Journal of the Plague Year

continued, by a Gentleman

I am much pained to note, that owing to the Applauſe-luſting Poltroonery of the medical Profeſsion, and to the Self-indulging Fooliſhneſs of the Food-conſuming Publick which flocks to Eating-places deſpite the moſt aſsiduous official Encouragement, and above all to the undemocratick Obedience of our School-greedy Youth, it appeareth the Woo Han Peſtilence ſtill holds our glorious Realm in the taloned Gripe of its hideous heathen Scimitar-nayled Migrant Chineſe Hands. I hear from my more ephebophiliack Acquaintances, that the Archbiſhop is much grieved over the Incapacity of our Citizens at proving worthy of his many Petitions and Prayers to the Moſt High, that He ſhould improve the Efficacy of His moſt juſt Chaſtiſement by applying it onlie according to His Will. Now the Hope of the Nation muſt reſt upon our magnificent Peſtilential Marſhalls, whom our noble Prime Miniſter hath formally empowered to enforce Whatever, as they ſhould ſee fit according to their own Britiſh good Senſe of all that is true and decent, their daily Pay being nothing leſs than the eternal Goodwill of a grateful Populace and the laſting Gratitude of Her Majeſty's Government. It is to be hoped that the Appliauſe lately forfeited by the traytorous Surgeons and idle Nurſes may now have found Recipients both worthier and more miniſterially approved.