The Poems of John Byrom :: :: University of Virginia Library

Yes, I have read them;—but I cannot find
Much Depth of Sense in Writers of this Kind.
They all retail, as they proceed along,
Or superficial Sentiments or wrong;
Of “Reason! Reason!” they repeat the Cries,
And “Reason's Use,”—which Nobody denies.

II

All Sharers in it follow, I suppose,
Each one his Reason, as he does his Nose,
When he intends to reach a certain Spot,
Whether he finds the Road to it, or not.
With equal Sense a Postulatum begs
The Use of Reason, as the Use of Legs.

III

Full well these rational Adepts declaim
On Points at which their Reason can take Aim;
But when they talk beyond them, what Mistakes
Of various Kind their various Reason makes!
All are for one same Rule, and in its Use
All singly clear and mutually abstruse.

IV

What plainer Demonstration can be had,
That their original Pretence is bad
Who say, their own or human Reason's Light
Must needs direct them to determine right?
What greater Proof of a superior Skill
Needful to Reas'ners, reason how they will?

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V

Sense to discern and Reason to compare
Are Gifts that merit our improving Care,
But want an Inward Light, when all is done,
As Seeds and Plants do that of outward Sun.
Main Help neglected, tasteless Fruits arise,
And Wisdom grows insipid in the Wise.

VI

Tho' all these Reason-Worshippers profess
To guard against fanatical Excess,
“Enthusiastic Heat”—their fav'rite Theme—
Draws their Attention to the cold Extreme;
Their Fears of torrid Fervors freeze a Soul;
To shun the Zone they send it to the Pole.

VII

The very Sound of rational and plain
Contents, where Sense is neither of the twain,
A World of Readers, whose polite Concern
Is to be learnèd without Pains to learn.
To please their Palates with a modish Treat,
Cheap is the Cost, and here is the Receipt:

VIII

“Let Reason, first, Imagination, Passions
“Be clean drest-up in pretty-worded Fashions;
“Then let Imagination, Passions, Reason
“Change Places round at each commodious Season;
“Till Reason, Passions and Imagination
“Have prov'd the Point by their complete Rotation.”