The First Part imitated in the year 1714, by Dr. Swift, the latter part added afterwards.
I've often wish'd that I had clear
For life six hundred pounds a-year,'
A handsome house to lodge a friend,
A river at my garden's end,
A terrace-walk, and half a rood
Of land set out to plant a wood.
Well, now I have all this, and more,
I ask not to increase my store;
'But here a grievance seems to lie,
All this is mine but till I die;
I can't but think 't would sound more clever,
To me and to my heirs for ever.
If I ne'er got or lost a groat,
By any trick or any fault;
Hoc erat in votis: modus agri non ita magnus,
Hortus ubi, et tecto vicinus jugis aquæ fons,
Et paulum silvæ super his foret. auctius, atque
Di melius fecere; bene est; nihil amplius oro,
Maia nate, nisi ut propria hæc mihi munera faxis.
Si neque majorem feci ratione mala rem,
Nec sum facturus vitio culpave minorem;
"As thus, "Vouchsafe, oh, gracious Maker!
"To grant me this and t' other acre;
"Or, if it be thy will and pleasure,
"Direct my plough to find a treasure;
"But only what my station fits,
"And to be kept in my right wits;
"Preserve, almighty Providence!
"Just what you gave me, competence;
"And let me in these shades compose
"Something in verse as true as prose,
"Remov'd from all th' ambitious scene,
"Nor puff'd by pride, nor sunk by spleen."
In short, I'm perfectly content,
Let me but live on this side Trent,
Nor cross the Channel twice a-year,
To spend six months with statesmen here.
I must by all means come to Town,
'Tis for the service of the Crown;
Si veneror stultus nihil horum; O si angulus ille
Proximus accedat, qui nunc denormat agellum!
O si urnam argenti fors qua mihi monstret! ut illi,
Thesauro invento, qui mercenarius agrum
Illum ipsum mercatus aravit, dives amico
Hercule: si quod adest, gratum juvat: hac prece te Pingue pecus domino facias, et cætera, præter Ingenium: soles, utque custos mihi maximus adsis. Ergo ubi me in montes et in arcem ex Urbe removi,
"Lewis, the Dean will be of use;
"Send for him up, take no excuse."
The toil, the danger, of the seas,
Great ministers ne'er think of these;
Or, let it cost five hundred pound,
No matter where the money's found,
It is but so much more in debt,
And that they ne'er consider'd yet.
I hurry me in haste away,
"Let my Lord know you're come to town."
"Good Mr. Dean, go change your gown,
Not thinking it is levee-day,
And find his Honour in a pound,
Hemm'd by a triple circle round,
Chequer'd with ribbons blue and green,
How should I thrust myself between?
Some wag observes me thus perplex'd,
And, smiling, whispers to the next,
Quid prius illustrem Satiris musaque pedestri?
Nec mala me ambitio perdit, nec plumbeus Auster,
Autumnusve gravis, Libitinæ quæstus acerbæ.
Matutine pater, seu Jane libentius audis,
Unde homines operum primos vitæque labores
Instituunt, (sic Dis placitum) tu carminis esto
Principium. Romæ sponsorem me rapis: Eia,
Ne prior officio quisquam respondeat, urge:
Sive Aquilo radit terras, seu bruma nivalem
Interiore diem gyro trahit, ire necesse est.
Postmodo, quod mi obsit, clare certumque locuto,
I thought the Dean had been too proud "To jostle here among a crowd."
Another, in a surly fit,
Tells me I have more zeal than wit; "So eager to express your love,
"You ne'er consider whom you shove,
"But rudely press before a duke.” I own I'm pleas'd with this rebuke,
And take it kindly meant, to show
What I desire the world should know.
I get a whisper, and withdraw;
When twenty fools I never saw
Come with petitions fairly penn'd,
Desiring I would stand their friend.
This humbly offers me his case---
That begs my int'rest for a place---
A hundred other men's affairs,
Like bees, are humming in my ears,
"To-morrow my appeal comes on,
"Without your help the cause is gone."--
Luctandum in turba; facienda injuria tardis. "Quid vis, insane, et quas res agis? (improbus urget Iratis precibus) tu pulses omne quod obstat,
Ad Mæcenatem memori si mente recurras."
Hoc juvat, et melli est; non mentiar. at simul atras
Ventum est Esquilias, aliena negotia centum
Per caput, et circa saliunt latus. Ante secundam
Roscius orabat sibi adesses ad Puteal cras.
De re communi scribæ magna atque nova te
"The duke expects my lord and you
"About some great affair at two.”---
"Put my Lord Bolingboke in mind
"To get my warrant quickly sign'd:
"Consider, 'tis my first request."-
"Be satisfy'd; I'll do my best:"---
Then presently he falls to tease,
"You may for certain, if you please;
"I doubt not, if his Lordship knew---
"And, Mr Dean, one word from you."-
'Tis (let me see) three years and more
(October next it will be four)
Since Harley bid me first attend,
And chose me for an humble friend;
Would take me in his coach to chat,
And question me of this and that;
As, "What's o'clock?" and, "How's the wind?”
"Whose chariot's that we left behind?"
Or gravely try to read the lines
Writ underneath the country signs;
Orabant hodie meminisses, Quinte, reverti.
Imprimat his cura Mæcenas signa tabellis.
"Dixeris, Experiar:" "Sivis, potes," addit, etinstat.
Septimus octavo proprior jam fugerit annus,
Ex quo Mæcenas me cœpit habere suorum
In numero; duntaxat ad hoc, quem tollere rheda
Vellet, iter faciens, et cui concredere nugas
Hoc genus: Hora quota est? Thrax est Gallina Syro
Matutina parum cautos jam frigora mordent; [par?
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