Yet TRUTH will force herself, in spite
Of all their efforts, into light.
See Bigot Monks in Spain prevail,
See GALILEO dragg'd to gaol :
Hear the grave Doctors of the schools,
The Golgotha of learned Fools,
As damnable and impious brand
That art they cannot underftand,
And out of zeal pervert the Bible,
As if it were a standing Libel,
On every good and useful plan
That rifes in the brain of man.
O BIGOTRY! whofe frantic rage
Has blotted half the claffic page,
And in Religion's drunken fit,
Murder'd the Greek and Roman wit;
Who zealous for that Faith's encrease,
Whole ways are righteoufnefs and peace,
With rods and whips, and fword, and axe,
With prifons, tortures, flames and racks;
With perfecution's fiery goad,
Enforcing fome new-fangl'd mode,
Wouldft pluck down REASON from her throne
To raise some fantom of thy own;
Alas! thy fury undifcerning,
Which blafts, and ftunts, and hews up Learning,
Like an ill-judging zealous friend,
Blafphemes that Wisdom you defend.
Go, kick the prostituted whores,
The nine ftale virgins out of doors;
For let the Abbefs beat her drum,
Eleven thousand troops fhall come;
All female forms, and virgins true,
As ever Saint or Poet knew.
And glorious be the honour'd name
Of WINIFREDE, of SAINTED fame,
Who to the Church like light'ning fped,
And ran three miles without her head;
(Well might the modeft Lady run,
Since 'twas to keep her maiden one)
And when before the congregation
The Prince fell dead for reparation,
Secure of Life as well as Honour,
Ran back with both her heads upon her.
No matter of what fhape or fize,
Gulp down the Legendary Lies,
Believe, what neither God ordains,
Nor Chrift allows, nor fenfe maintains;
Make Saint of Pope, or Saint of Thief,
Believe almoft in unbelief;
Yet with thy folemn priestly air,
By book and bell, and candle fwear,
That God has made his own elect
But from your ftem and favorite fect
That He who made the world, has bleft
One part alone, to damn the reft,
As if th' Allmerciful and Juft,
Who form'd us of one common dust,
Had rendered up his own decree,
And lent his attributes to thee.
Thus his own eyes the Bigot blinds,
To fhut out light from human minds,
And the clear truth (an emanation
From the great Author of creation,
A beam transmitted from on high,
To bring us nearer to the sky,
While ev'ry path by science trod,
Leads us with wonder up to God)
Is doom'd by Ignorance to make
Atonement at the Martyr's stake;
Tho', like pure gold, th' illuftrious dame,
Comes forth the brighter from the flame.
No perfecution will avail,
No inquifition racks, nor gaol;
When Learning's more enlight'ned ray
Shall drive these fickly fogs away;
A thankful age fhall pay her more,
Than all her troubles hurt before.
See Shame and Scorn await on those
Who poorly dar'd to be her foes,
But will the grateful voice of fame
Sink Truth, and GALILEO's name?
How wilful, obftinate and blind,
Are the main herd of human kind!'
Well faid the Wit, who well had tried
That malice which his Parts defied;
When merit's fun begins to break,
The Dunces ftretch, and ftrive to wake,
And amity of Dunce with Dunce,
Fingers out Genius all at once.
As you may find the honey out,
By feeing all the flies about:
All ugly Women hate a toast;
The goodlieft fruit is pick'd the most;
The ivy winds about the oak,
And to the fairest comes the smoke.
Escap'd the dangers of the deep, When GULLIVER fell faft afleep, Stretch'd on the Lilliputian ftrand, A Giant in a pigmy Land; Watchful against impending harms, All Lilliput cried out, To arms; The trumpets echoed all around, The Captain flept exceeding found, Tho' crowds of undistinguish'd fize Affail'd his body, legs and thighs, While clouds of arrows flew apace, And fell like feathers on his face.
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