This said, he turn'd about his steed, And eftsoons on th' adventure rid; 200 Where leave we him and RALPH a while, And to the Conjurer turn our stile, To let our reader understand What's useful of him before-hand. He had been long t'wards mathematicks, 205 Optics, philosophy, and staticks, Magick, horoscopy, astrology, And was old dog at physiology But as a dog that turns the spit Bestirs himself, and plies his feet, 210 To climb the wheel, but all in vain, His own weight brings him down again, And still he's in the self-same place Where at his setting out h was So in the circle of the arts 215 Did he advance his nat'ral parts, Till falling back still, for retreat, He fell to juggle, cant, and cheat: For as those fowls that live in water Are never wet, he did but smatter: 220 Whate'er he labour'd to appear, His understanding still was clear Yet none a deeper knowledge boasted, Since old <c> HODGE-BACON and BOB GROSTED. Th' Intelligible World he knew, 225 And all men dream on't to be true; That in this world there's not a wart That has not there a counterpart; Nor can there on the face of ground An individual beard be found, 230 That has not, in that foreign nation, A fellow of the self-same fashion So cut, so colour'd, and so curl'd, As those are in th' Inferior World. H' had read DEE's Prefaces before, 235 The DEV'L, and EUCLID, o'er and o'er; And all the intrigues 'twixt him and KELLY, LESCUS and th' EMPEROR, wou'd tell ye; But with the Moon was more familiar Than e'er was almanack well-willer; 240 Her secrets understood so clear, That some believ'd he had been there; Knew when she was in the fittest mood For cutting corns, or letting blood; When for anointing scabs or itches, 245 Or to the bum applying leeches; When sows and bitches may be spay'd, And in what sign best cyder's made: Whether the wane be, or increase, Best to set garlick, or sow pease: 250 Who first found out the Man i' th' Moon, That to the ancients was unknown; How many dukes, and earls, and peers, Are in the planetary spheres; Their airy empire and command, 255 Their sev'ral strengths by sea and land; What factions th' have, and what they drive at In public vogue, or what in private; With what designs and interests Each party manages contests. 260 He made an instrument to know If the Moon shine at full or no; That wou'd as soon as e'er she shone, straight Whether 'twere day or night demonstrate; Tell what her d'meter t' an inch is, 265 And prove that she's not made of green cheese. It wou'd demonstrate, that the Man in The Moon's a Sea Mediterranean; And that it is no dog nor bitch,