PART II.

THIRD CANTO.

The Argument.

The Knight, with various doubts poffeft
To win the Lady, goes in quest
Of Sidrophel the Rofy-crucian,

To know the deft'nies' resolution :

With whom being met, they both chop logic

About the fcience aftrologic.

Till falling from dispute to fight,

The Conjurer's worsted by the Knight.

Part 2. Canto 3. Line 527.

I.Ref sculp.

HUDI BRA S.

CANTO III.

DOUBTLESS the pleasure is as great
Of being cheated, as to cheat;
As lookers-on feel most delight,
That least perceive a juggler's flight,
And still the less they understand,

The more th' admire his flight of hand.

5

Some with a noise, and greasy light,
Are fnapt, as men catch larks by night,
Enfnar'd and hamper'd by the foul,
As nooses by the legs catch fowl.
Some, with a med'cine, and receipt,
Are drawn to nibble at the bait ;
And tho' it be a two-foot trout,
'Tis with a single hair pull'd out.

Others believe no voice t' an organ

So fweet as lawyer's in his bar-gown,
Until, with fubtle cobweb-cheats,

10

15

They're catch'd in knotted law, like nets;
In which, when once they are imbrangled,
The more they stir, the more they're tangled ;
And while their purses can dispute,

There's no end of th' immortal fuit.

Others still gape t' anticipate

The cabinet-defigns of fate,

Apply to wizards, to foresee

What fhall, and what fhall never be ;
And as thofe vultures do forebode,
Believe events prove bad or good;

A flam more fenfeless than the roguery
Of old aurufpicy and aug'ry,

That out of garbages of cattle

Prefag'd th' events of truce or battle;

From flight of birds, or chickens pecking,
Success of great'st attempts would reckon :
Tho' cheats, yet more intelligible

Than those that with the stars do fribble.

25

30

35

This Hudibras by proof found true,

As in due time and place we'll fhew :

For he, with beard and face made clean,

Being mounted on his steed again,

40

And Ralpho got a cock-horse too,
Upon his beast, with much ado,