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MORAL ESSAYS.

EPISTLE IV.

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Richard Boyle, Earl of Burlington.

ARGUMENT.

Of the Ufe of RICHES.

THE Vanity of Expence in People of Wealth and Quality. The abufe of the word Tafte, ver. 13. That the first principle and foundation in this, as in every thing else, is Good Senfe, ver. 40. The chief proof of it is to follow Nature, even in works of mere Luxury and Elegance. Inftanced in Architecture and Gardening, where all must be adapted to the Genius and Ufe of the Place, and the Beauties not forced into it, but refulting from it, ver. 50. How men are disappointed in their most expensive undertakings, for want of this true Foundation, without which nothing can please long, if at all; and the best Examples and Rules will but be perverted into fomething burdenfome or ridiculous, ver. 65, etc. to 92. A de

fcription of the false Taste of Magnificence; the firft grand error of which is to imagine that Greatness confifts in the Size and Dimenfion, instead of the Proportion and Harmony of the whole, ver. 97. and the fecond, either in joining together Parts incoherent, or too minutely resembling, or in the Repetition of the fame too frequently, ver. 105, etc. A word or two of falfe Tafe in Books, in Music, in Painting, even in Preaching and Prayer, and lafily in Entertainments, ver. 133, etc. Yet PROVIDENCE ♦ is justified in giving Wealth to be Squandered in this manner, fince it is difperfed to the Poor and Laborious part of mankind, ver. 169. [recurring to what is laid down in the firft Book, Ep. ii. and in the Epiftle preceding this, ver. 159, etc.] What are the proper Objects of Magnificence, and a proper field for the Expence of Great Men, ver. 177, etc. and finally the Great and Public Works which become a Prince, ver. 191, to the end.

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What brought S. Visto's ill got Wealth to waste? Some Damon whisperd Visto! have a Laste.

Ep.on Tarte

EPISTLE III.

'IS ftrange, the Miser should his Cares employ To gain thofe ricl:es he can ne'er enjoy:

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Is it lefs ftrange, the prodigal fhould waste
His wealth, to purchase what he ne'er can taste ?
Not for himself he fees, or hears, or eats;
Artists must chuse his Pictures, Mufic, Meats ;
He buys for Topham, Drawings and Designs,
For Pembroke Statues, dirty Gods, and Coins;

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EPISTLE IV.] The extremes of Avarice and Profufion being treated of in the foregoing Epittle; this takes up one particular branch of the latter, the Vanity of Expence in people of wealth and quality; and is therefore a corollary to the preceding, just as the epiftle on the Characters of Women is to that of the Knowledge and Characters of Men. It is equally remarkable for exactness of method with the reft. But the nature of the fubject, which is less philofophical, makes it capable of being analyzed in a much narrower compafs.

VER. 7. Topham,] A Gentleman famous for a judicious collection of Drawings,

VER. 8. For Pembroke Statues, dirty Gods, and Coins ;] The author speaks here not as a Philofopher or Divine, but as a Connoiffeur and Antiquary; confequently the dirty attribute here affigned these Gods of old renown, is not in difparagement of their worth, but in high commendation of their genuine pretenfions.

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