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the greatest Merit, never before printed. This Stock of Materials, which All will allow to be bigbly feafoned, thus carefully felected, and happily blended, we have ventured, with fome Degree of Propriety, to prefent to the Public, under the Name of The OXFORD SAUSAGE.

Our principal Aim, has been to collect Poems of Humour and Burlesque. And in Conformity to this Intention, our Cuts, for which the most able Mafters have been engaged, are engraved in the fame Style. On thefe Confiderations, our SAUSAGE, we prefume, will not only gratify the Palate, but, if the old and approved Proverb, LAUGH AND BE FAT, be true, will at the fame Time contribute to make our Readers Thrive. All fuch Perfons, therefore, as are grown thin, by too much Study, Fafting, and

low

low Spirits, if they would improve their Constitution, and mend their Habit, are hereby invited to partake of this cheap, delicious, and falutary, Morfel. As to Readers of a more genial Complexion, and a more joycus Difpofition, we need not doubt of being favoured with their Company. In the mean Time it is declared, that we do not mean by our Title to exclude any particular Sect or Denomination of People. For Jews, as well as Chriftians, may feed on our SAUSAGE, without hurting their Confciences.

In order to render the following Mifcellany complete, no Pains have been fpared in procuring Pieces, and no Resources have been left unexplored. That nothing might escape us, we have even examined the indefatigable Dr. RawlinJon's voluminous Collection of Manu

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fcripts lately presented to the Bodleian Library. But, we must acknowledge, without Succefs; as not one poignant Ingredient was to be found in all that immenfe Heap of rare and invaluable Originals. Indeed, our chief Assistance has been from fome curious and ingenious Members of the University of Oxford, who have made it their Bufinefs to preferve fuch fugitive Pieces, as were best adapted to this Defign..

Many Conjectures, we apprehend, will be formed, concerning the Collector of this Work. Some will probably fufpect him to be that whimsical Genius who compiled the COMPANION TO THE GUIDE; while Others will perhaps guefs him to be the fame with the well-bred and humourous Writer of the late TERRÆ FILIUS. But these fagacious Investigators will have

found

PREFACE.

vii

found out nothing, even if they should fucceed thus far in their Conjectures: as moft unluckily the Author of those Pieces will never be known. Notwithstanding,

whoever shall be so happy as to make this Difcovery, and will, on unquestionable Proof, deliver in the Collector's REAL Name, to Mr. JACKSON, Printer, in the High-ftreet, Oxford, or to Mr. JAMES FLETCHER at the Oxford Theatre,

St.

Paul's Church Yard, fhall receive, as a Reward for unriddling this Mystery, and on Condition that the Secret go no further, Twelve SAUSAGES, neatly bound, gilt, and lettered.

It may be proper, in this Place, to advertise our Readers, that great Part of this Work was printed off, when we were fo unfortunate as to lose the facetious Mr.

BENJAMIN TYRRELL, Cook, in the High

Street,

Street, Oxford. This fatal and unexpected
Blow has retarded the Publication of our
Miscellany for fome little Time: but it
is hoped that BEN's Cookery, which makes
no inconfiderable Figure in this Work,
will still continue to be relished by all
Readers of true Tafte.

It was intended, by Way of Frontif-
piece, to prefix to this Publication, an
elegant Engraving of Mother SPREAD-
BURY'S Head, the original Inventress of
the true Oxford Saufage. But as no ftriking
Likeness of that celebrated Matron could
be procured in Time, we are obliged to
defer gratifying the Public in this Par-
ticular, till the Appearance of our next
Edition.

CONTENTS.

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