"the peak of Derby to the peak of Tenariff; wher "he has vifited the top of Taurus, Imaus, Caucafus, " and the famous Ararat, where Noah's Ark first "moor'd, he may take a flight view of the fnowy 66 6.6 Riphæans, nor would I have him neglect Athos "and Olympus, renowned for poetical fictions. "Thofe that vomit fire will deferve a more parti"cular attention: I will therefore have him obferve "with great care Vefuvius, Etna, the burning "mountain of Java, but chiefly Hecla the greatest rarity in the Northern Regions. Then he may "likewife contemplate the wonders of the Mephi"tick cave. When he has dived into the bowels "of the earth, and furveyed the works of Nature "under ground, and inftructed himself fully in the "nature of Vulcanos, Earthquakes, Thunders, "Tempefts, and Hurricanes, I hope he will blefs "the world with a more exact furvey of the deferts "of Arabia and Tartary, than as yet we are able to obtain: Then will I have him cross the feven 66 66 Gulphs, measure the currents in the fifteen famous Streights, and fearch for those fountains of fresh 66 water that are at the bottom of the Ocean.” -At thefe laft words Mrs. Scriblerus fell into a trembling the defcription of this terrible Scene made too violent an impreffion upon a woman in her condition, and threw her into a ftrong hysterie Fit; which might have proved dangerous, if Cor : nelius had not been pushed out of the room by the united force of the women. CHA P. III. Shewing what befel the Doctor's Son and his Shield, on the Day of the Chrift'ning. T HE day of the Chrift'ning being come, and the house filled with Goffips, the Levity of whofe Converfation fuited but ill with the Gravity of Dr. Cornelius, he caft about how to país this day more agreeably to his Character; that is to fay, not without fome Profitable Conference, nor wholly without obférvance of fome Ancient Caftom. He remembered to have read in Theocritus, that the Cradle of Hercules was a Shield and being poffefs'd of an antique Buckler which he held as a moft inestimable Relick, he determined to have the infant laid therein, and in that manner brought into the Study, to be shown to certain learned men of his acquaintance. The regard he had for this Shield, had caufed him formerly to compile a Differtation concerning it, proving from the feveral properties, and par iSee the Differtation on Dr. Woodward's Shield. ticularly the colour of the Ruft, the exact chronology thereof. With this Treatife, and a moderate fupper, he propofed to entertain his Guefts; tho' he had alfo another defign, to have their assistance in the calculation of his Son's Nativity. He therefore took the Buckler out of a Cafe (in which he always kept it, left it might contract any modern ruft) and entrusted it to his Houfe-maid, with orders, that when the company was come she fhould lay the Child carefully in it, cover'd with a mantle cf blue Sattin. The Guests were no fooner feated, but they entered into a warm Debate about the Triclinium and the manner of Decubitus of the Ancients, which Cornelius broke off in this manner; This day, my Friends, I purpose to exhibit my fon before you; a Child not wholly unworthy of infpection, as he is defcended from a Race of "Virtuofi. Let the Phyfiognomifts examine his "features; let the Chirographifts behold his Palm; "but above all, let us confult for the calculation "of his Nativity. To this end, as the child is not vulgar, I will not present him unto you in a vul66 gar manner. He shall be cradled in my Ancient "Shield, fo famous through the Universities of Europe. You all know how I purchased that "invaluable piece of Antiquity at the great (though "indeed inadequate) expence of all the Plate of our "family, how happily I carried it off, and how "triumphantly I tranfported it hither, to the in expreffible grief of all Germany. Happy in every "circumftance, but that it broke the heart of the great Melchior Infipidus!" 86 Here he stopped his Speech, upon fight of the Maid, who entred the room with the Child: He took it in his arms and proceeded: "Behold then my Child, but firft behold the "Shield: Behold this Ruft,-or rather let me call "it this precious rugo,-behold this beautiful "Varnish of Time,-this venerable Verdure of fo "many Ages In fpeaking thefe words, he flowly lifted up the Mantle, which covered it, inch by inch; but at every inch he uncovered, his cheeks grew paler, his hand trembled, his nerves failed, till on fight of the whole, the Tremor became univerfal: The Shield and the Infant both dropt to the ground, and he had only strength enough to cry out, "O God! my Shield, my Shield!" The Truth was, the Maid (extremely concern'd for the reputation of her own cleanlinefs, and her young master's honour) had fcoured it as clean as her Andirons. Poor Vadius, long with learned fpleen devour'd, Cornelius funk back on a chair, the Guests stood aftonished, the infant fquaul'd, the maid ran in,e fnatch'd it up again in her arms, flew into her mistress's room, and told what had happen'd. Down stairs in an infant hurried all the Goffips, where they found the Doctor in a Trance: Hungary water, Hartfhorn, and the confufed noise of fhrill voices, at length awakened him: when opening his eyes, he faw the Shield in the hands of the Houfe-maid, "O Woman! Woman! he cryed "(and fnatched it violently from her) was it to thy ignorance that this Relick owes its ruin ? "Where, where is the beautiful Crust that covered "thee fo long? where those Traces of Time, and 66 66 Fingers as it were of Antiquity? Where all thofe "beautiful obfcurities, the cause of much delightful "difputation, where doubt and curiofity went hand in hand, and eternally exercifed the fpeculations "of the learned? All this the rude Touch of an "ignorant Woman hath done away! The curious "Prominence at the belly of that figure, which fome "taking for the Cufpis of a fword, denominated a Roman Soldier; others accounting the Infignia "Virilia, pronounced to be one of the Dii Termini ; "behold she hath cleaned it in like shameful fort, " and fhewn to be the head of a Nail. O my "Shield! my Shield! well may I fay with Horace, "on bene reli&ta Parmula. |