University of Virginia Library

To their Most Excellent MAJESTIES,

THE HUMBLE ADDRESS and PETITION OF THE Water-drinking POETS of Great-Britain.

Whereas, in late King GEORGE's Reign,
it was our Fate to miss
Both Place and Pension, (but, we own,
it was no Fault of his;)
And when our Brothers Dodington,
and Congreve, Tickell, Young,
Philips, and Pope, beneath their Vine
and Fig Trees, sat and sung;
We (clever Fellows too!) were oft
oblig'd, alas! of course,
To drink weak Water, or to dine
with Humphrey, which was worse!
But Whereas, Now, your Majesties'
Accession pleases All,
And every Thing to every One
aright is like to fall:
Permit us humbly, in the Crowd,
to make you this Address,
(Tho' written in a Style below
the Spirit of Totness)
To welcome you with all our Hearts
unto your rightful Throne,
And wish all Health and Happiness
your lengthen'd Years may crown:
And, by the by, to Beg and Pray
your Majesties may please,
In your great Wisdom, Pow'r, and Grace,
to set our Lives at Ease;
For, certes, if you should not turn
our Water into Wine,
We shan't have Spirit left to sing,
of GEORGE and CAROLINE!
Now, would it not, in such a Reign,
be deem'd a dismal Case,
Should Folks, so good as We, wait still,
when worse are put in Place?
Besides, 'twould vex us in our Graves,
shou'd any Blame be laid,
On our Account, upon a King
and Queen, to whom we pray'd:
Who knows but Bards and Criticks might,
in future Times, make bold
To censure your most gracious Reign,
as we the Reigns of old?
Then may it please your Majesties,
to fall on Ways and Means,
T'enable Us to fix your Fame,
in our immortal Strains;
And your Petitioners will live,
delighted, all our Days,
And, as in Duty bound, convert
our humble Pray'r to Praise.