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To my Friend, the Author of the ensuing POEM.
 


5

To my Friend, the Author of the ensuing POEM.

Erasmus first the noble Task began,
Expos'd the Folly, to reform the Man;
In Ironia's pleasing Garb display'd
That Vice, by which we're Fools and Asses made.
But the rough Truth that shou'd have made us wise,
Lay deeply hid beneath a learned Guise,
Shrowded, in Forms Scholastic, from our Eyes.
This hard'ned Age do's rougher Means require,
We must be Cupp'd and Cauteriz'd with Fire.
For gentle Med'cines ne're can Health regain,
That strike the Patient with no sense of Pain.
When the Disease inveterate is grown,
Strong Corrossives must be apply'd, or none.
Thus on the Body growing Ills prevail,
We find we're Sick, but know not what we ail.
Our outward Weakness, and our inward Pain,
Give hints that some unknown Distempers reign.

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Severely every groaning Limb do's feel
The sad Effects, yet none the Cause can tell.
To Polititians oft we have recourse,
Who, what they shou'd have mended, still made worse.
For that Physician never can give Ease,
Who's wholly Ignorant of the Disease:
Or, if he knows, wou'd, rather than apply
The true Specifick, let the Patient die.
The mighty Cure's at last reserv'd for you,
You are our Prophet and Physician too.
First you inform us whence our Ills proceed,
Then kindly show what Remedies we need:
Next you foretel, if we these Rules neglect,
What we must from our Negligence expect:
A State that sees its Happiness too late;
A Poet strugling with Cassandra's Fate.
B. Bridgwater.