3

(d) Since Worth, he cries, in thefe degen'rate Days Wants ev'n the cheap Reward of empty Praife; In those curs'd Walls, devote to Vice and Gain, Since unrewarded Science toils in vain ; Since Hope but fooths to double my Distress, And ev'ry Moment leaves my Little lefs; While yet my steady Steps no (e) Staff fuftains, And Life ftill vig'rous revels in my Veins; Grant me, kind Heaven, to find some happier Place, Where Honesty and Senfe are no Difgrace; Some pleafing Bank where verdant Ofiers play, Some peaceful Vale with Nature's Painting gay; Where once the harrafs'd Briton found Repose, And fafe in Poverty defy'd his Foes; Some fecret Cell, ye Pow'rs, indulgent give. (f) Let live here, for

live.

has learn'd to

Here let those reign, whom Pensions can incite
To vote a Patriot black, a Courtier white;
Explain their Country's dear-bought Rights away,
And plead for Pirates in the Face of Day;
With flavish Tenets taint our poifon'd Youth,
And lend a Lye the Confidence of Truth.

(g) Let fuch raife Palaces, and Manors buy, Collect a Tax, or farm a Lottery,

(d) Hic tunc Umbricius: Quando artibus, inquit, honeftis
Nullus in urbe locus, nulla emolumenta laborum,
Res hodie minor eft, heri quam fuit, atque eadem cras
Deteret exiguis aliquid: proponimus illuc

Ire, fatigatas ubi Dædalus exuit alas,
Dum nova canities -

(e)

Porto meis, nullo dextram fubeunte bacillo. (f) Cedamus patriâ: vivant Arturius iftic

Et Catulus: maneant qui nigrum in candida vertunt. (g) Queis facile eft ædem conducere, flumina, portus, Siccandam eluviem, portandum ad bufta cadaver. - - Munera nunc edunt.

With

With warbling Eunuchs fill a licens❜d Stage,
And lull to Servitude a thoughtless Age.

Heroes, proceed, what Bounds your Pride fhall

hold?

What Check reftrain your Thirst of Pow'r and Gold?

Behold rebellious Virtue quite o'erthrown,

Behold our Fame, our Wealth, our Lives your own.
To fuch, a groaning Nation's Spoils are giv'n,
When public Crimes inflame the Wrath of Heav'n's
(b) But what, my Friend, what Hope remains for me,
Who start at Theft, and blush at Perjury?
Who scarce forbear, tho' BRITAIN's Court he fing,
To pluck a titled Poet's borrow'd Wing;
A Statesman's Logick unconvinc'd can hear,
And dare to fumber o'er the Gazetteer;
Despise a Fool in half his Penfion dress'd,
And strive in vain to laugh at Hy's Jeft.
(i) Others with fofter Smiles, and fubtler Art,
Can fap the Principles, or taint the Heart;
With more Addrefs a Lover's Note convey,
Or bribe a Virgin's Innocence away.

Well may they rife, while I, whofe ruftick Tongue
Ne'er knew to puzzle Right, or varnish Wrong,
Spurn'd as a Beggar, dreaded as Spy,

Live unregarded, unlamented die.

(k) For what but focial Guilt the Friend endears? Who fhares Orgilio's Crimes, his Fortune fhares.

(b) Quid Rome faciam? mentiri nefcio: librum,
Si malus eft, nequeo laudare & pofcere.

(e) Fere ad nuptas, quæ mittit adulter,
Que mandat, norint alii; me nemo miniftro
Fur erit, atque ideo nulli comes exeo.
(k) Quis nunc diligitur, nifi confcius?

Carus erit Verri, qui Verrem tempore, quo vult
Accufare poteft.

(1) But

(But thou, fhould tempting Villainy prefent
All Marlb'rough hoarded, or all Villiers spent,
Turn from the glitt'ring Bribe thy fcornful Eye,
Nor fell for Gold, what Gold could never buy,
The peaceful Slumber, felf-approving Day,
Unfullied Fame, and Confcience ever gay.

(m) The cheated Nation's happy Fav'rites, fee!
Mark whom the Great carefs, who frown on me!
LONDON! the needy Villain's gen'ral Home,
The common Shore of Paris and of Rome;
With eager Thirst, by Folly, or by Fate,
Sucks in the Dregs of each corrupted State.
Forgive my Tranfports on a Theme like this;
(n) I cannot bear a French Metropolis.

(0) Illuftrious EDWARD! from the Realms of
Day,

The Land of Heroes and of Saints furvey;
Nor hope the British Lineaments to trace,
The ruftick Grandeur, or the furly Grace;
But, loft in thoughtless Eafe, and empty Show,
Behold the Warrior dwindled to a Beau;
Senfe, Freedom, Piety, refin'd away,
Of France the Mimic, and of Spain the Prey.
All that at Home no more can beg or steal,
Or like a Gibbet better than a Wheel,

Hifs'd from the Stage, or hooted from the Court,
Their Air, their Drefs, their Politicks import;

(1)---Tanti tibi non fit opaci

Omnis arena Tagi, quodque in mare volvitur aurum,
Ut fomno careas

(m) Quæ nunc divitibus gens acceptissima noftris,
Et quos præcipue fugiam, properabo fateri.
(n) Non poffum ferre, Quirites,

Græcam urbem.

(0) Rufticus ille tuus fumit trechedipna, Quirine, Et cromatico fert niceteria collo.

(p) Oble.

Obfequious, artful, voluble and gay, On Britain's fond Credulity they prey.

No gainful Trade their Induftry can 'cape;
(9) They fing, they dance, clean Shoes, or cure a Clap;
All Sciences a fafting Monfieur knows,
And bid him go to Hell, to Hell he goes.

(r) Ah! what avails it, that, from Slav'ry far,
I drew the Breath of Life in English Air ;
Was early taught a Briton's Right to prize,
And lifp the Tales of HENRY's Victories;
If the gull'd Conqueror receives the Chain,
And Flattery fubdues when Arms are vain ?
() Studious to please, and ready to fubmit,
The fupple Gaul was born a Parasite :
Still to his Int'reft true, where-e'er he goes,
Wit, Brav'ry, Worth, his lavish Tongue beftows;
In ev'ry Face a thousand Graces thine,
From ev'ry Tongue flows Harmony divine.
(t) Thefe arts in vain our rugged Natives try,
Strain out with fault'ring Diffidence a Lye,
And gain a Kick for aukward Flattery.

Befides, with Juftice this difcerning Age Admires their wond'rous Talents for the Stage:

(p) Ingenium velox, audacia perdita, fermo Promptus

(9) Augur, fchoenobates, medicus, magus, omnia novit, Græculus effuriens in cœlum, fi jufferis, ibit.

(r) Ufque adeo nihil eft, quod noftra infantia cœlum Haufit Aventini?

(s) Quid, quod adulando gens prudentiffima laudat Sermonem indocti, faciem deformis amici ?

(t) Hæc eadem licet & nobis laudare : fed illis Creditur.

(u) Well may they venture on the Mimick's Art;
Who play from Morn to Night a borrow'd Part;
Practis'd their Mafter's Notions to embrace,
Repeat his Maxims, and reflect his Face ;
With ev'ry wild Abfurdity comply,

And view each Object with another's Eye;
To shake with Laughter ere the Jeft they hear,
To pour at Will the counterfeited Tear,
And as their Patron hints the Cold or Heat,
To shake in Dog-days, in December sweat.
(x) How, when Competitors like thefe contend,
Can furly Virtue hope to fix a Friend?
Slaves that with ferious Impudence beguile,
And lye without a Blufh, without a Smile ;
Exalt each Trifle, ev'ry Vice adore,

Your Tafte in Snuff, your Judgment in a Whore;
Can Balbo's Eloquence applaud, and fwear
He gropes his Breeches with a Monarch's Air.
For Arts like thefe preferr'd, admir'd, carefs'd,
They firft invade your Table, then your Breaft;
(y) Explore your Secrets with infidious Art,
Watch the weak Hour, and ranfack all the Heart ;
Then foon your ill-plac'd Confidence repay,
Commence your Lords, and govern or betray.
(z) By Numbers here from Shame or Cenfure free,
All Crimes are fafe, but hated Poverty.
This, only this, the rigid Law purfues,
This, only this, provokes the fnarling Mufe.

(u) Natio commodia eft. Rides? majore cachinno Concutitur, &c.

(x) Non fumus ergo pares: melior qui femper & omni
Notte dieque poteft alienum fumere vultum :
A facie jactare manus, laudare paratus,

Si bene ructavit, fi rectum minxit amicus.
(y) Scire volunt fecreta domus, atque inde timeri.
(z) Materiem præbet caufafque jocorum
Omnibus hic idem fi fæda & fciffa lacerna, &c.