The Works of John Hall-Stevenson :: :: University of Virginia Library

With parts, tho' little worse for wearing,
That scarce would pay for the repairing,
A man past forty-five,
Furnish'd with indolence and pride,
A huge tremendous spouse beside,
To save his soul alive,
Was sitting yawning by the sea,
Twirling his snuff-box just like me.
Vanquish'd almost by strenuous sloth,
He set himself a task at length,
A task above his worship's strength,
Above the strength of both.
“To sit with an attentive eye
“To mark and take a strict account,
“And know exactly the amount
“Of all the waves as they pass'd by.”

So putting on, to suit the case,
A calculating placid face,
He kept his reck'ning and discretion,
Till, by miscounting grown confus'd,
And consequently disamus'd,
He broke the series of progression;
Which, overflowing, fill'd him quite
Up to the throat with spleen and spite.
During this vap'rish fit of grief,
A Fox stepp'd up (my Lord, 'tis true,
It was your genius, though not you),
A Fox stepp'd up to his relief.
Begin again, said he, and mind;
Why will you poison your enjoyment?
Are there not waves enow behind,
Enow for your whole life's employment?
Of all those millions that were lent,
Myriads of millions must have bounds,
Of all those millions you have spent,
I speak of moments, not of pounds,

Keep no account, nor heed the sum,
Time past is nitchil, my good friend,
Remember only how you spend
The present and the time to come.

An Exchequer term, the charge is answered by a cipher.