The Vanity of Human Wishes (1749) and Two Rambler papers (1750) | Page 4

unconfin'd,?And crouds with Crimes the Records of Mankind,?For Gold his Sword the Hireling Ruffian draws,?For Gold the hireling Judge distorts the Laws;?Wealth heap'd on Wealth, nor Truth nor Safety buys,?The Dangers gather as the Treasures rise.?[Footnote b: Ver. 12-22.]
Let Hist'ry tell where rival Kings command,?And dubious Title shakes the madded Land,?When Statutes glean the Refuse of the Sword,?How much more safe the Vassal than the Lord,?Low sculks the Hind beneath the Rage of Pow'r,?And leaves the bonny Traytor_ in the _Tow'r,?Untouch'd his Cottage, and his Slumbers found,?Tho' Confiscation's Vulturs clang around.
The needy Traveller, serene and gay,?Walks the wild Heath, and sings his Toil away.?Does Envy seize thee? crush th' upbraiding Joy,?Encrease his Riches and his Peace destroy,?New Fears in dire Vicissitude invade,?The rustling Brake alarms, and quiv'ring Shade,?Nor Light nor Darkness bring his Pain Relief,?One shews the Plunder, and one hides the Thief.
Yet[c] still the gen'ral Cry the Skies assails?And Gain and Grandeur load the tainted Gales;?Few know the toiling States man's Fear or Care,?Th' insidious Rival and the gaping Heir.?[Footnote c: Ver. 23-27.]
Once[d] more, Democritus, arise on Earth,?With chearful Wisdom and instructive Mirth,?See motley Life in modern Trappings dress'd,?And feed with varied Fools th' eternal Jest:?Thou who couldst 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 Sycophant was fed by Pride;?Where ne'er was known the Form of mock Debate,?Or seen a new-made Mayor's unwieldy State;?Where change of Fav'rites made no Change of Laws,?And Senates heard before they judg'd a Cause;?How wouldst thou shake at Britain's modish Tribe,?Dart the quick Taunt, and edge the piercing Gibe??Attentive Truth and Nature to descry,?And pierce each Scene with Philosophic Eye.?To thee were solemn Toys or empty Shew,?The Robes of Pleasure and the Veils of Woe:?All aid the Farce, and all thy Mirth maintain,?Whose Joys are causeless, or whose Griefs are vain.?[Footnote d: Ver. 28-55.]
Such was the Scorn that fill'd the Sage's Mind,?Renew'd at ev'ry Glance on Humankind;?How just that Scorn ere yet thy Voice declare,?Search every State, and canvass ev'ry Pray'r.
[e]Unnumber'd Suppliants croud Preferment's Gate,?Athirst for Wealth, and burning to be great;?Delusive Fortune hears th' incessant Call,?They mount, they shine, evaporate, and fall.?On ev'ry Stage the Foes of Peace attend,?Hate dogs their Flight, and Insult mocks their End.?Love ends with Hope, the sinking Statesman's Door?Pours in the Morning Worshiper no more;?For growing Names the weekly Scribbler lies,?To growing Wealth the Dedicator flies,?From every Room descends the painted Face,?That hung the bright Palladium of the Place,?And smoak'd in Kitchens, or in Auctions sold,?To better Features yields the Frame of Gold;?For now no more we trace in ev'ry Line?Heroic Worth, Benevolence Divine:?The Form distorted justifies the Fall,?And Detestation rids th' indignant Wall.?[Footnote e: Ver. 56-107.]
But will not Britain hear the last Appeal,?Sign her Foes Doom, or guard her Fav'rites Zeal;?Through Freedom's Sons no more Remonstrance rings;?Degrading Nobles and controuling Kings;?Our supple Tribes repress their Patriot Throats,?And ask no Questions but the Price of Votes;?With Weekly Libels and Septennial Ale,?Their Wish is full to riot and to rail.
In full-blown Dignity, see Wolsey stand,?Law in his Voice, and Fortune in his Hand:?To him the Church, the Realm, their Pow'rs consign,?Thro' him the Rays of regal Bounty shine,?Turned by his Nod the Stream of Honour flows,?His Smile alone Security bestows:?Still to new Heights his restless Wishes tow'r,?Claim leads to Claim, and Pow'r advances Pow'r;?Till Conquest unresisted ceas'd to please,?And Rights submitted, left him none to seize.?At length his Sov'reign frowns--the Train of State?Mark the keen Glance, and watch the Sign to hate.?Where-e'er he turns he meets a Stranger's Eye,?His Suppliants scorn him, and his Followers fly;?Now drops at once 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 oppress'd,?He seeks the Refuge of Monastic Rest.?Grief aids Disease, remember'd Folly stings,?And his last Sighs reproach the Faith of Kings.
Speak thou, whose Thoughts at humble Peace repine,?Shall Wolsey_'s Wealth, with _Wolsey's End be thine??Or liv'st thou now, with safer Pride content,?The richest Landlord on the Banks of Trent??For why did Wolsey by the Steps of Fate,?On weak Foundations raise th' enormous Weight??Why but to sink beneath Misfortune's Blow,?With louder Ruin to the Gulphs below?
What[f] gave great Villiers to th' Assassin's Knife,?And fix'd Disease on Harley's closing Life??What murder'd Wentworth_, and what exil'd _Hyde,?By Kings protected and to Kings ally'd??What but their Wish indulg' in Courts to shine,?And Pow'r too great to keep or to resign??[Footnote f: Ver. 108-113.]
When[g] first the College Rolls receive his Name,?The young Enthusiast quits his Ease for Fame;?Resistless burns the Fever of Renown,?Caught from the strong Contagion of the Gown;?O'er Bodley's Dome his future Labours spread,?And Bacon's Mansion trembles o'er his Head;?Are these thy Views? proceed, illustrious Youth,?And Virtue guard thee to the Throne of Truth,?Yet