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THE DANGER OF Excessive Drinking.
A POEM.
Wine is a Mocker, strong Drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby, is not wise.
SOLOMON.
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THE DANGER OF Excessive Drinking
HARD drinking is an evil great,
Makes people more prophane;
It ruins many man's estate,
And others brings to shame.
Young men, in their full strength and prime,
To taverns they will go;
There spend their money and their time,
Which proves their overthrow.
For there they get to playing cards,
And other foolish plays;
So they must have their just rewards
For all such evil ways.
Some aged fathers act the same,
Though much to their disgrace;
To them it is both sin and shame
To frequent such a place.
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When men, with children and with wives,
Befool themselves with drink,
So that they lead unhappy lives,
Which makes their names to stink.
How many go about and beg:
More Cider is the cry;
Their company good people dread,
Whenever they come nigh.
'Gainst tavern-hunting some exclaim,
And let them much alone,
Yet fall into as great a shame,
By drinking hard at home.
For bad examples they do set
Before their families;
So give their wives great cause to fret,
They bring on poverties.
A damage to the commonwealth,
It strikes a deadly blow:
It spoils both reason, and the health
Of those that practise so.
Some sprightly ones which once have been
Full of activity;
They lose the use of every limb,
Befool themselves and die.
Many disorders bring about,
Intoxicates the brains:
Oft times it bringeth on the gout,
And other raking pains.
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Brings on many a hard disease
Which sweepeth like a flood,
Upon the persons they do seize;
Which so inflames their blood.
How many dangers they are in,
Who thus themselves disguise.
They that are guilty of this sin,
Are foolish and unwise.
Th' ill consequences they are great,
The dangers not a few;
They that go on at such a rate,
Death on them must ensue.
So prove to be poor vagabonds,
Great is their poverty;
They droop about like sottish drones,
Dwindle away and die.
Some almost perish with the cold,
And others freeze to death;
So many die before they're old,
So thus they lose their breath.
How many fall down by the way,
Are killed in the dark;
And so their lives are swept away,
This oft we may remark.
How many perish by this means,
Who bite at Satan's hooks;
Thousands are drowned in the stream,
By drinking of their cups.
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Liable to fall into the fire,
And there to burn to death;
Then suddenly they must expire,
To flames must yield their breath.
The excess o'erspreads both sea and land,
Affects both young and old:
This they may truly understand,
And clearly may behold.
Seamen their spirits so inflame,
Scarce able for to steer;
So thousands perish in the main,
Large numbers every year.
By drinking brandy, rum and wine,
We justly may confess,
Their wives poor widows are become,
Their children fatherless.
Others unmans and makes them small,
Which fills their hearts with evil;
Liable to temptations all,
Much pleasing to the devil.
They then to evil so incline,
In filthiness so high;
Guilty of many a horrid crime,
For some of them must die.
With such intoxicated brains,
To lewd women they run,
To gratify their lustful reins,
Until they are undone,
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This causeth quarrels to arise,
Which is a shameful thing;
This breaks up many families,
And much disgrace doth bring.
They grow so factious and so mad,
They rise against each one;
Sometimes the consequence so bad,
That murder then is done.
It causeth some to steal and rob,
Which both are very sad;
And many another villainous job,
And every thing that's bad.
In revelling some are so great,
They run to crimes so high,
That some are guilty of a rape,
For which wretches must die.
They that in such vile ways go on.
In this doleful excess,
For everlasting are undone,
And darkness must possess.
Wont such reform they must expire,
And quickly end their breath;
And land in everlasting fire,
But never burn to death.
Would old and young, both small & great,
Forsake their drinking bowls;
Ruins both reason and estate—
Destroys thousands of souls.
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Innholders, O!—that you would mind
As far as in your powers:
Be to yourselves and others kind,
And not to keep bad hours.
But strive to keep your houses clear
Of drinking company:
May you the great Jehovah fear,
God give you grace to try.
Be faithful, true, equal and just,
And trusty to your care;
Lest in one day you should be crush'd,
And sink into despair.
Yet I would say a few words more,
Myself to few confine;
I would advise some men, therefore,
To drink less rum and wine.
No benefit unto your health,
This you may plainly see;
Nor no advantage to your wealth—
Sure this can ever be.
An awful truth doth here present,
And truth will ever stand;
By this sometimes a sad event
Happens by sea and land.
Sure this excess is far from right,
I dare for to maintain;
Causeth great admirals to fight,
Ten thousands then are slain
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Some generals upon the land,
Their armies are made small;
By this, sometimes, we understand,
Many of them do fall.
They are swept down then like a flood,
Upon the bloody plain;
Thousands of garments roll'd in blood,
Sometimes but few remain.
By this ten thousands run aground,
Many grand merchants break;
Themselves and substance do confound,
Who drink at such a rate.
Drinkers, reform whilst you have breath
This is my heart's desire;
Before you're claspt in arms of death,
Sent to eternal fire.
Now pray to God for pardoning grace,
Before it be too late;
Lest he give you no longer space,
Then sad must be your state.
So let us learn these lines by heart,
And print them in our mind;
And from iniquity depart,
Be to ourselves so kind.
FINIS