IN THE MOON.
25
505 Amaz'd, confounded, and afflicted,
To be so openly convicted,
Immediately they get them gone,
With this Discovery alone;
That those who greedily pursue
510 Things wonderful, instead of true;
That in their Speculations chuse
To make Discoveries strange News;
And Nat'ral History a Gazette
Of Tales stupendous, and far-fet;
515 Hold no Truth worthy to be known,
That is not huge, and over-grown,
And explicate Appearances,
Not as they are, but as they please,
In vain strive Nature to suborn,
510 And, for their Pains, are paid with Scorn.
To be so openly convicted,
Immediately they get them gone,
With this Discovery alone;
That those who greedily pursue
510 Things wonderful, instead of true;
That in their Speculations chuse
To make Discoveries strange News;
And Nat'ral History a Gazette
Of Tales stupendous, and far-fet;
515 Hold no Truth worthy to be known,
That is not huge, and over-grown,
And explicate Appearances,
Not as they are, but as they please,
In vain strive Nature to suborn,
510 And, for their Pains, are paid with Scorn.
useful Philosophy, but only that conceited and whimsical Taste for the marvelous and surprizing, which prevailed so much among the Learned of that Age. And though it would be ungrateful, not to acknowledge the many useful Improvements then made in natural Knowledge; yet, in justice to the Satyrist, it must be confess'd that these curious Inquirers into Nature did sometimes in their Researches run into a superstitious and unphilosophical Credulity, which deserved very well to be laughed at.
