Without their coft, you terminate the cause;
And fave th' expence of long litigious laws:
Where fuits are travers'd; and fo little won,
That he who conquers, is but laft undone :
Such are not your decrees; but fo defign'd,
The fanction leaves a lafting peace behind;
Like your own foul, ferene; a pattern of your mind.
Promoting concord, and compofing strife,
Lord of yourself, uncumber'd with a wife;
Where, for a year, a month, perhaps a night,
Long penitence fucceeds a short delight:
Minds are fo hardly match'd, that ev'n the first,
Tho pair'd by heaven, in Paradise were curs'd.
For man and woman, tho in one they grow,
Yet, firft or laft, return again to two.
He to God's image, fhe to his was made;
So, farther from the fount the ftream at random ftray'd.
How could he stand, when, put to double pain, He must a weaker than himself fuftain! Each might have ftood perhaps; but each alone; Two wrestlers help to pull each other down.
Not that my verfe would blemish all the fair But yet if fome be bad, 'tis wisdom to beware; And better fhun the bait, than struggle in the
Thus have you shunn'd, and shun the marry'd state, Trusting as little as you can to fate.
No porter guards the paffage of your door, T'admit the wealthy, and exclude the poor; For God, who gave the riches, gave the heart, To fanctify the whole, by giving part;
Heaven, who forefaw the will, the means has wrought,
And to the second son a bleffing brought;
The first-begotten had his father's fhare:
like Jacob, are Rebecca's heir.
So may your stores, and fruitful fields increase; And ever be you blefs'd, who live to bless. As Ceres fow'd, where-e'er her chariot flew; As heaven in deferts rain'd the bread of dew So free to many, to relations most, You feed with manna your own Ifrael host.
With crowds attended of your ancient race, You seek the champion fports, or fylvan chace: With well-breath'd beagles you furround the wood, Ev'n then, induftrious of the common good: And often have you brought the wily fox To suffer for the firstlings of the flocks ; Chas'd even amid the folds; and made to bleed, Like felons, where they did the murd'rous deed.
This fiery game your active youth maintain'd,
Not yet by years extinguish'd, tho restrain'd :
You feafon ftill with fports your ferious hours:
For age but taftes of pleasures, youth devours.
The hare in pastures or in plains is found,
Emblem of human life, who runs the round;
And, after all his wand'ring ways are done,
His circle fills, and ends where he begun,
Juft as the setting meets the rifing fun.
Thus princes ease their cares; but happier he, Who feeks not pleasure thro neceflity,
Than fuch as once on flipp'ry thrones were plac'd;
And chafing, figh to think themselves are chas'd,
So liv'd our fires, ere doctors learn'd to kill,
And multiply'd with theirs the weekly bill.
The first physicians by debauch were made :
Excess began, and floth fuftains the trade,
Pity the gen'rous kind their cares bestow
To search forbidden truths; (a fin to know :)
To which if human fcience could attain,
The doom of death, pronounc'd by God, were
In vain the leech would interpofe delay;
Fate faftens first, and vindicates the prey.
What help from art's endeavors can we have?
Gibbons but gueffes, nor is fure to save:
But Maurus fweeps whole parishes, and peoples ev'ry grave;
And no more mercy to mankind will ufe,
Than when he robb'd and murder'd Maro's mufe. Would'st thou be foon dispatch'd, and perish whole, Trust Maurus with thy life, and Milbourn with thy foul.
By chace our long-liv'd fathers earn'd their food, Toil ftrung the nerves, and purify'd the blood: But we their fons, a pamper'd race of men, Are dwindled down to threefcore years and ten. Better to hunt in fields, for health unbought, Than fee the doctor for a nauseous draught. The wife, for cure, on exercise depend;
God never made his work, for man to mend.
The tree of knowlege, once in Eden plac'd,
Was eafy found, but was forbid the taste:
O, had our grandfire walk'd without his wife,
He first had fought the better plant of life!
Now both are loft: yet, wand'ring in the dark,
Phyficians, for the tree, have found the bark :
They, lab'ring for relief of human kind,
With sharpen'd fight fome remedies may
Th' apothecary-train is wholly blind.
From files a random recipe they take,
And many deaths of one prescription make.
Garth, gen'rous as his muse, prescribes and gives;
The shopman fells; and by deftruction lives :
Ungrateful tribe! who, like the viper's brood,
From med'cine iffuing, fuck their mother's blood!
Let these obey; and let the learn'd prescribe ;
That men may die, without a double bribe:
Let them, but under their fuperiors, kill;
When doctors first have fign'd the bloody bill :
He scapes the best, who, nature to repair,
Draws phyfic from the fields, in draughts of vital air.
You hoard not health, for your own private use;
But on the public spend the rich produce.
When, often urg'd, unwilling to be great,
Your country calls you from your lov'd retreat,
And fends to fenates, charg'd with common care,
Which none more fhuns; and none can better bear:
Where could they find another form'd fo fit,
To poife, with folid fenfe, a sprightly wit!
Were these both wanting, as they both abound,
Where could fo firm integrity be found?
Well born, and wealthy, wanting no fupport,
You fteer betwixt the country and the court:
Nor gratify whate'er the great defire,
Nor grudging give, what public needs require.
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