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The Carrier of the AMERICAN MERCURY Wishes his Customers a HAPPY NEW-YEAR, And presents the following.
IN the days when old Jupiter held the prime station,
Stood scaleman for empires and weigh'd the creation,
Rais'd whirlwinds and earthquakes, to make the world wonder,
And issued his mandates as well as his thunder,
Swift Merc'ry, his post-boy attended his nod,
And drove thro' the nations in style of a god.
Where e'er he allighted, by sea or by land,
All the word gaz'd around at the wave of his wand;
While by nations rever'd and by monarchs ador'd
And treated with all that each clime could afford,
On business or pleasure he rambled so free,
That no monarch on earth was so mighty as he.
But now since the regions, below and above,
No longer submit to the sceptre of Jove,
His messenger too finds his power so decay'd,
He can hardly find means to continue his trade;
For, depriv'd of his wings and quite useless his feet,
He now without help could ne'er get thro' the street;
While I thro' all weathers am fated to plod,
And bear round the bulk of this narrative god;
Yet the task, tho' severe, I've most cheerfully done.
I return with the week and keep pace with the sun.
And bring you this morn with my wonderful ditty,
The first happy new-year that graced your new city.
Nor think I (ye learned with reverence I speak)
This AMERICAN MERCURY worse than the Greek:
What tho' in his message he tells you no lies,
That he came from above; or that gods leave the skies,
Yet a stranger event he is bold to declare,
How the fortunate Frenchmen have found the way there.
I hope for the future he'll greet your fond ear,
With the glorious events that await the glad year;
That cash may return and our commerce encrease,
And virtue still triumph with plenty and peace,
But since, my kind Reader, my errand is done,
With your leave and your bounty I'll set off and run.