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DRINKS.
137
"The
Scene
appears,
and
Madame's
Crew
.
In
deep
Despair,
Exposed
to view.
See
Tinkers,
Cobblers,
and
cold
Watchmen,
With
B
s
and
W
s
as
drunk
as
Dutchmen.
All
mingling
with
the
Common
Throng,
Resort
to
hear
her
Passing
Song.
"
Whilst
Mirth
suppress'd
by
Parliament,
In
Sober
Sadness
all
lament,
Pursued
by
Jekyl's
indignation,
She's
brought
to
utter
desolation.
With
Oaths
they
storm
their
Monarch's
name.
And
curse
their
Hands
that
form'd
the
Scheme.
"All
Billingsgate
their
Case
Bemoan,
And
Rag-fair
Change
in
Mourning's
hung
Queen
Gin,
for
whom
they'd
sacrifice
Their
Shirts
and
Smocks,
nay,
both
their
Eyes.
Rather
than
She
want
Contribution,
They'd
trudge
the
Streets
without
their
shoes
on."
The
following
verses
on
the
Gin
Act,
in
1736,
are
supposed
by
John
Nichols
to
be
the
production
of
Dr.
Johnson.
"
Pensilibus
fusis
cyatho
comitata
Supremo,
Terribili
fremitu
stridula
maeret
anus.
O
longum
formosa
vale
mihi
vita
decusque,
Fida
comes
mensae
fida
comesque
tori
Eheu
quam
longo
tecum
consumerer
sevo,
Heu
quam
tristitiae
dulce
lenimen
eras,
internum
direpta
mihi,
sed
quid
moror
istis,
Stat,
fixum
est,
nequeunt
jam
revocare
preces
;
I,
quoniam
sic
fata
vocant,
liceat
mihi
tantum,
Vivere
te
viva
te
moriente
mori."
A
clever
cento
from
the
Latin
poets,
which
may
be
thus
represented
in
English
: