Page:Hudibras - Volume 1 (Butler, Nash, Bohn; 1859).djvu/115

CANTO II.] To get on them a race of champions, Of which old Homer first made lampoons. Arctophylax, in northern sphere, Was his undoubted ancestor; From whom his great forefathers came, And in all ages bore his name: Learned he was in med'c'nal lore, For by his side a pouch he wore, Replete with strange hermetic powder, That wounds nine miles point-blank would solder; By skilful chymist, with great cost, Extracted from a rotten post; But of a heav'nlier influence Than that which mountebanks dispense; Tho' by Promethean fire made, As they do quack that drive that trade. For as when slovens do amiss At others' doors, by stool or piss, The learned write, a red-hot spit Being prudently applied to it, Will convey mischief from the dung Unto the breech that did the wrong; So this did healing, and as sure As that did mischief, this would cure.
 * Thus virtuous Orsin was endued

With learning, conduct, fortitude Incomparable; and as the prince Of poets, Homer, sung long since,