The Grubstreet Journal, Thursday, Feb. 18. No. 59.
MR. Bavius clears up a Passage in an Epigram inserted in one of his former Journals, which had offended some of his Readers. The line referr'd to is this;
This, he says, is so far from a reflection, that it is a complement paid to the Gentlemen of their Society, and marks of Honour given their Members. To prove this, he quotes Kolben's Account of the Cape of Good Hope, and the Custom of the Hottentots initiating a Youth into Manhood, which is in this manner: First, they roundly bedaub him with fat and soot, after which the oldest Man among them pisses with great vigour all over him, which the Youth receives with an eager care; and making furrows with his long Nails in the fat upon his Body, rubs and mixes the piss with the fat. When the old Fellow has dribbled upon him to the last drop, he felicitates him upon the Honour that is done him, and crowns him with many Benedictions which he utters aloud. Then is the young Fellow proclaim'd a Man. The same kind of Honour is made part of the marriage Ceremony, and the Priest pisses upon the Bridegroom and Bride alternately till his whole stock of Urine is exhausted, and then wishes them joy.
They likewise confer the Honour of Knighthood in much the same manner. One of their Chiefs is deputed to perform the Ceremony, which he does by pissing on him from head to foot; the more Piss the more Honour. Then is the Hero install'd, Knight of the Order of the Piss.
This Ceremony of pissing is again perform'd at their Funerals. Two old Fellows, Friends or Relations of the deceas'd, piss each upon all the Company round 'em, which is receiv'd with the greatest eagerness and veneration.
Concludes with a modern instance of a Rev. Divine, about 20 years ago, who was so highly esteem'd by the fair Sex, that they had their Chamber pots adorn'd with his Picture.
The London Journal, Sat. Feb. 20, No. 603.
THIS Journal is in answer to the Craftsman, No. 241. sign'd Freshman. After having rally'd the Authors of the Craftsman, for their manner of treating their Adversaries with personal Invectives, Mr. Osborne proceeds in reply to Mr. Freshman.
But the Arguments, he here uses, being little more than a recapitulation of the reasons he had before urged, p. 54. we refer our readers thereto.
Universal Spectator, Feb. 20.
IN this Paper the Author treats of good Eating, a fault, he says, the English are much addicted to. Observes, that till the Flood Mankind had never tasted Flesh, which by many learned Men is reckon'd an unnatural Food: But since the contrary Custom has prevail'd he complies with it, but advises us not to be cruel in its death; nor curious in dressing it. Complains of running a red hot spit through a living Sow, to render the flesh more juicy and sweet, of bruising the Paps of the same Animal when alive, to make it tender; of roasting Lobsters alive, and whipping Pigs to death.
As to the dressing part, he says, the daintiness of our Appetites has made cookery a Science, and the expences of a prety Tradesmen's Kitchen sufficient to have maintain'd the hospitality of an old English 'Efquire.
To this he adds, that nothing contributes so much to the numerous tribe of Pains and Diseases as the Vice of our eating; it dulls the rational Faculties, and oppresses the motions of the Soul.
Concludes
