Let none direct thee what to do or fay, Till thee thy judgment of the matter sway; Let not the pleasing many thee delight.
First judge, if those whom thou dost please, judge right. Search not to find what lies too deeply hid, Nor to know things, whose knowledge is forbid ; Nor climb on pyramids, which thy head turn round Standing, and whence no fafe descent is found: In vain his nerves and faculties he strains To rife, whose raising unsecure remains : They whom defert and favour forwards thrust, Are wife, when they their measures can adjust. When well at ease, and happy, live content, And then consider why that life was lent; When wealthy, show thy wisdom not to be To wealth a fervant, but make wealth serve thee. Though all alone, yet nothing think or do, Which nor a witness nor a judge might know. The highest hill is the most slippery place, And Fortune mocks us with a smiling face. And her unsteady hand hath often plac'd Men in high power, but seldom holds them fast; Against her then her forces Prudence joins, And to the golden mean herself confines. More in profperity is reason tost,
Than ships in storms, their helms and anchors loft : Before fair gales not all our fails we bear, But with fide winds into safe harbours steer; More ships in calms on a deceitful coaft, Or unseen rocks, than in high storms are loft.
Who cafts out threats and frowns, no man deceives, Time for resistance and defence he gives;
But flattery still in sugar'd words betrays, And poison in high-tasted meats conveys; So Fortune's smiles unguarded man surprize, But when she frowns, he arms, and her defies.
IS the first sanction nature gave Each other to affist in what they can;
Just or unjust, this law for ever stands, All things are good by law which she commands; The first step, man towards Christ must justly live, Who t' us himself, and all we have, did give; In vain doth man the name of just expect, If his devotions he to God neglect;
So must we reverence God, as first to know Justice from him, not from ourselves doth flow; God those accepts, who to mankind are friends, Whose justice far as their own power extends; In that they imitate the power divine, The fun alike on good and bad doth shine; And he that doth no good, although no ill, Does not the office of the just fulfill. Virtue doth man to virtuous actions steer, 'Tis not enough that he should vice' forbear; We live not only for ourselves to care, Whilft they that want it are deny'd their share.
Wife Plato said, the world with men was stor'd, That fuccour each to other might afford; Nor are those succours to one fort confin'd, But feveral parts to several men consign'd; He that of his own stores no part can give, May with his counsel or his hands relieve. If fortune make thee powerful, give defence 'Gainst fraud, and force, to naked innocence: And when our justice doth her tributes pay, Method and order must direct the way: First to our God we must with reverence bow; The fecond honour to our prince we owe; Next to wives, parents, children, fit respect, And to our friends and kindred we direct: Then we must those who groan beneath the weight Of age, disease, or want, commiserate : 'Mongst those whom honest lives can recommend, Our justice more compassion should extend; To fuch, who thee in some distress did aid, Thy debt of thanks with interest should be paid : As Hefiod fings, spread waters o'er thy field, And a most just and glad increase 'twill yield. But yet take heed, left doing good to one, Mifchief and wrong be, to another done; Such moderation with thy bounty join, That thou may'st nothing give, that is not thine; That liberality 's but cast away,
Which makes us borrow what we cannot pay : And no access to wealth let rapine bring; Do nothing that 's unjust, to be a king.
Justice must be from violence exempt, But fraud 's her only object of contempt. Fraud in the fox, force in the lion dwells; But justice both from human hearts expels; But he 's the greatest monfter (without doubt) Who is a wolf within, a sheep without. Nor only ill injurious actions are, But evil words and slanders bear their share. Truth justice loves, and truth injustice fears, Truth above all things a just man reveres : Though not by oaths we God to witness call, He fees and hears, and still remembers all; And yet our attestations we may wrest, Sometimes to make the truth more manifeft; If by a lye a man preserve his faith, He pardon, leave, and absolution hath; Or if I break my promife, which to thee Would bring no good, but prejudice to me. All things committed to thy trust conceal, Nor what 's forbid by any means reveal. Express thyself in plain, not doubtful words, That ground for quarrels or disputes affords : Unless thou find occafion, hold thy tongue; Thyself or others, careless talk may wrong. When thou art called into public power, And when a crowd of fuitors throng thy door, Be fure no great offenders 'scape their dooms; Small praise from lenity and remissness comes : Crimes pardon'd, others to those crimes invite, Whilft lookers-on severe examples fright:
When by a pardon'd murderer blood is spilt, The judge that pardon'd hath the greatest guilt; Who accuse rigour, make a gross mistake, One criminal pardon'd, may an hundred make; When justice on offenders is not done, Law, government, and commerce, are o'erthrown As befieg'd traitors with the foe conspire, T' unlock the gates, and set the town on fire. Yet left the punishment th' offence exceed, Justice with weight and measure must proceed : Yet when pronouncing sentence, seem not glad, Such spectacles, though they are just, are sad; Though what thou dost, thou ought'st not to repent, Yet human bowels cannot but relent: Rather than all must suffer, some must die; Yet nature must condole their mifery. And yet, if many equal guilt involve, Thou may'st not these condemn, and those absolve. Justice, when equal scales she holds, is blind, Nor cruelty, nor mercy, change her mind; When some escape for that which others die, Mercy to thofe, to these is cruelty. A fine and slender net the spider weaves, Which little and light animals receives; And if she catch a common bee or fly, They with a piteous groan and murmur die; But if a wasp or hornet she entrap, They tear her cords like Sampson, and escape; So like a fly the poor offender dies;
But, like the wasp, the rich escapes and flies.
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