Despise a fool in half his pension dress'd, Well may they rise, while I, whose rustick tongue For what but social guilt the friend endears? m The cheated nation's happy fav'rites, see! Mark whom the great caress, who frown on me! London! the needy villain's gen'ral home, The common sewer of Paris and of Rome; With eager thirst, by folly or by fate, Sucks in the dregs of each corrupted state. Forgive my transports, on a theme like this, "I cannot bear a French metropolis, Omnis arena Tagi, quodque in mare volvitur aurum, Illustrious Edward! from the realms of day, But, lost in thoughtless ease and empty show, Of France the mimick, and of Spain the prey. Hiss'd from the stage, or hooted from the court, On Britain's fond credulity they prey. No gainful trade their industry can 'scape, And, bid him go to hell, to hell he goes. Studious to please, and ready to submit, Wit, brav'ry, worth, his lavish tongue bestows; • Rusticus ille tuus sumit trechedipna, Quirine, Et ceromatico fert niceteria collo. › Ingenium velox, audacia perdita, sermo Promptus Augur, schoenobates, medicus, magus: omnia novit. Græculus esuriens in cœlum, jusseris, ibit. r Usque adeo nihil est, quod nostra infantia cœlum Hausit Aventinum ? S Quid? quod adulandi gens prudentissima laudat *And what their armies lost, their cringes gain. 100 In ev'ry face a thousand graces shine, These arts in vain our rugged natives try, Besides, with justice, this discerning age Admires their wondrous talents for the stage: " Well may they venture on the mimick's art, And view each object with another's eye; * How, when competitors, like these, contend, Can surly virtue hope to fix a friend? Slaves that with serious impudence beguile, For arts, like these, preferr'd, admir'd, caress'd, Hæc eadem licet et nobis laudare: sed illis Creditur. " Natio comoda est. Rides? majore cachinno Concutitur, &c. * Non sumus ergo pares: melior, qui semper et omni Nocte dieque potest alienum sumere vultum, A facie jactare manus, laudare paratus, Si bene ructavit, si rectum minxit amicus. y Scire volunt secreta domus atque inde timeri. * And gain a kick. с Then soon your ill-placed confidence repay, 2 By numbers here from shame or censure free, All crimes are safe, but hated poverty. This, only this, the rigid law pursues, This, only this, provokes the snarling muse. Wakes from his dream, and labours for a joke; This mournful truth is ev'ry where confess'd, Symp SLOW RISES WORTH, BY POVERTY DEPRESS'D: But here more slow, where all are slaves to gold, Where looks are merchandise, and smiles are sold; *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 horrours take your way, And leave your little ALL to flames a prey; Then through the world a wretched vagrant roam; For where can starving merit find a home? In vain your mournful narrative disclose, e While all neglect, and most insult your woes. 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, See! while he builds, the gaudy vassals come, And crowd with sudden wealth the rising dome; And hopes from angry heav'n another fire. Erumnæ cumulus, quod nudum et frustra rogantem e Si magna Asturii cecidit domus, horrida mater : Pullati proceres, -Jam accurrit, qui marmora donet, Conferat impensas: hic &c. • Hic modium argenti. Meliora, ac plura reponit Persicus orborum lautissimus 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. |