Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n
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A65464
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Maggots, or, Poems on several subjects, never before handled by a schollar.
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Wesley, Samuel, 1662-1735.
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1685
(1685)
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Wing W1375; ESTC R33583
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64,762
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190
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from Osborn that will I think help as well at a dead lift Advice to a Son of Studies pag. 11. parag 17. The way to Elegance of Stile is to employ the Pen upon every Errand and the more trivial and dry it is the more Brains must be allow'd for Sawce Thus by checking all ordinary Invention your Reason will attain to such an Habit as not to dare present you but with what is excellent Well! If all this won't satisfie what think ye of a knocking Argument hight-necessity Who knows but my Shoes may want dearning or my Stockings happen to be a little out at Elbows no Miracles in a Rhimester let me tell ye and in this case a Recruit of as many yellow Ones as the Book-seller and I can agree upon will be no false Latin They may rejoyn Why not something serious then and worthy my own pains and others perusal 'T is easily answered That tho' such a design should suit with my present Years and Inclinations yet who would be the Customers Alas their Party is but weak and small in the World which leads me to the second Part of my Text. As concerning Fools the Proverb is A Word to the Wise but o' the contrary I hope to dispatch these more reasonable Gentlemen a great deal sooner their Objections sure can't be very material nor will their Weapons make very deep Impressions tho' soon shot However being the greatest the most considerable jovial complaisant agreeable part of Mankind 't will be no small part of my Interest to oblige ' em And why may'n't I have my chance as well as others If I take the same Method by which another has pleas'd 'em If I write silly enough why mayn't my Book sell as well as any Christmas Tales and Wonderments that has been clapt into Fist since Bills were invented I 'm sure my Verses dribble down daintily as Bro. Bunnyan has 't as well as the best Sing-song in e're a Pilgrim's Progress of 'em all But since these are great words and Comparisons are odious I 'l make an end of 'em and only assure those whom it may concern That 't is all perfectly new 't is all mirth and I know not what else 't is recommends a Rattle to Children and Bartlomew Fair to Fools But if any chance to stick somewhere or other on something that looks like Reason which I 'l engage shan't fall out often enough to choak 'em why 't is but taking a small leap and They 're safe and sound upon the Terra firma of Nonsence agen But now for the middle-siz'd man just in the Centre of Gravity between wise and fool that cruel Indifferent which not a whining Lover in Chistendom but shall tell you is a thousand times more unsupportable than flat and plain hating What 's to be done with this most unhoopable Reader I doubt he 'l make as doleful a clatter among my poor Maggots as Lucian's Colossus quarrelling and hunching about for Elbow-room in the Parliament of the Gods who broke holes in the very Roof of Olympus with his Steeple Crown This is that dreadful sort of Animal as common and teasty and mischievous in the Play-house as the Mesquito in hotter Countries or Gnats in the Fenlands By this time I suppose you know what I mean by all this clutter neither better nor worse than that sort of Creature call'd a Critic And he 't is likely Tooth and Nayl falls abord the manner of my work Right Worshipful 'T is strain'd affected full of Longe-petites store of Incongruities Uncorrect Tedious Digressions long-Comment run away with the Text c. If you have any thing more Mr. Critic pray speak now or for ever after hold your peace No This some will say is more than enough because unanswerable But softly One's Tale's good till another's is told Is any thing strain'd or obscure In such uncommon Subjects so purely out of the Road how can the Superstructure be otherwise Pray what Author could I consult â—o pillage a sparkling Verse from here and there or like some Chymic Angel as a late Author or two have it to nimm a golden Fancy on such Themes as these Would some good Body would advise what Shop in Paul's Church-yard Duck-Lane or Little-Brittain I should consult to find a Treatise of the Causes Essence and Property 's of a piece of Ginger-bread or in what part of the Transactions of the Royal Society I should find how many yards a nimble Louse reaches at Hop-Stride-and-Jump This too by the way may in some measure excuse my Digressions tho' even those may like an Episode in a Play be so managed as to become a Grace rather than a Blurr to the design if they ben't too many if proceeding naturally from the main design and all helping towards it if not over-tedious all which Requisites or most of 'em will I hope square with mine For the filling so much of the Book with Explanation Let 's discourse here for a while very gravely Is 't not better to do thus than leave the Grammarians a thousand year hence to scratch and bite and break one anothers Heads about one's meaning as they do now about Perseus's where may be like the Quakers we deny meanings and have in that place none at all How would poor Homer bless himself were he like his own Ulisses to return and find how he is since his Death too improv'd into a Statuary a Captain a Moralist a Politician and would you think it a Divine too and a thousand other things he never so much as thought or dream't of poor old-Fellow since the hour he was born But supposing the worst or if you please granting it that Roguy Time should be so sacrilegiously hungry as to devour all these fine things in a Twelve-month and a day as 't would be a great Temptation I 'll assure ye to one sharp set to find 'em under Pyes Yet when for the reason before alledg'd it is impossible to have every where common Notions on so uncommon Subjects I have by these Notes endeavoured to make all plain to the meanest Capacity with as much brevity as could consist with clearness Nor in this very case is a noble Example wanting were 't not against the Rules of Decency to defend so little a thing with such great Authority For the Incongruities which I doubt not may if any whose Eyes are sharpen'd with Prejudice or Iudgment look close on 'em be easily observed besides the Carelesness and undress with which in many places the Verse appears First I remember I 'm neither writing a Supposition in Philosophy nor a System of Divinity nor an Epic Poem where indeed all ought to be most religiously observ'd What was said by a person however by Wits of a greater Genius expos'd yet certainly if thirty Years Experience be any thing no Fool in Poetry has certainly a great deal of truth in 't He that servilely creeps after Sense Is safe but ne'r shall reach at Excellence
sum The beginning of Scaevola's Oration in Livy d That made his Paw like Drum-stick fry 'T is a known Story when Rome was besieged by King Porsenna Mutius Scaevola went to the Camp intending to stabb him but mistook a Nobleman of his Train for the King for this had his Hand broil'd over a Chaffing-Dish of Coals like a Pullets claw but held it all the while unconcern'd and immovable see the Story in Livy's Decades Vol. 1. Book 1. p. 78. e Truer by far than Goodman Livy For there would not be half so many prodigies in 't He somewhere or other makes an Oxe speak and why not my Maggot as well f That she should kill her self for him Lucretia's Death the cause and manner on 't is at every School-boys fingers Ends She kill'd her self because Tarquin's Son Sixtus had ravish'd her g For I must leap five-hundred Year Supposing 't were more from Lucretia to Cleopatra yet that 's a good round Number and Poets have seldom been old excellent at Cronology Witness Virgil. h Whose Love and Pearls made Tony tipsie Cleopatra dissolv'd in a Draught of Wine gave Mark Anthony a Pearl worth I dont know what i The Maggot bit as well's the Asp. To avoid her being expos'd to the Conquerers Mercy she clapt Vipers to her Breast and dy'd k And lickt his pretty Cubbs at Night Virgils Commentators mention that as his custom to compose some 40 verses and reduce 'em all into 8 or 10. l Sometimes begetting sometimes killing This must be taken Sano Sensu. Take notice I mean Aeneas for one and Dido for t' other m Lugg'd him to Hellâ—a-Pick-a-Pack Aeneas his descent into Hell takes up a fair Cantler in Virgil nor I believe tho' the learned differ here will any quarrel about this Circumstance whither he rode thither on my Maggot or Old Sybilla's Broomstaff n And when I please my self to dart Into a ravisht Lovers Heart And no doubt will be as good Company there as the Fury's Snakey Worms which they are bound to throw into every one they bewitch o Least I like Phaeton should tumble Who fairly broke his Neck from his Fathers Coach-box like Crashaws Dwarf from the Pismires back On two Souldiers killing one another for a Groat FUll doleful Tales have oft been told By Chimney warm in Winter cold About the Sacred Thirst of Gold To hear 'em half 't would mad ye To Jayl how many Headlong run How many a hopeful Youth 's undone How many a vile ungracious Son For this has murder'd Daddy Yet those that tumble Books may find Unless as who can help 't They 're blind That Silver comes not far behind But 's e'ne as bad as t ' other For this who 'd of such luck have thought For this tho' not above a Groat Two Valiant Souldiers lately fought And murder'd one the other Well! who can tell how soon he ' may dye Both as good Friends as You and I Their hungry Wembs to satisfie Scale an enchanted Castle Painted without some think 't a kin To that renowned Fort wherein Quixot the Great such fame did win And with fell Gyants Wrastle a As kind as ever in their Life As kind they sate as Man and Wife O! who among 'em scatter'd Strife That Petty fogging Fury But this is plainly prov'd by all Some Viper to their Hearts did crawl And so they ' l find it if you call An Honest Poets Jury b A Groat was dropt upon the Board This takes it up That draws his Sword And tells him it must be restor'd Or else expect what follows Each gives the Lye and at that Word Each runs upon the t ' other 's Sword And each stretcht fairly Under-board In Blood and Liquor wallows So Aruns and great Brutus fell c And so they fought thô scarce so well So to Elysium or to Hell They sunk I know not whether So on New-markets Jolly Heath The Hawk and Hearn strugling for Breath Thô not in Life yet joyn'd in Death Come tumbling down together d Both grin at their expiring Foe With Sword in Fist both Huffing go To fright the trembling Shades below Bloated with Martial Glory Both in the Bed of Honour rest With Lawrel boâ—ghs and Garlands dress't Perfum'd as sweet as Phenix-Nest And there 's an end o' th' Story Yet take good Counsel Courteous Friend And learn by their untimely End Not about Trifles to contend Or with another grapple Since Carrion-Strife has often wrought Such mischiefs as you 'd ne're ha' thought And murder'd for a Silver Groat As well's a Golden Apple e NOTES a Quixot the Great such fame did win And with fell Gyants Wrastle Vid. Book the p. the of the renowned History of Don Quixot Where the Knight was in great Peril by three dreadful Leather-Bottles of Wine whom after a sore Battle he at last Valiantly hew'd all to pieces b An Honest Poets Iury. 'T is notorious how necessary Actors in any Poetical Murder or Mischief a Fury and a Viper are Vid. Virg. Aenead B. 7. p. l. and if I may profane that great Name so much to quote it here Mr. Cowleys Dav. B. p. l. Virg. Huic Dea caeruleis unum de crinibus anguem Conjicit inque Sinum praecordia ad intima subdit Cowley c So Aruns and great Brutus fell Livy relates it in Book 1st of 1 st Vol. p. 72. 〈◊〉 the first encounter Aruns and Brutus both fell deaâ— from their Horses pierced quite through with one anothers Spears d The Hawk and Hearn came tumbling dowâ— together The Custom of the Hearn when she sees thâ— Hawk stooping at her and no way of escape is 〈◊〉 turn her Long Bill upwards upon which the Hawk not being able to stop runs it self through and so botâ— often drop down dead together e As well's a Golden Apple The Story is worn thed-bare of the Golden Apâ—ple which was the cause of the Wars of Troy The Argument A Tame Snake left in a Box of Bran was devoured by Mice after a great Battle Written An. Dom. 1681. NO Monarch's Death no fall of Prince or King My humble rural Muse intends to sing Let others strive in everlasting-Verse First to make Hero's then t' adorn their Herse Of stranger Tragedys I will complain Low Subjects best befit a lowly Swain Immortal Maro did immortal make The loving Gnat that sav'd him from a Snake The Theme's inverted now why should not I Give my poor harmless Worm an Elegy Why should not I his luckless Fate bemoan Wrong'd and abus'd by all but wronging none Bred in the Fields he oft was bruis'd and broke By ev'ry cross-grain'd Traveller's cruel stroke At length he leaves th' unhospitable Air And to the Town 's Asylum does repair There all his Tricks and all his Slights imparts â—o to revive his Patron 's drooping Hearts Now through a Ring he 'll softly gliding pass Now weave a thousand Circles in the Grass Now in a thousand folds himself he 'll tye Which with the Oraculous Gordian Knot