Cramp not your language into logick rules,
To roftrums leave the pedantry of schools;
Nor let your learning always be discern'd,
But chufe to feem judicious more than learn'd.
Quote feldom, and then let it be, at least,

Some fact that's prov'd, or thought that's well exprefs'd.,
But left, difguis'd, your eye it fhou'd escape,
Know, pedantry can put on ev'ry shape:
For when we deviate into terms of art,
Unless conftrain'd, we act the pedant's part.
Or if we're ever in the self-fame key,
No matter of what kind the subject be.
From laws of nations down to laws of dress,

For statesmen have their cant, and belles no lefs.

As good hear By dictate on epiftles,

Or B-rm-n comment on the Grecian whiftles;
As old Obefus preach upon his belly,
Or Phileunucha rant on Farinelli;

Flirtilla read a lecture on a fan,

Or Wd fet forth the praife of Kouli-Kan.
But above all things raillery decline,

Nature but few does for that task design:
"Tis in the ableft hand a dang’rous tool,
But never fails to wound the medling fool:
For all muft grant, it needs no common art
To keep men patient, when we make them smart.
Not wit alone, nor humour's felf, will do,
Without good-nature, and much prudence too,

Το

To judge aright of perfons, place, and time;
For tafte decrees what's low, and what's fublime:
And what might charm to-day, or o'er a glass,
Perhaps at court, or next day, wou'd not pass.
Then leave to low buffoons, by custom bred,
And form'd by nature to be kick'd and fed,
The vulgar and unenvied task, to hit
All perfons right or wrong with random wit.
Our wife forefathers, born in fober days,
Refign'd to fools the tart and witty phrafe;
The motley coat gave warning for the jest,
Excus'd the wound, and fanctify'd the pest:
But we from high to low all strive to sneer,
Will all be wits, and not the livery wear.
Of all the qualities that help to raise
In men the universal voice of praise,
Whether in pleasure or in use they end,
There's none that can with modesty contend.
"Tis a tranfparent veil that helps the fight,
And lets us look on merit with delight:
In others, 'tis a kindly light, that seems
To gild the worst defects with borrow'd beams.
Yet, 'tis but little that its form be caught,
Unless its origin be firft in thought:

Elfe rebel nature will reveal the cheat,

And the whole work of art at once defeat.

Hold forth upon yourself on no pretence, Unless invited, or in felf-defence;

The praise you take, altho' it be your due,
Will be fupected, if it come from you :

For each man, by experience taught, can tell
How ftrong a flatterer does within him dwell:
And if to felf-condemning you incline,
In fober fadnefs, and without defign,
(For fome will flyly arrogate a vice,
That from excess of virtue takes its rife)
The world cries out, why does he hither come?
Let him do penance for his fins at home.

No part of conduct asks for skill more nice,
'Tho' none more common, than to give advice:
Mifers themselves in this will not be saving,
Unless their knowledge makes it worth the having.
And where's the wonder, when we will obtrude
An useless gift, it meets ingratitude?

Shun then, unafk'd, this arduous task to try;

But if confulted, ufe fincerity;

Too facred is the welfare of a friend,

To give it up for any felfish end.

But ufe one caution, fift him o'er and o'er,

To find if all be not resolv'd before,

If fuch the case, in spight of all his art,

Some word will give the foundings of his heart;
And why fhould you a bootless freedom use,
That ferves him not, and may his friend fhip lofe? -
Yet ftill on truth bestow this mark of love,

Ne'er to commend the thing you can't approve.

Sincerity

Sincerity has fuch refiftlefs charms,

She oft the fierceft of our foes difarms:

No art fhe knows, in native whitenefs drefs'd,
Her thoughts all pure, and therefore all express'd :
She takes from error its deformity;

And without her, all other virtues die.

Bright fource of goodness! to my aid descend,
Watch o'er my heart, and all my words attend:
If ftill thou deign to fet thy foot below,
Among a race quite polifh'd into show,
Oh! fave me from the jilt's diffembling part,
Who grants to all all favours, but her heart:
Perverts the end of charming, for the fame;
To fawn, her business; to deceive, her aim:
She fmiles on this man, tips the wink on that,
Gives one a squeeze, another a kind pat;
Now jogs a foot, now whispers in an ear;
Here flips a letter, and there cafts a leer;
Till the kind thing, the company throughout,
Diftributes all its pretty felf about;

While all are pleas'd, and wretched foon or late,
All but the wise, who see and fhun the bait.
Yet if, as complaifance requires to do,

And rigid virtue fometimes will allow,
You ftretch the truth in favour of a friend,
Be fure it ever aim at fome good end;
To cherish growing virtue, vice to shame,
And turn to noble views the love of fame :

And

And not, like fawning parafites, unaw'd
By fenfe or truth, be ev'ry paffion's bawd.
Be rarely warm in cenfure, or in praise ;
Few men deferve our paffion either ways;
For half the world but floats 'twixt good and ill,
As chance difpofes objects, these the will:

"Tis but a fee-faw game, where virtue now
Mounts above vice, and then finks down as low.
Befides the wife ftill hold it for a rule,

To truft that judgment moft, that seems most cool:
For all that rifes to hyperbole,

Proves that we err, at least in the degree.
But if your temper to extremes should lead,
Always upon th' indulging fide exceed ;
For tho' to blame most lend a willing ear,
Yet hatred ever will attend on fear;
And when a neighbour's dwelling blazes out,
The world will think 'tis time to look about.
Let not the curious from your bosom steal
Secrets, where Prudence ought to set her feal;
Yet be fo frank and plain, that at one view,
In other things, each man may fee you
For if the mask of policy you wear,
The honest hate you, and the cunning fear.
Wou'd you be well receiv'd where-e'er you go,
Remember each man vanquifh'd is a foe.
Refift not, therefore, with your utmost might,
But let the weakest think he's fometimes right;

thro':

He,