130

But nobler fcenes Maria's dreams unfold,
Hereditary Realms, and worlds of Gold,
Congenial fouls! whofe life one Av'rice joins,
And one fate buries in th' Afturian Mines,
Much injur'd Blunt! why bears he Britain's hate?
A wizard told him in thefe words our fate :
"At length Corruption, like a gen'ral flood,
"(So long by watchful Minifters withstood)

66

135

Shall deluge all; and Av'rice creeping on, Spread like a low-born mist, and blot the Sun ; "Statesman and Patriot ply alike the stocks, "Peerefs and butler fhare alike the Box, "And Judges job, and Bifhops bite the town, "And mighty Dukes pack cards for half a crown.

140

They fince retired into Spain, where they are ftill in fearch of gold in the mines of the Afturias.

VER. 133. Much injur'd Blunt! | Sir JOHN BLUNT, originally a fcrivener, was one of the first projectors of the South-fea company, and afterwards one of the directors and chief managers of the famous scheme in 1720. He was alfo one of those who fuffered moft feverely by the bill of pains and penalties on the faid directors. He was a Diffenter of a moft religious deportment, and profeffed to be a great believer. Whether he did really credit the prophecy here mentioned is not certain, but it was conftantly in this very style he declaimed against the corruption and luxury of the age, the partiality of Parliaments, and the mifery of party-fpirit. He was particularly eloquent against Avarice in great and noble perfons, of which he had indeed lived to fee many miferable examples. He died in the year 1732.

6

"See Britain funk in lucre's fordid charms,

"And France reveng'd of ANNE's and EDWARD'S "arms!"

'Twas no Court-badge, great Scriv'ner, fir'd thy brain, Nor lordly Luxury, nor City Gain:

No, 'twas thy righteous end, afham'd to fee
Senates degen'rate, Patriots difagree,

A nobly wishing Party-rage to ceafe,

146

To buy both fides, and give thy Country peace. 150 "All this is madness," cries a fober fage: But who, my friend, has reason in his rage? "The ruling Paffion, be it what it will, "The ruling Paffion conquers Reason still." Lefs mad the wildest whimsey we can frame, Than ev❜n that Paffion, if it has no Aim; For tho' fuch motives Folly you may call, The Folly's greater to have none at all.

155

Hear then the truth 66 'Tis Heav'n each Paffion "fends,

"And diff'rent men directs to diff'rent ends.. 160 "Extremes in Nature equal good produce,

"Extremes in Man concur to gen'ral ufe."

Ask we what makes one keep, and one bestow? That Pow'r which bids the ocean ebb and flow, Bids feed-time, harveft, equal course maintain, 165 Thro' reconcil'd extremes of drought and rain, Builds Life on Death, on Change Duration founds, And gives th' eternal wheels to know their rounds.

170

175

Riches, like infects, when conceal'd they lie, Wait but for wings, and in their season fly. Who fees pale Mammon pine amidst his store, Sees but a backward steward for the Poor ; This year a Refervoir, to keep and spare ; The next, a Fountain, spouting thro' his Heir, In lavish streams to quench a Country's thirst, And men and dogs shall drink him till they burst. Old Cotta fham'd his fortune and his birth, Yet was not Cotta void of wit or worth: What tho' (the use. of barb'rous fpits forgot) His kitchen vy'd in coolness with his grot? His court with nettles, moats with creffes ftor'd, With foups unbought and fallads blefs'd his board? If Cotta liv'd on pulse, it was no more

180

Than Bramins, Saints, and Sages did before;

To cram the rich was prodigal expence,

185

And who would take the Poor from Providence ?
Like fome lone Chartreux ftands the good old Hall,
Silence without, and fafts within the wall;
No rafter'd roofs with dance and tabor found,
No noontide bell invites the country round:
Tenants with fighs the fmoaklefs tow'rs furvey,
And turn th' unwilling steeds another way:

IMITATIONS.

VER. 182. With Joups unbought]

dapibus menfas onerabat inemptis.

Virg.

Benighted wanderers, the foreft o'er,
Curfe the fav'd candle, and unop'ning door;
While the gaunt maftiff growling at the gate,
Affrights the beggar whom he longs to eat.

Not fo his Son, he mark'd this overfight,
And then miftook reverse of wrong for right.
(For what to fhun will no great knowledge need,
But what to follow, is a task indeed.)
Yet fure, of qualities deferving praise,
More go to ruin Fortunes, than to raife.

195

200

What flaughter'd hecatombs, what floods of wine,
Fill the capacious 'Squire, and deep Divine !
Yet no mean motives this profufion draws,
His oxen perish in his country's caufe ;

205

"Tis GEORGE and LIBERTY that crowns the cup, And Zeal for that great Houfe which eats him up. The woods recede around the naked feat,

The fylvans groan-no matter-for the Fleet: 210
Next goes
his Wool-to clothe our valiant bands,
Laft, for his Country's love, he fells his Lands.

VARIATIONS.

VER. 200. Here I found two lines in the Poet's MS.

"Yet fure, of qualities deferving praife,
"More go to ruin fortunes than to raise.

which, as they feem to be necessary to do justice to the ge neral Character going to be defcribed, I advised him to infert in their place.

To town he comes, completes the nation's hope,
And heads the bold Train-bands, and burns a Pope.
And fhall not Britain now reward his toils,
215
Britain, that pays her Patriots with her Spoils ?
In vain at Court the Bankrupt pleads his caufe,
His thankless Country leaves him to her Laws.

The Senfe to value Riches, with the Art
T'enjoy them, and the Virtue to impart,
"Not meanly, nor ambitiously purfu'd,
Not funk by floth, nor rais'd by fervitude;
To balance Fortune by a juft expence,

Join with Economy, Magnificence;

220

With Splendor, Charity; with Plenty, Health; 225
Oh teach us, BATHURST! yet unfpoil'd by wealth!
That fecret rare, between th' extremes to move
Of mad Good-nature, and of mean Self-love.

VARIATIONS.

After ver. 218. in the MS.

Where one lean herring furnish'd Cotta's board,
And nettles grew, fit porridge for their Lord;
Where mad good-nature, bounty misapply'd,
In lavish Curio blaz'd awhile and dy'd;

There Providence once more shall shift the fcene,
"And fhewing H-Y, teach the golden mean,

After ver. 226. in the MS.

That fecret rare, which affluence hardly join'd,
Which W-n,loft, yet B-y ne'er could find:
Still mifs'd by Vice, and scarce by Virtue hit,
EyG-'s goodness, or by S-'s wit