Flings and resumes, and plunders and bestows, Caprice divides the bleffings and the woes. Her grace unstable as her tott'ring ball, Whene'er she smiles fhe meditates our fall.
When most we truft her, we are cheated most,
In defolating lofs we mourn our boast :
Her cruel blast invades our hafty fruit,
And withers all our glory at the root.
What mean thofe multitudes around her? Why Such motley attitudes perplex our eye?
Some, in the act of wildeft rapture, leap,
In agony fome wring their hands, and weep. Th' unreas'ning crowd; to paffion's fequel blind, By paffion fir'd and impotent of mind: Competitors in clamorous, fuit to share The toys fhe toffes with regardless air; Trifles, for folid worth by moft pursu'd, Bright-colour'd vapours and fantastic good: The pageantry of wealth, the blaze of fame, Titles, an offspring to extend the name,
Huge ftrength, or beauty which the ftrong obey, The victor's laurel, and defpotic sway.
Thefe, humour'd in their vows, with lavish praise
The glory of the gracious goddess raise :
Thofe other, lofers in her chance- full game,
Shorn of their all, or frustrate in their aim, In murmurs of their hard mishap complain, And curfe her partial and malignant reign.
Now, further ftill in this low fenfual ground, Traverse yon flow'ry mount's fequefter'd bound. In the green center of those citron fhades,
'Mong gardens, fountains, bow'ry walks, and glades, 140 Voluptuous Sin her pow'rful spells employs,
Souls to feduce, feducing the destroys.
See! Lewdnefs, loosely zon'd, her bofom bares,
See! Riot her luxurious bowl
There ftands Avidity, with ardent eye,
There dimpling Adulation smooths her lye.` There ftation'd to what end ?
Fortune's infatuate favourites of a day.
These they carefs, they flatter, they entreat To try the pleasures of their soft retreat, Life difencumber'd, frolickfom, and free, All eafe. all mirth, and high felicity. Whome'er by their inveigling arts they win To tread that magic paradise of Sin,
In airy dance his jocund hours fkim round,
Sparkles the bowl, the feftal fongs refound: His blood ferments, fir'd by the wanton glance, And his loofe foul diffolves in am'rous trance.
While circulating joys to joys fucceed, While new delights the fweet delirium feed ;
The prodigal, in raptur'd fancy, roves
O'er fairy fields and thro' Elyfian groves:
Sees glitt❜ring vifions in fucceffion rife, And laughs at Socrates the chafte and wise. "Till, fober'd by diftrefs, awake, confus'd, Amaz'd, he knows himself a wretch abus'd; A fhort illufion his imagin'd feast,
Himself the game, himself the flaughter'd beast. Now, raving for his fquander'd wealth in vain, Slave to those tyrant jilts he drags their chain: Compell❜d to fuffer hard and hungry need, Compell❜d to dare each foul and defp'rate deed. Villain, or knave, he joins the sharping tribe, Robs altars, or is perjur'd for a bribe : Stabs for a purfe, his country pawns for gold, To every crime of blackest horror fold. Shiftless at length, of all resource bereft,
In the dire gripe of Punishment he's left.
Obferve this strait-mouth'd cave; th' unwilling light
Just shews the dismal deep descent to night.
In centry see these haggard crones, whofe brows
Rude locks o'erhang, a frown their forehead plows: Swarthy and foul their fhrivell'd skin behold,
And flutt'ring fhreds their vile defence from cold.
High-brandishing her lash, with ftern regard, Stands Punishment, an ever-waking ward; While fullen Melancholy mopes behind,
Fix'd, with her head upon her knees reclin'd:
And, frantic with remorseful fury, there
Fierce Anguish ftamps, and rends her fhaggy hair.
Who that ill-featur'd Spectre of a man, Shiv'ring in nakedness, fo Spare and wan? And he, whofe eye aghaft with horror ftares, Whofe meagre form a fifter's likeness bears? Loud Lamentation, wild Defpair. All thefe, Fell vulturs, the devoted caitiff feize.
Ah dreadful durance! with these fiends to dwell! What tongue the terrors of his foul can tell? Worry'd by these foul fiends, the wretch begins Sharp penance, wages of remember'd fins: Then deeper finks, plung'd in the pit of Woe, Worfe fuff'rings in worfe hell to undergo: Unless, rare guest, Repentance o'er the gloom Diffuse her radiance, and repeal his doom. She comes! meek-ey'd, array'd in grave attire, See Right Opinion, join'd with Good Defire, Handmaids of Truth: with those, an adverse pair (Falfe Wisdom's minions, that deceiving fair) Attend her folemn ftep: the furies flee.
Come forth, fhe calls, come forth to liberty, Guilt-harrafs'd thrall: thy future lot decide, And, pond'ring well, elect thy future guide. Momentous option! chufing right he'll find A fov'reign med'cine for his ulcer'd mind; Led to True Wisdom, whofe cathartic bowl Recovers and beatifies the foul. Mifguided elfe, a counterfeit he'll gain,
Whofe art is only to amuse the brain :
From vice to ftudious folly now he flies, From blifs ftill erring, ftill betray'd by lies.
O heavens! where end the risks we mortals run?
How dreadful this, and yet how hard to shun! Say, father, what diftinctive marks declare That counterfeit of Wisdom?
At yonder gate, with decent port, she stands, Her fpotless form that second court commands : Styl'd Wisdom by the crowd, the thinking few Know her disguise, the phantom of the true : Skill'd in all learning, fkill'd in ev'ry art To grace the head, not meliorate the heart. The fav'd, who meditate their noble flight From a bad world, to Wisdom's lofty height, Juft touching at this inn, for fhort repaft, Then speed their journey forward to its laft. This the fole path?
The plain man's path, without proud Science wife.
Who they, which traverse this deluder's bound?
A bufy fcene, all thought or action round.
Her lovers, whom her fpecious beauty warms,
Who grafp, in vifion, Truth's immortal charms,
Vain of the glory of a falfe embrace : Fierce fyllogiftic tribes, a wrangling race,
* The Second court, or the ftudious life.
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