Confounds the civil, keeps the rude in awe, Jefts like a licens'd fool, commands like law. Frighted, I quit the room, but leave it fo As men from Jails to execution go; For hung with deadly fins I fee the wall,
And lin'd with Giants deadlier than them all: Each Man an Afkapart, of ftrength to tofs For quoits, both Temple-bar and Charing-crofs. Scar'd at the grizly forms, I fweat, I fly,
And shake all o'er, like a discover'd spy.
Courts are too much for wits fo weak as mine: 280 Charge them with Heaven's Artillery, bold Divine! From fuch alone the Great rebukes endure, Whofe Satire's facred, and whose rage fecure:
He strives to look worfe; he keeps all in awe; Jefts like a licens'd fool, commands like law. Tir'd, now, I leave this place, and but pleas'd fo As men from gaols to execution go,
Go, through the great chamber (why is it hung, With these seven deadly fins?) being among Those Afkaparts, men big enough to throw Charing-crofs, for a bar, men that do know No token of worth, but Queens man, and fine Living; barrels of beef, flaggons of wine. I shook like a spied Spie-Preachers which are Seas of Wit and Arts, you can, then dare, Drown the fins of this place, but as for me Which am but a scant brook, enough shall be
'Tis mine to wash a few light stains; but theirs To deluge fin, and drown a Court in tears. Howe'er, what's now Apocrypha, my Wit, In time to come, may país for Holy Writ.
To wash the stains away: Although I yet (With Maccabees modefty) the known merit my work leffen, yet some wife men fhall, I hope, esteem my Writs Canonical.
WOT twice a twelvemonth you appear in Print, And when it comes, the Court fee nothing in't. You grow correct, that once with Rapture writ, And are, befides, too moral for a Wit. Decay of Parts, alas! we all must feelWhy now, this moment, don't I fee you fteal? 'Tis all from Horace; Horace long before ye Said, "Tories call'd him Whig, and Whigs a Tory;"
You don't, I hope, pretend to quit the trade, Because you think your reputation made: Like good Sir Paul, of whom fo much was faid, That when his name was up, he lay a-bed. Come, come, refresh us with a livelier fong, Or, like Sir Paul, you'll lie a-bed too long. P. Sir, what I write, fhould be correctly writ. F. Correct! 'tis what no genius can admit. Befides, you grow too moral for a Wit.
And taught his Romans, in much better metre, "To laugh at Fools who put their truft in Peter." 10 But Horace, Sir, was delicate, was nice;
Bubo obferves, he lash'd no fort of Vice: Horace would fay, Sir Billy ferv'd the Crown, Blunt could do Business, Higgins knew the Town; In Sappho touch the Failings of the Sex, In reverend Bishops note fome fmall Neglects, And own the Spaniard did a waggish thing, Who cropt our Ears, and fent them to the King. His fly, polite, infinuating style
Could please at Court, and make AUGUSTUS fmile: An artful Manager, that crept between
His Friend and Shame, and was a kind of Screen. But 'faith your very Friends will foon be fore; Patriots there are, who with you 'd jeft no more- And where's the Glory? 'twill be only thought The Great man never offer'd you a groat. Go fee Sir ROBERT-
P. See Sir ROBERT!-hum- And never laugh-for all my life to come? Seen him I have, but in his happier hour Of Social Pleasure, ill-exchang'd for Power; Seen him, uncumber'd with a Venal tribe, Smile without Art, and win without a Bribe. Would he oblige me! let me only find,
He does not think me what he thinks mankind. Come, come, at all I laugh he laughs, no doubt; 35 The only difference is, I dare laugh out.
F. Why yes: with Scripture ftill you may be free; A Horfe-laugh, if you please, at Honefty;
A Joke on JEKYLL, or fome odd Old Whig, Who never chang'd his Principle, or Wig; A Patriot is a Fool in every age,
Whom all Lord Chamberlains allow the Stage: 'Thefe nothing hurts; they keep their Fashion ftill, And wear their strange old Virtue, as they will.
If any ask you, "Who's the Man, fo near "His Prince, that writes in Verfe, and has his ear?"
Why answer LYTTELTON; and I 'll engage The worthy Youth fhall ne'er be in a rage: But were his Verses vile, his Whisper base, 'You'd quickly find him in Lord Fanny's cafe. Sejanus, Wolfey, hurt not honeft FLEURY, But well may put fome Statesmen in a fury. Laugh then at any, but at Fools or Foes; Thefe you but anger, and you mend not those. Laugh at your Friends, and, if your Friends are fore, 55 So much the better, you may laugh the more.
To Vice and Folly to confine the jeft,
Sets half the world, God knows, against the reft; Did not the Sneer of more impartial men At Senfe and Virtue balance all again. Judicious Wits fpread wide the Ridicule, And charitably comfort Knave and Fool.
P. Dear Sir, forgive the Prejudice of Youth: Adieu Distinction, Satire, Warmth, and Truth! Come, harmless Characters that no one hit; Come, Henley's Oratory, Ofborn's Wit! U 2
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