Thus DAMON, ftudious of his ease,
And pleafing all, whom mirth cou'd please;
Defy'd the world, like idle COLLEY,
To fhew a fofter word than folly.
Since wisdom's gorgon-fhield was known
To ftare the gazer into stone;
He chose to truft in folly's charm,
To keep his breast alive and warm.
At length grave learning's fober train`
Remark'd the trifler with disdain;
The fons of tafte contemn'd his ways,
And rank'd him with the brutes that graze :
While they to nobler heights afpir'd,
And grew belov'd, esteem'd, admir'd.
Hence with our youth, not void of spirit,
His old companions lost their merit :
And ev'ry kind well-natur'd fot
Seem'd a dull play, without a plot;
Where ev'ry yawning guest agrees,
The willing creature ftrives to please
But temper never could amuse;
It barely led us to excuse;
'Twas true, converfing, they aver'd,
All they had seen, or felt, or heard:
Talents of weight! for wights like these,
The law might chufe for witnesses :
But fure th' attesting dry narration
Ill fuits a judge of converfation.
*What were their freedoms? mere excuses
To vent ill manners, blows, and bruises.
Yet freedom, gallant freedom! hailing,
At form, at form, inceffant railing,
Would they examine each offence,
Its latent caufe, its known pretence,
Punctilio ne'er was known to breed 'em,
So fure as fond prolific freedom.
Their courage? but a loaded gun;
Machine the wife wou'd wish to shun;
Its guard unfafe, its lock an ill one,
Where accident might fire and kill one.
In fhort, disgufted out of measure,
Thro' much contempt, and flender pleasure,
His fenfe of dignity returns;
With native pride his bofom burns;
He-feeks refpect-but how to gain it?
Wit, focial mirth, cou'd ne'er obtain it.
*Laughter, how kind foe'er it seem,
Difcards, and diffipates esteem:
The man who gravely bows, enjoys it;
But shaking hands, at once, destroys it.
Precarious plant, which, fresh and gay,
Shrinks at the touch, and fades away!
Come then referve! yet from thy train
Banish contempt, and curft difdain.
Teach me, he cry'd, thy magic art
To act the decent diftant part:
*And Laughter, where it reigns uncheck'd, Discards and dissipates respect.
To husband well my complaifance,
Nor let ev'n wit too far advance;
But chufe calm reafon for my theme,
In these her loyal realms fupreme;
And o'er her charms, with caution fhewn,
Be ftill a graceful umbrage thrown;
And each abrupter period crown'd,
With nods, and winks, and fimiles profound.
Till refcu'd from the crowd beneath,
No more with pain to move or breathe,
I rife with head elate, to fhare
Salubrious draughts of purer air.
Refpect is won by grave pretence
And filence, furer ev'n than fenfe-
'Tis hence the facred grandeur fprings
Of Eastern-and of other kings.
Or whence this awe to virtue due,
While virtue's diftant as PERU?
The fheathlefs fword the guard difplays,
Which round emits its dazzling rays:
The ftately fort, the turrets tall,
Portcullis'd gate, and battled wall,
Lefs fcreens the body, than controuls,
And wards contempt from royal fouls.
The crowns they wear but check the eye,
Before it fondly pierce too nigh;
That dazzled crowds may be employ'd
Around the furface of-the void.
O! 'tis the statesman's craft profound
To scatter his amusements round
To tempt us from their conscious breast,
Where full-fledg'd crimes enjoy their nest.
Nor awes us every worth reveal'd
So deeply, as each vice conceal'd.
The lordly log, dispatch'd of yore,
That the frog-people might adore,
With guards to keep them at a distance,
Had reign'd, nor wanted wit's affistance:
Nay-had addreffes from his nation;
In praise of log-administration.
TH
Tand tanye and finery pleas'd no more
HE buoyant fires of youth were o'er,
And fame and finery pleas'd no more;
Productive of that gen'ral ftare,
Which cool reflection ill can bear!
And, crowds commencing mere vexation,
Retirement fent its invitation.
Romantic scenes of pendent hills,
And verdant vales, and falling rills,
And moffy banks the fields adorn,
Where DAMON, simple swain, was born.
The dryads rear'd a fhady grove;
Where fuch as think, and fuch as love,
Might fafely figh their fummer's day;
Or mufe their filent hours away.
The oreads lik'd the climate well;
And taught the level plain to fwell
In verdant mounds, from whence the eye
Might all their larger works defcry.
The naiads pour'd their urns around,
From nodding rocks o'er vales profound.
They form'd their ftreams to please the view,
And bade them wind, as ferpents do:
And having fhewn them where to stray,
Threw little pebbles in their way.
These fancy, all-fagacious maid,
Had at their feveral tasks furvey'd :
She faw and fmil'd; and oft-would lead
Our DAMON's foot o'er hill and mead;
There, with defcriptive finger, trace
The genuine beauties of the place;
And when she all its charms had fhewn,
Prescribe improvements of her own.
See yonder hill, fo green, fo round,
Its brow with ambient beeches crown'd!
'Twou'd well become thy gentle care
To raise a dome to VENUS there:
Pleas'd would the nymphs thy zeal furvey;
And VENUS, in their arms, repay.
'Twas such a shade, and such a nook,
In fuch a vale, near such a brook;
From fuch a rocky fragment fpringing;
That fam'd APOLLO chofe, to fing in.
VOL. I.
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