Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB
[blocks in formation]

By LEMUEL GULLIVER, Poet Laureat to the King of LILLIPUT.

[merged small][ocr errors][merged small]

SIR,

In

Believe no one will difpute your Right to this little Poem, any more than your prefiding over that Diverfion it celebrates; therefore I shall, without Excufe, lay it at your Feet.

The Flattery of Dedications has been often explod ed: to avoid the most diftant Imputation of which I Shall omit feveral Things that (perhaps) might not be justly fo called: And that the more readily,

A 3

fince

fince your Merit is fo well known, it wou'd be only publishing what is in every one's Mouth.

I cannot however help congratulating you on that Gift of Nature, by which you seem so adapted to the Poft you enjoy. I mean that natural Mafque, which is too vifible a Perfection to be here infifted on and, I am fure, never fails of making an Impression on the most indifferent Beholder.

Another Gift of Nature, which you seem to enjoy in no fmall Degree, is that modeft Confidence fupporting you in every Act of your Life. Certainly, a great Bleffing! For I always have obferv'd, that Brafs in the Forehead draws Gold into the Pocket.

As for what Mankind calls Virtues, I shall not compliment you on them: Since you are fo wife to keep them fecret from the World, far be it from me to publish them; efpecially fince they are Things which lie out of the Way of your Calling.

Here I beg Leave to contradict two fcandalous Afperfions which have been spread against you. Firft, That you are a Bd.

Secondly, A Conjurer.

Whoever has feen you at a M-fq--r-de, cannot believe the firft and you have given feveral InStances at White's, that you are not the other. But what fignifies attempting to confute what needs no Confutation? Befides, you have fo great a Soul, that you defpife all Scandal and live in the World with the fame Indifference, that People have at a Mafquerade where they are not known. Smile then (if you can fmile) on my Endeavours, and this little Poem, with Gandour ~for which the Author defires no more Gratuity than a Ticket for your next Ball, and is, SIR,

From my Garret in Grub-Street

Your moft Obedient,

Humble Servant,

Lemuel Gulliver.

THE

MASQUERADE, &c.

S

OME call Curiofity an Evil,

And fay 'twas that, by which the Devil
With Eve. fucceeded, in his Suit,

To tafte the dear forbidden Fruit.

Others, (allowing this) yet wou'd
Prove it has done lefs Harm than Good.
To this (fay They) whate'er we know
In Arts or Sciences, we owe.

To this, how juftly are attributed

What Wftn, Hy, have exhibited!
From this, we borrow Hopes of greater
Discoveries of Madam Nature.
Hence, is our Expectation gain'd,
To fee the Longitude explain'd.
'Tis this, which fets the Chymift on,
To fearch that fecret-natur'd Stone,
Which the Philofophers have told,
When found, turns all Things into Gold,
But being hunted, and not caught,
Oh! fad Reverse! turns Gold to nought.
Britain may hence her Knowledge brag,
Of Lilliput and Brobdingnag :
This Paflion dictated that Voyage,
Which will be parallel'd in no Age.
'Twas this which furl'd my fwelling Sails,
And bid me truft uncertain Gales;
Gave me thro' unknown Seas a Lift,
And, fpight of Dangers, made me Swift.

A 4

'Tis

« AnteriorContinuar »