Sell their presented partridges and fruits, One half-pint bottle serves them both to dine, But on some lucky day (as when they found 55 A lost bank-bill, or heard their son was drown'd), Is what two souls so generous cannot bear : 60 He knows to live, who keeps the middle state, Now hear what blessings temperance can bring: 65 (Thus said our friend, and what he said I sing :) 70 Remembers oft the school-boy's simple fare, The temperate sleeps, and spirits light as air. How pale each worshipful and reverend guest 75 Rise from a clergy, or a city feast! What life in all that ample body, say? To seem but mortal, even in sound divines. 80 On morning wings how active springs the mind How coming to the poet every Muse! Not but we may exceed, some holy time, 85 Or tired in search of truth, or search of rhyme; Ill health some just indulgence may engage; Our fathers praised rank venison. You suppose, 90 Not so: a buck was then a week's repast, And 'twas their point, I ween, to make it last; More pleased to keep it till their friends could come, (For 'faith, Lord Fanny! you are in the wrong, 95 100 105 Thou hast at least bestowed one penny well. 110 "Right," cries his Lordship, "for a rogue in need To have a taste is insolence indeed: In me 'tis noble, suits my birth and state, My wealth unwieldy, and my heap too great." Then, like the sun, let bounty spread her ray, Oh impudence of wealth with all thy store, How darest thou let one worthy man be poor? 115 Shall half the new-built churches round thee fall? Make quays, build bridges, or repair Whitehall: 120 Or to thy country let that heap be lent, As M**o's was, but not at five per cent.5 Who thinks that Fortune cannot change her mind, Prepares a dreadful jest for all mankind. And who stands safest? tell me, is it he 125 That spreads and swells in puff'd prosperity; Or, blest with little, whose preventing care In peace provides fit arms against a war? Thus Bethel spoke, who always speaks his thought, And always thinks the very thing he ought: 130 His equal mind I copy what I can, And, as I love, would imitate the man. 5 [The Duke of Marlborough.] In South-sea days not happier, when surmised But ancient friends (though poor, or out of play,) 135 140 But gudgeons, flounders, what my Thames affords : 145 And grapes, long lingering on my only wall, And figs from standard and espalier join; The devil is in you if you cannot dine: Then cheerful healths (your mistress shall have place), 150 Fortune not much of humbling me can boast: Though double taxed, how little have I lost! 7 My life's amusements have been just the same, Before and after standing armies came. My lands are sold; my father's house is gone; 155 And yours, my friends? through whose free opening gate None comes too early, none departs too late; (For I, who hold sage Homer's rule the best, Welcome the coming, speed the going guest.) 66 Pray heaven it last! (cries Swift!) as you go on; I wish to God this house had been your own: Pity! to build without a son or wife; 160 6 [Warburton states that Pope had South-Sea stock, which he did not sell out, that was valued at between £20,000 and £30,000 when it fell. This must have been a nominal-literally a South-Sea valuation. He could not have invested more than two or three thousand pounds, if so much, in the South Sea stock, and its depreciation deprived him of none of the comforts or elegancies of life to which he had been accustomed. For an account of Walpole's Excise Bill, here alluded to, see extract from Lord Hervey's Memoirs. Notes to Moral Essays, Ep. III.] [Roman Catholics and Nonjurors had at that time to pay additional taxes.] Well, if the use be mine, can it concern one, The Chancery takes your rents for twenty year: 165 170 At best, it falls to some ungracious son, 175 8 [Mrs. Vernon, from whom he had a lease for life of his house and garden at Twickenham. She died about a year before Pope. He had then some idea of purchasing the property (valued at about £1000), if any of his "particular friends" wished to have it as a residence. No such arrangement was made, and, after the poet's death, the house was bought by Sir William Stanhope. See Life of Pope.] [William, the first Lord Grimston.] And Helmsley,10 once proud Buckingham's delight, Let lands and houses have what lords they will, 180 10 [Helmsley, in Yorkshire, which had belonged to Villiers, Duke of Buckingham, was purchased by Sir Charles Duncombe, Knight, Lord Mayor of London in 1709, and M.P. for Downton, Wilts. The City Knight changed the name of the place to Duncombe Park.] |