Bespeaks to all that he's the cherish'd elf, As the fierce tenant of some den, By all abhorr'd, This fool's turn'd forth from haunts of men; For those who would be all in others' sight, Are subject to the world's contempt and spite *. L'ENVOY OF THE POET. If thou feel'st conscious of thy skill, be wise, For he who builds on others' fall his rise, * Notwithstanding the gratification which these conceited fools may derive from their overbearing impertinence, it is, nevertheless, impossible, but that they must frequently experience the keenness of rebuke, and suffer a degree of mental pain on witnessing the marked hatred of such as are tortured in their society; during such moments, therefore, I would recommend to their consideration, these lines of our bard, so truly applicable to their situation: Why, all delights are vain; but that most vain, Which, with pain purchas'd, doth inherit pain. THE POET'S CHORUS TO FOOLS. Come, trim the boat, row on each Rara Avis, Crowds flock to man my Stultifera Navis. SECTION XLVII. OF FOOLS WHO DAILY PROLONG THEIR OWN AMENDMENT. To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow, I FEEL Conviction of my sin, Full oft the voice of folly cries out; *The advice of Hamlet to his mother, when he urges her to refrain from any further converse with his uncle, is admirably calculated to impress the mind with the necessity there is for beginning at once a reformation; and that when the first step is taken, every subsequent one becomes less arduous. Nor are the words of the Prodigal Son, in the inimitable parable of our Saviour, less requisite to these fools, when he says, "I will arise and go unto my Father, and will say unto him-Father, I have sinned against Heaven, and against thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy Son." The sage resolve's forgot, 'mid senseless crowds,' Nor heeded more than last year's passing. clouds *. O! now I'll live to read and think, Nor longer game, and wench and drink ; A painted harlot's Satan's daughter, And wine inflames, so I'll take water; Forego all gaming—yet, produce the dice, The wine and wench-all's then forgot, but vice. No more my dress shall cause the stare, My brain shall henceforth be my care; But dress and Bond Street, Tandem †, brazen wh-r-s, Bear sway, and kick the Muses out of doors. This reminds me of the story of Balaam, who would not believe, though his ass spoke ! and indeed, to the multitude of fools who yield to this propensity, we may say with Horace, Vivendi recte qui prorogat horam, Rusticus expectat dum defluat amnis. A vehicle which neither comes under the head of Cries age 'tis certain, by the bye, That all men at some time must die; No more this point shall be neglected *; The morrow comes, and pleasure proves the thief t. curricle or buggy, being drawn by two horses at length, and not abreast, in order to display the dexterity of gentlemen coachmen. This appellation, which originated at one of the Universities, is perfectly consonant with the wit of the present race of what are termed students, whether with trencher caps, or fellow commoners' gowns. * In the prayers of the famous Dr. Johnson is recorded, a curious instance of this foolery; for even that learned man, therein confesses, that he nightly retired to rest, with the determination of amending his course of life, and rising early in the morning, but, when the morrow came, he as invariably yielded to his old propensities, and continued in bed till mid-day. It would have been well for our Lexicographer, had he called to mind the following Italian proverb, which so well expresses the fruits derived from labour. Travaglio vinea la palma, e monda la rugine dell' alma. The folly considered by the poet in this section, whic may be well termed obduracy in sinning, is far more excusable in youth than in old age, for when |