EPISTLE III. ΤΟ ALLEN LORD BATHURST. ARGUMENT. Of the Ufe of RICHES. THAT it is known to few, most falling into one of the extremes Avarice or Profufion, Ver. 1, &c. The Point dif cuffed, whether the invention of Money has been more commodious, or pernicious to Mankind, Ver. 21 to 77. That Riches either to the Avaricious or the Prodigal, cannot afford Happiness, fcarcely neceffaries, Ver. 89 to 160. That Avarice is an abfolute Frenzy, without an End or Purpose, Ver. 113, &c. 152. Conjectures about the Motives of Avaricious Men, Ver. 121 to 153. That the conduct of Men, with respect to Riches, can only be accounted for by the ORDER OF PROVIDENCE, which works the general Good out of Extremes, and brings all to its great End by perpetual Revolutions, Ver. 161 to 178. How a Miser acts upon Principles which appear to him reasonable, Ver. 179. How a Prodigal does the fame, Ver. 199. The due Medium, and true Use of Riches, Ver. 219. The Man of Rofs, Ver. 250. The fate of the Profufe and the Covetous, in two examples; both miferable in Life and in Death, Ver. 300, &c. The Story of Sir Balaam, Ver. 339 to the End. EPISTLE III. P. WHO fhall decide, when Doctors difagree, And foundest Cafuifts doubt, like you and me? You hold the word, from Jove to Momus giv'n, That Man was made the standing jeft of Heav'n; And Gold but fent to keep the fools in play, For fome to heap, and fome to throw away. But I, who think more highly of our kind, (And furely, Heav'n and I are of a mind,) 5 VARIATIONS. Opine, EPISTLE III.] This epiftle was written after a violent outcry against our Author, on fufpicion that he had ridiculed a worthy nobleman merely for his wrong tafte. He justified himself upon that article in a letter to the Earl of Burlington; at the end of which are these words: "I have learnt that there are fome who would rather be wicked than ridiculous; and therefore it may be safer to attack vices than follies. I will therefore leave my betters in the quiet poffeffion of their idols, their groves, and their high places, and change my fubject from their pride to their meannefs, from their vanities to their miferies; and as the only certain way to avoid mifconftructions, to leffen offence, and not to multiply illnatured applications, I may probably, in my next, make use of real names inftead of fictitious ones." P. VER. 2. Like you and me?] A most unaccountable piece of falfe English-me for I. It is not for the fake of making petty objections that it is thought neceffary to hint at these inaccuracies in fo correct a writer, but merely to prevent their becoming authorities for errors. "In the Epiftles to Lords Bathurst and Burlington," fays Johnson, "Warburton has endeavoured to find a train of thought which was never in the writer's head; and, to support his hypothefis, has printed that first which was published laft. Opine, that Nature, as in duty bound, Deep hid the shining mischief under ground: 10 16 No grace of Heav'n, or token of th' Elect; NOTES. VER. 20. JOHN WARD of Hackney, Efq. Member of Parliament, being profecuted by the Duchefs of Buckingham, and convicted of Forgery, was firft expelled the House, and then stood on the pillory on the 17th of March, 1727. He was fufpected of joining in a conveyance with Sir John Blunt, to fecrete fifty thoufand pounds of that Director's eftate, forfeited to the South-Sea Company by Act of Parliament. The Company recovered the fifty thousand pounds against Ward; but he fet up prior conveyances of his real estate to his brother and fon, and concealed all his perfonal, which was computed to be one hundred and fifty thousand pounds. These conveyances being also fet afide by a bill in Chancery, Ward was imprisoned, and hazarded the forfeiture of his life, by not giving in his effects till the laft day, which was that of his examination. During his confinement, his amufement was to give poison to dogs and cats, and fee them expire by flower or quicker torments. To fum up the worth of this gentleman, at the feveral æras of his life: At his standing in the Pillory, he was worth above two hundred thousand pounds; at his commitment to Prison, he was worth one hundred and fifty thoufand; but has been fince fo far diminished in his reputation, as to be thought a worse man by fifty or fixty thousand. P. FR. CHARTRES, a man infamous for all manner of vices. When he was an enfign in the army, he was drummed out of the regi ment B. What Nature wants, commodious Gold beftows, 'Tis thus we eat the bread another fows. NOTES. P. But ment for a cheat; he was next banished Bruffels, and drummed out of Ghent, on the fame account. After a hundred tricks at the gaming-tables, he took to lending of money at exorbitant intereft and on great penalties, accumulating premium, intereft, and capital into a new capital, and feizing to a minute when the payments became due; in a word, by a conftant attention to the vices, wants, and follies of mankind, he acquired an immense fortune. His house was a perpetual bawdy-houfe. He was twice condemned for rapes, and pardoned; but the last time not without imprisonment in Newgate, and large confifcations. He died in Scotland in 1731, aged 62. The populace at his funeral raised a great riot, almoft tore the body out of the coffin, and caft dead dogs, &c. into the grave along with it. The following Epitaph contains his character very justly drawn by Dr. Arbuthnot: HERE continueth to rot The Body of FRANCIS CHARTRES, PERSISTED, In fpite of AGE and INFIRMITIES, in the undeviating Pravity of his Manners, in Accumulating WEALTH; For, without TRADE or PROFESSION, He was the only Perfon of his Time, When |