Chap. XXIX. How Don Biliofe turn'd Mounte bank; he tumbled, cut Capers, and walk'd the Slack Rope but being not perfectly Mafter of his Trade, his Foot flipt, and he unfortunately broke his Neck, to the Admiration of all Spectators. p. 201 ad 209.

THE

THE MOST

WONDERFUL WONDER,

That ever appeared to the WONDER of the

BRITISH NATION.

BEING

An Account of the Travels of Mynheer VETERANUS, through the Woods of Germany: And an Account of his taking a most monftrous SHE BEAR, who had nursed up the WILD BOY: Their Landing at the Tower; Their Reception at Court; The Daily Vifits they receive from Multitudes of all Ranks and Orders of both Sexes,

WITH A

DIALOGUE between the Old SHE BEAR, and her FOSTER SON.

To which is added,

Viri Humani, Salfi, & Faceti Gulielmi Sutherlandi, Mule tarum Artium & Scientiarum, Doctoris Doctiffimi, DIPLOM A.

Written by the Copper-Farthing DEAN,

No People on Earth are fo inquifitive, and fo

fond of Rarities as the English, except the Leigois, who by the Confonance of Humour and

Manners,

Manners, feem to be defcended from us; whoever knows their History, and is acquainted with that of England, will readily give into my Opinion. This I have thought necessary to fay by way of Introduction; for to fall de but en blanc, as the French fay, or as we English, flap dafh, upon the Subject, without preparing our Reader by fome little introductory Difcourfe to raise his Curiofity, gain his Attention, and bespeak his Favour; would fhew an Author ignorant of the modern Way of Writing. I, who am now pretending to that Title, fhall endeavour to obferve all Decorums, and prove, by the little Treatife I have undertaken, that I aim at nothing more than giving the Town a polite Entertainment, wherein I fhall never deviate one fingle Step from the Paths of Truth, which is fo ftrictly followed by all Writers, fince the Example fet us by GB B of S, that neither Party, Paffion, nor private Pique, can make an English Author guilty of, even an Equivocation. I would be understood, however, to except Jefuits and Jacobites, for they are known to be incorrigible in their Hatred to that exemplary pious Man; and fo great is their Rage, that I verily believe, had he ever given into Flattery and Falfhood, two Vices which filled his righteous Soul with Horror, they would have embraced Truth and Plain Dealing. But it is not my Business here to examine the Principles of any Party or Faction; nor does it become an Author of a refined Taste and polite Education, to expofe the Faults, Slips, Miftakes, Errors, or Inhumanity of our Neighbours, or to criticise their Morals.

I fhall therefore come to the Subject Matter, with out detaining my Reader any longer, fince I fuppofe him of himself able to make all neceffary Reflections, and it would be arrogating to myfelf a Superiority of

Judgment,

Judgment, fhould I pretend to make them for him. Be it known then, That Mynheer Veteranus, a Dutch Gentleman, who keeps a Gin-fhop in Am fterdam, hearing the kind Reception the wild Boy! met with here in England, and of the great Care taken for his Inftruction in the Principles of the Christian Faith; thought he could not do a more acceptable Piece of Service to this generous Nation, than that of enquiring out, and bringing over the Bear to whom the Care of his Infant State was committed. And knowing that the generous English would not fuffer him to lofe either his Pains or Expences, if he fucceeded in his Search and Endeavours to ferve them, he left Amfterdam, refolving to hunt all the Woods of Germany but he would find her out. To this End, he took a young Child with him, and having prepared his Toils, towards the Evening, in a certain Foreft, he made the Child cry, thinking, that the Nurfe being accuftomed to thefe Infant Ejaculations, would be allured by them. The Suc cefs anfwered his Intentions; for a She Bear made up to the Place whence the Child's Cries proceeded, and was taken in the Toils. No fooner had he, with the Men who accompanied him, muzzled her, fo that he could do no Mifchief, but he offered the Child to her Dugs, who fhe, without Reluctance, nay, with a vifible Tenderness, fuffered to draw her Milk, and endeavoured, though too ftraitly muzzled, to carefs it with her Velvet Tongue. Mynheer, to try her farther, took the Child away; whereat fhe began to grumble in a frightful Manner; roar fhe could not, for the above-mentioned Reason. Mynheer therefore being fully fatisfied, was hoifting her into a Cart brought to carry her off, when he was furprized by an uncommon Sight, a Child of about two Years old, with his Nofe to the Ground, and owed

14

followed by fome Bears Cubs, came galloping upon all four in Search of the Dam and Nurfe, whom they followed by the Scent. This Sight made the Dutch Gentleman fear he had not the real Nurse of the English Wild Boy; but one of his Huntsmen told him it was a Confirmation that she had nurfed the English Gentleman; for, fays he, when a Bear has once brought up an Infant, they grow fo fond of Children, that they never reft contented without one for the Entertainment and Diverfion of their Cubs; and they'll venture their Lives to steal one from the neighbouring Villages. Satisfied with what he heard, Mynheer Veteranus ordered the Child and Cubs to be taken, which was no hard Matter, for they would not quit the Dam. He then made the beft of his Way Home, overjoyed, that he could be fo ferviceable to the British Nation, (for which the Dutch in general have an inviolable Affection, as is demonftrable in all their Actions) he took Shipping afterwards with his Prize, and fafely landed at TowerWharf, the firft of this Month; though fome have falfely reported, that he was here four Months before. However, he was no fooner arrived, than he received the Thanks and Compliments of all the No❤ bility, who had the Honour of waiting on him, to whom he shew'd this Rarity gratis. A certain Perfon of Diftinction purchafed his whole Cargo, the Bear with her Cubs and their Fofter-Brother; and fending for the Wild Gentleman, he fhewed him the old Bear. The Lad no fooner faw her, but, with Tears of Joy, he embraced his dear Nurse; who on her Part gave as great Demonftration of Fondnefs, hugging him, throwing herself on her Back, and opening her Legs offered him the Tet, which he fucked as heartily as if he had never been wean'd: He unmuzzled her, and it's impoffible to exprefs the VOL. I,

N

Joy