YES, I have read them—but I cannot find Much depth of sense in writers of this kind: They all retail, as they proceed along, Or superficial sentiments or wrong: Of "Reason! Reason!" they repeat the cries, And "Reason's use"—which nobody denies. All sharers in it follow, I suppose, Each one his reason, as he does his nose, When he intends to reach a certain spot, Whether he finds the road to it or not: With equal sense a @3postulatum@1 begs The use of reason as the use of legs. Full well these rational adepts declaim On points, at which their reason can take aim; But when they talk beyond them, what mistakes, Of various kind, their various reason makes! All are for one same rule; and in its use All singly clear, and mutually abstruse. What plainer demonstration can be had, That @3their@1 original pretence is bad; @3Who@1 say—@3Their own, or human reason's light Must needs direct them to determine right?@1 What greater proof of a superior skill Needful to reas'ners, reason how they will? Sense to discern, and Reason to compare, Are gifts that merit our improving care; But want an inward light, when all is done, As seeds and plants do that of outward sun: Main help neglected, tasteless fruits arise; And wisdom grows insipid in the wise. Tho' all these reason-worshippers profess To guard against fanatical excess; Enthusiastic @3heat@1, their fav'rite theme, Draws their attention to the @3cold@1 extreme; Their fears of @3torrid@1 fervors freeze a soul; To shun the @3zone@1 they send it to the @3pole.@1 The very sound of @3rational@1 and @3plain@1 Contents,—where sense is neither of the twain,— A world of readers; whose polite concern Is to be learned, without pains to learn. To please their palates with a modish treat, Cheap is the cost, and here is the @3receipt@1— "Let reason, first, imagination, passions, "Be clean dress'd up in pretty-worded fashions; "Then let Imagination, Passions, Reason, "Change places round, at each commodious season; "Till Reason, Passions, and Imagination "Have prov'd the point, by their complete rotation." |