Swift o'er the land the dismal rumour flies, Could'st thou resign the park and play content, For the fair banks of Severn or of Trent; And stretch thy prospects o'er the smiling land, 13 For less than rent the dungeons of the Strand; There prune thy walks, support thy drooping flowers, Direct thy rivulets, and twine thy bowers; *And, while thy grounds a cheap repast afford, Despise the dainties of a venal lord: There ev'ry bush with Nature's musick rings, And bless thine evening walk and morning toil. *Some fiery fop, with new commission vain, you close, *And leaves, unseen, a dagger in your breast. Whose ways and means† support the sinking land: A single gaol, in ALFRED's golden reign, * Ebrius, ac petulans, qui nullum forte cecidit, Dat pœnas, noctem patitur lugentis amicum Pelidæ. Sed, quamvis improbus annis, Atque mero fervens, cavet hunc, quem coccina læna Multum præterea fiammarum, atque ænea lampas. m Nec tamen hoc tantum metuas: nam qui spoliet te Non deerit, clausis domibus, &c. » Maximus in vinclis ferri modus; ut timeas, ne Vomer deficiat, ne marræ et sarcula desint. • Felices proavorum atavos, felicia dicas Secula, quæ quondam sub regibus atque tribunis And plants unseen. t A cant term in the House of Commons for methods of raising money. The nation was discontented at the visits made by the King to Hanover. Sustain'd the balance, but resign'd the sword. No spies were paid, no special juries known, P Much could I add,-but see the boat at hand, Farewell!-When youth, and health, and fortune spent, Thou fly'st for refuge to the Wilds of Kent; And, tir'd like me with follies and with crimes, In angry numbers warn'st succeeding times; Then shall thy friend, nor thou refuse his aid, Still foe to vice, forsake his Cambrian shade; In virtue's cause once more exert his Thy satire point, and animate thy page. rage, P His alias poteram, et plures subnectere causas: Ergo vale nostri memor: et quoties te Roma tuo refici properantem reddet Aquino, Me quoque ad Elvinam Cererem, vestramque Dianam Adjutor gelidos veniam caligatus in agros. THE VANITY OF HUMAN WISHES, IN IMITATION OF THE TENTH SATIRE OF JUVENAL. LET *Observation with extensive view 2. †But, scarce observ'd, the knowing and the bold Fall in the gen'ral massacre of gold; Wide wasting pest! that rages unconfin'd, 、 C Let Hist'ry tell where rival kings command, Walks the wild heath, and sings his toil away. Now fears in dire vicissitude invade, The rustling brake alarms, and quiv'ring shade, Nor light nor darkness bring his pain relief, One shews the plunder, and one hides the thief. *Yet still one gen'ral cryd the skies assails, And gain and grandeur load the tainted gales: Few know the toiling statesman's fear or care, ~ Th' insidious rival and the gaping heir. A 3†Once more, Democritus, arise on earth, With cheerful wisdom and instructive mirth, See motley life in modern trappings dress'd, And feed with varied fools th' eternal jest: Thou who could'st laugh where want enchain'd caprice, Toil crush'd conceit, and man was of a piece; Where wealth unlov'd without a mourner died; And scarce a sycophant was fed by pride; Where ne'er was known the form of mock debate, Or seen a new-made mayor's unwieldy state; Where change of fav'rites made no change of laws, And senates heard before they judg'd a cause; How would'st thou shake at Britain's modish tribe, Dart the quick taunt, and edge the piercing gibe? a In the first edition "the bonny traitor!" an evident allusion to the Scotch lords who suffered for the rebellion in 1745. |