Is like—a duckling by Dame Partlett reared,

And frights—especially if 'tis a daughter,

Th' old Hen—by running headlong to the water.

V.

There is a common-place book argument,

Which glibly glides from every tongue;

When any dare a new light to present,

"If you are right, then everybody's wrong"!

Suppose the converse of this precedent

So often urged, so loudly and so long;