But much of either would afford To many, that had not one word. 60 For Hebrew roots, although they're found To flourish most in barren ground, He had such plenty, as suffic'd To make some think him circumcis'd: And truly so he was, perhaps, Nor as a prosylete, but for claps. „botom omif He was in logic a great critic, at duh m65 Profoundly skill'd in analytic; He could distinguish and divide 70 A hair, 'twixt south and south-west side; And pay with ratiocination; All this by syllogism, truei bod ni doit qui In mood and figure he would do. Juod ei80 For rhetoric, he could not ope His mouth, but out there flew a trope; And when he happen'd to break off ̧‚¦...... Else when with greatest art he spoke, Teach nothing but to name his tools. . 90 A Babylonish dialect, Which learned pedants much affect: on I It was a party-colour'd dress Of patch'd and pye-ball'd languages: 'Twas English cut on Greek and Latin, Like fustian heretofore on satin. It had an odd promiscuous tone, As if he had talk'd three parts in one; } 195 " 100 Which made some think, when he did gabble, Th' had heard three labourers of Babel; 5 IN Or Cerberus himself pronounce A leash of languages at once, This he as volubly would vent As if his stock would ne'er be spent; And truly to support that charge, 105 110 Words so debas'd and hard, no stone Was hard enough to touch them on: And when with hasty noise he spoke 'em, The ignorant for current took 'em, That had the orator, who once Did fill his mouth with pebble-stones When he harangu'd, but known his phrase, He would have us'd no other ways. In mathematics he was greater Could take the size of pots of ale; 115 120 125 The clock does strike, by algebra, Beside, he was a shrew'd philosopher, And had read ev'ry text and gloss over; Whate'er the crabbed'st author hath, go. 130 135 They might be either said or sung. His notions fitted things so well, That which was which he could not tell; 140 But oftentimes mistook the one For th' other, as great clerks have done. He could reduce all things to acts, And knew their natures by abstracts; Where entity and quiddity, The ghosts of defunct bodies, fly; Where Truth in person does appear, Like words congeal'd in northern air. He knew what's what, and that's as high As metaphysic wit can fly. In school-divinity as able, As he that height, Irrefragable; A second Thomas, or at once To name them all, another Duns: And real ways beyond them all; 155 160 The itch, on purpose to be scratch'd; Only to show with how small pain The sores of faith are cur'd again; 170 Although by woeful proof we find, i And, as he was dispos'd, could prove it 175 Below the moon, or else above it:: |