Classic Poem

Such Verse as Bowles, heart-honour'd Poet, sang,
That wakes the Tear yet steals away the Pang,
Then or with Berkley or with Hobbes romance it
Dissecting Truth with metaphysic lancet.
Or drawn from up those dark unfathom'd Wells
In wiser folly clink the Cap & Bells.
How many tales we told! what jokes we made!
Conundrum, Crambo, Rebus, or Charade;
AEnigmas, that had driven the Theban' mad,
And Puns then best when exquisitely bad;
And I, if aught of archer vein I hit,
With my own Laughter stifled my own Wit.