Woodhouse, James (bap. 1735, d. 1820)

The Life and Lucubrations of Crispinus Scriblerus. A Novel, in Verse, Written in the Last Century

1814, 1816, 1896

One may "Thro' all [of "Learning's golden mine"] puzzling labrynths to trace
The veins of Knowledge--Wit--Sense--Grammar--Grace."

But, to obtain these fascinating hopes,
He must adopt his Aunt's emphatic tropes;
Her Art acquire, her Eloquence imbibe;
To emulate that fam'd sophistic Tribe--
That confidential Pedagogue, divine,
Must store his Mind from Learning's golden Mine--
Thro' all its puzzling labrynths to trace
The veins of Knowledge--Wit--Sense--Grammar--Grace.
There he must grub thro' wonder-working ground,
Where Wit, and Wisdom can, alone, be found.
Must meditate within those magic Cells
Where every Art, and every Science, dwells--
Whose plastic Walls mere Ideots may inspire,
With clear conceptions and poetic fire;
While inbred beams, devoid of outward aid--
Teach every intellect true Logic's trade--
Keep Judgment clear, lead purblind Reason right,
And yield weak Understanding heavenly light,
Lounging at leisure, on each classic Soil,
Prevents all study, and precludes all toil.
There not one high, or affluent, Student, need
Hear Lecture, or dispute--or write--or read--
For that pure Air, those blest Collegians breathe
Pours Genius--Wisdom--Wit--on Blocks beneath--
Sheds true Divinity, on each, full share,
And makes them pious without thanks, or pray'r!

Mineral::Gold Mine

Searching in HDIS (Poetry)

Poem first published in its entirety in 1896. The 1814 first edition receives notice in The New Monthly Magazine (March 1815); the poem was written "in the last century" (w. 1795-1820?).

Text from The Life and Poetical Works of James Woodhouse, ed. R. I. Woodhouse, 2 vols. (London: The Leadenhall Press, 1896). <Link to Hathi Trust> <Link to LION>

05/27/2005