPICION, who was always whifpering into their ear defigns against them which were never formed, and of ENVY, who diligently pointed out the good fortune of one or other of their competitors. INTAMY flew round the hall, and scattered mildews from her wings, with which every one was ftained; REPUTATION followed her with flower flight, and endeavoured to hide the blemishes with paint, which was immediately brushed away, or feparated of itself, and left the ftains more viable; nor were the spots of INFAMY ever effaced, but with limpid water effufed by the hand of TIME from a well which fprung up beneath the throne of TRUTH.

It frequently happened that SCIENCE, unwilling to lofe the ancient prerogative of recommending to PATRONAGE, Would lead her followers into the Hall of Expectation; but they were foon difcouraged from attending, for not only Envy and SUSPICION incefiantly tormented them, but IMPUDENCE Confidered them as intruders, and incited INFAMY to blacken them. They therefore quickly retired, but feldom without fome fpots which they could scarcely wash away, and which fhewed that they had once waited in the Hall of Expectation.

The reft continued to expect the happy moment, at which CAPRICE fhould beckon them to approach; and endeavour to propitiate her, not with Homerical

harmony,