Or popularity? or stars, and strings?
The mob's applauses, or the gift, of kings ? 15
Say with what eyes we ought, at courts, to gaze,
And pay the great our homage of amaze ?

If weak the pleasure that from these can spring,
The fear to want them is as weak a thing :
Whether we dread, or whether we desire, 20
In either case believe me we admire :
Whether we joy, or grieve, the same the curse,
Surpris’d at better, or surpris'd at worse.
Thus good, or bad, to one extreme betray
Th' unbalanc'd mind, and snatch the man away : 25
For virtue's self may too much zeal be had;
The worst of madmen is, a saint run mad.

Go then, and if you can, admire the state Of beaming diamonds and reflected plate ; Procure a taste to double the surprise, 30 And gaze on Parian charms with learned eyes; Be struck with bright brocade, or Tyrian dye, Our birth-day nobles' splendid livery. If not so pleas'd, at council-board rejoice To see their judgments hang upon thy voice; 35 From morn to night, at Senate, Rolls, and Hall, Plead much, read more, dine late, or not at all. But wherefore all this labor, all this strife ? For fame, for riches, for a noble wife ? Shall one whom Nature, learning, birth, conspir'd To form, not to admire, but be admir’d, 41 Sigh, while his Chloe, blind to wit and worth, Weds the rich dulness of some son of carth?

Yet time ennobles, or degrades each line;
It brighten'd Craggs's, and may darken thine. 45
And what is fame? the meanest have their day;
The greatest can but blaze, and pass away.
Grac'd as thou art with all the pow'r of words,
So known, so honor'd, at the House of Lords:
Conspicuous scene ! another yet is nigh, 50
(More silent far) where kings and poets lie;
Where Murray (long enough his country's pride)
Shall be no more than Tully, or than Hyde !

Rack'd with sciatics, martyr'd with the stone, Will any mortal let himself alone ?

55 See Ward, by batter'd beaux invited over, And desp'rate Misery lays hold on Dover. The case is easier in the mind's disease ; There all men may be cur'd whene'er they please. Would ye be bless'd ? despise low joys, low) gains;

600 Disdain whatever Cornbury disdains ; Be virtuous; and be happy for your pains.

But art thou one whom new opinions sway, One who believes as Tindal leads the way, Who virtue, and a church alike disowns, 65 Thinks that but words, and this but brick and

stones ? Fly then on all the wings of wild desire, ' Admire whate'er the maddest can admire. Is wealth thy passion? hence! from pole to pole, Where winds can carry, or where waves can

roll;

For Indian spices, for Peruvian gold,
Prevent the greedy, or outbid the bold;
Advance thy golden mountain to the skies ;
On the broad base of fifty thousand rise ;
Add one round hundred, and (if that's not fair) 75
add fifty more, and bring it to a square :
For, mark th' advantage ; just so many score
Will gain a wife, with half as many more,
Procure her beauty, make that beauty chaste,
And then such friends--as cannot fail to last. 80
A man of wealth is dubb'd a man of worth ;
Venus shall give him form, and Anstis birth.
(Believe me many a German prince is worse,
Who, proud of pedigree, is poor of purse.)
His wealth brave Timon gloriously confounds; 86
Ask'd for a groat, he gives a hundred pounds :
Dr, if three ladies like a luckless play,
Take the whole House upon the poet's day.
Now, in such exigencies not to need,
Upon my word you must be rich indeed : 90
A noble superfluity it craves,
Not for yourself, but for your fools and knaves;
Something which for your honor they may cheat,
And which it much behoves you to forget.
If wealth alone then make, and keep us, blest, 95
Still, still, be getting ; never, never, rest.

But if to pow'r, and place, your passion lie,
If in the pomp of life consists the joy,
Then hiré a slave, or (if you will) a lord,
To do the honors, and to give the word; 10

110

Tell at your levee, as the crowds approach, To whom to nod, whom take into your coach ; Whom honor with your hand; to make remarks, Who rules in Cornwall, or who rules in Berks : • This may be troublesome, is near the chair; 105 · That makes three members, this can chuse a

may’r.' Instructed thus, you bow, embrace, protest, · Adopt him son, or cousin, at the least, Then turn about, and laugh at your own jest.

Or if your life be one continu'd treat, If to live well, means nothing but to eat ; Up, up! cries Gluttony, 'tis break of day, Go drive the deer, and drag the finny prey; With hounds and horns go hunt an appetiteSo Russel did, but could not eat at night; 115 Callid, happy dog! the beggar at his door ; And envy'd thirst and hunger to the poor.

Or shall we every decency confound, Through taverns, stews, and bagnios, take our

round ? Go dine with Chartres, in each vice outdo 120

K-l's lewd cargo, or Ty—y's crew, From Latian Syrens, French Circæan feasts, Return'd well travell’d, and transform'd to beasts ; Or for a titled punk, or foreign flame, Renqunce our country, and degrade our name?

If, after all, we must with Wilmot own 126 The cordial drop of life is Love alone,

And Swift 'cry wisely Vive la bagatelle!
The man that loves, and laughs, must sure do well.
Adieu--if this advice appear the worst, 130
E’en take the counsel which I gave you first:
Or better precepts, if you can, impart,
Why do, I'll follow them with all my heart. 133

HORACE, BOOK I. EPIST. VII.

(Imitated in the manner of Dr. Swift.)

Tis true, my Lord, I gave my word
I would be with you June the third ;
Chang'd it to August, and in short)
Have kept it-as you do at court.
You humor me when I am sick ;
Why not when I am splenetic ?
In Town' what objects could I meet ?
The shops shut up in ev'ry street,
And fun'rals black’ning all the doors,
And yet more melancholy whores ;
And what a dust in ev'ry place!
And a thin Court that wants your face,
And fevers raging up and down,
And W* and H** both in Town!

"The dog-days are no more the case,'
'Tis true, but winter comes apace:
Then southward let your bard retire,
Hold out some months'twixt sun and fire,.