Muft never patriot then declaim at gin,
Unless, good man! he hath been fairly in?
No zealous paftor blame a failing spouse,
Without a ftaring reason on his brows?
And each blafphemer quite escape the rod,
Because the infult's not on man, but God?
Afk you what provocation I have had ?
The ftrong antipathy of good to bad.
When Truth or Virtue an affront endures,
Th' affront is mine, my friend, and should be yours. 200
Mine, as a foe profess'd to false pretence,
Who think a coxcomb's honour like his fenfe;
Mine, as a friend to every worthy mind;
And mine as man, who feel for all mankind.
F. You're ftrangely proud.
206
P. So proud I am no flave:
So impudent, I own myself no knave :
So odd, my country's ruin makes me grave.
Yes, I am proud: I must be proud to fee
Men not afraid of God, afraid of me:
Safe from the bar, the pulpit, and the throne,
Yet touch'd and fham'd by ridicule alone.
O facred weapon! left for Truth's defence,
Sole dread of folly, vice, and insolence !
To all but heav'n-directed hands deny'd,
The Mufe may give thee, but the gods muft guide: 215
Rev'rent I touch thee! but with honeft zeal;
To rouze the watchmen of the public weal,
To virtue's work provoke the tardy hall,
And goad the prelate flumb'ring in his ftall.
Ye tinfel infects! whom a court maintains,
That counts your beauties only by your ftains,
Spin all your cobwebs o'er the eye of day!
The Mufe's wing shall brush you all away :
All his grace preaches, all his lordship sings,
All that makes faints of queens, and gods of kings. 225
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