Illuminate my mind: Desert the street, resume the plain, My brows, obumbrated with age, Through my nimbosity arise; Dispensing, from your lucid eyes, Refocillating gleam. ANONYMOUS. DEATH AND THE DOCTOR. ON A PHYSICIAN LAMPOONING A FRIEND OF THE AUTHOR. As Doctor **** musing sat, Death saw, and came without delay: Enters the room, begins the chat With Doctor, why so thoughtful, pray?' The doctor started from his place, But soon they more familiar grew: And then he told his piteous case, How trade was low, and friends were few. 'Away with fear,' the phantom said, As soon as he had heard his tale: Take my advice and mend your trade, We both are losers if you fail. "Go write, your wit in satire show, No matter whether smart or true; VOL. V. M M 'Then copies spread, there lies the trick, Among your friends be sure to send them: For all who read will soon grow sick, And when you're call'd upon, attend them. "Thus trade increasing by degrees, Doctor, we both shall have our ends: For you are sure to have your fees, And I am sure to have your friends.' GARRICK. PARODY ON SAPPHO'S ODE. TO A CERTAIN REVIEWER. WHEN in the Aristarchal chair To knock so grave a blockhead down. I sicken at your paltry gibes, Page after page, behind my grate, C. A. ELTON. THE CHEAT'S APOLOGY. 'Tis my vocation, Hal! Shakspeare. Look round the wide world, each profession you'll Who wept when he found no more mischief to do) Never scruples a neighbouring realm to o'errun, While slaughters and carnage his sabre imbrue; Of rapine and murder the charge he'll evade, For conquest is glorious, and fighting his trade. The statesman, who steers by wise Machiavel's rules, Is ne'er to be known by his tongue or his face; They're traps by him used to catch credulous fools, And breach of his promise he counts no disgrace; But policy calls it, reproach to evade, For flattery's his province, cajoling his trade. The priest will instruct you this world to despise, With all its vain pomp, for a kingdom on high; While earthly preferments are chiefly his prize, And all his pursuits give his doctrine the lie; He'll plead you the gospel your charge to evade : The labourer's entitled to live by his trade. The lawyer, as oft on the wrong side as right, Who tortures for fee the true sense of the laws, While black he by sophistry proves to be white, And falsehood and perjury lists in his cause; With steady assurance all crime will evade, His client's his care, and he follows his trade. The sons of Machaon, who thirsty for gold The patient past cure visit thrice in a day, Write largely, the Pharmacop league to uphold, While Poverty's left to diseases a prey; Are held in repute for their glittering parade; Their practice is great,and they shine in their trade. Since then in all stations imposture is found, No one of another can justly complain; The coin he receives will pass current around, And where he is cozen'd he cozens again: But I, who for cheats this apology made, Cheat myself by my rhyming, and starve by my Or English tipple and the potent grain This poem was taken from a folio copy printed in 1706, and communicated from the Lambeth Library by Dr. Ducarel, in J Merlin the seer didst visit, while he sat Young actions issuing from the Fates' divan. In their obscure sojourn o'er heaven's high cope, Now from the' ensanguined Ister's reeking flood, which the name of Philips was inserted in the hand-writing of Archbishop Tennison. It was published by T. Bennet, the bookseller for whom Blenheim was printed; a strong presumptive proof of this being by the same author. |