15 Obsequious, artful, voluble, and gay, On Britain's fond credulity they prey. No gainful trade their industry can 'scape, 16 They sing, they dance, clean shoes, or cure a clap: All sciences a fasting Monsieur knows, And, bid him go to hell, to hell he goes. 17 Ah! what avails it, that, from slav'ry far, 18 Studious to please, and ready to submit, Besides, with justice, this discerning age 15 Ingenium velox, audacia perdita, sermo Promptus. 16 Augur, schoenobates, medicus, magus: omnia novit Græculus esuriens; in cœlum, jusseris, ibit. 17 Usque adeo nihil est, quod nostra infantia cœlum Hausit Aventini ? 18 Quid? quod adulandi gens prudentissima, laudat Sermonem indocti, faciem deformis amici ? 19 Hæc eadem licet & nobis laudare: sed illis Creditur.. And what their armies lost, their cringes gain. 20 Well may they venture on the mimick's art, And view each object with another's eye; 21 How, when competitors like these contend, Your taste in snuff, your judgment in a whore; Can Balbo's eloquence applaud, and swear He gropes his breeches with a Monarch's air. For arts like these preferr'd, admir'd, caress'd, They first invade your table, then your breast; 22 Explore your secrets with insidious art, Watch the weak hour, and ransack all the heart; Then soon your ill-plac'd confidence repay, Commence your lords, and govern or betray. 23 By numbers here from shame or censure free, All crimes are safe but hated poverty. 20 Natio comoda est. Rides? majore cachinno Concutitur, &c. 21 Non sumus ergo pares: melior, qui semper & omni Nocte dieque potest alienum sumere vultum, A facie jactare manus: laudare paratus, Si bene ructavit, si rectum minxit amicus. 22 Scire volunt secreta domus, atque inde timeri. 23 Materiam præbet causasque jocorum Omnibus hic idem? si foeda & scissa lacerna, &c. This, only this, the rigid law pursues, Wakes from his dream, and labours for a joke; 24 Nil habet infelix paupertas durius in se, Quam quod ridiculos homines facit. 25 Agmine facto, Debuerant olim tenues migrasse Quirites. 26 Haud facile emergunt, quorum virtutibus obstat Res angusta domi; sed Romæ durior illis Conatus. Omnia Romæ Cum pretio. Cogimur, & cultis augere peculia servis. * The Spaniards at this time were said to make claim to some of our American provinces. But hark! th' affrighted crowd's tumultuous cries Roll through the streets, and thunder to the skies: Rais'd from some pleasing dream of wealth and pow'r, Some pompous palace, or some blissful bow'r, Aghast you start, and scarce with aching sight Sustain th' approaching fire's tremendous light; Swift from pursuing horrors take your way, And leave your little ALL to flames a prey; 27Then thro' the world a wretched vagrant roam, For where can starving merit find a home? In vain your mournful narrative disclose, While all neglect, and most insult your woes, 28 Should Heav'n's just bolts Orgilio's wealth confound, *And spread his flaming palace on the ground, Swift o'er the land the dismal rumour flies, And public mournings pacify the skies; The laureat tribe in venal verse relate, How virtue wars with persecuting fate; 29 With well-feign'd gratitude the pension'd band Refund the plunder of the beggar'd land. See! while he builds, the gaudy vassals come, And crowd with sudden wealth the rising dome; The price of boroughs and of souls restore ; And raise his treasures higher than before: Ærumnæ cumulus, quod nudum & frustra rogantem 28 Si magna Asturici cecidit domus, horrida mater, Pullati proceres. 29 Jam accurrit, qui marmora donet, Conferat impensas: hic, &c. Hic modium argenti. * This was by Hitch, a bookseller, justly observed to be no picture of modern manners, though it might be true at Rome. MS note in Dr. Johnson's hand-writing. Now bless'd with all the baubles of the great, 31 Could'st thou resign the park and play content, And stretch thy prospects o'er the smiling land, e And, while thy grounds a cheap repast afford, There ev'ry bush with Nature's musick rings, And bless thine evening walk and morning toil. 20 Persicus orborum lautissimus. 31 Si potes avelli Circensibus, optima Soræ, Aut Fabrateriæ domus, aut Frusinone paratur, Quanti nunc tenebras unum conducis in annum. Hortulus hic. Vive bidentis amans & culti villicus horti, Unde epulum possis centum dare Pythagoræis. Et subiti casus improvidus, ad cœnam si "Ebrius, ac petulans, qui nullum forte cecîdit, Dat pœnas, noctem patitur lugentis amicum Peleidæ. • And, while thy beds. |