Nicotianae Encomium; Or, The GOLDEN LEAF 
* Ta— Ab Insula Tobacco ubi provenit rectiùs (ni fallor) scribitur quam To—  TOBACCO Displayed in its Sovereignty and singular Virtues.  

YE Hot! ye Cold! ye Rheumatic! draw nigh;  
In this Rich Leaf a Sovereign Dose doth lie  
Will cure ye All; Physic ye need not want,  
Here 'tis i'th' Gummy entrails of a Plant.  
To purge the Breast from Phlegm, to give a Stool  
To costive Bodies, glowing Veins to cool;  
To rouse up Spirits, and i'll Blood to heat,  
To raise the Pulse, and make it nimbly beat;  
Each Joint and Nerve (from Head to Foot) to warm  
With Active Vigour— Her's your Powerful Charm!  
And if th' Grand Bugbear-Toad, the Plague, ye fear,  
Lo! under God, your Antidote is here.  
Brave Leaf! thou act's the Able Doctor's Part,  
In thee there's wrapped an Aesculapian Art.  
Thou 
*  Dei Ministra, non adulterata, & modicè sumpta.  frights Infection, bribe's our Fatal Dooms,  
Prolongs our Lives, and saves us from our Tombs,  
Perfumes our Throats, our Mouths, our , our Rooms:  
Thou Sleep procures, and rock'st our Cradle-Beds,  
Still'st aching Teeth, and cures our aching Heads;  
'Tis Salve, no Smoke sure, which thy Chimney sheds.  
Thy Juice ('tis said) Medicinal is found,  
It heals (tho' poisoned) any bleeding Wound:  
Then such as would Extemp're-Surg'ons be,  
Must not Box-up, but only Bottle Thee;  
Not dry thy Leaf, but Drained (this understood  
Prevents abuse) for them thy liquour's good.  
A Vomit-Broome made of thy Syrup, sweeps  
(When foul) and clean the stomach's Kitchen keeps:  
Cooks! think of this; ye are by right (ye see)  
No Smoakers, but as Chimney-sweepers be;  
To clear your Cockrooms from Diseased Dust,  
Or make or buy Tabacco-Broomes ye must.  
Now for your use, I think they might do well,  
If some would Cry'om, others keep to Sell:  
So 'bout this Oak, like Ivy might ye twist,  
And each Bro ' live on's Bro '— Tabaconist.  
Ne'er fear to Break, ye Prentices to th' Trade!  
Your Leaf may Whither, but it cannot Fade:  
By Wholesale, Retale vend your Herb; the while  
Let some Sail o'er to the Tabakian I'll;  
There Plant, and Reap, and fill their builded Cribbs,  
And others mince Her Broad Transported Ribs:  
Here starts a Paradox;— Thus some that do  
No Purses take, may live by Cutting tho'.  
Then fill your Boxes, store your Shops anew,  
And Pipe, and Dance, and Sing, ye Jolly Crew!  
For whilst ye join, and each Man drives his Trade,  
Tho' your Leaf Wither, yet it shall not Fade;  
But Coin shall Court y●, and ye shall go Brave,  
As Merchants do that many Factors have,  
And all have Cause to cry— O Virtue rare!  
What Other Leaf may with Our Leaf Compare?  
Brave Leaf! thou acts the Able Doctor 's Part,  
In thee there's wrapped an Aesculapian Art.  
Thy Bowels Sovereign Balsam drop, when burned,  
And thou art good to Dust and Ashes turned;  
Thy Sneezing Powder has the art to drain  
From all Rheumatic Humours, Head and Brain,  
Which trickle down, as Water from the Rose,  
Through th'open Conduits of the Mouth and Nose.  
Come Distillations! Tissicks! Coughs! Catharres!  
All Colds, all Moisture's Offspring! that make Wars.  
With Eyes, Gums, Lungs; Diseases— Hydra! bow  
Thy Neck to th'Block, expect the Fatal Blow:  
Tobacco! here behold this Monster lie,  
With Apron and with Butcher-Sleeves draw nigh,  
Strike with thy Smoakey Axe! Strike! strike!— 'tis done!  
The Blow is given, off the Heads are gone!  
Great Creature-Word! Who can thy Letters tell!  
Or knowledge has thy Syllables to spell!  
Those choice Effects thy Virtue yet affords  
Swell much beyond the narrow Grasp of Words:  
I falter here;— Thy Depths are too profound  
For Reason, and her Line too short to sound  
Or fathome'om; how can my Heart indite  
Thy hidden Secrets! or thy praises writ  
How can my ABC and  Quill!  
This claims some Rabbies,— yea an Angel's skill.  
The Quickest Artist versed in Nature's Mine,  
May sooner read a Sybil's Leaf than Thine.  
If so, how high doth Nature's Folio swell!  
If little Words, large pages sure excel  
The strength and stature of the tallest Sage,  
With which no Mortal's able to engage:  
Sure these Goliaths with their Spear and Shield  
Challenge the stoutest David into th' Field.  
What's th' Bark to th' Tree! can none peruse or look  
The Covers o'er! who then can read the Book!  
What e'er the heavens contain, or Earthly Ball,  
Perspectives are to view Man's All in All,  
Fair Copies of that Great ORIGINAL:  
Strait Lines which in this Centre are connext,  
Sermons that Comment on this Sacred Text.  
Even here the Learned of Learning see their want,  
By knowledge learn to know they're ignorant.  
My Muse was nipped i'th' Bud; a Poet's Name  
Belongs to such whose Truebred Genius flame,  
As Lackey by His Side this Rush shall run,  
Whose Taper-Muse is lighted at the SuN:  
With brighter Beams some Noble Solemnising might grace  
This Subject, and my Luna's spotted face.  
Rise ●●●…is Orb, Brave Luminary! mine  
Shall quickly Set, and give You room to Shine:  
Mean time, this Star, as Harbinger of Day,  
Shall March before Your more Refulgent Ray.    

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