Poems on Several Occasions :: :: University of Virginia Library

What was but little, or but faintly known,
In former Ages, ripens in our own,
The sacred Art which we did once believe;
Too much for man to ask, or Heaven to give,
The bounteous God at last to you reveals,
Directs your skill, and as you use it, Heals.
Of old, when thick Suffusion veil'd the sight,
'Twas Darkness all, and ever during night;

The wretch despair'd, and sought no more for Aid,
But yeilded to the Horror of the shade;
You quickly now the Solid Clouds dispel,
The fogs disperse, the rising Vapours Quell;
You force, you melt, you drive the mists away,
And shew the Ravish'd Patient, Gladsom Day;
The Sun before with useless Lustre shin'd,
On half the World, for they, Alas! were blind.
Till his full Empire was by you restor'd,
And Man receiv'd the Blessing he Implor'd,
Lookt on the Light, beheld it and Ador'd.
Pretenders, tho they do not understand,
Their Art, by chance, may have a Lucky hand;
Yet if one sees amongst a thousand Blind
They strive to help, we think their fortune kind.

But when you touch, you give a certain cure,
Speedy and Gentle, as the methods sure;
Like Fate you Doom, and where you promise Light,
The Patient rises from the threatned Night;
Or sinks beyond the hopes of human care,
When Heaven and you confine him to Despair.
A common Knowledge weak Distempers cures,
But great are left, for such advice as yours;
And fam'd Physitians for a known disease,
Start at the Wonders you perform with ease,
To you the Blind in every case repair,
The Old, the Young, the Ugly and the Fair;
In all their wants, your Judgments you Display,
The Old grow strong, and the unhandsom Gay;
Their Sight by you defended from the rage
Of sickness, force, of Accident and Age.

Ev'n Beauty is indebted to your aid,
For many of the Conquests it has made;
Those Eyes where Love before in triumph sate,
Remov'd, we thought above the rage of fate,
Wore once the Tokens of a rude Disease,
And scarce had left the little charm to please;
Hopeless of help, from any other powers,
To you they come, and find relief by yours:
At your command the Vapours disappear,
The Clouds are scatter'd, and the Sight is clear;
Their Eyes shake off the Burthen of the Night,
And break thro all, with the returning Light,
With vast success they reassume their state,
As the Sun rises Brighter than he sate.
New Graces, in those radiant Circles move,
And what before we pity'd, now we Love,

With grateful Souls your Wonders they Proclaim;
They wish, you were Immortal as your Fame:
But Nature shortly will we fear decline,
And Death succeed to make you more Divine,
Oh! Could our Pray'rs th' Amighty pow'r Engage;
To spare you yet below another Age;
Another still we should be apt to crave,
And scarce consent to yield you to the Grave;
Whilst Darkness spreads, and there are men to save:
For robb'd of you, they must Embrace their Doom,
And Grope for ever in a Starless Gloom.