Dispensary." The poor were, for a time, supplied with medicines;
for how long a time I know not. The medicinal charity, like others,
began with ardour, but soon remitted, and at last died gradually
away.

About the time of the subscription begins the action of "The
Dispensary." The poem, as its subject was present and popular, co-
operated with passions and prejudices then prevalent, and, with such
auxiliaries to its intrinsic merit, was universally and liberally
applauded. It was on the side of charity against the intrigues of
interest; and of regular learning against licentious usurpation of
medical authority, and was therefore naturally favoured by those who
read and can judge of poetry.

In 1697 Garth spoke that which is now called "The Harveian Oration;"
which the authors of "The Biographia" mention with more praise than
the passage quoted in their notes will fully justify. Garth,
speaking of the mischiefs done by quacks, has these expressions:
"Non tamen telis vulnerat ista agyrtarum colluvies, sed theriaca
quadam magis perniciosa, non pyrio, sed pulvere nescio quo exotico
certat, non globulis plumbeis, sed pilulis aeque lethalibus
interficit." This was certainly thought fine by the author, and is
still admired by his biographer. In October, 1702, he became one of
the censors of the College,

Garth, being an active and zealous Whig, was a member of the Kit-Cat
Club, and, by consequence, familiarly known to all the great men of
that denomination. In 1710, when the government fell into other
hands, he writ to Lord Godolphin, on his dismission, a short poem,
which was criticised in the Examiner, and so successfully either