The George and Garter dangling from that bed
Where tawdry yellow ftrove wirh dirty red,
Great Villers lies-alas! how chang'd from him, 305
That life of Pleasure, and that foul of whim!
Gallant and gay, in Cliveden's proud alcove,
The bower of wanton Shrewsbury and Love;
Or just as gay, at Council, in a ring

Of mimick'd Statesmen, and their merry King.
No Wit to flatter, left of all his store!

No Fool to laugh at, which he valued more.
There, victor of his health, of fortune, friends,
And Fame, this lord of useless thousands ends.

310

315

His Grace's fate fage Cutler could foresee, And well (he thought) advis'd him, "Live like me!" As well his Grace reply'd, "Like you, Sir John? "That I can do, when all I have is gone." Resolve me, Reason, which of these are worse, Want with a full, or with an empty purse? Thy life more wretched, Cutler, was confess'd, Arife, and tell me, was thy death more bless'd? Cutler faw tenants break, and houses fall, For very want; he could not build a wall. His only daughter in a stranger's power, For very want; he could not pay a dower. A few grey hairs his reverend temples crown'd, 'Twas very want that fold them for two pound. What! even deny'd a cordial at his end, Banish'd the Doctor, and expell'd the friend? What but a want, which you perhaps think mad, Yet numbers feel, the want of what he had!

320

325

330

Cutler

Cutler and Brutus dying, both exclaim,
"Virtue! and Wealth! what are ye but a name!”
Say, for fuch worth are other worlds prepar'd? 335
Or are they both, in this, their own reward?
A knotty point! to which we now proceed.
But you are tir'd-I'll tell a tale—B. Agreed.
P. Where London's column, pointing at the skies
Like a tall bully, lifts the head, and lies;
There dwelt a Citizen of fober fame,
A plain good man, and Balaam was his name;
Religious, punctual, frugal, and fo forth;

340

345

His word would pass for more than he was worth.
One folid dish his week-day meal affords,
An added pudding folemniz'd the Lord's:
Conftant at Church, and Change; his gains were fure,
His givings rare, fave farthings to the poor.

The Devil was piqu'd fuch faintship to behold,

And long'd to tempt him, like good Job of old; 350 But Satan now is wifer than of yore,

And tempts by making rich, not making poor.

Rouz'd by the Prince of Air, the whirlwinds fweep The furge, and plunge his Father in the deep; Then full against his Cornish lands they roar, And two rich fhipwrecks blefs the lucky fhore. Sir Balaam now, he lives like other folks, He takes his chirping pint, and cracks his jokes:

VARIATION.

Ver. 337. In the former Editions,

That knotty point, my Lord, fhall I discuss,
Or tell a tale ?-A Tale-It follows thus.

K 2

355

"Live

"Live like yourself," was foon my Lady's word; And lo! two puddings fmoak'd upon the board. 360 Afleep and naked as an Indian lay,

An honest factor stole a Gem away:

He pledg'd it to the knight, the knight had wit,
So kept the Diamond, and the rogue was bit.

Some fcruple rofe, but thus he eas'd his thought, 365
"I'll now give fixpence where I gave a groat;
"Where once I went to church, I'll now go twice-
"And am fo clear too of all other vice."

The Tempter faw his time: the work he ply'd;
Stocks and Subfcriptions pour on every fide,
Till all the Dæmon makes his full defcent
In one abuudant fhower of Cent per Cent,
Sinks deep within him, and poffeffes whole,
Then dubs Director, and fecures his foul.

370

Behold Sir Balaam, now a man of spirit, Afcribes his gettings to his parts and merit; What late he call'd a Bleffing, now was Wit, And God's good Providence, a lucky Hit. Things change their titles, as our manners turn: His Compting-houfe employ'd the Sunday-morn: 380 Seldom at Church, ('twas fuch a bufy life)

375

But duly fent his family and wife.

There (fo the Devil ordain'd) one Christmas-tide
My good old Lady catch'd a cold, and dy’d.

A Nymph of Quality admires our Knight;
He marries, bows at Court, and grows polite:
Leaves the dull Cits, and joins (to please the Fair)
The well-bred cuckolds in St. James's air:

385

Firft, for his Son a gay Commiffion buys,
Who drinks, whores, fights, and in a duel dies:
His Daughter flaunts a Viscount's tawdry wife;
She bears a Coronet and P-x for life.
In Britain's Senate he a seat obtains,

And one more Penfioner St. Stephen gains.
My Lady falls to play: fo bad her chance,
He must repair it; takes a bribe from France;
The House impeach him, Coningsby harangues;
The Court forfake him, and Sir Balaam hangs:
Wife, fon, and daughter, Satan! are thy own,
His wealth, yet dearer, forfeit to the Crown:
The Devil and the King divide the prize,
And fad Sir Balaam curfes God and dies..

K3

390

395

400

MORAL

MORAL

ESSAY S.

EPISTLE

IV.

TO

Richard Boyle, Earl of Burlington..

ARGUMENT.

Of the Ufe of RICHES.

THE Vanity of Expence in People of Wealth and Quality. The abuse of the word Tafte, ver. 13. That the first principle and foundation in this, as in every thing else, is Good Senfe, ver. 40. The chief proof of it is to follow Nature, even in works of mere Luxury and Elegance. Inftanced in Architecture and Gardening, where all must be adapted to the Genius and Ufe of the Place, and the Beauties not forced. into it, but refulting from it, ver. 50. How men are disappointed in their most expensive undertakings, for want of this true Foundation, without which nothing can please long, if at all; and the best Examples and Rules will be but perverted into fomething burdenfome and ridiculous, ver. 65, &c. to 92. A defcription of the falfe Tafte of Magnificence; the first grand error of which is, to imagine that Greatnefs confifts in the Size and Dimenfion, instead of the Proportion and Harmony of the whole, ver. 97. and the second, either