How inconsistent greater goods with these; How sometimes life is risk'd, and always ease: Think, and if still the things thy envy call, Say, wouldst thou be the man to whom they fall? To sigh for ribbands if thou art so silly, Mark how they grace Lord Umbra, or Sir Billy. Is yellow dirt the passion of thy life? Look but on Gripus, or on Gripus' wife. If parts allure thee, think how Bacon shin'd, The wisest, brightest, meanest of mankind: Or ravish'd with the whistling of a name, See Cromwell, damn'd to everlasting fame! If all, united, thy ambition call, From ancient story learn to scorn them all. There, in the rich, the honour'd, fam'd, and great, See the false scale of happiness complete! In hearts of kings, or arms of queens who lay, How happy those to ruin, these betray! Oh wealth ill-fated! which no act of fame E'er taught to shine, or sanctified from shame! What greater bliss attends their close of life? Some greedy minion, or imperious wife, The trophy'd arches, story'd halls invade, And haunt their slumbers in the pompous shade. Alas! not dazzled with their noontide ray, Compute the morn and ev'ning to the day; A tale, that blends their glory with their shame! Know then this truth (enough for man to know) "Virtue alone is happiness below." The only point where human bliss stands still, And but more happy as the more distress'd: Good, from each object, from each place acquir'd, For ever exercis'd, yet never tir'd; Never elated while one man's oppress'd; Never dejected, while another's blest; And where no wants, no wishes can remain, See the sole bliss heav'n could on all bestow! Which who but feels can taste, but thinks can Yet know; poor with fortune, and with learning blind, The bad must miss, the good untaught will find; Sees, that no being any bliss can know, But touches some above, and some below; Learns, from this union of the rising whole, For him alone, Hope leads from goal to goal, Hope of known bliss, and faith in bliss unknown: (Nature, whose dictates to no other kind Are giv'n in vain, but what they seek they find) Wise is her present; she connects in this His greatest virtue with his greatest bliss; |