Page:The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, Volume 8.djvu/153

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DR. HELSHAM S ANSWER.
143

I desire you will carry both these to the doctor, together with his own; and let him know we are not persons to be insulted.

"Can you match with me,
Who send thirty-three?
You must get fourteen more,
To make up thirty-four:
But, if me you can conquer,
I'll own you a strong cur[1]."

This morning I'm growing, by smelling of yew, sick;
My brother's come over with gold from Peru sick;
Last night I came home in a storm that then blew sick;
This moment my dog at a cat I halloo sick;
I hear, from good hands, that my poor cousin Hugh's sick;
By quaffing a bottle, and pulling a screw sick:
And now there's no more I can write (you'll excuse) sick;
You see that I scorn to mention word musick.
I'll do my best,
To send the rest;
Without a jest,
I'll stand the test.

These lines that I send you, I hope you'll peruse sick;
I'll make you with writing a little more news sick;
Last night I came home with drinking of booze sick;

  1. The lines "thus mark'd" were written by Dr. Swift, at the bottom of Dr. Helsham's twenty lines; and the following fourteen were afterward added on the same paper. N.

My