To tell what gen’rals did, or statesmen spoke,

To teach the world by truths, or please by joke;

To make mankind grow bold as they peruse,

Judge on existing things, and—weigh the news;

For this a PAPER first display’d its page,

Commanding tears and smiles through ev’ry age!

Hail, justly famous! who in modern days

With nobler flight aspire to higher praise;

Hail, justly famous! whose discerning eyes

At once detect MISTAKES, MIS-STATEMENTS, LIES;[[41]]