Where folly fights for kings, or dives for gain. But grant him riches, your demand is o'er ? 155 "No: shall the good want health, the good want power?" Add health and power, and ev'ry earthly thing; "Why bounded pow'r? why private? why no king? 160 Nay, why external for internal giv'n? "Why is not man a God and earth a heav'n ?" What nothing earthly gives or can destroy, 165 The soul's calm sunshine, and the heart-felt joy, Then give humility a coach and six, 170 Justice a conqu'ror's sword, or truth a gown, Or public spirit, its great cure, a crown. Weak, foolish man! will Heav'n reward us there With the same trash mad mortals wish for here? 175 The boy and man an individual makes, 180 To whom can riches give repute, or trust, Content or pleasure, but the good and just? 185 Judges and senates have been bought for gold; O fool! to think God hates the worthy mird, The lover and the love of human kind, 190 Whose life is healthful, and whose conscience claar, Because he wants a thousand pounds a year. Honour and shame from no condition rise; Act well your part, there all the honour lies. Fortune in men has some small diff'rence made, One flaunt in rags, one flutters in brocade; The cobbler apron'd, and the parson gown'd, The friar hooded, and the monarch crown'd. "What differ more (you cry) than crown and cowl? · I'll tell you, friend! a wise man and a fool. You'll find, if once the monarch acts the monk, Or, cobbler-like, the parson will be drunk, Worth makes the man, and want of it the fellow: 105 200 The rest is all but leather or prunello. Stuck o'er with titles and hung round with strings, 205 That thou may'st be by kings, or whores of kings Boast the pure blood of an illustrious race, In quiet flow from Lucrece to Lucrece : But by your fathers' worth if your's you rate, Count me those only who were good and great. 210 Go! if your ancient, but ignoble blood Has crept through scoundrels ever since the flood. Go! and pretend your family is young! Nor own your fathers have been fools so long. 215 Alas! not all the blood of all the Howards. Look next on greatness; say where greatness lies? All sly-slow things, with circumspective eyes: 220 225 But grant that those can conquer, these can cheat; 'Tis phrase absurd to call a villain great: 230 Who wickedly is wise, or madly brave, Is but the more a fool, the more a knave. 235 What's fame? a fancy'd life in others' breath, A thing beyond us, e'en before our death. Just what you hear, you have, and what's unknown The same (my Lord) if Tully's or your own. 240 All that we feel of it begins and ends In the small circle of our foes or friends; To all beside as much an empty shade An Eugene living, as a Cæsar dead; Alike or when, or where they shone or shine, 245 A wit's a feather, and a chief's a rod; An honest man's the noblest work of God. 250 When what t' oblivion better were resign'd, Is hung on high, to poison half mankind. All fame is foreign, but of true desert; Plays round the head, but comes not to the heart : One self-approving hour whole years outweighs 255 In parts superior what advantage lies? Tell (for you can) what is it to be wise? 260 'Tis but to know how little can be known; To see all others' faults, and feel our own; Truths would you teach, or save a sinking land? 265 All fear, none aid you, and few understand. Painful pre-eminence! yourself to view Above life's weakness, and its comforts too. Bring then these blessings to a strict account; Make fair deductions; see to what they 'mount: How each for other oft is wholly lost; How inconsistent greater goods with these; How sometimes life is risk'd, and always ease: 275 Mark how they grace Lord Umbra, or Sir Billy. Look but on Gripus, or on Gripus' wife. If parts allure thee, think how Bacon shin'd, 280 285 From ancient story, learn to scorn them all. 290 Mark by what wretched steps their glory grows, E'er taught to shine, or sanctify'd from shame : And haunt their slumbers in the pompous shade. 295 300 305 |