He dies, fad outcast of each church and state,
And harder ftill! flagitious, yet not great.
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 wifeft may mistake,
If fecond qualities for firft they take.
When Cataline by rapine fwell'd his store;
When Cæfar made a noble dame a whore;

In this the Luft, in that the Avarice

205

210

Were means, not ends; Ambition was the vice. 215
That very Cæfar born in Scipio's days,

Had aim'd like him, by Chastity at praise.
Lucullus, when Frugality could charm,
Had roafted turnips in the Sabine farm.

In vain th' obferver eyes the builder's toil,

220

But quite mistakes the scaffold for the pile.

In this one paffion, man can ftrength enjoy,
As Fits give vigor, juft when they destroy.
Time, that on all things lays his lenient hand,.
Yet tames not this; it fticks to our laft fand.
Confiftent in our follies and our fins,
Here honest Nature ends as she begins.
Old Politicians chew on wisdom paft,
And totter on in bus'nefs to the last;

In the former Editions, ver, 208.

Nature well known no Miracles remain.

225

VER. 213. A noble Dame a whore;] The fifter of Cato, and mother of Brutus.

As weak, as earnest; and as gravely out,
As fober Lanesb'row dancing in the gout.
Behold a rev'rend fire, whom want of grace

Has made the father of a nameless race,

230

Shov'd from the wall perhaps, or rudely prefs'd
By his own fon, that paffes by unblefs'd :
Still to his wench he crawls on knocking knees,
And envies ev'ry fparrow that he fees.

235

A falmon's belly, Helluo, was thy fate;
The doctor call'd, declares all help too late:
"Mercy! cries Helluo, mercy on my foul!
"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.

240

245

"Odious! in woollen! 'twould a Saint provoke, (Were the last words that poor Narciffa spoke)

VER. 231. Lanesb'row] An ancient Nobleman, who continued this practice long after his legs were difabled by the gout. Upon the death of Prince George of Denmark, he demanded an audience of the Queen, to advise her to preferve her health and difpel her grief by Dancing.

VER. 242. The frugal Crone,] A fact told him of a Lady at

Paris.

VER. 247. The last words that poor Narcissa spoke] This ftory as well as the others, is founded on fact, though the author did not mention the names. ticular to a very celebrated Actress, thought of being buried in woollen, with her dying breath.

Several attribute this in parwho, in deteftation of the gave thefe her last orders

"No, let a charming Chintz, and Bruffels lace

"Wrap my cold limbs, and shade 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 shin'd An humble fervant to all human kind,

Juft brought out this, when scarce his tougue could ftir, "If-where I'm going-I could serve Sir?" 255 "I give and I devise (old Euclio faid,

And figh'd)

Your money,

you,

66 iny lands and tenements to Ned." Sir?""My money, Sir, what all? "Why, If I muft-(then wept) I give it Paul." 260 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 passion strong in death: Such in those moments as in all the past, "Oh, fave my Country, Heav'n!" fhall be your last.

264

[88]

MORAL ESSAYS.

EPISTLE II.

ΤΟ

ALAD Y.

Of the Characters of Women.

TOTHING so true as what you once let fall,

N°

"Moft Women have no Characters at all." Matter too foft a lafting mark to bear,

And beft diftinguifh'd by black, brown, or fair.
How many
Pictures of one Nymph we view,
All how unlike each other, all how true!
Arcadia's Countefs, here in ermin'd pride,
Is there, Paftora by a fountain fide.
Here Fannia leering on her own good man,
And there, a naked Leda with a Swan.
Let then the fair one beautifully cry,
In Magdalen's loofe hair and lifted eye,
Or dreft in fmiles of fweet Cecilia fhine,
With fimp'ring Angels, Palms, and Harps divine;
Whether the Charmer finner it, or faint it,

If Folly grow romantic, I muft paint it.

5

10

15

Come then, the colours and the ground prepare!

Dip in the Rainbow, trick her off in Air;

Chufe a firm Cloud, before it fall, and in it

19

Catch, ere the change, the Cynthia of this minute.
Rufa, whofe eye quick-glancing o'er the. Park,
Attracts each light gay meteor of a Spark,
Agrees as ill with Rufa ftudying Locke,
As Sappho's di'monds with her dirty fmock;
Or Sappho at her toilet's
greazy talk,
With Sappho fragrant at an ev'ning Mask:
So morning Infects that in muck begun,
Shine, buzz, and fly-blow in the setting fun.

How foft is Silia! fearful to offend;

The frail one's advocate, the weak one's friend.
To her, Calista prov'd her conduct nice;
And good Simplicius afks of her advice.

Sudden, she storms! fhe raves! You tip the wink,
But fpare your cenfure; Silia does not drink.
All eyes may
fee from what the change arose,
All eyes may fee-a Pimple on her nose.

Papillia, wedded to her am'rous fpark,

Sighs for the fhades-" How charming is a Park!”
A Park is purchas'd, but the Fair he fees

25

30

❁P w%?ང་

comy

53

All bath'd in tears- -"Oh odious, odious Trees!" 40
VOL. II.

M

VER. 21. Inftances of contrarieties, given even from fuch Characters as are most strongly marked, and feemingly therefore most confiftent: As, I. In the Affected, ver, 21,

etc.

VER. 29, and 37. II. Contrarieties in the Soft-natured.