TO MY FRIEND, UPON THE DISPENSARY.

As when the People of the Northern Zone
Find the Approach of the Revolving Sun,
Pleas'd and reviv'd, They see the new-born Light,
And dread no more Eternity of Night:

Thus We, who lately as of Summers Heat
Have felt a Dearth of Poetry and Wit;
Once fear'd, Apollo would return no more
From warmer Climes, to an ungrateful Shore.
But you, the Fav'rite of the Tuneful Nine,
Have made the God in his full Lustre shine;
Our Night have chang'd into a Glorious Day,
And reach'd Perfection in your first Essay:
So the young Eagle that his Force would try,
Faces the Sun, and tow'rs it to the Skie.

Others proceed to Art by slow degrees,
Awkward at first, at length they faintly Please;
And still whate'er their first Efforts produce,
'Tis an Abortive, or an Infant Muse:

Whilst yours, like Pallas, from the Head of Jove
Steps out full grown, with noblest Pace to move.
What ancient Poets to their Subject owe,
Is here inverted, and this owes to you:
You found it Little, but have made it Great;
They could Describe, but you alone Create!

Now let your Muse rise with Expanded Wings,
To Sing the Fate of Empires, and of Kings;
Great William's Victories she'll next rehearse,
And raise a Trophy of Immortal Verse:
Thus to your Art proportion the Design,
And Mighty Things with Mighty Numbers join,
A Second Namur, or a future Boyne.

H. BLOUNT.

The Dispensary.

Canto I.

Speak, Goddess! since 'tis Thou that best canst tell, How ancient Leagues to modern Discord fell: And why Physicians were so cautious grown Of Others Lives, and lavish of their Own; How by a Journey to th' Elysian Plain Peace triumph'd, and old Time return'd again. Not far from that most celebrated Place, Where angry Justice shews her awful Face; Where little Villains must submit to Fate, That great ones may enjoy the World in State; There stands a †Dome, Majestick to the Sight, And sumptuous Arches bear its oval Height; A golden Globe plac'd high with artful Skill, Seems, to the distant Sight a gilded Pill: This Pile was, by the Pious Patron's Aim, Rais'd for a Use as Noble as its Frame:

* Old Baily.

+ College of Physicians.

Die Verszählung fehlt in den Originaldrucken, sowie in den Gesamtausgaben. 1 tell1 3 And why Whence 'twas, 1-4 || cautious ] frugal1 4 others 1-4• 8 || own; 1-4.6 8 Anmerkung unter dem Text in off. und W1; ebenso in V. 11. Die Notenzeichen stehen im Text der Originalausgaben immer vor dem Wort, zu dem sie gehören. 10 state; 14 14 Seems || Sight 1-4 15 was1 16 Frame;1

5

10

15

Nor did the Learn'd Society decline
The Propagation af that great Design;
In all her Mazes, Nature's Face they view'd,
And as she disappear'd, their Search pursu'd.
Wrapt in the Shades of Night the Goddess lyes,
Yet to the Learn'd unveils her dark Disguise,
But shuns the gross Access of vulgar Eyes.
Now she unfolds the faint, and dawning Strife
Of infant Atoms kindling into Life:
How ductile Matter new Meanders takes,
And slender Trains of twisting Fibres makes.
And how the Viscous seeks a closer Tone,
By just degrees to harden into Bone;

While the more Loose flow from the vital Urn,

And in full Tides of Purple Streams return;

How lambent Flames from Life's bright Lamp arise,
And dart in Emanations through the Eyes:
How from each Sluice a gentle Torrent pours,
To slake a feav'rish Heat with ambient Showrs.
Whence, their Mechanick Pow'rs, the Spirits claim,
How great their Force, how delicate their Frame:
How the same Nerves are fashion'd to sustain
The greatest Pleasure and the greatest Pain.
Why bileous Juice a Golden Light puts on,
And Floods of Chyle in Silver Currents run.
How the dim Speck of Entity began

20 their Search ] they still 1—4. 6—11

21-23 lauteten in 1-4

They find her dubious now, and then, as plain;

4

1

Here, she's too sparing, there [sparing; there, 2-4] profusely vain. 21 shade W1|| lies W1 32-33 fehlen in 1-3 33 emanations || eyes; 34 How, 2-3 While || Sluice, 2-3 || gentle] bring 1-4 35 To slake a] T'extinguish 1-4 || heats1 Heats 2-4 | show'rs;1 Show'rs; 2—4 36 Whence | Pow'rs 2-4 39 Pleasure,

1-4

2.-4

T'exert its primogenial Heat and stretch to Man.
To how minute an Origin we owe
Young Ammon, Caesar, and the Great Nassau.
Why paler Looks impetuous Rage proclaim,
And why chill Virgins redden into Flame.
Why Envy oft transforms with wan Disguise,
And why gay Mirth sits smiling in the Eyes.
All Ice why Lucrece, or Sempronia, Fire,
Why Srages to survive Desire.
Whence Milo's Vigour at Olympick's shown,
Whence Tropes to F- or Impudence to S-
How Matter, by the vary'd shape of Pores,
Or Idiots frames or solemn Senators.

45

50

55

Hence 'tis we wait the wond'rous Cause to find,

How Body acts upon impassive Mind.
How Fumes of Wine the thinking Part can fire,
Past Hopes revive, and present Joys inspire:
Why our Complexions oft our Soul declare,
And how the Passions in the Features are.
How Touch and Harmonie arise between
Corporeal Figure, and a Form unseen,
How quick their Faculties the Limbs fulfil,
And act at ev'ry Summons of the Will.
With mighty Truths, mysterious to descry,
Which in the Womb of distant Causes lye.

43 T'extend its recent Form, and stretch to Man. 1-4. 9-11. wi To work its brittle Being up to Man."

50 fire, 1-4

9

51 S] Scarsdale W1 52 th' Olympick's 1—4 53 Whence tropes to F-ch, [F-h, 2-4] or impudence to S- 1–4 tropes || F-h, Finch, W1S-n. Sloane; Wi 54-55 lauten in 1-6: Why Atticus polite, Brutus severe, Why Me-nd [M-n 2—4 Me-n muddy, M-gue why clear? 54 W1 haben VV. 54-55 der 1–6 als Anmerkung zu V. 53. 56 wondrous 1-4. 6 63 Corporeal Substances, and Things unseen. 64-65 fehlen in 1–6. 67 lie 1-4.

1-6

58 part 1-4. 6

9-11

unseen;

60

65

But now no grand Enquiries are descry'd,

Mean Faction reigns, where Knowledge shou'd preside,
Feuds are encreas'd, and Learning laid aside.
Thus Synods oft, Concern for Faith conceal;
And for important Nothings show a Zeal:
The drooping Sciences neglected pine,

And Paean's Beams with fading Lustre shine.
No Readers here with Hectick Looks are found,
Or Eyes in Rheum, thro' midnight-watching drow'nd:
The lonely Edifice in Sweats complains

That nothing there but sullen Silence reigns.

This Place so fit for undisturb'd Repose,
The God of Sloth for his Asylum chose.
Upon a Couch of Down in these Abodes
Supine with folded Arms he thoughtless nods,
Indulging Dreams his Godhead lull to Ease,
With Murmurs of soft Rills, and whisp'ring Trees.
The Poppy and each numbing Plant dispense
Their drowzy Virtue, and dull Indolence.
No Passions interrupt his easie Reign,
No Problems puzzle his Lethargick Brain,
But dark Oblivion guards his peaceful Bed,
And lazy Fogs hang ling'ring o'er his Head.

68 But now those great Enquiries are no more, 1—6 69 And Faction Skulks, [skulks, 2-6] where Learning shone before: 1—6 70-72 fehlen in 1—6 70 increas'd 10. 11 w1 71 conceal, 9-10 75 looks 1-4 9 76 midnight-watchings Midnight-watching, 11 drown'd 1 78 sullen] empty 1-4. 6 77 complains, 4 79 Thus' Druckfehler] This 1—4∙ 6 82 The careless Deity supinely nods. 1Hinter 82 folgen in 14: His leaden Limbs at gentle ease are laid, With [When 3-4] Poppys [Poppies 2-4] and dull Night-shade o're [Nightshade o'er 2-4] him spread; bing] numming" Druckfehler Brain 1-4. 6 89 dark] dull 1—4 his thoughtless 1—4

83-87 fehlen in 14 85 num86 drowsy" 88 lethargick 1—4 | 90 hang ling'ring o'er his ] bedew