"To facrifice Old England's glory, "And make her infamous in story:: 455 460 "The Dean did, by his pen, defeat "An infamous deftructive cheat; "Taught fools their intereft how to know, 475 480 "A wicked "A wicked monster on the bench, 485 490 495 "He spent his life's declining part; "Where folly, pride, and faction sway, "Remote from St. John, Pope, and Gay.” "Alas, poor Dean! his only scope Was to be held a misanthrope. 500 "This into general odium drew him, "Which if he lik'd, much good may 't do him. "His zeal was not to lash our crimes, "But discontent against the times : "For, had we made him timely offers 50$ "To raise his poft, or fill his coffers, 510 "What “What writings has he left behind?” "I hear they're of a different kind: * A few in verse; but most in profe "Some high-flown pamphlets, I suppose: "All fcribbled in the worst of times, To palliate his friend Oxford's crimes; "To praise queen Anne, nay more, defend her, "As never favouring the Pretender : Or libels yet conceal'd from fight, "Against the court to fhew his fpite: "Perhaps his travels, part the third; "A lye at every fecond word - Offensive to a loyal ear: — "But 520 525 "With all the turns of Whigs and Tories: "Was chearful to his dying-day;' "And friends would let him have his way. "As for his works in verfe or profe, "I own myself no judge of those. 530 "Nor can I tell what criticks thought them; "But this I know, all people bought them, "As with a moral view defign'd, "To please and to reform mankind: "And, if he often mifs'd his aim, "The world muft own it to their shame, To build a houfe for fools and måd; T 535 To "To shew, by one fatiric touch, 340 545 AN EPISTLE TO TWO FRIENDS*. TO DR. HELSHAM. SIR, Nov. 23, at night, 1731. WHEN HEN I left you, I found myself of the grape's juice fick; I'm fo full of pity, I never abuse fick ; And the patienteft patient that ever you knew fick ; fick; Dean Crofs, had he preach'd, would have made us all pew-fick. Are not you, in a crowd when you sweat and stew, fick ? Lady Santry got out of the church when she grew fick, *This medley (for it cannot be called a poem) is given as a fpecimen of thofe bagatelles for which the Dean hath perhaps been too feverely cenfured. Some which were fill more exceptionable are fuppreffed. N. And, And, as fast as fhe could, to the deanry flew fick. Mifs Morice was (I can you affure 'tis true) fick : For, who would not be in that numerous crew fick ? Such mufick would make a fanatick or Jew fick,. Yet, ladies are feldom at ombre or lue fick : you Nor is old Nanny Shales, whene'er fhe does brew, fick. You hop'd to find many (for that was your cue) fick; You may find they are all, by their yellow pale hue, fick; So am I, when tobacco, like Robin, I chew, fick. TO DR. SHERIDAN. IF I write any more, it will make my poor Mufe fick. This night I came home with a very cold dew fick, And I wish I may foon be not of an ague fick; But I hope I shall ne'er be, like you, of a shrew fick, Who often has made me, by looking afkew, fick. |