Samuel Thomson and the Poetry
of Botanic Medicine, 1810-1860
Chapter 7
Acrostics
The acrostic, popular in the ante-bellum period, was a verse or arrangement of words in which certain letters in each line, such as the first or last, spelled out a word or phrase. The following were dedicated to Samuel Thomson and Alva Curtis.
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ACROSTIC ON SAMUEL THOMSON |
S ince I have studied nature's laws,
A nd firmly followed up my plan--
M adly have raged my enemies,
U njust and cruel have they been.
E ach one and all, how prejudiced--
L ike Ogg of Bashan, all are bent--
T hey'd make me to their size conform,
H ow much their malice thus they vent.
O , what a selfish set they are--
M y life, it seems, they e'en would take;
S harp sythes they did for me prepare--
O n me the instrument they dare,
N or did they bad aim take.
(Dr. Samuel Thomson) cxxi
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TO DR. SAMUEL THOMSON |
S AMUEL THOMSON, Nature's son,
A noble vict'ry thou hast won;
M idst all the threats from min'ral hives,
U nletter'd Thomson's system thrives:--
E 'en spite of lies, which quacks do vend.
L obelia stands as man's best friend.
T hough quacks do bleed and poison men,
H eat you restore, with good Cayenne :--
O! how sublime, your native theme:--
M uch fame surrounds Thomsonian steam.
S cience, as taught by learned fools,
O n human lives doth sharp its tools;--
N or doth abate its cruel course,
B ut with the advance of Thomson's force,
O ft have learn'd quacks and foes oppress'd
T heir forces join'd, your rights to wrest;
A nd laws obtain'd quite plain--direct--
N o Botanist shall debts collect,"
I n vain have they their malice tried--
S amuel still lives--a healthy guide;--
T homsonian System's spreading wide.
(Stephen F. Fowler) cxxii
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AN ACROSTIC |
M ankind have tried a thousand various arts,
I ntent on warding off death's fatal darts;
N or have they yielded to fair reason's force,
E xperience, fact, the sure, inductive course.
R esearch untired thro' nature's kingdoms went,
A nd deathful agents from Earth's bosom rent.
L o, brought from thence, our maladies to heal,
P otent and fierce, the ores whose curse we feel!
O f which we see th' inestimable gains,
I n fever, useless limbs, and racking pains.
S hall we much longer the foul sight endure,
O f things so fit to kill, displayed to cure?
N o: let the sick try nature's gentler ways:
S o shall their joyous health speak THOMSON's praise.
(J. H. G.) cxxiii
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SAMUEL THOMSON, AND LOBELIA, CAYENNE |
S ternly arose new England's star,
A nd cast its radiance far and near;
M yriads saw it from the afar,
U rivalled in its bless'd career.
E urope does not its beauties scorn,
L ands far and near will spread its fame:--
T housands and millions, yet unborn,
H igh raise their voice to bless thy name.
O h! bless'd has been New England 's soil!
M uch in thy bounds, has freedom done,
S orley did she the tyrant foil,
O n Bunker's heights and Lexington.
N o land but ours, upon this earth.
A Franklin, Adams, Hancock, boast.
N eed I more name? --our Thomson's worth
D oes equal any of that host.
L oud were the cries, and dark, yet weak
C ontrived their waning power to win,
O f those who'd but self-interest seek,
A nd poisons gave as medicine.
B ut Thomson answered this their cries,
Y our system's wrong, your cries are vain,
E xperience false of centuries flies,
E ven dies, to ease mankind of pain.
L o! I have found an herb whose power
N o man of wit or learning knew:--
I ts worth to save from painful hour,
N ot half could e'er be told to you;
A nd with it link'd some hundreds more:--
E ternal source of good to man.
And hard 'twill be to triumph o'er
Thomson, Lobelia, and Cayenne .
(A Yankee) cxxiv
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ACROSTIC ON LOBELIA |
L et learned quacks their skill display,
O r strive to drive this friend away;
B e well assured of what I say;
E xperience for a term of years,
L ets light and truth to eyes and ears;
I t has done wonders and must find,
A welcome to the honest mind.
(H. N. W.) cxxv
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UNTITLED |
D rive back with proud distain,
R emove from nature's son,
S uch slander as would stain
A ught of his glory won.
M ankind should own him dear,
U nlearned though he was,
E ngage for him to rear
L ife 's glowing monuments;
T ake marble, strong and white,
H igh in the open air,
O n some tall mountain height,
M ake there a statue fair;
P ut on your sackcloth now,
S it in your mourning too,
O r make a solemn vow
N o calomel you'll chew.
(Jesse Green) cxxvi |
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ACROSTIC ON ALVA CURTIS |
A man of Persevering mind,
L obelia's friend you will him find,
V irtue and courage mark his way
A gainst old Mercury's death-like sway.
C annot to poison's armies yield,
U ntil he drives them from the field.
R ush forward then, and tumble down,
T he poison factories all around;
I n ruin let them always stay,
S ince you do show a better way.
(J. B. S.) cxxvii |
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cxxi. Samuel Thomson, "Acrostic on Samuel Thomson," in Cyrus Thomson (comp.), Learned Quackery Exposed; Or, Theory According to Art, as Exemplified in the Practice of the Honor ab le Doctors of the Present Day (Syracuse: Lathrop and Dean, Printers, 1843), 54.
cxxii. Stephen F. Fowler, "To Dr. Samuel Thomson," Thomsonian Manual, III (November 5, 1837), 1.
cxxiii. J.H.G., "An Acrostic," Thomsonian Messenger, I (August, 1841), 9.
cxxiv. A Yankee, "Samuel Thomson, and Lobelia, Cayenne ," Poughkeepsie Thomsonian, IV (December 1, 1841), 89.
cxxv. H.N.W., "Acrostic on Lobelia," Botanico-Medical Recorder, XII (September 7, 1844), 350.
cxxvi. Jesse Green, "Untitled," Botanico-Medical Recorder, XIII (January 4, 1845), 56.
Introduction
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 8
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