The Character of a Covetous Citizen or, A Ready Way to get Riches. A Poem [by Edward Ward] |
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 | The Character of a Covetous Citizen |  |
Now Old, his Conscience to himself looks black,
And Pain and Sorrow bend his Aged Back.
Decay in ev'ry feeble Limb appears,
Whilst he bemoans the number of his Years.
He Sighs, and does, with wishful Eyes, behold
His Piles of Silver, and vast Sums of Gold:
But with an anxious Breast, and troubled Thought,
Groaning, remembers how 'twas basely got.
The Curses of old Age, the Gout and Stone,
Torment the Wretch for the past Ills he'as done.
Who for sweet Ease sollicits Heav'n in vain,
And grows almost a Christian thro' his Pain.
Still greater Mis'ries ev'ry Hour accrue,
And the pale Foe draws nearer to his view:
His Nerves grow weak, and his Distempers strong,
His Intervals more short, his Pains more long,
His fleshy Sides from City Banquets drawn,
He finds consum'd into a Skeleton.
His Appetite is gone, his Breath grown short,
And all his lively Thoughts turn'd al-a-mort.
Thus in these Conflicts he begins to Rave,
Devided 'twixt his Treasure and the Grave:
And Pain and Sorrow bend his Aged Back.
Decay in ev'ry feeble Limb appears,
Whilst he bemoans the number of his Years.
He Sighs, and does, with wishful Eyes, behold
His Piles of Silver, and vast Sums of Gold:
But with an anxious Breast, and troubled Thought,
Groaning, remembers how 'twas basely got.
The Curses of old Age, the Gout and Stone,
Torment the Wretch for the past Ills he'as done.
Who for sweet Ease sollicits Heav'n in vain,
And grows almost a Christian thro' his Pain.
Still greater Mis'ries ev'ry Hour accrue,
And the pale Foe draws nearer to his view:
His Nerves grow weak, and his Distempers strong,
His Intervals more short, his Pains more long,
His fleshy Sides from City Banquets drawn,
He finds consum'd into a Skeleton.
His Appetite is gone, his Breath grown short,
And all his lively Thoughts turn'd al-a-mort.
Thus in these Conflicts he begins to Rave,
Devided 'twixt his Treasure and the Grave:
Have I my Life in Care and Slav'ry spent,
And all my restless Thoughts t'wards Riches bent!
Where's my Physician? let him ease my Cough,
And give me strength, he shall have Gold enough.
Will nothing help me in my painful Fits?
Physick and Riches both, alas, are Cheats!
But shou'd I die, O how shall I attone,
For all the Ills and Knav'ries I have done!
To those I've wrong'd, what Measures shall I take,
To own my Guilt, and Restitution make?
Many, alas, are Strangers, others dead;
Some Broke, and into distant Regions fled!
No, 'tis impossible, (the more's my Woe)
To those I've injur'd, I should Justice do!
There is but one way left, as I conceive,
My Soul from threat'ning Vengeance to retrieve;
I must my Ill-got Wealth to Pious uses leave.
Send for the Scriv'ner, Oh! it breaks my Heart,
Alas, dear Gold, that thee and I must part.
And all my restless Thoughts t'wards Riches bent!
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And give me strength, he shall have Gold enough.
Will nothing help me in my painful Fits?
Physick and Riches both, alas, are Cheats!
But shou'd I die, O how shall I attone,
For all the Ills and Knav'ries I have done!
To those I've wrong'd, what Measures shall I take,
To own my Guilt, and Restitution make?
Many, alas, are Strangers, others dead;
Some Broke, and into distant Regions fled!
No, 'tis impossible, (the more's my Woe)
To those I've injur'd, I should Justice do!
There is but one way left, as I conceive,
My Soul from threat'ning Vengeance to retrieve;
I must my Ill-got Wealth to Pious uses leave.
Send for the Scriv'ner, Oh! it breaks my Heart,
Alas, dear Gold, that thee and I must part.
The Scribe approaches, arm'd with pointed Quill,
Bows, Lies, and says, he's sorry he's so Ill.
After some Talk, does all his Tools provide,
Draws near the dying Penitent's Bed-side,
Takes his last Testament by slow degrees,
The Heads and Purport being chiefly these.
Bows, Lies, and says, he's sorry he's so Ill.
After some Talk, does all his Tools provide,
Draws near the dying Penitent's Bed-side,
Takes his last Testament by slow degrees,
The Heads and Purport being chiefly these.
| The Character of a Covetous Citizen | |