Will, foon or late, quite cloy his Appetite, And make the Boar and Turbot, freshly caught, Rank to his Tafte; and then he must repair To 4 acid Herbs and Radifh for Relief. Yet fome Remains of our old fimple Fare Are feen at stately Banquets; there cheap Eggs And fable Olives ftill maintain a Place. Not many Years ago, of Luxury 5 Gallonius was convicted, on his Board Then with Discretion in the Middle steer, And merited the Name, was wont to eat He kept his natal or his wedding Day, Who to each Slave affign'd his proper Poft, This a wide Error on the other Side. Now learn the various Bleffings that will flow From 7 Temperance: Of thefe, the firft is Health. Reflect how fprightly were the Days of Youth, When on one Dish you could contented dine. But fince, at once, Meat boil'd and roast you mix, Shell-fish and Fowls; the sweet and acid jar, And wretched Tumults in your Bowels raife; Cold Phlegm, and Eile aduft, fermenting there, How pale, from Treats luxurious, rife the Guests! Nay, more; the Body, heavy with the Load Of Yefternight's Debauch, 8 chains down to Earth That Farticle of Breath divine, the Soul ! The temperate Man fnatches a frugal Meal, Refigns his weary Limbs to fweet Repofe, And And rifes active to his daily Toil. Yet he can fometimes take a chearful Glafs, When circling Years bring round a festal Day, Or to invigorate his 9 feeble Form, Or when weak Age a milder Treatment claims. If now, while young and ftrong, you wafte your Days In Blandifhments, what Solace can you hope, Opprefs'd with languid Health, or liftless Years? come, Our Fathers prais'd a tainted Boar; and yet They had a Nofe. Their Meaning, as I guefs, Was this They kept it 'till their Friends fhould [like, And fhare the Feaft; nor would, CurmudgeonDevour it by themfelves entire and sweet. Oh! that the vigorous Earth had brought me forth Among the Heroes of that golden Age! Regard'st thou Fame, which ought to footh the Ear Beyond the sweetest Verse? or know'ft thou not, That coftly Treats will hurt thy Character No lefs than thy Eftate? Nay, add to this, That, by thy Children, Friends, and felf, accurs'd, Thou wilt not have a single Penny left, To buy a Cord, and end thy wretched Life! Why aye, 'tis right,' the wealthy Trafius cries, Thus to rebuke the Man, whofe fmall Estate Will not fupport the Table that he keeps. But what is this to Me, who, am poffefs'd • Of Wealth enough to dignify a King?' G4 Indeed! Indeed! why therefore doft thou not employ To Ends more noble that fuperfluous Wealth? Whilft thou art rich, why does one worthy Man Repine in Want? Wherefore in Ruins lie The ancient Temples of the Gods? Oh! fay, Wretch as thou art, 10 why doft thou not bestow Some Portion of thy Pelf to ferve thy Country? What! will kind Fortune fmile on thee alone, And never, never change? Hereafter, thou, Scorn'd by thy Foes, fhalt dearly rule thy Folly. Say, which is moft fecure, fhould Fortune fhift, The Man, who gratifies each Appetite, Pamper'd each Day in Body and in Mind; Or he, who, bleft with little, fears the worft, And prudently in Peace provides for War? But, by an Inftance to confirm my Words, Ofellus 11 I remember when a Boy, Who with the fame Frugality then liv'd In Affluence, as now he 12 lives reduc'd. You still may fee this sturdy Hind, who ploughs Thofe Fields for Hire, of which he once was Lord; And, as he works, he thus accofts his Sons: 'On common Days I was content to dine 'On a fmok'd Flitch, with favoury Coleworts join'd. 'But when a Friend, long abfent, came from far, 'Or a kind Neighbour on a rainy Day, 'And by foul Weather we were kept at home, 13 I feafted them with home-bred Kid and Fowl, • And And not with Fish from Rome. Grapes long ` preferv❜d, ⚫ Walnuts and Figs adorn'd our fecond Course. "The Dinner o'er, with grateful Hearts we paid. To 14 Ceres due Libations; and implor'd 'Her Influence, to blefs the fpringing Corn; • Then chearly circled round the generous Bowl, And fmooth'd our wrinkled Brows with Bacchus' Yet Gift: every Gueft was from Compulsion free, • And Temperance reign'd fole Mistress of the Feaft. 'Let Fortune frown, and farther Tumults raife, From Me how little can fhe take? Have I, ་ My Boys, liv'd worfe, or are your Looks lefs fleek, • Since this new Tenant came and feiz'd ourLand? I call him Tenant, whom you deem your Lord; 15 That Farm, which by Ofellus' Name once Umbrenus now enjoys; the Use alone, [pafs'd, Not Property; which can to none belong : • For neither him, nor me, nor any one, Hath Nature truly form'd Proprietor Of what he holds. This Man ejected me; Live then, my Sons, contented with your Lot, • And meet each adverfe Chance with fteady Mind !' G. 5 NOTES. |