The Virginia Gazette

Madrid, May 6.

On the 2d Instant being the Festival of St. Philip, the Two Infantas gave their Majesties and all the Court the Diversion of a fine Opera, which was executed with a great deal of Success by their Royal Highnesses; upon which the King made the Infant Don Philip a Present of a Gold Headed Cane, set with Diamonds of a great Value; his Majesty made the like Present to the Cardinal Infant, and gave likewise several fine Jewels to the Two Infantas. The Queen made also a present of a Gold Snuff-Box, set with Diamonds to each of the Infants, and some very rich Toys to the Infantas, for having perform'd their Parts with so much Address.

It must certainly have been a most edifying Sight to the Spaniards, to see a Prince that may possibly be their King, and a Cardinal Archbishop, their Primate, strutting in Buskins on the Stage, and acting Parts, in which, with all their Address, they must never expect to equal the Strollers of Italy. In our Opinion, they made a more unnatural and shocking Figure, than Hercules with his Distaff between his Legs, instead of his Club, since any one Spinner or Weaver is of more real Value to a Nation, than all the Singers and Fiddlers in Italy: An Article which we wish the L--ds of the Hay-Market would take into their Consideration as Englishmen. The Money that is given to encourage the Vagabonds of Italy, for corrupting our Virtue, and thereby contributing to the Ruin of Our Country, and consequently the enslaving our Posterity, would set some Thousands of our now unemploy'd Woollen-Manufactures to Work: This will draw Millions of present Blessings upon those, whose Memory, if they don't change their Conduct, may, perhaps, meet with as many Curses from our Progeny, for that Inundation of Corruption of our Morals, they, at so high a Price, are daily bringing in upon us from Italy. It was not with a Parcel of effeminate So La-Mi L--ds, and capering Tupeed Officers, that our gallant Black Prince won the famous Battles of Crecy and Poictiers, and took the French King Prisoner; it was not with a Powder'd, Fenc'd Perfum'd Army, that our great Henry the V. cut his Way to the Beggary of France, through numberless Hosts of bold Frenchmen, commanded by Two Kings in Person, an Emperor Elect, a Multitude of Princes, and an intrepid Nobility; it was not with the Disciples of the Hay-Market that our immortal Marlborough, a Name which, like Atlas bearing the Heavens on his Shoulders, will still continue the Honour and Fame of Britain, in Spight of our present Depravity, since his Glory Can never die, nor his Actions cease to be read without Wonder and Astonishment; it was not with such Disciples, I say, such pretty Male Misses as I have seen making Apes of themselves in beating Time to Farinelli with their Heads, that the invincible Marlborough snatch'd the Empire out of the Claws of France, beat the French Marshals all round for Ten Years together, and brought their proud Monarch, with all the House of Bourbon, on their Knees to Queen Anne; nor is it by such Fiddling Fa-la-ing Veterans that our ruined Merchants must ever hope to see Satisfaction forced for them from the Insulting, depredating Spaniards. O Tempora! O Mores!