The Vanity of Human Wishes (1749) and Two Rambler papers (1750) | Page 6

that they please no more;?Now pall the tastless Meats, and joyless Wines,?And Luxury with Sighs her Slave resigns.?Approach, ye Minstrels, try the soothing Strain,?And yield the tuneful Lenitives of Pain:?No Sounds alas would touch th' impervious Ear,?Though dancing Mountains witness'd Orpheus near;?Nor Lute nor Lyre his feeble Pow'rs attend,?Nor sweeter Musick of a virtuous Friend,?But everlasting Dictates croud his Tongue,?Perversely grave, or positively wrong.?The still returning Tale, and ling'ring Jest,?Perplex the fawning Niece and pamper'd Guest,?While growing Hopes scarce awe the gath'ring Sneer,?And scarce a Legacy can bribe to hear;?The watchful Guests still hint the last Offence,?The Daughter's Petulance, the Son's Expence,?Improve his heady Rage with treach'rous Skill,?And mould his Passions till they make his Will.?[Footnote l: Ver. 188.-288.]
Unnumber'd Maladies each Joint invade,?Lay Siege to Life and press the dire Blockade;?But unextinguish'd Av'rice still remains,?And dreaded Losses aggravate his Pains;?He turns, with anxious Heart and cripled Hands,?His Bonds of Debt, and Mortgages of Lands;?Or views his Coffers with suspicious Eyes,?Unlocks his Gold, and counts it till he dies.
But grant, the Virtues of a temp'rate Prime?Bless with an Age exempt from Scorn or Crime;?An Age that melts in unperceiv'd Decay,?And glides in modest Innocence away;?Whose peaceful Day Benevolence endears,?Whose Night congratulating Conscience cheers;?The gen'ral Fav'rite as the gen'ral Friend:?Such Age there is, and who could wish its End?
Yet ev'n on this her Load Misfortune flings,?To press the weary Minutes flagging Wings:?New Sorrow rises as the Day returns,?A Sister sickens, or a Daughter mourns.?Now Kindred Merit fills the fable Bier,?Now lacerated Friendship claims a Tear.?Year chases Year, Decay pursues Decay,?Still drops some Joy from with'ring Life away;?New Forms arise, and diff'rent Views engage,?Superfluous lags the Vet'ran on the Stage,?Till pitying Nature signs the last Release,?And bids afflicted Worth retire to Peace.
But few there are whom Hours like these await,?Who set unclouded in the Gulphs of Fate.?From Lydia's Monarch should the Search descend,?By Solon caution'd to regard his End,?In Life's last Scene what Prodigies surprise,?Fears of the Brave, and Follies of the Wise??From Marlb'rough's Eyes the Streams of Dotage flow,?And Swift expires a Driv'ler and a Show.
The[m] teeming Mother, anxious for her Race,?Begs for each Birth the Fortune of a Face:?Yet Vane could tell what Ills from Beauty spring;?And Sedley curs'd the Form that pleas'd a King.?Ye Nymphs of rosy Lips and radiant Eyes,?Whom Pleasure keeps too busy to be wise,?Whom Joys with soft Varieties invite?By Day the Frolick, and the Dance by Night,?Who frown with Vanity, who smile with Art,?And ask the latest Fashion of the Heart,?What Care, what Rules your heedless Charms shall save,?Each Nymph your Rival, and each Youth your Slave??An envious Breast with certain Mischief glows,?And Slaves, the Maxim tells, are always Foes,?Against your Fame with Fondness Hate combines,?The Rival batters, and the Lover mines.?With distant Voice neglected Virtue calls,?Less heard, and less the faint Remonstrance falls;?Tir'd with Contempt, she quits the slipp'ry Reign,?And Pride and Prudence take her Seat in vain.?In croud at once, where none the Pass defend,?The harmless Freedom, and the private Friend.?The Guardians yield, by Force superior ply'd;?By Int'rest, Prudence; and by Flatt'ry, Pride.?Here Beauty falls betray'd, despis'd, distress'd,?And hissing Infamy proclaims the rest.?[Footnote m: Ver. 289-345.]
Where[n] then shall Hope and Fear their Objects find??Must dull Suspence corrupt the stagnant Mind??Must helpless Man, in Ignorance sedate,?Swim darkling down the Current of his Fate??Must no Dislike alarm, no Wishes rise,?No Cries attempt the Mercies of the Skies??Enquirer, cease, Petitions yet remain,?Which Heav'n may hear, nor deem Religion vain.?Still raise for Good the supplicating Voice,?But leave to Heav'n the Measure and the Choice.?Safe in his Pow'r, whose Eyes discern afar?The secret Ambush of a specious Pray'r.?Implore his Aid, in his Decisions rest,?Secure whate'er he gives, he gives the best.?Yet with the Sense of sacred Presence prest,?When strong Devotion fills thy glowing Breast,?Pour forth thy Fervours for a healthful Mind,?Obedient Passions, and a Will resign'd;?For Love, which scarce collective Man can fill;?For Patience sov'reign o'er transmuted Ill;?For Faith, that panting for a happier Seat,?Thinks Death kind Nature's Signal of Retreat:?These Goods for Man the Laws of Heav'n ordain,?These Goods he grants, who grants the Pow'r to gain;?With these celestial Wisdom calms the Mind,?And makes the Happiness she does not find.?[Footnote n: Ver. 346-366.]
FINIS.
THE RAMBLER.
NUMB. 5. Price 2 d.
TUESDAY, April 3, 1750.
To be continued on_ TUESDAYS _and SATURDAYS.
_Et nunc omnis Ager, nunc omnis parturit Arbos,?Nunc frondent Silvae, nunc formosissimus Annus_.
VIRG.
Every Man is sufficiently discontented with some Circumstances of his present State, to suffer his Imagination to range more or less in quest of future Happiness, and to fix upon some Point of Time, in which he shall, by the Removal of the Inconvenience which now perplexes him, or the Acquisition of Advantage which he at present wants, find his Condition of Life very much improved.
When this Time, which is too often expected with great Impatience, at last arrives, it