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The works of Mr. Thomas Brown

Serious and Comical, In Prose and Verse; In four volumes. The Fourth Edition, Corrected, and much Enlarged from his Originals never before publish'd. With a key to all his Writings

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To the Adventurous Knight of Cheapside, upon his Satyr against Wit.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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To the Adventurous Knight of Cheapside, upon his Satyr against Wit.

By Mr. Manning.
What Frenzy has possess'd thy desp'rate Brain,
To rail at Wit in this unhallow'd Strain?
Reproach of thy own kind! to slander Sense,
The nobl'st Gift bestow'd by Providence!
Was it Revenge provok'd thee thus to write,
Because thou'rt curs'd to such a dearth of Wit?
Or was it eager Passion for a Name,
To be inroll'd among the Fools of Fame?

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Like him, who rather than he'd live obscure,
Would fire a Church to make his Name secure?
Or was it thy Despair at length to find
Thy loads of Chaff the Sport of ev'ry Wind?
To see thy hasty Muse, that loves to roam,
Promise such Journeys, but come founder'd Home?
Just fate of Sots, who think in their vain Breast,
Their Coffee-Rhimes shall stand the publick Test:
Seiz'd with prolifick Dulness, 'tis thy Curse
To write still on, and still too for the worse.
Who hates not Wes***y, may thy Works esteem,
Both alike able to disgrace their Theme.
But thou, through wild Conceit, aspiring still,
Claim'st, in thy ravings, Esculapian-skill.
Quack, thou art sure in both, and curs'd is he,
Who guided by his adverse Stars to thee,
Employs thy deadly Potions to reclaim
His feeble Health, thy Pen to spread his Fame.