ページの画像
PDF
ePub
[blocks in formation]

TO the most noble Prince Henry Duke of Beaufort, Marquis and Earl of Worcester, Earl of Glamorgan, Baron Herbert, Lord of Chepflow, Ragland, and Gorver, and the illuftrious Brotherhood over whichhis Grace prefides, this Poem is humbly dedicated by their most obedient, moft dutiful, and bumble fervant.

THE tea was fipp'd, Ocella gone
To regulate affairs alone,

*This is afcribed to Dr. King upon conjecture only. It was published in 1712, the winter before he died, by his bookfeller, infcribed to his patron, and is very much in his manner: his name is accordingly affixed to the author's notes. 'The poem is on many accounts worth preferving; and if it is not Dr. King's, it is at leaft not by an inferiour writer.

+ 'The Duke was Captain of the band of Gentlemen Pensioners. Though the interefts of virtue and religion are beft fecured by the feverest reason and argument, yet I hope a lefs folemn recommendation of them to the world may not be efteemed a prejudice to either. How oft' has a flubborn folly been fuccessfully arraigned by a candid and eafy rebuke, which had long maintained itself againft a more powerful though a lefs familiar conviction! If we can smile away the follies of an adverfary, fport with his vanities, and laugh him into a fenfe of his errours, why thould we forfeit that exquifite pleafure of complacency and good humour which a malicious conflict Volume II,

F

When from the marriage lumber freed
The Doctor with himself decreed

To nod-or, much the fame, to read.
He always feem'd a wondrous lover
Of painted leaf and Turkey cover,

}

with a rival would moft certainly deprive us of? If we mifcarry in an attempt of this nature our defeat would be the lefs difhonourable, because we feemed only to play and trifle with the mistakes of an author; but fhould we, under the matk of a little raillery, wit, and good humour, obtain our end, it would double our fatisfaction as well as the glory of our conqueft. Two important debates of the utmost confequence in religion (Eachard's Contempt of the Clergy, and Philautus and Timothy) have with wonderful applaufe lately appeared in the world; the beauties of their authors' ftyle, the purity of their diction, the elegant turn of thought, and above ail a torrent of fevere but good-natured wit, drew a thoufand readers to perufe an hypothefis they little imagined ever to efpoufe; but they were infenfibly deluded into good principles, and betrayed into a conviction of thofe very truths they came on purpofe to deride and ridicule: where they expected to gratify a fancy only, they found a more real advantage in the reformation of their judgment, and from admirers of the authors' wit and beautics became at laft profelytes to their opinions. If in two or three inftances I have tranfgreffed my own rules, the fool or the knave muft be imagined very notorious; and that thofe tender and merciful lathes that were judged fufficient for little offenders would hardly have reached the vanities of the one or the villanies of the other: and if I am thought to have injured any person in his character, or to have faid as much as I am able, I muft beg leave to affure the world that it was owing to abundance of humanity and goodnature I did not fay a great deal more; and would rather advife them to fit eafy and quiet under the innocent rebukes of a fatire, than provoke others to prepare that correction which their ignorance, their impudence, or both, have fo juftly deferved. King.

While no regard at all was had
To fots in homely ruffet clad,
Concluding he must be within

A calf that wore without his skin.
Scott* if in rags was not admir'd,
While Lacy+feem'd as much infpir'd,
And in rich purple nicely dreft
Difcours'd as faintly as the best.
Great Sherlock, Barrow, and thofe few
That teach our passions to fubdue,
Without gilt backs he would despise,
Which feem'd at beft but dully wife;
And Bunyan's Pilgrim fhew'd the way
To Paradife as well as they.

But tho' his thoughts were fix'd to read

[merged small][ocr errors][merged small]

The treatise was not yet decreed;

Uncertain to devote the day

To politicks or else to play,

25

What theme would beft his genius fuit,
Grave morals or a dull difpute;

Where both contending champions boast
The victory which neither loft,

As chiefs are oft' in story read

30

Each to pursue when neither fled ‡.

* John Scott, D. D. author of The Chriftian Life, 5 vols. +A whimsical odd fellow, and a preacher among the Camifars. King.-Lacy was one of those enthufiafts who fup ported the French prophets.

See the battle of Mons 1709. King.

He enters now the fhining dome Where crowded authors fweat for room;

So close a man could hardly fay

Which were more fix'd the fhelves or they.
Each with his golden title tells

It's author's name and where he dwells,
And to enlarge his credit more
Directs us to his very door,
Boafting of wonders to be seen

If we have faith to look within.

A fet of wooden volumes grace;

To please the eye the highest space

Pure timber authors! that contain
As much as fome that boast a brain;
That Alma Mater never view'd
Without degrees to writers hew'd;
Yet folid thus just emblem fhow
Of the dull brotherhood below,
Smiling their rivals to furvey
As great and real blocks as they.

Diftinguifh'd then in even rows

Here fhines the verfe and there the profe;
(For tho' Britannia fairer looks

United, it is not fo with books.)
The champions of each different art
Had ftations all affign'd apart,
Fearing the rival chiefs might be
For quarrels ftill, nor dead agree.

35

40

45

50

55

MISCELLANIES.

The Schoolmen firft in long array
Their bulky lumber round display,
Seem'd to lament their wretched doom,
And heave for more convenient room,
While doctrine each of weight contains
To crack his fhelves as well as brains,

Since all with him were thought to dream

[merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small]

That flagg'd before they fill'd a rheam;

His authors wifely taught to prize
Not for their merit but their fize:
No furer method ever found

70

Than buying writers by the pound;

For Heav'n must needs his breast inspire

That fcribbling fill'd each month a quire,
And claim'd a ftation on his shelves

Who fcorn'd each fot who fool'd in twelves.
Say, Goddefs! thou that tak'ft delight
To live and lodge with folks that write,
What numbers justly may describe
The orders of the learned tribe?

Fierce wits that long at variance ftood,
And drew much ink but little blood,
Each others' pardon now implore,
The cudgels drop and fnarl no more,
And filling now the felffame place
No longer combat but embrace.

Here vanquish'd Bentley, dreading fill
The force of Boyle's victorious quill,

75

80

85

« 前へ次へ »