QUIRY 4. answered by Mr. John Burrow, of Bolton Field Pledges were of very early date, as appears from Exodus xxii. 26. and Deut. xxiv. 10. 17. and feveral other places. The ancient pledge was a piece of filves, which was worn in the pocket. And as marriage was always held facred, it was afterwards thought more prudent to have the pledge expofed more to view, by making it into a ring, and wearing it on the hand. And the fourth finger of the left hand was made choice of, becaufe anatomifts had difcovered a vein which went from it to the heart; whence it might be truly faid that the heart and hand were united.

The fame, by Mr. Henry Lee, of Bingham.

The custom was introduced by the ancients, who used to prefent their miftrees with a ring, meaning thereby to exprefs, as a ring has no end, fo there fhould be no end of that love which is neceffary to conftitute connybial felicity. And it was put upon, the fourth finger of the left hand, becaufe anatomifts affirm that there is a vein in it having a direct conveyance vto the heart, which is the fource of love and affection.

See other Solutions of the Queries, and a lift of the Names, in the Supplement.

New ENIGMAS.

I. ENIGMA 697, by Eugenia.

My num'rous beauties to compofe

The elements combine;
And Art her friendly aid beflows,
To make thofe beauties, shine.
A thousand lovely hues I wear,
A thousand fhapes affume;
At court I decorate the fair,

And aid their native bloom.

Ye not to courts alone confin'd,
Or but in cities seen ;

II. ENIGMA 698. by

What prying eyes look for with care, |
And range the woodlands thro',.
I here prefent, ye lovely fair,
In niylic lines to you.
For you, 'tis known can, if you pleafe,
Refolve each deep defign:
Nothing can puzzle you, or teaze,
Whole wits fo bri hily shine.
A n at rotunda I am seen,
Built by no vulgar hand;
A palace fting for a queen,
As foon you'l underfland.

In flow'ry meads, on hills, in vales,
In lonely woods, in fhade,
In leafy groves, in verdant dakles,
In fertile Acids I'm made.

With ruftic nymphs I favour find,
With them I tread the green.
When I my novel charms unfold,
By belles and beaus I'm priz'd:
And yet, how it range! if clad in gold,
By milers am despis'd.
Thousands by me are daily fed,
And all their wants fupply'd;
Then let it not be falfely faid,
I only heighten pride.
Mr. W. W. Crowle.

Upon the cliff I too am found,

And in the ragged rocks; [ground, Mong fern, and ling, on barren In thickets, among flocks.

My maker, like the tim'rous hate,

Unwilling to reveal,

With art and labour takes due care
My being to conceal.

Of what I'm made I' fhall not say,
That I'll not bring to view:
My maker dwells in me in May,

In April makes me new.

But long ere now, I make no doubt,
Your piercing eyes have feen
What here is hid, you ve found it out,
And robb'd both king and queen.

III. ENIGMA 699, by Mr. R. Dening of Chardhock.

A monster rare, ye ladies fair,

Himfelf now introduces;

In hopes that you will quickly thew
The world his name and uses.

"Should you come near, his voice you'd Loud as the troubled ocean. [hear

But then take care; he'll never fpare;
He's wondrously ferocious:
When you come by an enemy,

You cannot be too cautious.
Take one hint more, and then explore
What here has been related;
This mon@er's food, right underfood,
Is ours tranfmigrated.

by Mils Amelia Harpur.

VI. ENIGMA 702, by Amintor.

In northern climes where winds tempeftuous blow,
And landscapes terminate with hills of fnow,
With ftature far above my neighbours bleft,

I proudly rear'd my lofty tow'ring cleft.

In time my greatnefs and my cloud-capt fame,
Is levell'd with the dust from whence I came;
And now a monfter with his devious teeth,
In my torn heart fecures himself a sheath,
With rage rapacious gnaws my vitals through,
Though no advantage does to him accrue.
'I'm then tranfported from my native land,
And on fair Albion's ifle next take my ftand;
Here my inveterate foe my course pursues,
And with fresh malice former fpleen renews.
By tortures manifold my frame's disjoin'd,
My many parts to many fates confign'd;
But one above the reft ftill undergoes
Torments immenfe ere it oblivion knows;
Remorseless feel betwixt each fibre glides,
And numerous particles from one divides;
When feparated thus in bonds we're bound;
Nor have our woes a termination found;
The tortures which the holy fcripture faith
The wicked muft experience after death,
We next endure.-But hold, I've spoke too plain,
Hence doubtless foon you will declare my name.

VII. ENIGMA 703, by Mr. Tho. Jackfon, of Belper.
She comes! fhe comes! the baleful murd'refs comes!
Her head adorn'd with hiffing fnaky plumes;
Her down-caft eye darts forth an angry gleam;
Her livid cheeks an inward woe proclaim:
Save when ill-fated genius feels her power;
"Tis then, with joy, her murky heart runs o'er.
As late when an affociated band

Their dread artillery put in Fungus' hand;
Whilst unprepar'd, devoted to their spite,
I felt her congregated poison's bite.

She herds with ignorance; yet her conftant play
Is to pursue where merit leads the way;
Which when fecureness aids her coward power,
Is fure to feel th' affatlinating hour.

But if detected, and her labour loft,

Oh, with what fad convulfions is the tofs'd!
She pines, the writhes-and in a viperous rage,
With fub le poifons doth herself engage;

Unus'd to live, if worth fuperior rise,

She wounds her vitals, fhrinks from fight, and dies.
Ye witty fair.! this demon's name reveal

And never let your minds her prefence feel,

VIII. ENIGMA 704, by Mr. J. J. of Bungay School,

Peace to the woodlands, and the winding fhore,
No longer let the shepherd tell his tale;
Now let the vocal throng be heard no more,

Nor plowman whiftling in the lowly vale,

For

For lo, I come, with filence in my train,
With balmy reft to ease the brow of care,
To luil to fleep the memory of pain,
While meditation leadeth up the rear.
Now to the crowded scenes of gay delight,
Where pleasure fmiles amid her gaudy train,
I lead the fair, the British fair fo bright,
Where gilded fashion spreads her wide domain.
I call fweet airy fancy from afar,

Who forms with varying hand the tranfient dream,
Then bid her mount her party-coloured car;
Enough-the fair will now perceive my name.

IX. ENIGMA 705, by Mifs Betty Smales.
When rofy morning bids the tuneful throng
From woods and valleys fwell the general fong,
And early nymphs and shepherd fwains arise,
I leave the grov'ling world, and mount the skies,
But ftrait's the gate, and narrow is the way
I pafs, to reach the blissful realms of day:
My parent smiles when I'm exalted high;
But when I leave her, fhe prepares to die :
Soon as I'm born I quit her foftering breaft,
And wandering feek in vain a place of rest.
But fhould I deviate from the narrow road,
I grieve the faint, and draw his foul from God.
I bring diforder'd looks, and broken fighs,
Prayers and curfes, frowns and weeping eyes.
Tho' all difdain my presence to attend,
Yet kitchen Doli will own me for a friend;
There, an ufurper, I fupply the place
Of one that thinks his freedom no disgrace
In hoftile fields where thundering cannons roar,
And dying foldiers welter in their gore,
1 rove amid the croud, à fue to breath,
And make more horrible the field of death.

X. ENIGMA 7c6, by Zythum.

Ye meddling tribe of bufy mortals, huh!
For once prevent a maid the modest blush;
Withhold farcaftic jears, ye fneering fophs;
Guardians forbear your menaces and fcoffs:
While I my wifhes and my worth explain,
In hopes a faithful, loving, spouse to gain.
No bonny lafs in health was e'er more gay;
No-lark in fpring, no lambkin when at play
Yet prudence guides my steps; for I difd in
The Ay ambition of the treacherous fwain.

What

What can't a female? Honour is my view,
From cenfure free, uhiftain'd with folly too.
Can beauty please? Can elegance of mein?
Behold in me the charms of England's queen.
The lily and the rofe adorn my face,
That virgin bloom, to chastity a grace.
In order rang'd my jetty ringlets flow,
And on my lips harmonious numbers glow.--
Great Newton is my friend; through him I fcan
The works of nature, and the ways of man;
Explore the orbs; defcribe the motion given
To fun, to moon, and all the hoft of heaven.
The various readings of the facred page
Claim my attention, and my parts engage,
The cavils of the atheift to controul,
Confirm the good, and fix the wav'ring foul.-
Now for my favour'd choice fhould e'er I wed,
And take a partner to the bridal bed,
Sound fenfe must be his lot, his manners mild,
Old in ftrict virtue, but in vice a child;
Polite and learned; not with pride o'ergrown;
A tender heart congenial with my own.-

Some prudish nymphs, more coy than chaffe, may blame
This honeft freedom, and this virtuous flame:
But stop your cenfure, ranc'ious spleen abate,
Firft find the name of this my wifh'd for mate;
A rara avis he, for when he dies,

Soon will another phoenix from his afhes rife.

See the reft of the new Enigmas in the Supplement.

New REBUSES, CHARADES, and QUERIES.
I. REBUS, by Mifs Emily Rivers.

The fair who for love of Ulyffes did figh;
The fad, folemn bird that in darkness does fly;
The musical man who in hell fought his bride;
The name to the young of a goat that's apply'd.
Th' initials connect, and a hero yon'll find,

In whom worth and valour most rare were combin'd.

II. REBUS, by W. H. Hall, Efq; Barrißer at Law.

One feventh of a dame that we oft times invoke,
With the name of a beast that belongs to the yoke,
Produces a perfon in Britain well known,
Whofe fame stands unrivalled, his enemies own.

634

III. REBUS