THE LOGICIANS REFUTED.1 IN IMITATION OF DEAN SWIFT. LOGICIANS have but ill defin'd By ratiocinations specious, Have strove to prove, with great precision, With definition and division, Homo est ratione preditum; But for my soul I cannot credit 'em; That man and all his ways are vain ; Than reason, boasting mortals' pride; Who ever knew an honest brute At law his neighbour prosecute, 1 From The Busy Body, No. 5. O'er plains they ramble unconfin'd, No politics disturb their mind; They eat their meals, and take their sport, Nor know who's in or out at court. To treat as dearest friend a foe: Nor draw the quill to write for Bob.1 1 Sir Robert Walpole. He promises with equal air, And to perform takes equal care. At court, the porters, lacqueys, waiters, AN ELEGY ON THE DEATH OF A GOOD people all, of every sort, In Islington there was a man A kind and gentle heart he had, And in that town a dog was found, Both mongrel, puppy, whelp, and hound, 1 See Vicar of Wakefield, c. xvìi. In the Citizen of the World, vol. ii. lett. lxvi. is a paper on the Epidemic Terror, the dread of mad dogs, which now prevails: the whole nation is now actually groaning under the malignity of its influence.' This dog and man at first were friends; But when a pique began, The dog, to gain his private ends, Went mad, and bit the man. Around from all the neighbouring streets The wondering people ran, And swore the dog had lost his wits, The wound it seem'd both sore and sad To every Christian eye; And while they swore the dog was mad, They swore the man would die. But soon a wonder came to light, The man recover'd of the bite; The dog it was that died. |