Low fculks the hind beneath the rage of pow'r,
And leaves the wealthy traytor in the Tow'r,
Untouch'd his cottage, and his flumbers found,
Though confifcation's vulturs hover round.
The needy traveller, ferene and gay,
Walks the wild heath, and fings his toil away.
Does envy seize thee? crush th' upbraiding joy,
Increase his riches and his peace destroy,
New fears in dire viciffitude invade,
The rustling brake alarms, and quiv'ring fhade,
Nor light nor darkness bring his pain relief,
One fhews the plunder, and one hides the thief.
Yet ftill one gen'ral cry the fkies affails,
And gain and grandeur load the tainted gales;
Few know the toiling statesman's fear or care,
Th' infidious rival and the gaping heir.
Once more, Democritus, arife on earth,
With chearful wisdom and inftructive mirth,
See motly life in modern trappings dress'd,
And feed with varied fools th' eternal jest:
Thou who couldft laugh where want enchain'd caprice,
Toil crush'd conceit, and man was of a piece;
Where wealth unlov'd without a mourner dy'd;
And scarce a fycophant was fed by pride;
Where ne'er was known the form of mock debate,
Or feen a new-made mayor's unwieldy state;
Where change of fav'rites made no change of laws,
And fenates heard before they judg'd a caufe;
How wouldft thou shake at Britain's modifh tribe,
Dart the quick taunt, and edge the piercing gibe?
Attentive truth and nature to decry,
And pierce each scene with philofophic eye.
To thee were folemn toys or empty fhew,
The robes of pleasure and the veils of woe:
All aid the farce, and all thy mirth maintain,
Whose joys are caufeless, and whose griefs are vain.
Such was the fcorn that fill'd the fage's mind,
Renew'd at every glance on humankind;
How just that scorn ere yet thy voice declare,
Search every state, and canvafs every prayer.
• Unnumber'd fuppliants crowd Preferment's gate, Athirst for wealth, and burning to be great; Delufive Fortune hears th' inceffant call,
They mount, they fhine, evaporate, and fall.
On every stage the foes of
Hate dogs their flight, and infult mocks their end.
Love ends with hope, the finking statesman's door
Pours in the morning worshipper no more;
For growing names the weekly fcribbler lies,
To growing wealth the dedicator flies,
From every room defcends the painted face,
That hung the bright Palladium of the place,
And fmoak'd in kitchens, or in auctions fold,
To better features yields the frame of gold;
For now no more we trace in every line
Heroic worth, benevolence divine:
The form distorted juftifies the fall,
And deteftation rids th' indignant wall.
But will not Britain hear the last appeal,
Sign her foes doom, or guard her fav'rites zeal;
Through Freedom's fons no more remonftrance rings,
Degrading nobles, and controuling kings;
Our fupple tribes repress their patriot throats,
And ask no questions but the price of votes ;
With weekly libels and feptennial ale,
Their wish is full to riot and to rail.
In full-blown dignity, fee Wolfey stand,
Law in his voice, and fortune in his hand:
To him the church, the realm, their pow'rs confign;
Through him the rays of regal bounty shine,
Still to new heights his restless wishes tow'r,
Claim leads to claim, and pow'r advances pow'r;
'Till conqueft unrefifted ceas'd to please,
And rights fubmitted, left him none to feize.
At length his fov'reign frowns - the train of state
Mark the keen glance, and watch the fign to hate.
Where-e'er he turns he meets a stranger's eye,
His fuppliants fcorn him, and his followers fly;
At once is loft the pride of aweful state,
The golden canopy, the glitt'ring plate,
The regal palace, the luxurious board,
The liv'ried army, and the menial lord.
With age, with cares, with maladies opprefs'd,
He seeks the refuge of monaftic rest.
Grief aids disease, remember'd folly ftings,
And his last fighs reproach the faith of kings.
Speak thou, whose thoughts at humble peace repine,
Shall Wolfey's wealth, with Wolfey's end be thine?
Or liv'ft thou now, with fafer pride content,
The wifest justice on the banks of Trent?
For why did Wolfey near the steeps of fate,
On weak foundations raise th' enormous weight?
Why but to fink beneath Misfortune's blow,
With louder ruin to the gulphs below?
What' gave great Villiers to th' affaffin's knife, And fix'd disease on Harley's clofing life?
What murder'd Wentworth, and what exil'd Hyde,
By kings protected, and to kings ally'd?
What but their wifh indulg'd in courts to shine,
And pow'r too great to keep, or to refign?
When first the college rolls receive his name,
The young enthusiast quits his eafe for fame
Through all his veins the fever of renown
Spreads from the strong contagion of the gown
O'er Bodley's dome his future labours spread,
And Bacon's manfion trembles o'er his head.
Are these thy views? proceed, illuftrious youth,
And Virtue guard thee to the throne of Truth!
Yet fhould thy foul indulge the gen'rous heat,
'Till captive Science yields her laft retreat,
Should Reafon guide thee with her brightest ray,
And pour on mifty Doubt refiftless day;
Should no falfe Kindnefs lure to loose delight,
Nor Praise relax, nor Difficulty fright;
Should tempting Novelty thy cell refrain,
And Sloth effuse her opiate fumes in vain;
Should Beauty blunt on fops her fatal dart,
Nor claim the triumph of a letter'd heart;
n There is a tradition, that the study of friar Bacon, built on an arch over the bridge, will fall, when a man greater than Bacon fhall pass under it.
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