Journal of the Plague Year

continued, by a Gentleman

Woe to this poor Countrie, that it ſhould ſuffer Peſtilence and migrant Swarms and the ſcheming Machinations of the beastlie French, and that all this ſhould not be enough to ſlake the Flames of unlucky Fortune and dowſe the ſtinging poyſonous Thorns of Ingratitude in our ungrateful and inſubordinate Populace. Thoſe reckleſs and diſruptive Students from the inferior Claſses, whoſe final Examinations have neceſsarily been far leſs rigorous in their Standards owing to the fortuitous Demiſe of ſo many Teachers, have raiſed ſuch a Hullaballoo and Cry at the ſuppoſed Injuſtice of their Lot, that the weekly general Meeting of the League of Facial Defiance had to be cancelled for fear of the maſqued indignant Mob. Theſe future menial Servants, private Soldiers and other front-line Perſonnel of to-morrow muſt have a moſt inflated Conception of their Value to our great Civiliſation, which is robuſt enough to award every Subject his due in Hope and Opportunity for the next thouſand Years once purged of all Elements of treacherous Diſloyalty and ſpiritual Rambunctiouſneſs.