Come Cease All Your Pother

Come cease all your pother, about this or that; All discord and envy let pass; The tatler who talks of he cannot tell what, May justly be reckon'd an ass, an ass.

The beau who befrizzles and tortures his hair, To heighten his delicate shape. (While ever grimace is the end of his care) Deserves to be reckon'd an ape.

The cynical churl, who would fain be thought wise, And doth constantly cavil and growl, (Tho' this may be wisdom in sorne people's eyes) Deserves to be reckon'd an owl,

The glutton who, greedy, for ever would stuff On all the fine dishes in vogue, Who ne'er content, would have more than enough, Deserves to be reckon'd a hog.

The clown, who, tho' clumsy, would active be thought, Or wonderous clever appear, As the fable can show—put him into a boat, And he'll prove nothing else but a bear.

The merchant who ventures o'er Afric' to roam, In hazardous search after luck,— Ne'er knows that his lady hath gallants at home, Who dubs the poor cuckold a buck.

The innocent fool who believes he's secure, In the middle of danger to sleep, Who dreads no deceit from the Foxes in pow'r, Deserves to be reckon'd a sheep.

The gossip, brim full of an ill-natur'd tale, Runs over with awkward abuse;— Whilst this cackling humour doth ever prevail, She deserves to be reckon'd a goose.

The rogue, who in plundering and silching replete Th' unwary draws into a gulf, Who lives but to murder, to rob, and to cheat, May justly be reckon'd a wolf.

But he whom good sense and good-nature inspire, To do all the good that he can, While justice and virtue are all his desire, May justly be reckon'd a man, a man. May justly be reckon'd a man.