It pass'd from Mahomet to Moses:

Beginning with the laws which keep

The planets in their radiant courses,

And ending with some precept deep

For dressing eels, or shoeing horses.

He was a shrewd and sound divine,

Of loud dissent the mortal terror;

And when, by dint of page and line,

He 'stablish'd truth, or startled error,

The Baptist found him far too deep,