O why, ye powers, that rule the race of man,
And you that should instruct him to be wise
And good; why will ye join, O why, in league
Unnatural, to blind and to enslave!
When to reform his morals, and protect
His native rights, are your sole provinces,
From which perform'd, your safety, glory, all
That make kings great, and priests rever'd arise.

AIR.

He whose heart with social fire

Burus to do what good he can ; Sure, by the celestial Sire,

Will be deem'd the worthiest man:

So the patriot warmly prest

In his country's sacred cause,

Of all subjects is the best,

Best deserves his king's applause.

TRUTH.

Princes, give ear; give ear, ye reverend seers;
And let the words of Truth make deep impression.
Man was not made for kings, but kings for man.
And that proud tyrant who invades the rights
His hand was scepter'd to defend, becomes
A sovereign rebel. As that priest, who for
The oracles of Heaven gives human creeds,
And, wrapt in mysterics, sneering moral worth,
Delights to puzzle and confound the mind,
Which 'tis his sacred office to enlighten,
Falls from Heaven's minister to that of Hell;
And for man's teacher under God, becomes,
Under the devil, deputy seducer,

Gives the wild whims of dreaming schoolmen vent,
Whilst drowsy congregations nod assent.

2 Painters and priests, 'tis true, great licence claim,
And by bold strokes have often rose to fame:
But whales in woods, or elephants in air,
Serve only to make fools and children stare;
And in religion's name if priests dispense
Flat contradictions to all common sense;
Tho' gaping bigots wonder and believe,
The wise 'tis not so easy to deceive.

3Some take a text sublime, and fraught with

sense,

But quickly fall into impertinence.

On trifles eloquent, with great delight
They flourish out on some strange mystic rite;
Clear up the darkness of some useless text,
Or make some crabbed passage more perplext:
But to subdue the passions, or direct,
And all life's moral duties, they neglect.

4 Most preachers err (except the wiser few) Thinking establish'd doctrines, therefore true: Amuse the world with airy idle dreams: 5 Others, too fond of novelty and schemes,

[find

6 Thus too much faith, or too presuming wit,
Are rocks where bigots, or free-thinkers split.
The very meanest dabbler at Whitehall
Can rail at papists, or poor quakers maul;
But when of some great truth he aims to preach,
Alas, he finds it far beyond his reach.
8 Young deacons, try your strength, and strive to
A subject suited to your turn of mind;
Method and words are easily your own,
Or should they fail you-steal from Tillotson.
9 Much of its beauty, usefulness, and force,
Depends on rightly timing a discourse.
Before the 1-ds or c-mm-ns- -far from
nice,

Say boldly-brib'ry is a dirty vice-
But quickly check yourself and with a sneer-
Of which this honourable house is clear.

10 Great is the work, and worthy of the gown, To bring forth hidden truths and make them known. Yet in all new opinions, have a care, Truth is too strong for some weak minds to bear:

11 And are new doctrines taught, or old reviv'd; Let them from scripture plainly be deriv'd.

12 Barclay or Baxter, wherefore do we blame
For innovations, yet approve the same
In Wickliffe and in Luther? Why are these
Call'd wise reformers, those mad sectaries!
'Tis most unjust: 3 Men always had a right,
And ever will, to think, to speak, to write
Their various minds; yet sacred ought to be
The public peace, as private liberty.

14 Opinions are like leaves, which every year
Now flourish green, now fall and disappear.
Once the pope's bulls could terrify his foes,
And kneeling princes kiss'd his sacred toes,
Now he may damn, or curse, or what he will,
There's not a prince in Christendom will kneel.
Reason now reigns, and by her aid we hope
Truth may revive, and sickening errour droop:
She the sole judge, the rule, the gracious light
Kind Heaven has lent to guide our minds aright.
15 States to embroil, and faction to display,
In wild harangues, Sacheverel show'd the way.
16 The fuu'ral sermon, when it first began,
Was us'd to weep the loss of some good man;
Now any wretch, for one small piece of gold,
Shall have fine praises from the pulpit sold:
But whence this custom rose, who can decide?
From priestly av'rice? or from human pride?
17 Truth, moral virtue, piety, and peace,
Are noble subjects, and the pulpit grace:
But zeal for trifles arm'd imperious Laud,
His power and cruelty the nation aw'd.

18 Why was he honour'd with the name of priest,
And greatest made, unworthy to be least,
Whose zeal was fury, whose devotion pride,
Power his great god, and interest his sole guide?
19 To touch the passions, let your style be plain;
The praise of virtue asks a higher strain:
Yet sometimes the pathetic may receive
The utmost force that eloquence can give;
As sometimes, in elogiums, 'tis the art,
With plain simplicity to win the heart.

12

" In censuring vice, be earnest and severe; In stating dubious points, concise and clear; Anger requires stern looks and threat'ning style; But paint the charms of virtue with a smile. These different changes common sense will teach, And we expect them from you if you preach; For should your manner differ from your theme, Or in quite different subjects be the same, Despis'd and laugir'd at, you may travel down, And hide such talents in some country town.

22 It much concerns a preacher first to learn The genius of his audience, and their turn. Amongst the citizens be grave and slow; Before the nobles let fine periods flow; The Temple Church asks Sherlock's sense and skill;

Beyond the Tower-no matter-what you will.
23 In facts or notious drawn from sacred writ,
Be orthodox, nor cavil to show wit:
Let Adam lose a rib to gain a wife,
Let Noah's ark contain all things with life,
Let Moses work strange wonders with his rod,
And let the Sun stand still at Joshua's nod,
Let Solomon be wise, and Sampson strong,
Give Saul a witch, and Balaani's ass a tongue.
24 But if your daring genius is so bold
To teach new doctrines, or to censure old,
With care proceed, you tread a dangerous path;
Errour establish'd grows establish'd faith.
'Tis easier much; and much the safer rule
To teach in pulpit what you learnt at school;
With zeal defend whate'er the church believes,
If you expect to thrive or wear lawn sleeves,

25 Some loudly bluster, and consign to Hell
All who dare doubt one word or syllable
Of what they call the faith; and which extends
To whims and trifles without use or ends:

25 Sure 'tis much nobler, and more like divine, T'enlarge the path to Heaven, than to confine: Insist alone on useful points, or plain;

And know, God cannot hate a virtuous man.

27 If you expect or hope that we should stay Your whole discourse, nor strive to slink away; Some common faults there are you must avoid, To every age and circumstance ally'd.

23 A pert young student just from college brought, With many little pedantrics is fraught: Reasons with syllogism, persuades with wit, Quotes scraps of Greek instead of sacred writ; Or deep immers'd in politic debate,

Reforms the church, and guides the tottering state.

21

-Tristia mæstum

Vultum verba decent: iratum, plena minarum;
Ludentem, lasciva; severum, seria dictu.
Format enim natura prius nos intus ad omnem
Fortunarum habitum:-

22 Intererit multum Davusne loquator an heros23 Famam sequere

24 Si quid inexpertum scenæ commitis, & audes Personam formare novam;—— -tuque

Rectius Iliacum carmen deducis in actus25 Nec sic incipies, ut scriptor Cyclicus olim26 Quanto rectiùs hic

27 Tu, quid ego & populus mecum desideret, audi. Si plausoris eges aulæa manentis, & usque Suifuri donec cantor, vos plaudite, dicat; Etatis cujusque notandi sunt tibi mores28 Reddere qui voces jam scit puer

29 These trifles with maturer age forgot, Now some good benefice employs his thought; He secks a patron, and will soon incline To all his notions civil or divine; Studies his principles both night and day, And as that scripture guides, must preach and pray. 30 Av'rice and age creep on his reverend mind Begins to grow right reverendly inclin'd Power and preferment still so sweetly call, The voice of Heaven is never heard at all: Set but a tempting bishopric in view, He's strictly orthodox and loyal too; With equal zeal defends the church and state, And infidels and rebels share his hate.

Somethings are plain, we can't misunderstand; Some still obscure, tho' thousands have explain'd: Those influence more which reason can conceive, Than such as we thro' faith alone believe; In those we judge, in these you may deceive: But what too deep in mystery is thrown, The wisest preachers choose to let alone. How Adam's fault affects all buman kind; How three is one, and one is three combin'd; How certain prescience checks not future will; And why Almighty Goodness suffers ill; Such points as these lie far too deep for man, Were never well explain'd, nor ever can.

32 If pastors more than thrice five minutes preach,

Their sleepy flocks begin to yawn and stretch. 33 Never presume the name of God to bring As sacred sanction to a trifling thing.

31 Before, or after sermon, hymns of praise Exalt the soul, and true devotion raise. In songs of wonder celebrate his name, Who spread the skies, and built the starry frame: Or thence descending view this globe below, And praise the source of every bliss we know.

35 In ancient times, when Heaven was to be Our humble ancestors their voices rais'd, [prais'd, And hymns of thanks from grateful bosoms flow'd, For ills prevented, or for good bestow'd:

But as the church increas'd in power and pride,
The pomp of sound the want of sense supply'd;
Majestic organs then were taught to blow,
And plain religion grew a raree-show:

29 Conversis studiis, ætas animusque virilis Quærit opes & amicitias

30 Multa senem circumveniunt

31 Aut agitur res in scenis, aut acta refertur: Segnius irritant animos demissa per aurem, Quam quæ sunt oculis subjecta fidelibus, & quæ Ipse sibi tradit spectator.

-in avem Progne vertatur, Cadmus in anguem; Quodcunque ostendis mihi sic, incredulus odi.

32 Neve minor, neu sit quinto productior actu Fabula.

33 Nec Deus intersit, nisi dignus vindice nodus Inciderit:

34 Actoris partes chorus, officiumque virile Defendat.

35 Tibia non, ut nunc orichalco vincta, tuEmula; sed tenuis simplexque [bæque Postquam cæpit agros extendere victor, & urbem Latior amplecti murus, vinoque diurno Placari genius festis impune diebus, Accessit numerisque modisque licentia major. Indoctus quid enim saperet, liberque laborum, Rusticus urbano confusus, turpis honesto?

Strange ceremonious whims, a numerous race, Were introduc'd, in truth's and virtue's place. Mysterious turupikes block up Heaven's highway, And for a ticket, we our reason pay.

36 These superstitions quickly introduce Contempt, neglect, wild satire, and abuse; Religion and its priests, by every fool Were thought a jest, and turn'd to ridicule. Some few indeed found where the medium lay, And kept the coat, but tore the fringe away.

37 Of preaching well if you expect the fame, Let truth and virtue be your first great aim. Your sacred function often call to mind, And think how great the trust, to teach mankind) 'Tis yours in useful sermons to explain, Both what we owe to God, and what to man. Tis yours the charms of liberty to paint, His country's love in every breast to plant; Yours every social virtue to improve, Justice, forbearance, charity, and love; Yours too the private virtues to augment, Of prudence, temperance, modesty, content: When such the man, how amiable the priest; Of all mankind the worthiest, and the best.

38 Ticklish the point, I grant, and hard to find, To please the various tempers of mankind. Some love you should the crabbed points explain, Where texts with texts a dreadful war maintais: Some love a new, and some the beaten path, Morals please some, and others points of faith: But he's the man, he's the admir'd divine, In whose discourses truth and virtue join: These are the sermons which will ever live, By these our Tonsons and our Knaptons thrive: How such are read, and prais'd, and how they sell,

Let Barrow's, Clarke's, and Butler's sermons tell. 39 Preachers should either make us good or

wise,

Him that does neither, who but must despise?
If all your rules are useful, short and plain,
We soon shall learn them, and shall long retain:
But if on trifles you harangue, away
We turn our heads, and laugh at all you say.

40 But priests are men, and men are prone to em,
On common failings none should be severe;
All are not masters of the same good sense,
Nor blest with equal powers of eloquence.
'Tis true: and errours with an honest mind,
Will meet with easy pardon from mankind;
But who persists in wrong with stubborn pride,
Him all must censure, many will deride.

41 Yet few are judges of a fine discourse, Can see its beauties, or can feel its force;

36 Mox etiam agrestes Satyros nudavit, & asper Incolumi gravitate jocum tentavit—— 37 Scribendi rectè, sapere est & principium &

fons.

Qui didicit patriæ quid debeat, & quid amicis, * Vide Martin in the Tale of a Tub.

38 Centuria seniorem agitant expertia frugis; Celsi prætereunt austera poemata Rhamnes Omne tulit punctum qui miscuit utile dulci, Lectorem delectando, pariterque monendo.—

39 Aut prodesse volunt, aut delectare poëta4 Sunt delicta tamen, quibus ignovisse veli

mus

Non quivis videt immodulata poëmata judex.

With equal pleasure some attentive sit,
To sober reasoning, and to shallow wit.
What then? Because your audience most are fools,
Will you neglect all method, and all rules?
Or since the pulpit is a sacred place,
Where uone dare contradict you to your face,
Will you presume to tell a thousand lies?
If so, we may forgive, but must despise.

42 In jingling Bev'ridge if I chance to see
One word of sense, I prize the rarity:
But if in Hooker, Sprat, or Tillotson,

A thought unworthy of themselves is shown,
I grieve to see it, but 'tis no surprise,
The greatest men are not at all times wise.

43 Sermons, like plays, some please us at the ear,
But never will a serious reading bear;
Some in the closet edify enough,
That from the pulpit seem'd but sorry stuff.
'Tis thus: there are, who by ill preaching spoil
Young's pointed sense, or Atterbury's style;
Whilst others by the force of eloquence, [sense.
Make that seem fine, which scarce is common
44 In every science, they that hope to rise,
Set great examples still before their eyes.
Young lawyers copy Murray where they can;
Physicians Mead, and surgeons Cheselden;
But all will preach, without the least pretence
To virtue, learning, art, or eloquence.
Why not? you cry: they plainly see, no doubt,
A priest may grow right-reverend without.

[sign'd

45 Preachers and preaching were at first deFor common benefit to all mankind. Public and private virtues they explain'd, To goodness courted, and from vice restrain'd: Love, peace, and union breath'd in each discourse, And their examples gave their precepts force. From these good men, the priests and all their Were honour'd with the title of divine. [line But soon their proud successors left this path, Forsook plain morals for dark points of faith; Till creeds on creeds the warring world inflam'd, And all mankind, by different priests, were damn'd. 4 Some ask which is th' essential of a priest, Virtue or learning? what they ask's a jest: We daily see dull loads of reverend fat, Without pretence to either this or that. But who'd like Herring, or like Hoadly shine, Must with great learning real virtue join.

47 He who by preaching hopes to raise a name,
To no small excellence directs his aim.
On every noted preacher he must wai;
The voice, the look, the action initat :
And when complete in style, and eloquence,
Must then crown all with learning and good sense.
But some with lazy pride disgrace the gown,
And never preach one sermon of their own;
'Tis easier to transcribe than to compose,
So all the week they eat, and drink, and doze.
48 As quacks with lying puffs the papers fill,
Or hand their own praise in a pocky bill,
Where empty boasts of much superior sense,
Draw from the cheated crowd their idle pence;
So the great Henley hires for half-a-crown
A quack advertisement, to tell the town
Of some strange point to be disputed on:
Where all who love the science of debate,
May hear themselves, or other coxcombs prate.
49 When dukes or noble lords a chaplain hire,
They first of his capacities inquire.
If stoutly qualify'd to drink and smoke,
If not too nice to bear an impious joke,
If tame enough to be the common jest,
This is a chaplain to his lordship's taste.

50 If bards to Pope indifferent verses show,
He is too honest not to tell them so.
This is obscure, he cries, and this too rough,
These trifling, or superfluous; strike them off.
How useful every word from such a friend!
But parsons are too proud their works to mend,
And every fault with arrogance defend:
Think them too sacred to be criticis'd,
And rather choose to let them be despis'd.

51 He that is wise will not presume to laugh
At priests, or church-aurs; it is not safe.
Think there exists, and let it check your sport,
That dreadful monster call'd a spiritual court.
Into whose cruel jaws if once you fall,
In vain, alas! in vain for aid you call;
Clerks, proctors, priests, voracious round you ply,
Like leeches sticking, till they've suck'd you dry.

"Twas thus the Muse her eager flight began, Ardent to sing the poet and the man: But truth in verse is clad too like a lie, And you, at least, would think it flattery; Hating the thought, I check my forward strain, 1 change my style, and thus begin again:

As when some student first with curious eye,
Thro' Nature's wond'rous frame attempts to pry;
His doubtful reason seeming faults surprise,
He asks if this be just? if that be wise?
Storms, tempests, earthquakes, virtue in distress,
And vice unpunish'd, with strange thoughts op-
Till thinking on, unclouded by degrees, [press:
His mind is open'd, fair is all he sees; [plight,
Storms, tempests, earthquakes, virtue's ragged
And vice's triumph, all are just and right:
Beauty is found, and order, and design,
And the whole scheme acknowledg'd all divine.
So when at first I view'd thy wond'rous plan,
Leading thro' all the winding maze of man;
Bewilder'd, weak, unable to pursue,

My pride would fain have laid the fault on you.
This false, that ill-exprest, this thought not good,
And all was wrong which I misunderstood.
But reading more attentive, soon I found,
The diction nervous, and the doctrine sound.
Saw man a part of that stupendous whole,
"Whose body Nature is, and God the soul."
Saw in the scale of things his middle state,
And all his powers adapted just to that.
Saw reason, passion, weakness, how of use,
How all to good, to happiness conduce.
Saw my own weakness, thy superior pow'r,
And still the more I read, admire the more.
This simile drawn out, 1 now began
To think of forming some design or plan,
To aid my Muse, and guide her wand'ring lay,
When sudden to my mind came honest Gay.
For form or method I no more contend,
But strive to copy that ingenious friend':
Like him to catch my thoughts just as they rose-
And thus I caught them, laughing at thy foes.

"Where are ye now"-ye critics, shail I say?
Or owls, who sicken at this god of day?
"What! mighty scribblers, will you let him go
Uncensur'd, unabus'd, unhonour'd so?·
Step forth, some great distinguish'd daring dunce,
Write but one page, you silence him at once:
Write without fear; you will, you must succeed;
He cannot answer-for he will not read."

Here paus'd the Muse-alas! the jade is bit, She fain would copy Gay, but wants his wit. She paus'd, indeed-broke off as he had done, Wrote four unmeaning lines, and then went on: "Ye wits and fools; ye libertines and saints, Come pour upon the foe your joint complaints. First, you who oft, with wisdom too refin'd, Can censure and direct th' Eternal Mind, Ingenious wits, who modestly pretend This bungling frame, the universe, to mend; How can you bear, in your great reason's spight, To hear him prove, Whatever is, is right?

Alas! how easy to confute the song!

If all is right, how came your heads so wrong?

"And come, ye soleinn fools, a numerous band, Who read, and read, but never understand, Pronounce it nonsense-Can't you prove it too? Good faith, my friends, it may be so-to you.

In his first Epistle.

"Come too, ye libertines, who lust for pow'r, Or wealth, or fame, or greatness, or a whore; All who true sensual happiness adhere to, And laugh him out of this old fashion'd virtue; Virtue, where he has whimsically plac'd Your only bliss-How odd is some men's taste!

"And come, ye rigid saints, with looks deaure Who boast yourselves right holy, just, and pure Come, and with pious zeal the lines decry, Which give your proud hypocrisy the lie: Which own the best have failings, not a few; And prove the worst, sometimes, as good as you, "What! shall he taint such perfect souls with ill?

Shall sots not place their bliss in what they will?
Nor fools be fools? Nor wits sublime descend
In charity to Heav'n its works to mend? [plain,
Laughs he at these?-Tis monstrous. To be
I'd have ye write-He can but laugh again."

Here lifting up my head, surpris'd, I see
Close at my elbow, flattering Vanity.
From her soft whispers soon I found it came,
That I suppos'd myself not one of them.
Alas! how easily ourselves we sooth!

I fear, in justice, he must laugh at both.
For Vanity abash'd, up to my ear
Steps honest Truth, and these sharp words I hear;
"Forbear, vain bard, like them forbear thy lays;
Alike to Pope such censure and such praise.
Nor that can sink, nor this exalt his name,
Who owes to virtue, and himself, his fame."

ON GOOD AND ILL-NATURE.

TO MR. POPE.

IN virtue's cause to draw a daring pen,
Defend the good, encounter wicked men:
Freely to praise the virtues of the few,
And boldly censure the degenerate crew:
To scorn,

with equal justice, to deride [prik;
The poor man's worth, or soothe the great one's
All this was once good-nature thought, not ill;
Nay, some there are so odd to think so still.
Old-fashion'd souls! your men of modern taste,
Are with new virtue, new politeness grac'd.
Good-nature now has chang'd her honest face,
For smiling flattery, compliment, grimace:
Fool grins at fool, each coxcomb owns his brother,
And thieves and sharpers compliment each other.
To such extent good-nature now is spread,
To be sincere is monstrously ill-bred:
An equal brow to all is now the vogue,
And complaisance goes round from rogue to rogue,
If this be good-'tis gloriously true,
The most ill-natur'd man alive, is you.

THE CAVE OF POPE,

A PROPHESY.

WHEN dark Oblivion, in her sable cloak

Shall wrap the names of heroes and of king; And their high deeds, submitting to the stroke Of Time, shall fall amongst forgotten things: