On The Crew Of A Certain Vessel[330]

Several of whom happened to be of similar names to Celebrated Foreign Clergymen

In life's unsettled, odd career What changes every day appear To please or plague the eye: A goodly brotherhood of priests Are here transformed to swearing beasts Who heaven and hell defy.

Here Bonner, bruised with many a knock, Has changed his surplice for a frock; Old Erskine swabs the decks, And Watts, who once such pleasure took In writing Hymns--here, turned a cook, Sinners no longer vex.

Here Burnet, Tillotson, and Blair, With Jemmy Hervey, curse and swear, Here Cudworth mixes grog; Pearson the crew to dinner hails, A graceless Sherlock trims the sails, And Bunyan heaves the log.

The index to the edition of 1795 instead of "vessel" gives "ship of war." The text follows the edition of 1809.