Worth makes the man, and want of it the fellow: Stuck o'er with titles and hung round with ftrings, That thou mayft be by kings, or whores of kings. Boaft the pure blood of an illustrious race, In quiet flow from Lucrece to Lucrece : But by your fathers' worth if yours you rate, Nor own your fathers have been fools so long. 210 215 Look next on Greatnefs; fay where Greatness lies: "Where, but among the Heroes and the Wife?" Heroes are much the fame, the point's agreed, From Macedonia's madman to the Swede; The whole ftrange purpose of their lives, to find, Or make, an enemy of all mankind! Not one looks backward, onward still he goes, Yet ne'er looks forward further than his nofe. 220 VARIATION. Ver. 207. Boaft the pure blood, &c.] In the MS. thus: The richest blood, right-honourably old, Down from Lucretia to Lucretia roli'd, No No lefs alike the Politic and Wife: 225 230 235 What 's Fame? a fancy'd life in others' breath, A thing beyond us, ev'n before our death. Juft what you hear, you have; and what 's unknown, The fame (my Lord) if Tully's, or your own. 240 All that we feel of it begins and ends In the fmall circle of our foes or friends; An Eugene living, as a Cæfar dead; Alike or when, or where they fhone, or fhine, 245 Or on the Rubicon, or on the Rhine. A Wit's a feather, and a Chief a rod; An honeft Man 's the nobleft work of God. Fame but from death a villain's name can save, As Juftice tears his body from the grave; 250 When what t' oblivion better were refign'd, All fame is foreign, but of true defert; Plays round the head, but comes not to the heart: One One felf-approving hour whole years out-weighs 255 And more true joy Marcellus exil'd feels, In Parts fuperior what advantage lies? 200 Truths would you teach, or fave a finking land? 265 Above life's weakness, and its comforts too. Bring then thefe bleffings to a strict account; Make fair deductions; fee to what they mount: 270 How much of other each is fure to coft; How much for other oft is wholly loft; How fometimes life is rifqu'd, and always cafe: 275 Say, wouldst thou be the Man to whom they fall? Mark how they grace Lord Umbra, or Sir Billy. Look but on Gripus, or on Gripus' wife. 280 If If all, united, thy ambition call, From ancient ftory, learn to fcorn them all. There, in the rich, the honour'd, fam'd, and great, In hearts of Kings, or arms of Queens who lay, O! wealth ill-fated! which no act of fame E'er taught to shine, or fanctify'd from shame! fhade. 285 290 295 300 305 A Tale, that blends their glory with their fhame! Know then this truth (enough for Man to know) "Virtue alone is Happiness below." 310 The only point where human bliss stands ftill, The The joy unequal'd, if its end it gain, 315 And but more relifh'd as the more diftrefs'd: Lefs pleafing far than Virtue's very tears: 320 Good, from each object, from each place acquir'd, For ever exercis'd, yet never tir'd; Never elated, while one man's opprefs'd; Never dejected, while another 's bleft; And where no wants, no wifhes can remain, 325 Since but to wish more Virtue, is to gain. See the fole blifs Heaven could on all beftow! Which who but feels can tafte, but thinks can know: But looks through Nature, up to Nature's God; VARIATION. After ver. 316, in the MS. Ev'n while it feems unequal to difpofe, And chequers all the good Man's joys with woes, Which confcience gives, and nothing can deftroy. VOL. XLVI. G Sees, |