Melius Purgatur Stomachus Per

VOMITUM QUAM PER SECESSUM.

Dum vires refero vomitus et nobile munus, Da mini de vomitu, grandis Homere, tuo. Nempe olim, multi cum carminis anxia moles Vexabat stomachum, magne Poeta, tuum; Aegraque jejuno tenuebat pectora morsu, Jussit et in crudam semper hiare famem: Phoebus, ut est medicus, vomitoria pocula praebens, Morbum omnem longos expulit in vomitus. Protinus et centum incumbunt toto ore Poetae, Certantes sacras lambere relliquias. Quod vix fecissent, scio, si medicamen ineptum Venisset misere posteriore via. Quippe per anfractus caecique volumina ventris Sacra, putas, hostem vult medicina sequi? Tam turpes tenebras haec non dignatur, at ipsum Sedibus ex imis imperiosa trahit.

ERGO:

Per vomitum stomachus melius purgabitur, alvus Quam qua secretis exit opaca viis.

NOTE.

While we do not deem it expedient to translate this somewhat coarse jeu d'esprit, its sentiment and allusions will be found anticipated in the lines 'To the Reader, upon the Author his Kins-man,' prefixed to 'Follie's Anatomie; or Satyres and Satyricall Epigrams; with a compendious History of Ixion's Wheele. Compiled by Henry Hutton, Dunelmensis.' London, 1619 (pp. 3-4)--which we give here:

Old Homer in his time made a great feast, And every Poet was thereat a guest: All had their welcome, yet not all one fare; To them above the salt (his chiefest care) He spread a banquet of choice Poesie, Whereon they fed even to satietie. The lower end had from that end their cates; For Homer, setting open his dung-gates, Delivered from that dresser excrement, Whereon they glutted, and returned in print. Let no man wonder that I this rehearse; Nought came from Homer but it turned to verse. Now where our Author was, at this good cheere, Where was his place, or whether he were there; Whether he waited, or he tooke away, Of this same point I cannot soothly say. But this I ghesse: being then a dandiprat, Some witty Poet took him on his lap, And fed him, from above, with some choice bit. Hence his acumen, and a ready wit. But prayers from a friendly pen ill thrive, And truth's scarce truth, spoke by a relative. Let envy, therefore, give her vote herein: Envy and th' Author sure are nought akin. He personate bad Envy; yet say so, He lickt at Homer's mouth, not from below. R[ALPH] H[UTTON].

Percy Society edit. (Rimbault), 1842. Both Hutton and Crashaw remind us of the like sportiveness (rough) in Dryden and Byron. G.