To Dr. Helsham

When I left you, I found myself of the grape's juice sick;I'm so full of pity I never abuse sick;And the patientest patient ever you knew sick;Both when I am purge-sick, and when I am spew-sick.I pitied my cat, whom I knew by her mew sick:She mended at first, but now she's anew sick.Captain Butler made some in the church black and blue sick.Dean Cross, had he preach'd, would have made us all pew-sick.Are not you, in a crowd when you sweat and you stew, sick?Lady Santry got out of the church when she grew sick,And as fast as she could, to the deanery flew sick.Miss Morice was (I can assure you 'tis true) sick:For, who would not be in that numerous crew sick?Such music would make a fanatic or Jew sick,Yet, ladies are seldom at ombre or loo sick.Nor is old Nanny Shales, whene'er she does brew, sick.My footman came home from the church of a bruise sick,And look'd like a rake, who was made in the stews sick:But you learned doctors can make whom you choose sick:And poor I myself was, when I withdrew, sick:For the smell of them made me like garlic and rue sick,And I got through the crowd, though not led by a clew, sick.Yet hoped to find many (for that was your cue) sick;But there was not a dozen (to give them their due) sick,And those, to be sure, stuck together like glue sick.So are ladies in crowds, when they squeeze and they screw, sick;You may find they are all, by their yellow pale hue, sick;So am I, when tobacco, like Robin, I chew, sick.