Laurels won in the Field of Honour. Brings down the warrior's trophy to the dust, B. I grant that, men continuing what they are : Let laurels, drench'd in pure Parnassian dews, Reward his mem'ry, dear to ev'ry muse, Who, with a courage of unshaken root, In honour's field advancing his firm foot, Plants it upon the line that Justice draws, And will prevail or perish in her cause. 'Tis to the virtues of such men, man owes His portion in the good that heav'n bestows. And, when recording history displays Feats of renown, though wrought in ancient days; Tells of a few stout hearts that fought and died Where duty plac'd them, at their country's side; / The man that is not mov'd with what he reads, That takes not fire at their heroic deeds Infamy of Ambition. ! Unworthy of the blessings of the brave, Man made for Kings!-rather they for him. A. 'Tis your belief the world was made for man; King's do but reason on the self same plan: Maintaining your's, you cannot their's condemn, Who think, or seem to think, man made for them, B. Seldom, alas! the pow'r of logic reigns With much sufficiency in royal brains: Such reas'ning falls like an inverted cone, Wanting its proper base to stand upon. Man made for kings! those optics are but dim That tell you so-say, rather, they for him. That were indeed a king-ennobling thought, Could they, or would they, reason as they ought The diadem, with mighty projects lin'd, To catch renown by ruining mankind, Is worth, with all its gold and glitt'ring store, Just what the toy will sell for, and no more. Oh! bright occasions of dispensing good, How seldom used, how little understood! To pour in virtue's lap her just reward. Keep vice restrain'd behind a double guard; To give Religion her unbounded Scope. To quell the faction that affronts the throne By silent magnanimity alone; To nurse with tender care the thriving arts, t A. Guard what you say; the patriotic tribe Will sneer, and charge you with a bribe. - B. A bribe? The worth of his three kingdoms I defy, To lure me to the baseness of a lie. Wit strikes indiscriminately. And, of all lies, (be that one poet's boest) Those arts be their's who hate his gentle reign, A. Your smooth eulogium, to one crown address'd, Seems to imply a censure on the rest. B. Quevedo, as he tells his sober tale, Ask'd, when in hell, to see the royal jail; Approv'd their method in all other things; But where, good sir, do you confine your kings? There-said his guide-the group is full in view. Indeed!-replied the Don-there are but few. His black interpreter the charge disdain'dFew, fellow?-there are all that ever reign'd: Wit undistinguishing, is apt to strike The guilty and not guilty, both alike. I grant the sarcasm is too severe, And we can readily refute it here; While Alfred's name, the father of his age, And the Sixth Edward's grace th' historic page, : |