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Or, if a court or country's made a job,
Go drench a pickpocket, and join the mob.
But, Sir, I beg you (for the love of vice!)
The matter's weighty, pray consider twice;
Have you less pity for the needy cheat,

The poor and friendless villain, than the great?
Alas! the small discredit of a bribe
Scarce hurts the lawyer, but undoes the scribe.
Then better sure it charity becomes

To tax directors, who (thank God) have plums;
Still better, ministers; or if the thing

May pinch ev❜n there

F. Stop! stop!

why lay it on a king.

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P. Must Satire, then, not rise nor fall? Speak out, and bid me blame no rogues at all.

F. Yes, strike that Wild, I'll justify the blow. P. Strike? why the man was hang'd ten years ago: Who now that obsolete example fears?

Ev'n Peter trembles only for his ears.

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F. What always Peter? Peter thinks you mad, You make men desp'rate if they once are bad : Else might he take to virtue some years henceP. As S-k, if he lives, will love the PRINCE. 61 F. Strange spleen to S-k!

P. Do I wrong the man?

God knows, I praise a courtier where I can.

When

VER. 39. wretched Wild;] Jonathan Wild, a famous thief, and thief-impeacher, who was at last caught in his own trap, and hanged.

When I confess, there is who feels for fame,

And melts to goodness, need I SCARB'ROW name?
Pleas'd let me own, in Esher's peaceful grove,
(Where Kent and nature vie for PELHAM's love,)
The scene, the master, op'ning to my view,

I sit and dream I see my CRAGGS anew !
Ev'n in a bishop I can spy desert;
Secker is decent, Rundel has a heart:
Manners with candour are to Benson giv❜n,
To Berkley, ev'ry virtue under heav'n.

But does the court a worthy man remove?
That instant, I declare, he has my love:
I shun his zenith, court his mild decline;
Thus SOMMERS once, and HALLIFAX, were mine.
Oft, in the clear, still mirrour of retreat,

I study'd SHREWSBURY, the wise and great :

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CARLETON'S

VER. 65. SCARB'ROW] Earl of, and Knight of the Garter, whose personal attachments to the King appeared from his steady adherence to the royal interest, after his resignation of his great employment of Master of the Horse, and whose known honour and virtue made him esteemed by all parties.

VER. 66. Esher's peaceful grove,] The house and gardens of Esher in Surry, belonging to the Honourable Mr. Pelham, brother of the Duke of Newcastle.

VER. 77. SOMMERS] John Lord Sommers died in 1716. He had been Lord Keeper in the reign of William III. who took from him the seals in 1700. The author had the honour of knowing him in 1706. A faithful, able, and incorrupt minister; who, to qualities of a consummate statesman, added those of a man of learning and politeness.

VER. 77. HALLIFAX,] A peer, no less distinguished by his love of letters than his abilities in Parliament. He was disgraced in 1710, on the change of Q. Anne's ministry.

CARLETON'S calm sense, and STANHOPE'S noble flame,
Compar'd, and knew their gen'rous end the same:
How pleasing ATTERBURY's softer hour!
How shin'd the soul, unconquer'd in the Tow'r!!
How can I PULT'NEY, CHESTERFIELD forget,
While Roman spirit charms, and attic wit:
ARGYLL, the state's whole thunder born to wield,
And shake alike the senate and the field:

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Or WYNDHAM, just to freedom and the throne,
The master of our passions, and his own..
Names, which I long have lov'd, nor lov'd in vain,
Rank'd with their friends, not number'd with their

train;

And if yet higher the proud list should end,
Still let me say! No follower, but a friend.
Yet think not, friendship only prompts my lays;
I follow Virtue; where she shines, I praise :
Point she to priest or elder, Whig or Tory,
Or round a Quaker's beaver cast a glory.

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I never

VER. 79. SHREWSBURY,] Charles Talbot, Duke of Shrewsbury, had been Secretary of State, Embassador in France, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Lord Chamberlain, and Lord Treasurer. He several times quitted his employments, and was often recalled. He died in 1718.

VER. 80. CARLETON] Hen. Boyle, Lord Carleton, (nephew of the famous Robert Boyle,) who was Secretary of State under William III. and President of the Council under Q. Anne.

VER. 80. STANHOPE] James Earl Stanhope. A nobleman of equal courage, spirit, and learning. General in Spain, and Secre→ tary of State.

I never (to my sorrow I declare)

Din'd with the MAN of Ross, or my LORD MAY'R. Some, in their choice of friends (nay, look not grave) Have still a secret bias to a knave:

To find an honest man I beat about,

And love him, court him, praise him, in or out.
F. Then why so few commended?

Find

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P. Not so fierce;

you the virtue, and I'll find the verse. 105 But random praise—the task can neʼer be done i Each mother asks it for her booby son,

Each widow asks it for the best of men,

For him she weeps, for him she weds agen.

Praise cannot stoop, like Satire, to the ground; 110 The number may be hang'd, but not be crown'd. Enough for half the greatest of these days,

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To 'scape my censure, not expect my praise.
Are they not rich? what more can they pretend?
Dare they to hope a poet for their friend?
What RICHLIEU wanted, LOUIS scarce could gain,
And what young AMMON wish'd, but wish'd in vain.
No pow'r the muse's friendship can command;
No pow'r, when virtue claims it, can withstand:
To Cato, Virgil pay'd one honest line;

O let my country's friends illumine mine!

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-What are you thinking? F. Faith the thought's no I think your friends are out, and would be in. [sin.

P. If

VER. 99. my LORD MAY'R.] Sir John Barnard, Lord Mayor year of the poem, 1738.

in the

P. If merely to come in, Sir, they go out,
The way they take is strangely round about:

F. They too may be corrupted, you'll allow ?
P. I only call those knaves who are so now.
Is that too little? Come then, I'll comply-
Spirit of Arnall! aid me while I lie.
COBHAM's a coward, POLWARTH is a slave,
And LYTTELTON a dark designing knave,
ST. JOHN has ever been a wealthy fool-
But let me add, Sir ROBERT's mighty dull,
Has never made a friend in private life,
And was, besides, a tyrant to his wife.

But pray, when others praise him, do I blame?

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Call Verres, Wolsey, any odious name?
Why rail they then, if but a wreath of mine,
Oh all-accomplish'd ST. JOHN! deck thy shrine?
What? shall each spurgall'd hackney of the day,
When Paxton gives him double pots and pay,
Or each new-pension'd sycophant, pretend
To break my windows if I treat a friend;

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Then

VER. 129. Spirit of Arnall!] Arnall was one of the writers for Sir Robert Walpole, and got by his writing, &c. a very large sum, an account of which may be seen in the notes to the Dunciad.

VER. 130. POLWARTH] The Hon. Hugh Hume, son of Alexander Earl of Marchmont, grandson of Patric Earl of Marchmont, and distinguished, like them, in the cause of liberty.

VER. 143. To break my windows] Which was done when Lord Bolingbroke and Lord Bathurst were one day dining with him at Twickenham. All the great persons celebrated in these satires were in violent opposition to government.

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