Whose nervous forces, well combin'd,
Would win the field, and fway mankind.
The fool will squeeze, from morn to night,
To fix his follies full in fight;
The note he strikes, the plume he shews,
Attract whole flights of fops and beaux ;
And kindred-fools, who ne'er had known him,
Flock at the fign; carefs, and own him.
But ill-ftar'd fenfe, nor gay nor loud,
Steals foft, on tip-toe, thro' the crowd
Conveys his meagre form between ;
And slides, like pervious air, unfeen:
Contracts his known tenuity,
As though 'twere ev'n a crime, to be:
Nor ev'n permits his eyes to stray,
And win acquaintance in their way.
In company, fo mean his air,
You scarce are conscious he is there :
Till from fome nook, like sharpen'd steel,
Occurs his face's thin profile.
Still feeming, from the gazer's eye,
Like VENUS, newly-bath'd, to fly,
Yet while reluctant he displays
His real gems before the blaze,
The fool hath, in its center, plac'd
His tawdry stock of painted paste,
Difus'd to speak, he tries his fkill;
Speaks coldly, and fucceeds but ill;
His penfive manner, dulnefs deem'd;
His modefty, reserve esteem'd;
His wit unknown, his learning vain,
He wins not one of all the train.
And those who, mutually known,
In friendship's faireft lift had fhone,
Lefs prone, than pebbles, to unite,
Retire to shades from public fight;
Grow favage, quit their focial nature;
And starve, to study mutual fatire.
But friends, and fav'rites, to chagrin them, Find counties, countries, feas, between them: Meet once a year, then part, and then Retiring, wish to meet again.
Sick of the thought, let me provide
Some human form to grace my fide;
At hand, where'er I fhape my course;
An useful, pliant, stalking-horse!
No gefture free from fome grimace;
No feam, without its share of lace;
But, mark'd with gold or filver either,
Hint where his coat was piec'd together.
His legs be lengthen'd, I advise,
And stockings roll'd abridge his thighs.
What tho' VANDYCK had other rules,
What had VANDYCK to do with fools?
Be nothing wanting, but his mind;
Before, a folitaire; behind,
A twisted ribbon, like the track
Which nature gives an afs's back.
Silent, as midnight! pity 'twere
His wifdom's flender wealth to fhare;
And, whilft in flocks our fancies ftray,
To wish the poor man's lamb away.
This form attracting ev'ry eye,
I ftrole all unregarded by:
This wards the jokes of ev'ry kind,
As an umbrella fun or wind;
Or, like a fpunge, abforbs the fallies,
And peftilential fumes of malice;
Or like a fplendid fhield is fit
To screen the templar's random wit ;
Or what fome gentler cit lets fall,
As wool-packs quafh the leaden ball.
Allufions thefe of weaker force,
And apter ftill the stalking-horfe!
O let me wander all unfeen,
Beneath the fanction of his mien !
As lilies foft, as roses fair!
Empty as air-pumps drain'd of air!
With fteady eye and pace remark
The fpeckled flock that haunts the park ;
with wond'rous heed
At follies, flocking there to feed:
And, as my fatire burfts amain,
See, feather'd fopp'ry ftrew the plain.
And share the peaceful haunts I love,
'Let none of this unhallow'd train
My fweet fequefter'd paths profane.
Oft may fome polifh'd virtuous friend
To these foft-winding vales defcend;
And, love with me inglorious things,
And fcorn with me the pomp of kings:
And check me, when my bofom burns
For ftatues, paintings, coins and urns.
For I in DAMON's pray'r cou'd join,
And DAMON's wifh might now be mine-
But all difpers'd! the wish, the pray'r,
Are driven to mix with common air.
OW happy once was DAMON's lot,
H While yet romantic fchemes were not!
he fent his weakly eyes, To plan frail caftles in the fkies
Forfaking pleasures cheap and common,
To court a blaze, ftill flitting from one.
Ah happy DAMON ! thrice and more,
Had taste ne'er touch'd thy tranquil fhore.
Oh days! when to a girdle ty'd
The couples gingled at his fide;
And DAMON fwore he wou'd not barter
The sportsman's girdle, for a garter!
Whoever came to kill an hour,
Found eafy DAMON in their pow'r;
Pure focial nature all his guide,
"DAMON had not a grain of pride."
He wish'd not to elude the fnares
Which knav'ry plans, and craft prepares ;
But rather wealth to crown their wiles;
And win their universal smiles :
For who are chearful, who at ease,
But they who cheat us as they please?
He wink'd at many a grofs defign,
The new-fall'n calf might countermine :
Thus ev'ry fool allow'd his merit;
"Yes! DAMON had a gen'rous fpirit!"
A coxcomb's jeft, however vile,
Was fure, at least, of DAMON's smile:
That coxcomb ne'er deny'd him sense;
For why it prov'd his own pretence :
All own'd, were modefty away,
DAMON COu'd shine as much as they.
When wine and folly came in feason,
DAMON ne'er ftrove to fave his reafon ;
Obnoxious to the mad uproar i
A spy upon a hostile shore !
'Twas this his company endear'd;
Mirth never came till he appear'd :
His lodgings-ev'ry draw'r cou'd fhew 'em ;
The flave was kick'd, who did not know 'em.
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