The DROPSICAL MAN. William Taylor Alexander Huber Editor Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford
Broad Street Oxford OX1 3BG UK
Eighteenth-Century Poetry Archive
Taylor Institution Library St Giles' Oxford OX1 3NA UK info@eighteenthcenturypoetry.org https://www.eighteenthcenturypoetry.org/
Oxford This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. T131163 K104099.006 Dodsley, Robert, 1703-1764. A Collection of Poems in Six Volumes. By Several Hands. Vol. VI. London printed by J. Hughs, for R. and J. Dodsley 1763 [1st ed. 1758] p. 125. 6v.: music; 8⁰.

This e-text is part of the Works section of the Eighteenth-Century Poetry Archive (ECPA).

XML created for the Eighteenth-Century Poetry Archive (ECPA).

The text has been typographically modernized, but without any silent modernization of spelling, capitalization, or punctuation. The source of the text is given and all editorial interventions have been recorded in textual notes. Based on the electronic text originally produced by the TCP project, this text has been edited to conform to the recommendations found in Level 5 of the Best Practices for TEI in Libraries version 4.0.0.

Library of Congress Name Authority File (LCNAF) text-indent: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: center; text-align: right; text-align: left; display: inline font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;
The DROPSICAL MAN . By Mr. W. TAYLOR . A JOLLY , brave toper , who cou'd not forbear Tho' his life was in danger , old port and stale beer , Gave the doctors the hearing — but still wou'd drink on , Till the dropsy had swell'd him as big as a ton . The more he took physic the worse still he grew , And tapping was now the last thing he cou'd do . Affairs at this crisis , and doctors come down , He began to consider — so sent for his son . Tom , see by what courses I've shorten'd my life , I'm leaving the world ere I'm forty and five ; More than probable 'tis , that in twenty-four hours , This manor , this house , and estate will be yours ; My early excesses may teach you this truth , That 'tis working for death to drink hard in one's youth . Says Tom , ( who's a lad of a generous spirit , And not like young rakes who 're in haste to inherit , ) Sir , don't be dishearten'd ; altho' it be true , Th' operation is painful , and hazardous too , 'Tis no more than what many a man has gone thro' . And then , as for years , you may yet be call'd young , Your life after this may be happy and long . Don't flatter me , Tom , was the father's reply , With a jest in his mouth and a tear in his eye ; Too well by experience , my vessels , thou know'st , No sooner are tap'd , but they give up the ghost .