Enough if all around him but admire, And now the Punk applaud, and now the Fryer. Thus with each gift of nature and of art, 190 And wanting nothing but an honest heart; A conftant Bounty which no friend has made; A Rebel to the very king he loves; He dies, fad out-caft of each church and state, NOTES. VER. 200. A Fool, with more of Wit] Folly, joined with much Wit, produces that behaviour which we 205 call Absurdity; and this Abfurdity the poet has here admirably described in the words, Too rash for Thought, for Action too refin'd: by which we are made to understand, that the perfon described gave a loose to his Fancy when he should have ufed his Judgment; and purfued his Speculations when he should have trufted to his Experience. VER. 205. And, harder ftill, flagitious, yet not Afk you why Wharton broke thro' ev'ry rule? 'Twas all for fear the Knaves fhould call him Fool. Nature well known, no prodigies remain, Comets are regular, and Wharton plain. Yet, in this fearch, the wisest may mistake, 210 If fecond qualities for first they take. Nature well known, no Miracles remain. Alter'd, as above, for very obvious reasons. NOTES. great.] To arrive at what | the world calls Greatness, a man muft either hide and conceal his vices, or he must openly and fteddily practife them, in the purfuit and attainment of one important end. This unhappy Nobleman did neither. VER. 207. 'Twas all for fear, &c.] To understand this, we must observe, that the Luft of general praise made the perfon, whose Character is here fo admirable drawn, both extravagant and flagitious; his Madness was to please the Fools, Women and Fools must like him, or he dies. And his Crimes to avoid the cenfure of the Knaves, 'Twas all for fear the Knaves fhould call him Fool. Prudence and Honefty being | terefted, and confequently the two qualities that Fools most induftrious, to mifreand Knaves are most in-prefent. When Catiline by rapine fwell'd his ftore; When Cæfar made a noble dame a whore ; Were means, not ends; Ambition was the vice. 215 220 In this one Paffion man can strength enjoy, Here honeft Nature ends as she begins. NOTES. VER. 213. a noble Dame a whore,] The fifter of Cato, and mother of Brutus. VER. 227. Here honeft Nature ends as he begins.] Human nature is here hu | mourously called boneft, as the impulfe of the ruling passion (which the gives and cherishes) makes her more and more impatient of difguife. As weak, as earnest; and as gravely out, Behold a rev'rend fire, whom want of grace A falmon's belly, Helluo, was thy fate;' 230 235 Mercy! cries Helluo, mercy on my foul! 240 "Is there no hope?-Alas!-then bring the jowl." The frugal Crone, whom praying priests attend, Still ftrives to fave the hallow'd taper's end, Collects her breath, as ebbing life retires, For one puff more, and in that puff expires. 245 "Odious! in woollen ! 'twould a Saint provoke, (Were the laft words that poor Narciffa spoke) "No, let a charming Chintz, and Bruffels lace "Wrap my cold limbs, and fhade my lifeless face: "One would not, fure, be frightful when one's dead-"And-Betty-give this Cheek a little Red." 251 The Courtier smooth, who forty years had fhin'd An humble fervant to all human kind, Juft brought out this, when scarce his tongue could ftir, "If where I'am going-I could ferve you, Sir? "I give and I devise (old Euclio faid, 256 And figh'd)" my lands and tenements to Ned. Your money, Sir; "My money, Sir, what all? "Why,—if I must-(then wept) I give it Paul. The Manor, Sir?" The Manor! hold, he cry'd, "Not that, I cannot part with that”—and dy'd. And you! brave COBHAM, to the latest breath Shall feel your ruling paffion ftrong in death: Such in those moments as in all the past, "Oh, fave my Country, Heav'n!" shall be your last, NOTES. had the goodness not to men- I thought of being buried in woollen, gave these her laft orders with her dying breath P. |