To be beard by others plainly five Miles off,
Cause all the rest, we own, and have avow'd
To be believ'd as desperately loud.
225 Nor shall our future Speculations, whether
An Elder-stick will render all the Leather
Of School-boys Breeches proof against the Rod,
Make all we undertake appear as odd.
This one Discovery will prove enough
230 To take all past and future Scandals off;
But since the World is so incredulous
Of all our usual Scrutinies and us,
And with a constant Prejudice prevents
Our best, as well as worst Experiments,
235 As if they were all destin'd to miscarry,
As well in Concert try'd, as solitary;
a small Tract inserted in it, called—A Relation of the Pico Teneriffe, received from some considerable Merchants, and Men worthy of Credit, who went to the Top of it—in which these two wonderful Stories are related. The first is, indeed, a little strained by the Poet, to make it fit his Satire the better.—The latter is literally told by the Relator, where, speaking of the Information he received from one of the Inhabitants, he says—"He told also (and the same was seriously confirmed by a Spaniard, and another Canary Merchant then in the Company) that they whistle so loud as to be heard five Miles off. And that to be in the same Room with them when they whistle, were enough to endanger breaking the Tympanum of the Ear; and added, that he (being in Company of one that whistled his loudest) could not hear perfectly for fifteen Days after, the Noise was so great." See Sprat's Hist, &c. p. 212, and 213.
