The vanity of dogmatizing: or confidence in opinions

A horizontal row of decorative cross-shaped fleurons marks the beginning of the poem.

TO HIS

Ingenious Friend the Author, on his

Vanity of DOGMATIZING.

Let vaunting Knowledge now strike sail,
And unto modest Ignorance vail lower in respect.
Our firmest Science (when all's done)
Is naught but bold Opinion.
He that hath conquered every Art
The Encyclopedia all by heart;
Is but some few conjectures better
Than he that cannot read a letter.
If any certainty there be,
'Tis this, that there's no certainty.
Reason's a draught that does display,
And cast its aspects every way.
It does acknowledge no back parts,
'Tis faced like Janus the two-faced Roman god of beginnings: and regards
Opposite sides; what one frowns on,
The other face sweetly smiles upon.
Then may the Sciolist a person who has only superficial knowledge hereby
Correct his Metoposcopy the art of judging character from the lines of the forehead.
Let him, ere censure reason, sound
And view her lineaments all round.
And since that Science he has none,
Let him with you his nescience ignorance or lack of knowledge own.

Weakness acknowledged is best:
And imperfection when confessed.
Meek and unboasting Ignorance,
Is but a single impotence:
But when it is clad in high profession,
'Tis then a double imperfection.
A silly Ape struttingly dressed,
Would but appear the greater jest.
But your example teacheth us
To become less ridiculous.
He that would learn, but what you show,
The narrow bounds of what men know:
And would but take a serious view,
Of the foundations with you:
He'd scarce his confidence adventure,
On bottoms which are so unsure.
In disquisitions' first gust the first burst of inquiry or debate
It would be shipwrecked, sunk, and lost.