Samuel Garth

“ Globes stand by Globes, Volumes on Volumes lye,
And Planetary Schemes amuse the Eye.
The Sage, in Velvet Chair, here lolls at Ease,
To promise future Health for present Fees.
Then, as from Tripod solemn Shams reveals,
And what the Stars know nothing of, foretels.
One asks how soon Panthea may be won,
And longs to feel the Marriage Fetters on.
Others, convinc'd by melancholy Proof,
Enquire when courteous Fates will strike 'em off.
Some, by what means they may redress the Wrong,
When Fathers the Possession keep too long. ”

“ Great as your matchless Merits, is your Pow'r,
At your Approach, the baffled Tyrant Death
Breaks his keen Shafts, and grinds his clashing Teeth,
To you we leave the Conduct of the Day;
What you command, your Vassals must obey.
If this dread Enterprise you wou'd decline,
We'll lend to treat, and stifle the Design.
But if my Arguments had force, we'd try
To humble our audacious Foes, or die.
Our Spight, they'll find, to their Advantage leans,
The End is good, no matter for the Means. ”

“ So when Perfumes their fragrant Scent give o'er,
Nought can their Odour, like a Jakes, restore.
When, for Advice the Vulgar throng, he's found
With lumber of vile Books besieg'd around.
The gazing Throng acknowledge their Surprize,
And deaf to Reason still consult their Eyes.
Well he perceives the World will often find,
To catch the Eye is to convince the Mind. ”

“ And hurl their melted Vitals to the Skies.
He views, with Horror next the noisie Cave,
Where with hoarse Dinn imprison'd Tempests rave:
Where clam'rous Hurricanes attempt their Flight,
Or, whirling in tumultuous Eddies, fight.
The warring Winds unmov'd Hygeia heard.
Brav'd their loud Jars, but much for Celsus fear'd.
Andromeda, so whilst her Heroe fought,
Shook for his Danger, but her own forgot.
And now the Goddess with her Charge descends,
Where scarce one chearful Glimpse their Steps befriends. ”

“ Basks in their Eyes, and sparkles in their Face.
How sleek their Looks, how goodly is their Mien,
When big they strut behind a double Chin.
Each Faculty in Blandishments they lull,
Aspiring to be venerably dull. ”

“ Thus she———Mankind are bless'd, they riot still
Unbounded in Exorbitance of Ill
By Devastation the rough Warrior gains,
And Farmers fatten most when Famine reigns;
For sickly Seasons the Physicians wait,
And Politicians thrive in Broils of State.
The Lover's easie when the Fair One sighs,
And Gods subsist not but by Sacrifice.
Each other Being some Indulgence knows;
Few are my Joys, but infinite my Woes.
My present Pain Britannia's Genius wills,
And thus the Fates record my future Ills.
A Heroine shall Albion's Scepter bear,
With Arms shall vanquish Earth, and Heav'n with Pray'r. ”

“ What Fool for noysie Feuds large Fees wou'd leave?
Ten Harvests more wou'd all I wish for give.
True Man, reply'd the Elf; by Choice diseas'd,
Ever contriving Pain, and never pleas'd.
A present Good they slight, an absent chuse,
And what they have, for what they have not, lose.
False Prospects all their true Delights destroy,
Resolv'd to want, yet lab'ring to enjoy.
In restless Hurries thoughtlessly they live,
At Substance oft unmov'd, for Shadows grieve.
Children at Toys, as Men at Titles aim ”

“ The Winners will be Losers at the last.
Like Heroes in Sea-Fights we seek Renown,
To fire some Hostile Ship, we burn our own.
Who-e'er throws Dust against the Wind, descries
He throws it, in effect, but in his Eyes. ”

“ Each Nurse, ere long, wou'd be as learn'd as We;
Our Art expos'd to ev'ry Vulgar Eye,
And none, in Complaisance to us, would dye.
What if We claim their Right t'Assassinate,
Must they needs turn Apothecaries strait?
Prevent it, Gods! all Stratagems we try
To crowd with new Inhabitants your Sky. ”

“ The World generally measures our Esteem by the Ardour of our Pretences; and will scarce believe that so much Zeal in the Heart, can be consistent with so much Faintness in the Expressions; but when they reflect on Your Readiness to do Good, and Your Industry to hide it; on Your Passion to oblige, and Your Pain to hear it own'd; They'll conclude, that Acknowledgments wou'd be Ungrateful to a Person, who ev'n seems to receive the Obligations he confers. ”

“ And proud of painted Wings attempt the Skies,
Now, those profounder Regions They explore,
Where Metals ripen in vast Cakes of Oar.
Here sullen to the Sight, at large is spread
The dull unwieldy Mass of lumpish Lead.
There, giimm'ring in their dawning Beds, are seen
The more aspiring Seeds of sprightly Tin.
The [5] Copper sparkles next in ruddy Streaks;
And in the Gloom betrays its glowing Cheeks.
The Silver then with bright and burnish'd Grace,
Youth and a blooming Lustre in its Face,
To th'Arms of those more yielding Metals flies,
And in the Folds of their Embraces lyes. ”

“ Such is the Pow'r of Sound, and Force of Lays.
⁠Arms meet with Arms, Fauchions with Fauchions clash,
And sparks of Fire struck out from Armour flash.
Thick Clouds of Dust contending Warriors raise,
And hideous War o'er all the Region brays.
Some raging ran with huge Herculean Clubs,
Some massy Balls of Brass, some mighty Tubs
Of Cynders bore.——
Naked and half-burnt Hills with hideous Wreck
Affright the Skies, and fry the Ocean's Back. ”

“ Thrice strove to rise, and thrice sunk down agen.
Listless he stretch'd, and gaping rubb'd his Eyes,
Then falter'd thus betwixt half Words and Sighs
How impotent a Deity am I!
With Godhead born, but curs'd, that cannot die! ”

“ To lose by Art what fruitful Nature gave:
And Portia old in Expectation grown,
Laments her barren Curse and begs a Son.
Whilst Iris, his Cosmetick Wash would try,
To make her Bloom revive, and Lovers die.
Some ask for Charms, and others Philters chuse,
To gain Corinna, and their Quartans lose.
Young Hylas, botch'd with Stains too foul to name,
In Cradle here renews his Youthful Frame:
Cloy'd with Desire, and surfeited with Charms,
A Hot-House he prefers to Julia's Arms.
And old Lucullus wou'd th' Arcanum prove,
Of kindling in cold Veins the Sparks of Love. ”

“ Such watry Stores from their spread Nostrils fly,
'Tis doubtful which is Sea, and which is Sky.
And now the stagg'ring Braves, led by Despair,
Advance, and to return the Charge, prepare.
Each seizes for his Shield a spacious Scale,
And the Brass Weights fly thick as Show'rs of Hail. ”

“ I confess those Ingenious Gentlemen have done me a great Honour; but while they design an imaginary Panegyrick upon me, They have made a real one upon Themselves; and by saying how much this small Performance exceeds some others, They convince the World how far it falls short of Theirs. ”

“ Where Billows never break, nor Tempests roar:
E'er well we feel the friendly Stroke, 'tis o'er. ”

“ Some fell by Laudanum and some by Steel,
And Death in Ambush lay in ev'ry Pill. ”

“ With mighty Truths, mysterious to descry,
Which in the Womb of distant Causes lye.
But now no grand Enquiries are descry'd,
Mean Faction reigns, where Knowledge shou'd preside,
Feuds are encreas'd, and Learning laid aside. ”

“ Have made the God in his full Lustre shine;
Our Night have chang'd into a Glorious Day;
And reach'd Perfection in your first Essay:
So the young Eagle that his Force would try,
Faces the Sun, and tow'rs it to the Sky.
⁠Others proceed to Art by slow Degrees,
Aukward at first, at length they faintly please.
And still whate'er their first Efforts produce,
'Tis an Abortive, or an Infant Muse:
Whilst yours, like Pallas from the Head of Jove
Steps out full grown, with Noblest Pace to move. ”

“ That argues want of Pow'r, and This of Care.
Allow that Wisdom infinite must know;
Pow'r infinite must act. I grant it so.
Haste strait to Neptune's Fane, survey with Zeal
The Walls. What then? reply'd the Infidel.
Observe those num'rous Throngs in Effigy.
The Gods have fav'd from the devouring Sea.
'Tis true, their Figures that escap'd you keep,
But where are Theirs that perish'd in the Deep?
Vaunt now no more the Triumph of your Skill,
But, tho' unfeed, exert your Arm, and kill.
Our Scouts have learn'd the Posture of the Foe;
In War, Surprizes surest Conduct show. ”

“ In vain the Cowards fly, or Brave resist.
Then let us Arm, we need not fear Success,
No Labours are too hard for Hercules.
Our military Ensigns we'll display;
Conquest pursues, where Courage leads the Way.
⁠To this Design shrill Querpo did agree,
A zealous Member of the Faculty;
His Sire's pretended pious Steps he treads,
And where the Doctor fails the Saint succeeds.
A Conventicle flesh'd his greener Years,
And his full Age the righteous Rancour shares.
Thus Boys hatch Game-Eggs under Birds o'Prey,
To make the Fowl more furious for the Fray. ”

“ What we, thro' wiser Conduct, wou'd conceal;
Is't Reason we shou'd quarrel with the Glass
That shews the monstrous Features of our Face?
Or grant some grave Pretenders have of late
Thought fit an Innovation to create ”

“ The killing of numbers of Patients is so trite a piece of Raillery, that it ought not to make the least Impression either upon the Reader, or the Person 'tis apply'd to; being one that I think in my Conscience a very able Physician, as well as a Gentleman of extraordinary Learning. ”

“ As thro' the Gloom the Magus cuts his Way,
Imperfect Objects tell the doubtful Day.
Dim he discerns Majestick Atlas rise,
And bend beneath the Burthen of the Skies.
His tow'ring Brows aloft no Tempests know,
Whilst Light'ning flies, and Thunder rolls below. ”

“ Who fill Church-yards, and who unpeople States,
Who baffle Nature and dispose of Lives,
Whilst Russel, as we please, or starves, or thrives,
Should e'er submit to their despotic Will,
Who out o'Consultation scarce can kill? ”

“ Receiv'd his Guests aboard, and shov'd from Shoar.
Now, as the Goddess and her Charge prepare
To breath the Sweets of soft Elysian Air,
Upon the Left they spy a pensive [10] Shade,
Who on his bended Arm had rais'd his Head:
Pale Grief sate heavy on his mournful Look:
To whom, not unconcern'd, thus Celsus spoke:
Tell me, thou much afflicted Shade why Sighs
Burst from your Breast, and Torrents from your Eyes:
And who those mangled Manes are, which show
A sullen Satisfaction at your Woe? ”

“ Author of the Dispensary.
TO Praise your Healing Art would be in vain;
The Health you give, prevents the Poet's Pen.'
Sufficiently confirm'd is your Renown,
And I but fill the Chorus of the Town. ”

“ All eager to unviel the Face of War.
Their Chiefs lace on their Helms, and take the Field,
And to their trusty Squires resign their Shield:
To paint each Knight, their Ardour and Alarms,
Wou'd ask the Muse that sung the Frogs in Arms.
And now the Signal summons to the Fray;
Mock Falchions flash, and paltry Ensigns play.
Their Patron God his silver Bow-string twangs;
Tough Harness ruthless, and bold Armour clangs
The piercing Causticks ply their spightful Pow'r;
Emeticks ranch, and keen Catharticks scour.
The deadly Drugs in double Doses fly ”

“ To slake a feav'rish Heat with ambient Show'rs.
Whence, their Mechanick Pow'rs, the Spirits claim,
How great their Force, how delicate their Frame:
How the same Nerves are fashion'd to sustain
The greatest Pleasure and the greatest Pain.
Why bileous Juice a Golden Light puts on,
And Floods of Chyle in Silver Currents run.
How the dim Speck of Entity began
T'exert its primogenial Heat and stretch to Man. ”

“ They've strove for Ruin long without Success.
When late, Jove's [13] Eagle from the Pyle shall rise
To bear the Victor to the boundless Skies,
Awhile the God puts off Paternal Care,
Neglects the Earth, to give the Heav'ns a Star. ”

“ And Leaches, in our Glasses, swell to Whales,
Or Norwich trade in Implements of Steel,
And Bromingham in Stuffs and Druggets deal!
Allys at Wapping furnish us new Modes,
And Monmouth street, Versailles with Riding-hoods;
The Sick to th' Hundreds in pale Throngs repair,
And change the Gravel-Pits for Kentish Air.
Our Properties must on our Arms depend;
'Tis next to Conquer, bravely to Defend.
'Tis to the Vulgar, Death too harsh appears;
The Ill we feel is only in our Fears. ”