 | The complete works, poetry and prose, of the Rev. Edward Young prefixed, a life of the author, by John Doran ... With eight illustrations on steel, and a portrait. In two volumes |  |
“That public vice portends a public fall”—
Is this conjecture of adventurous Thought,
Or pious cowards' pulpit-cushion'd dream?
Far from it. This is certain; this is fate.
What says Experience, in her awful chair
Of ages, her authentic annals spread
Around her? What says Reason, eagle-eyed?
Nay, what says Common-Sense, with common care
Weighing events and causes in her scale?
All give one verdict, one decision sign;
And this the sentence Delphi could not mend:—
“Whatever secondary props may rise
From politics, to build the public peace,
The basis is the manners of the land.
When rotten these, the politician's wiles
But struggle with destruction, as a child
With giants huge, or giants with a Jove.
The statesman's arts to conjure up a peace,
Or military phantoms, void of force,
But scare away the vultures for an hour;
The scent cadaverous (for, O how rank
The stench of profligates!) soon lures them back;
On the proud flutter of a Gallic wing
Soon they return; soon make their full descent;
Soon glut their rage, and riot in our ruin;
Their idols graced and gorgeous with our spoils,
Of universal empire sure presage;
Till now, repell'd by seas of British blood!”
Is this conjecture of adventurous Thought,
69
Far from it. This is certain; this is fate.
What says Experience, in her awful chair
Of ages, her authentic annals spread
Around her? What says Reason, eagle-eyed?
Nay, what says Common-Sense, with common care
Weighing events and causes in her scale?
All give one verdict, one decision sign;
And this the sentence Delphi could not mend:—
“Whatever secondary props may rise
From politics, to build the public peace,
The basis is the manners of the land.
When rotten these, the politician's wiles
But struggle with destruction, as a child
With giants huge, or giants with a Jove.
The statesman's arts to conjure up a peace,
Or military phantoms, void of force,
But scare away the vultures for an hour;
The scent cadaverous (for, O how rank
The stench of profligates!) soon lures them back;
On the proud flutter of a Gallic wing
Soon they return; soon make their full descent;
Soon glut their rage, and riot in our ruin;
Their idols graced and gorgeous with our spoils,
Of universal empire sure presage;
Till now, repell'd by seas of British blood!”
| The complete works, poetry and prose, of the Rev. Edward Young prefixed, a life of the author, by John Doran ... With eight illustrations on steel, and a portrait. In two volumes | |