When members of St. Stephen's gain their seats, By independence, void of lies and treats; When Bank directors note fam'd Newland's bills, When halt and blind shall the fandango dance, And debtor sleep without a mind perplex'd;. When rich exchange their state with wretched poor, And Hampshire swine dance minuet de la cour; L'ENVOY OF THE POET. Fortune the ancients justly pictur'd blind, But when cool reason's dictates sway the mind, THE POET'S CHORUS TO FOOLS. Come, trim the boat, row on each Rara Avis, Crowds flock to man my Stultifera Navis. M 2 SECTION XXVIII. OF FOOLISH SCOFFERS AND BACKBITERS. Si nous n'avions point de defauts, nous ne prendrions pas tant de plaisir à en remarquer dans les autres, SOME fools I've heard, whose wicked* wit, The shaft rebounded to their shame. * There is no vice more prevalent than the above, which; not content with slandering, where perhaps the lash is in some degree merited, will equally attack those whose lives are the most irreproachable; for, according to the French proverb, La moitiè du monde prend plaisir à medire, & l'autre motiè à croire les medisances; which acts as a sufficient incentive to the garrulity of this class of fools. Yet howsoever the slanderer may conceive himself secure, dan, ger will frequently attend this cacoethes loquendi, for none are more tenacious than those who feel convinced of their own integrity; and it should be remembered, that, "Fame Show me the man, who feels endu❜d, All others' faults, none dares say nay." Others there are so prone to spite, That, if they cannot faults descry, They still must churlish strive to bite, And wound by telling some mean lie, Which when discover'd truth resumes her place, And triumph's banish'd from the liar's face. damna majora, quam quæ estimari possuit;" let the fool therefore be prepared for the worst, whose pleasure consists in defamation. I had nearly forgotten to instance one set of men, who, although they pride themselves on their abilities, are notwithstanding the most determined advocates for this species of folly, by which I allude to the occupants of the opposition Bench in the House of Commons; who, while out of place, brand with every opprobrious epithet the very men and measures which they will the next day extol to the very skies, if taken into ministerial favour. Full oft we find such vile deceit, Upon itself a curse bestow; For when expected least 'twill meet, In him bely'd a deadly foe. In vain repentance comes; how chang'd his case, He laughs but on the wrong side of his face! L'ENVOY OF THE POET. If your scoffing and your wit must deal, THE POET'S CHORUS TO FOOLS. Come, trim the boat, row on each Rara Avis. |