When o'er his neck the treacherous cord he throws,
And closely draws the suffocating noose;

Then cease the bows, and drops the courtly air,
As the poor victim gasps within the snare;
While with stern joy he eyes th' expiring prey,
And bears elate his furry spoil away.

A

Poetico-Political Olio,

CONSISTING OF EXTRACTS FROM DEMOCRACY, AN EPIC POEM; GREEN-HOUSE, AND OTHER

NEW-YEARS' VERSES,

&c. &c.

VERSIFICATION

Of a Letter from a Political Character in Philadel phia to his Friend in Connecticut.

To the Printer of the Middlesex Gazette,
March, 1798.

" SIR,

YOUR paper of the 9th instant, contains an extract of a letter,

said to be written by a gentleman in Philadelphia, to a friend of his in this state. It was no doubt written there, and unquestionably with the purest intention. The author, it is understood, has long been in the habit of labouring in this manner for the public good; and it is to be hoped that his virtuous efforts may meet with their due reward. In order to give all possible currency to this excellent production, and promote its circulation, (as such truly patriotic sentiments should never be forgotten, but inculcated strongly on the mind of every one,) it has been thought proper to render some of the most striking passages into verse, which has long been considered as the surest vehicle to fame; and has this advantage over plain prose, that it is much more easily retained in memory.

There exists in this country a party or two,
And each has its object, and each has its view.
To the Jacobin party you know I belong,
For, by nature, I take to the side that is wrong.
Against us are pitted the good, and the great,
The lovers of order, the props of the state :
These fellows intend to leave us in the lurch,
As sneaking as girls, when confessing at church,
But we will convince them we'll hold up our noses,
Tho' the Devil himself all our plotting discloses.