Classic Poem

Inscribed to the Right Honourable M. C. Difficile est proprie communia dicere . HOR.

I sing a subject sung by no man,
A common man and yet uncommon;
For I may venture to declare,
Such common men are very rare;
A man, who rightly understood
Is wonderful, though not of WOOD.
This point I think is very plain,
For though he's common, he is clean:
No lawyer, advocate or proctor,
And yet he's all, and is a doctor,
Common to landmen and to seamen,
Common to churchmen and to laymen,
The common and the sure resort
Both of the country and the court,
Common to rich and poor — nay more, he
Is common both to Whig and Tory;
And some will swear it to their knowledge,
To every creature in the college.
In short, as far as I can find,
He's common to all humankind:
Common at morning, noon and night;
Common as water, air or light.

His favors never yet were bought,
And often come, though never sought;
And, though they reach both dead and living,
He gives 'em, for the sake of giving:
What more a paradox may seem,
Thus cheap, he is in high esteem!

Now Reader, I perceive you'd fain
Know what this commonness can mean;
I'll tell you then and save your guessing —
Why, C — g — ll is a common blessing.