Classic Poem

I.

The Sober Ass, who never Drinks,
Is more the Dull Sot, or Brute Beast;
Since but the more, any Man thinks,
His Cares and Fears more are increas'd;
Then in his true Senses sure only is he,
Who makes his Sense most with his Senses agree;

II.

Sobriety more were Man's Shame,
Which makes Youth more Dull and Morose;
Brave Hero's more Fearful and Tame,
Good Wits, with much Thinking does doze;
Makes more Sots of Lovers, for want of their Wine,
Who, when they shou'd force Love, but beg, fawn, and whine;

III.

But no Man can weaker be made,
By Lusty Wine, or by Stout Drink;
Which but our Weak Faculties aid,
And help us to do, talk, or think;
To make the most modest Wits more to talk on,
Our noisie weak Brothers more soon to have done;

IV.

Wine takes from weak Bablers their Speech,
It to the dumb, modest Man gives;
Makes Silent Men o'er their Cups Preach;
The Dead in Love often revives;
The Lawless Man likewise does Hand and Foot bind,
Yet opens the Heart, and unburthens the Mind;

V.

By Wine then no Reason we lose,
All by it, to all Reason do;
By Wine, more Good-natur'd each grows,
Which makes a good Friend of a Foe;
Then Drinking no Crime is, which Guilt does prevent,
Which makes Man, as more a Beast, more innocent;

VI.

So Drunkenness does not debase
Man, to the Degree of a Beast;
Does Him above Common Sense raise,
Whose Joys are most, as his Thoughts least;
Who, when in Wine-Ecstacies most high he's flown,
All Cares of Life, Fears of Death, to him, are none.