objects of our Institution, the names and characters of the different members, &c. &c.but, as I am at present preparing for the press the First Volume of the "Transactions of the Poco-curante Society," I shall reserve for that occasion all further details upon the subject; and content myself here with referring, for a general insight into our tenets, to a Song which will be found at the end of this work, and which is sung to us on the first day of every month, by one of our oldest members, to the tune of (as far as I can recollect, being no musician,) either "Nancy Dawson" or " He stole away the Bacon." It may be as well also to state, for the information of those critics, who attack with the hope of being answered, and of being, thereby, brought into notice, that it is the rule of this Society to return no other answer to such assailants, than is contained in the three words "Non curat Hippoclides," (meaning, in En glish, "Hippoclides does not care a fig,”) which were spoken two thousand years ago by the first founder of Poco-curantism, and have ever since been adopted as the leading dictum of the sect. THOMAS BROWN. FABLES FOR THE HOLY ALLIANCE. FABLE I. THE DISSOLUTION OF THE HOLY ALLIANCE. A DREAM. I'VE had a dream that bodes no good Unto the Holy Brotherhood. I may be wrong, but I confess As far as it is right or lawful For one, no conjurer, to guess It seems to me extremely awful. Methought, upon the Neva's flood A dome of frost-work, on the plan Of that once built by Empress Anne*, Which shone by moonlight-as the tale is- In this said Palace, furnish'd all And lighted as the best on land are, I dreamt there was a splendid Ball, Those holy gentlemen, who've shown a The thought was happy-and design'd "It is well known that the Empress Anne built a palace of ice on the Neva, in 1740, which was fifty-two feet in length, and when illuminated had a surprising effect."-PINKERTON. |