A Poetical Abridgement, Both in Latin and English, Of the Reverend Mr. Tutor Bentham's Letter to a Young Gentleman of Oxford To which are added Some Remarks on the Letter to a Fellow of a College. By the Author of the Proposal, &c. [i.e. William King] |
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ADVICE TO The Reverend Mr. Tutor
E. B.
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 | A Poetical Abridgement, Both in Latin and English, Of the Reverend Mr. Tutor Bentham's Letter to a Young Gentleman of Oxford |  |
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ADVICE TO The Reverend Mr. Tutor E. B.
Translated from the Latin.
To oblige you, good Sir, I have read with great Pleasure,And examin'd your learned Epistle at Leisure.
Now a Word in my turn, if you are not too nice
To receive from a Junior some wholesome Advice.
First, revere the Sage B---ke! and, as if 'twere the Devil,
Fly away from the Law, hight Imperial, or Civil.
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And alledge, what the Act in such Cases directs.
Then, remember, howe'er you insist on the Seasons,
That a Head full of Logic should furnish out Reasons.
And attend to this Item; whilst others you teach,
O! consider, how far your own Genius will reach.
For, unless you well measure the Length of your Chain,
With the same force you rise, you'll be pull'd down again;
Ridicul'd, and disgrac'd, and so bruis'd and so sore,
That, I fear, you'll ne'er venture to climb any more.
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Tho' you publish whole Volumes, your Labours are vain,
Half a Casuist, half Lawyer, half Courtier, half Cit,
Half a Tory, half Whig (may I add, half a Wit?)
Never hope to succeed without changing your Note;
Or, unless, like your Neighbours, you're prov'd by your Vote.
If you doubt my Monition, go, make your appeal
To the Patriots, who were—to my ------
He'll assure you (and who in this Case hath more Knowledge?)
If you turn thus by halves, you will stick in the College.
| A Poetical Abridgement, Both in Latin and English, Of the Reverend Mr. Tutor Bentham's Letter to a Young Gentleman of Oxford | |