"Forsince Daphne to shun me grew into a laurel, "With the sex I have sworn still to keep up the quarrel." I thought it a joke, 'till by writing to you, I'LL not believe that Phoebus did not smile : Unhappily for you I know his style; To strains like yours, of old his harp he strung, Did beauteous Daphne's scorn of proffer'd love TAR-WATER, A BALLAD: INSCRIBED TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE PHILIP EARL OF CHESTERFIELD. SINCE good Master Prior, Without being counted to blame, Vulgar patrons hath scorn'd, And his treatise adorn'd With the lustre of Chesterfield's name ; Great Mecænas of arts! And all men of parts, (Tho' they're not much the growth of the time) I hope 'twill be meet To lay at your feet The same lofty subject in rhyme. Then come, let us sing! Death, a fig for thy sting! I think we shall serve thee a trick; For the Bishop of Cloyne* Hast at last laid a mine, That will blow up both thee and old Nick, Have but faith in his treatise,t Tho' you've stone, diabetes, Gout, or fever, tar-water 's specific; If you're costive, 'twill work ; If you purge, 'tis a cork; And, if old, it will make you prolific. * Bishop Berkeley. + The title of the excellent Bishop Berkeley's work on this subject is "Siris," a chain of philosophical reflections and inquiries concerning the virtues of Tar-water, and divers other subjects, connected together and arising one from another; which was followed by " An authentic Narrative of the success of Tar-water, in curing a great number and variety of distempers; with remarks and occasional papers relative to the subject: to which are subjoined, two Letters from the author of Siris, shewing the medicinal properties of Tar-water, and the best manner of making it." By Thomas Prior, Esq. All ye fair ones, who lie sick, Leave off doctors and physic, Tar-water will cure all your ails; Have you rheums or defluctions, It will set right your heads and your tails. See, each tall slender maid Now lifts up her head, Like a beautiful fir on the mountain! While, salubrious, flow, From a fissure below, The streams of a turpentine * fountain. Each Nymph from afar, (So alike is the smell) Can't know a from a cart wheel. Turpentine the principal ingredient of Tar, is thus extracted from the fir-tree. |