-To Mrs. Houghton

OF BOURMONT,

ON PRAISING HER HUSBAND TO DR. SWIFT

You always are making a god of your spouse;
But this neither Reason nor Conscience allows;
Perhaps you will say, 'tis in gratitude due,
And you adore him, because he adores you.
Your argument's weak, and so you will find;
For you, by this rule, must adore all mankind.

• About Jonathan Swift