You raise the honour of the peerage, Attend, ye Popes, and Youngs, and Gays, They They teach you how to split a hair, and Jove an equal share. Yet, why should we be lac'd so strait ? ***** Cætera defiderantur. ***** OF OF THE USE OF RICHES. This poem, as Mr. Pope tells us himself, cost much attention and labour; and, from the easiness that appears in it, one would be apt to think as much. P.WHO 7HO shall decide, when Doctors disagree, And foundest Casuists doubt, like you and me? You hold the word, from Jove to Momus giv'n, Like doctors, thus, when much dispute has pass'd, K Giv'n Giv'n to the Fool, the Mad, the Vain, the Evil, To Ward *, to Waters, Chartres, and the Devil. B. What * John Ward, of Hackney, Esq. member of parliament, being prosecuted by the dutchess of Buckingham, and convicted of forgery, was first expelled the house, and then stood in the pillory on the 17th of March 1727. He was suspected of joining in a conveyance with Sir John Blunt, to fecrete 50,0001. of that director's estate, forfeited to the South-Sea company by act of parliament. The company recovered the 50,000 1. against Ward; but he set up prior conveyances of his real estate to his brother and son, and concealed all his personal, which was computed to be 150,0001. These conveyances being also set aside by a bill in Chancery, Ward was imprisoned, and hazarded the forfeiture of his life by not giving in his effects till the laft day, which was that of his examination. During his confinement, his amusement was to give poifon to dogs and cats, and fee them expire by flower or quicker torments. To sum up the worth of this gentleman at the several æra's of his life; at his standing in the pillory he was worth above 200,cool. at his commitment to prison he was worth 150,000 1. but has fince been so far diminished in his reputa-, tion, as to be thought a worse man by 50 or 60,000 1. Fr. Chartres, a man infamous for all manner of vice. When he was an ensign in the army, he was, drummed out of the regiment for a cheat: he was next banished Brussels, and drummed out of Ghent on the fame. account. After a hundred tricks at the gaming tables, he took to lending of money at exorbitant interest, and on great penalties, accumulating præmium, interest, and capital, into a new B. What Nature wants commodious Gold bestows; 'Tis thus we eat the bread another sows. P. But new capital, and seizing, to a minute, when the payments became due. In a word, by a conftant attention to the vices, wants, and follies of mankind, he acquired an immense fortune. His house was a perpetual bawdy-house. He was twice condemned for rapes, and pardoned; but, the last time, not without imprisonment in Newgate, and large confiscations. He died in Scotland in 1731, aged 62. The populace, at his funeral, raifed a great riot, almost tore the body out of the coffin, and caft dead dogs, &c. into the grave along with it. The following epitaph contains his character, very justly drawn, by Dr. Arbuthnot. HERE continueth to rot The body of FRANCIS CHARTRES, Who, with an INFLEXIBLE CONSTANCY, and INIMITABLE UNIFORMITY of life, PERSISTED, In spite of AGE and INFIRMITIES, In the practice of EVERY HUMAN VICE; Excepting PRODIGALITY and HYPOCRISY: His infatiable AVARICE exempted him from the first, His matchless IMPUDENCE from the last. Nor was he more fingular in the undeviating pravity For, without TRADE OF PROFESSION, He acquired, or, more properly, created A MINISTERIAL ESTATE. |