Hudibras

He knew what's what, and that's as high

As metaphysic wit can fly.

In school-divinity as able
As he that hight irrefragable;

A fecond Thomas, or at once,
To name them all, another Duns:
Profound in all the nominal,

And real ways, beyond them all ;
And, with as delicate a hand,
Could twist as tough a rope of fand;
And weave fine cobwebs, fit for fcull
That's empty when the moon is full;
Such as take lodgings in a head
That's to be let unfurnished.

He could raise scruples dark and nice,
And after folve 'em in a trice;

As if Divinity had catch'd

The itch, on purpose to be scratch'd ;

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Or, like a mountebank, did wound
And ftab herself with doubts profound,
Only to fhew with how small pain
The fores of Faith are cur'd again;

Altho' by woful proof we find,
They always leave a scar behind.
He knew the feat of Paradife,
Could tell in what degree it lies;

And, as he was difpos'd, could prove it,
Below the moon, or else above it:
What Adam dreamt of when his bride
Came from her closet in his fide:
Whether the devil tempted her
By an High-Dutch interpreter :
If either of them had a navel;
Who first made music malleable :
Whether the serpent, at the fall,
Had cloven feet, or none at all.

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All this without a glofs, or comment,
He could unriddle in a moment,

In proper terms, such as men fmatter,
When they throw out, and miss the matter.

For his Religion, it was fit

To match his learning and his wit:

'Twas Presbyterian, true blue,

For he was of that stubborn crew

Of errant faints, whom all men grant
To be the true church militant:

Such as do build their faith

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