Journal of the Plague Year

continued, by a Gentleman

There hath been much well-juſtifyed Indignation this Week paſt, concerning the traytorous Diſinclinations of a noted Orcheſtra and its aſsociated Warblers, who are rumoured to be contemplating the Removal from their next Performance of any Trace of patriotick Sentiment. I have it from reliable Sources at the Bloater and Blueſtocking Coffee-houſe, that the Muſical Conductor hath a ſtrange foreign Name and is further ſuſpected of ſtill worſe Unmanlineſs, and thus it was propoſed to commence the great Event with the great Hall feſtooned in the Flag of the beaſtlie French, and onlie foreign Lyrics to be ſung on pain of a ſudden and horrid Finnish with melodick Inflections of unſpeakable Fiendiſhneſs. Some Luminaries of the Facially Defiant Anti-Maſque Club were reſolved there and then to beſiege the Hall and ſet up ſuch a Chorus of true Britannick Feeling, that the very floating Mattreſses of the migrant Hordes in the Engliſh Channel ſhould all ſhiver with Dread and Envy. Other Perſons have ſuggeſted abſurdly that the Reaſon behind this humiliating Diſplay of Poltrooniſhneſs may have been to preſerve the good Health of the Warblers, as if the Woo Han Peſtilence had not long ago been vanquiſhed from all the important Houſeholds, ſuch that our noble Prme Miniſter appeareth in ſeverall Minds as to whether the Wearing of Maſques at the Diſcretion of the individual Conſcience might conſtitute too ſtringent and inflexible a Rule. It is aſsuredly a very Diſgrace unto the Nation, that our great Anthems and Jingles can be conſtrained to a puſilannimous Silence, upon the mere tremulous Miſgivings of thoſe with inſufficient Faith in the Verſe and the World-beating Potency of its Œſophagus-ſcowering Britiſhneſs.