THIRD SATIRE OF JUVENA L.
Tam patiens urbis, tam ferreus ut teneat fe?
THO' grief and fondnefs in my breast rebel,
When injur'd THALES bids the town farewel,
Yet ftill my calmer thoughts his choice commend,
I praise the hermit, but regret the friend,
Who now refolves, from vice and LONDON far,
To breathe in diftant fields a purer air,
And, fix'd on Cambria's folitary fhore,
Give to St. David one true Briton more.
For who wou'd leave, unbrib'd, Hibernia's land,
Or change the rocks of Scotland for the Strand?
There none are swept by fudden fate away,
But all whom hunger fpares, with age decay:
Here malice, rapine, accident, confpire,
And now a rabble rages, now a fire ;
Their ambush here relentless ruffians lay,
And here the fell attorney prowls for prey;
Here falling houses thunder on your head,
And here a female atheist talks you dead.
Sed, dum tota domus rhedâ componitur unâ,
Subftitit ad veteres arcus.-
Hic tunc Umbricius: Quando artibus, inquit, honeftis
Nullus in orbe 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
et pedibus me
Porto meis, nullo dextram fubeunte bacillo.
While THALES waits the wherry that contains Of diffipated wealth the fmall remains,
On Thames's banks, in filent thought we stood,
Where Greenwich fmiles upon the filver flood:
Struck with the feat that gave Eliza.* birth,
We kneel, and kiss the confecrated earth ;
In pleafing dreams the blissful age renew,
And call Britannia's glories back to view ;;
Behold her crofs triumphant on the main,
The guard of commerce, and the dread of Spain,.
Ere masquerades debauched, excife opprefs'd,
Or English honour grew a standing jest.
A tranfient calm the happy fcenes beftow,.
And for a moment lull the fenfe of woe.
At length awaking with contemptuous frown,
Indignant THALES eyes the neighb'ring town.
Since worth, he cries, in these degen'rate days
Wants ev'n the cheap reward of empty praise;
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 me little less;
While yet my steady steps no ftaff fuftains,
And life ftill vig'rous revels in my
Grant me, kind heaven, to find fome happier place,
Where honefty and fenfe are no difgrace;
Queen Elizabeth, born at Greenwich.
Cedamus patriâ: vivant Arturius iftic
Et Catulus: maneant qui nigrum in candida vertunt.
Queis facile eft ædem conducere, flumina, portus, Siccandam eluviem, portandum ad bufta cadaver.Munera nunc edunt.
Quid Romæ faciam ? mentiri nefcio: librum,
Si malus eft, nequeo laudare & pofcere.-
Some pleafing bank where verdant ofiers play,
Some peaceful vale with nature's painting gay;
Where once the harrafs'd Briton found repofe,
And safe in poverty defy'd his foes
Some fecret cell, ye pow'rs indulgent give,
live here, for
has learn'd to live.
Here let those reign, whom penfions 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 lie the confidence of truth.
Let fuch raise palaces, and manors buy,.
Collect a tax, or farm a lottery;
With warbling eunuchs fill a licens'd ftage,
And lull to fervitude a thoughtless age,
Heroes, proceed! what bounds your pride fhall hold ? What check restrain your thirft of pow'r and gold? Behold rebellious virtue quite o'erthrown,
Behod our fame, our wealth, our lives your own.
To fuch, a groaning nation's fpoils are giv'n,
When public crimes inflame the wrath of heav'n :
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 ftatefman's logic unconvinc'd can hear,
And dare to flumber o'er the Gazetteer;
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