University of Virginia Library

A little wit, and Reason's Necessary
To Qualify an able Antiquary;
Who has no Busnes for the Intellect
But to Transcrible and Copy, and Collect;
Is but an Antiquated Ghost that Haunts
The Charnel-Houses of the Antients
And calls the Dead Deponents up, to Answer
And solve all Questions of the Necromancer,
But has a Prejudice to all that's New
Though 'ere so useful, Rational, and Tru;
When al the Antients understood before
The Moderns have improvd, and somthing more.
As if Books, like a China-Potters Clay,
Prepard for th' use of After-ages lay,
And Time, that can the Hardest things devour,
Ore Feeble Age and Error had no Power,
And that which stubbornst Adamants can break
Turnd Edge against the most infirme and weake.

The Antients Had no Folios, nor Pages
That have been since found out, by after Ages,
Were Nice of Forraine words, and Affectations,
Of Far-fet, and outlandish Imitations.
Disdaind to Copy, and Translate, and Quote,
And if they would, they Had no way to do't.
Had not so much, as Indexes, to looke,
And finde out what, they sought for, in a Booke.
Knew nothing of a Table to an Author
T' examine, and Discover what they sought for:
But had a freer way of Sense, and wit,
In all they left, of what they sayd, or writ.
Had not so many Languages to Purchace,
As Men are now Ingaged in, to no Purpose.
For if the world Grow Elder ev'ry howr
Since the Creation, then it was before,
The Modern Ages wilbe found, to bee
The Best Pretenders, to Antiquity.

When all the Antique Globe of Heavn Containd
Was but the furniture of Sea, and Land;
And Men, and Beasts, and Birds, and Fish and Foul
Was but an Inventory of the whole;
The Orbes but Nests of Boxes, to Inclose
And Shut up Nature fast, from Breaking loose;
Whence al their Learned Men were of Opinion
Nothing could Represent them better then an Inion
That, in the Judgment of Philosophers,
[Were] Natral Types of al the universe.

The Antients in their writings are not found
To be the least Pedantique, and Hide-bound.

The Antients Layd up Stores of all Provisions
Of Common Places, Topiques, and Transitions.

For most men take their Learning upon Tick,
From the Antient Roman, or the Elder Greek:
And for the Revrence due to Age, believe
It ought to have the sole Prerogative;
And therefor whatsoere it do's, or says,
The world is bound, Implicitly to Pass.
For nothing is esteemd so Learnedish
As t' Imitate the Antients, tho Amis.
Who when in Publique Roads, Th' Interd the Dead,
Mad[e] Epitaphs, for Passengers to Read,
Which wee, to Imitate Antiquity,
To Travellers through Churches now Apply,
And Dedicate to all that Pass that Roade,
To keep the Antique Custome up, and Mode.
So when the Senate, and the States of Rome
Were wont to Rayse (for Nations over-come)
Triumphal Arches, to their Emperors,
The Moderns do it to themselvs, of course:
And when an Antique Book was but a Scroule,
They usd (like Maps) about a Stick to Roule,
And for the more Convenience of their use,
Were faine to Frequent Sections to Reduce,
Things that are now Impertinent, and vaine
Which we have now no use of, yet retaine:
The Moderns to preserve the Fashions, Reckon
The Length of all their writings by the Section.
As when the Antients counted Shepherds fit,
To Pass for Men of Quick, and Ready wit,
Though now the Ablest is as great a Dunce
As any other Sort of Rugged Clownes,
Wee to conform, write Eglogues in their Names
To vindicate the Title of their Clames,
Because No Sheep can shew so great a Stock
Of Magots, as a Pastral Poets Flock:
And Sillily have made to Sing, and Pipe,
Of all Perfections else a Standing Type:
So Aristotle was at first Debard
All Christian Schooles, yet Counted Afterward
The Schoolmens only Oracle, and Chief
Apostle of the Mystrys of Belief:
A Paradox not only against the Grain
Of all their own Opinions, but in vaine.
For why should they Reduce Belief to Proof,
If it be stronger when 'tis further off?
That's Necessary, by their own Confession,
If Faith have more Authority then Reason?

The Antients left the world more wise and Learnd
Then After ages when their Books were burnd
And other Barbarous writers in their Places
Supplyd the world with all their Sottish Trashes.