The vaffal world. This avarice is nam'd,
That luxury; 'tis true their partial friends
Affign them fofter names; ufurpers both!
That share by dint of arms the legal throne
Of just œconomy; yet both betray'd
By fraudful minifters. The niggard chief
Lift'ning to want, all faithlefs, and prepar'd
To join each moment in his rival's train,
His conduct models by the needlefs fears
The slave inspires; while luxury, a chief
Of amplest faith, to plenty's rule refigns
His whole campaign. 'Tis plenty's flatt'ring founds
Engrofs his ear; 'tis plenty's fmiling form
Moves ftill before his eye. Difcretion strives,
But strives in vain, to banish from the throne
The perjur'd minion. He, fecure of trust,
With latent malice to the hoftile camp

Day, night, and hour, his monarch's wealth conveys,
Ye tow'ring minds! ye fublimated fouls!
Who careless of your fortunes, feal and sign,
Set, let, contract, acquit, with easier mien
Than fops take fnuff! whofe œconomic care
Your green-filk purfe engroffes! eafy, pleas'd,
To fee gold fparkle thro' the subtle folds;
Lovely, as when th' Hefperian fruitage smil'd
Amid the verd❜rous grove! who fondly hope
Spontaneous harvests! harvests all the year!
Who fcatter wealth, as tho' the radiant crop
Glitter'd on ev'ry bough; and ev'ry bough

VOL. I.

U

Like

Like that the Trojan gather'd, once avuls'd
Were by a splendid fucceffor supply'd
Inftant, fpontaneous ! liften to my lays.
For 'tis not fools, whate'er proverbial phrase
Have long decreed, that quit with greatest ease
The treafur'd gold. Of words indeed profuse,
Of gold tenacious, their torpefcent foul
Clenches their coin, and what electral fire
Shall folve the frofty gripe, and bid it flow?
"Tis genius, fancy, that to wild expence
Of health! of treasure! ftimulates the foul:
Thefe, with officious care, and fatal art,
Improve the vinous flavour; these the smile
Of CLOE foften; these the glare of dress
Illume; the glitt'ring chariot gild anew,
And add strange wisdom to the furs of pow'r.
Alas! that he, amid the race of men,
That he, who thinks of pureft gold with fcorn,
Shou'd with unfated appetite demand,

And vainly court the pleasure it procures !
When fancy's vivid spark impels the foul
To fcorn quotidian scenes, to fpurn the bliss
Of vulgar minds, what noftrum fhall compose
Its fatal tenfion? in what lonely vale
Of balmy medicine's various field, afpires
The bleft refrigerent? Vain, ah vain the hope
Of future peace, this orgafm uncontroul'd!
Impatient, hence, of all, the frugal mind
Requires; to eat, to drink, to fleep, to fill

A chest

A cheft with gold, the fprightly breast demands
Inceffant rapture; life, a tedious load
Deny'd its continuity of joy.

But whence obtain? philofophy requires
No lavish coft; to crown its utmost pray'r
Suffice the root-built cell, the fimple fleece,
The juicy viand, and the crystal stream.
Ev'n mild ftupidity rewards her train
With cheap contentment. Tafte alone requires
Entire profufion! Days and nights and hours
Thy voice, hydropic fancy! calls aloud
For coftly draughts, inundant bowls of joy,
Rivers of rich regalement ! feas of bliss!
Seas without shore! infinity of fweets!

And yet, unless fage reason join her hand
In pleasure's purchase, pleasure is unfure:
And yet, unless œconomy's confent
Legitimate expence, fome graceless mark,
Some symptom ill-conceal'd, fhall, foon or late,
Burst like a pimple from the vicious tide
Of acid blood, proclaiming want's disease,
Amidft the bloom of fhew. The fcanty ftream
Slow-loitering in its channel, feems to vie
With VAGA's depth; but fhould the fedgy pow'r
Vain-glorious empty his penurious urn

O'er the rough rock, how muft his fellow-ftreams
Deride the tinklings of the boastive rill!

I not aspire to mark the dubious path
That leads to wealth, to poets mark'd in vain!

But ere felf-flattery foothe the vivid breast
With dreams of fortune near ally'd to fame,
Reflect how few, who charm'd the lift'ning ear
Of fatrap or of king, her smiles enjoy'd !
Confider well, what meagre alms repay'd

The great Mæonian, fire of tuneful fong,
And prototype of all that foar'd fublime,
And left dull cares below; what griefs impell'd
The modeft bard of learn'd ELIZA's reign
To fwell with tears his MULLA's parent stream,
And mourn aloud the pang
"to ride, to run,
To spend, to give, to want, to be undone."
Why fhou'd I tell of COWLEY'S pensive muse
Belov'd in vain? too copious is my theme!
Which of your boasted race might hope reward
Like loyal BUTLER, when the lib'ral CHARLES,
The judge of wit, perus'd the sprightly page
Triumphant o'er his foes? Believe not hope,
The poet's parafite; but learn alone

To spare the scanty boon the fates decree.
Poet and rich! 'tis folecism extreme!
'Tis heighten'd contradiction! in his frame,
In ev'ry nerve and fibre of his foul,

The latent feeds and principles of want

Has nature wove; and fate confirm'd the clue.
Nor yet defpair to fhun the ruder gripe

Of

penury; with nice precision learn

A dollar's value. Foremost in the page

That marks th' expence of each revolving year,

Place

Place inattention. When the luft of praise,
Or honour's falfe idea, tempts thy foul
To flight frugality, affure thine heart
That danger's near. This perishable coin
Is no vain ore. It is thy liberty,

It fetters mifers, but it must alone

Enfranchise thee. The world, the cit-like world
Bids thee beware; thy little craft essay;
Nor, pidling with a tea-spoon's flender form,
See with foup-ladles devils gourmandize.

Economy! thou good old-aunt! whose mien
Furrow'd with age and care the wife adore,
The wits contemn! reserving still thy stores
To chear thy friends at last! why with the cit,
Or booklefs churl, with each ignoble name,
Each earthly nature, deign'ft thou to refide?
And shunning all, who by thy favours crown'd
Might glad the world, to feek fome vulgar mind
Infpiring pride, and selfish shapes of ill?

Why with the old, infirm, and impotent,
And childless, love to dwell, yet leave the breast
Of youth, unwarn'd, unguided, uninform'd?
Of youth, to whom thy monitory voice
Were doubly kind? for fure to youthful eyes,
(How short foe'er it prove) the road of life
Appears protracted; fair on either fide

The loves, the graces play, on fortune's child
Profufely smiling; well might youth essay
The frugal plan, the lucrative employ,

U 3`

Source