A Wit's a feather, and a Chief a rod; An honeft Man's the noble work of God. 250 Plays round the head, but comes not to the heart: One felf-approving hour whole years out-weighs 256 Of stupid ftarers, and of loud huzzas ; 260 In Parts fuperior what advantage lies? Tell (for You can) what is it to be wife? 'Tis but to know how little can be known; To fee all others faults, and feel our own: Condemn'd in bus'nefs or in arts to drudge, Without a fecond, or without a judge : Truths would you teach, or fave a finking land? All fear, none aid you, and few understand. Painful preheminence! yourself to view Above life's weakness, and its comforts too, Bring then these bleffings to a strict account; Make fair deductions; fee to what they mount: 266 271 How inconfiftent greater goods with these; How fometimes life is rifqu'd, and always ease: NOTES. VER. 281, 283. If Parts | allure thee, Or ravish'd with the whiffling of a Name,] Thefe two inftances are chosen with great judgment; the world, perhaps, doth not afford two other fuch. Bacon difcovered and laid down those principles, by the affiftance of which Newton was enabled to unfold the whole law of Nature. He was no lefs eminent for the creative power of his imagination, the brightnefs of his thoughts, and the force of his expreffion: Yet being convicted and punished for 280 bribery and corruption in the adminiftration of Juftice, while he prefided in the fupreme Court of Equity, he endeavoured to repair his ruined fortunes by the most profligate flattery to the Court: Which, from his very first entrance into it, he had accuftomed himself to practise with a prostitution that dif graceth the very profeffion of letters. Cromwell feemeth to be diftinguished in the most eminent manner, with regard to his abilities, from all other great and wicked If all, united, thy ambition call, 285 From ancient story learn to fcorn them all. In hearts of Kings, or arms of Queens who lay, 290 were the monuments of "the kings of many diffe rent nations, as Scotland, "Ireland, Norway, and the Ifle of Man. THIS (faid men, who have overturned | Sachavarel, in his Voyage the Liberties of their Coun- to I-columbkill, defcribing try. The times, in which the church there, tells us, others fucceeded in this at- that "In one corner is a petempt, were fuch as faw the "culiar inclosure, in which fpirit of Liberty suppressed and ftifled by a general luxury and venality: But Cromwell fubdued his country, when this fpirit was at its height, by a fuccessful ftruggle againft court-oppreffion; and while it was conducted and fupported by a fet of the greatest Geniuses for government the world ever faw embarked together in one common caufe. VER 283. Or ravish'd with the whifiling of a Name.] And even this fantaftic glory fometimes fuf fers a terrible reverse. the person who fhewed me "place, pointing to a plain "ftone) was the monument "of the Great TEAGUE, king of Ireland. I had never heard of him, and "could not but reflect of "how little value is Great“ness that has barely left a 66 name fcandalous to a na"tion, and a grave which "the meaneft of mankind "would never envy." Now Europe's laurels on their brows behold, 295 But ftain'd with blood, or ill exchang'd for gold: Then see them broke with toils, or funk in ease, Oh wealth ill-fated! which no act of fame E'er taught to shine, or fanctify'd from fhame! 300 And haunt their flumbers in the pompous fhade. 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, The joy unequal'd, if its end it gain, And if it lofe, attended with no pain: VARIATIONS. After 316. in the MS. Ev'n while it seems unequal to difpofe, 4 · 310 315 And checquers all the good Man's joys with woes, Without fatiety, tho' e'er so bless'd, And but more relifh'd as the more diftrefs'd: Lefs pleasing far than Virtue's very tears: 320 Good, from each object, from each place acquir'd, For ever exercis'd, yet never tir'd; Never elated, while one man's opprefs'd; Never dejected, while another's bless'd; And where no wants, no wishes can remain, 325 Since but to wish more Virtue, is to gain. See the fole blifs Heav'n could on all bestow! Which who but feels can taste, but thinks can know : Yet poor with fortune, and with learning blind, The bad must miss; the good, untaught, will find; Slave to no fect, who takes no private road, But looks thro' Nature, up to Nature's God; VARIATION S. 'Tis but to teach him to support each state, 331 Which conscience gives, and nothing can destroy. These lines are extremely finished. In which there is fuch a foothing fweetness in the melancholy harmony of the verfification, as if the poet was then in that tender office in which he was moft officious, and in which all his Soul came out, the condoling with fome good man in affliction. |