The Fourth Volume of the Writings Of the Author of the London-Spy Prose and Verse [by Edward Ward] |
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More Sound than Substance.
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 | The Fourth Volume of the Writings Of the Author of the London-Spy |  |
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More Sound than Substance.
A Paradox.
What's that which wise Men highly do approve,
And Fools who understand it not, admire,
That truly merits universal Love,
Yet often sets the giddy World on Fire.
And Fools who understand it not, admire,
That truly merits universal Love,
Yet often sets the giddy World on Fire.
All Christian Nations Reverence its Name,
It often makes the Greatest Princes bow,
Nay Turks and Jews its Excellence proclaim,
And to its wholesome Laws Obedience vow.
It often makes the Greatest Princes bow,
Nay Turks and Jews its Excellence proclaim,
And to its wholesome Laws Obedience vow.
Tis of more Value than the finest Gold,
Or Eastern Diamonds from the Indies brought,
Therefore too precious to be bought or sold,
Yet every Man is welcome to't for nought.
Or Eastern Diamonds from the Indies brought,
Therefore too precious to be bought or sold,
Yet every Man is welcome to't for nought.
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The King, the Queen, the Cobler and his Dame,
All equally may share the happy Prize,
Both Sexes have a Title to the same,
But those that have the most, still need supplies.
All equally may share the happy Prize,
Both Sexes have a Title to the same,
But those that have the most, still need supplies.
Tho Day and Night we labour to encrease
The insufficient Stock we had before,
Yet the wide World has ne'er a jot the less,
For any one poor Mortal's having more.
The insufficient Stock we had before,
Yet the wide World has ne'er a jot the less,
For any one poor Mortal's having more.
By Policy 'tis made the main support,
Of Empires, Kingdoms, and of Common Weals,
Yet thro ill Management it oft does hurt,
And makes as many Breaches as it heals.
Of Empires, Kingdoms, and of Common Weals,
Yet thro ill Management it oft does hurt,
And makes as many Breaches as it heals.
Princes and mighty Men in Pow'r and Post,
Who Lord it over this Terrestial Ball,
Would fain be thought by Fools to have the most,
Yet shew too often they have none at all.
Who Lord it over this Terrestial Ball,
Would fain be thought by Fools to have the most,
Yet shew too often they have none at all.
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Nay, some of Learning, Gravity and Note,
Who cock their grizly Beards above the Crowd,
Tho by it rais'd aloft would cut its Throat,
When to preserve it they have strictly vow'd.
Who cock their grizly Beards above the Crowd,
Tho by it rais'd aloft would cut its Throat,
When to preserve it they have strictly vow'd.
The Frape adore it as their greatest Good,
Yet know not what it is no more than Geese,
It's never throughly settled but by Blood,
And yet it is the Soul of downy Peace.
Yet know not what it is no more than Geese,
It's never throughly settled but by Blood,
And yet it is the Soul of downy Peace.
The giddy Crowd upon the least Alarms,
Fly to their Weapons to defend its Cause,
And Millions for its sake have dy'd by Arms,
Who never in their Lives knew what it was.
Fly to their Weapons to defend its Cause,
And Millions for its sake have dy'd by Arms,
Who never in their Lives knew what it was.
Nay, Reprobates and Clowns that ne'er had Sence,
Of the great Blessings which to all it brings,
Have ventur'd further in its just Defence.
Than the most Wise and Greatest of our Kings.
Of the great Blessings which to all it brings,
Have ventur'd further in its just Defence.
Than the most Wise and Greatest of our Kings.
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No Man without it truly can be blest,
But very few regard it as they shou'd,
Yet all Mankind are ready to contest
Its Truth, with th'utmost hazard of their Blood.
But very few regard it as they shou'd,
Yet all Mankind are ready to contest
Its Truth, with th'utmost hazard of their Blood.
The wicked'st Mortal will have some pretence
To crowd himself beneath its holy Wing,
And when he's guilty of the worst Offence,
Disarms thereby his Conscience of its Sting.
To crowd himself beneath its holy Wing,
And when he's guilty of the worst Offence,
Disarms thereby his Conscience of its Sting.
Tho good it self, 'tis often made a Cloak
To skreen the Malice of the worst of Men,
Who use it ill on purpose to provoke
The Good, who strictly do its Laws maintain.
To skreen the Malice of the worst of Men,
Who use it ill on purpose to provoke
The Good, who strictly do its Laws maintain.
Aspiring Knaves to soar a greater height,
Oft by its means set Kingdoms in a Flame,
And by disputing its Eternal Light,
Basely accomplish their unlawful Aim.
Oft by its means set Kingdoms in a Flame,
And by disputing its Eternal Light,
Basely accomplish their unlawful Aim.
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Mechanicks use it as a Thing of coarse,
And follow it for Gain or Fashion's sake,
Wed it to fill the Vacuum of a Purse,
As Men do Women for their Fortune's take.
And follow it for Gain or Fashion's sake,
Wed it to fill the Vacuum of a Purse,
As Men do Women for their Fortune's take.
Those who are vow'd Supporters of its Cause,
And on their Backs the sacred Liv'ry wear,
Too oft for Int'rest sake transgress its Laws,
And shame it with those Ills they should forbear.
And on their Backs the sacred Liv'ry wear,
Too oft for Int'rest sake transgress its Laws,
And shame it with those Ills they should forbear.
Some use it as a Whetstone to their Swords,
That they, with keener Edge, their Foes may kill,
In cruel Battle, which they call the Lord's,
To basely sanctify the Blood they spill.
That they, with keener Edge, their Foes may kill,
In cruel Battle, which they call the Lord's,
To basely sanctify the Blood they spill.
Some in external Looks the Jewel wear,
To shew the World how they esteem the same,
Tho all the outward Reverence they bear
Is meant not to the thing but to its Name.
To shew the World how they esteem the same,
Tho all the outward Reverence they bear
Is meant not to the thing but to its Name.
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Statesmen oft use it as the best of Tools,
To work their ends with the believing Crowd,
And crying up its Name, delude the Fools,
To think the worst of Men divinely good.
To work their ends with the believing Crowd,
And crying up its Name, delude the Fools,
To think the worst of Men divinely good.
He that about it makes the greatest noise,
And clamours for its safety without need,
As surely as he raises up his Voice,
In Agitation has some wicked Deed.
And clamours for its safety without need,
As surely as he raises up his Voice,
In Agitation has some wicked Deed.
Like Æsop's Tongues, it is the best and worst,
It yields us good when rightly 'tis employ'd,
But when we use it ill we are accurst,
And by what's meant to save us, are destroy'd.
It yields us good when rightly 'tis employ'd,
But when we use it ill we are accurst,
And by what's meant to save us, are destroy'd.
For it oft raises bitter Feuds and Jars,
Yet oft preserves our Peace to make amends,
And tho 'tis made the common Cause of Wars,
'Twas given to Mankind to make 'em Friends.
Yet oft preserves our Peace to make amends,
And tho 'tis made the common Cause of Wars,
'Twas given to Mankind to make 'em Friends.
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Then tell me, pious Reader, if you can,
What 'tis insulting Tyrants make their Sport,
And whether to the present State of Man,
As now 'tis us'd it does most Good or Hurt.
What 'tis insulting Tyrants make their Sport,
And whether to the present State of Man,
As now 'tis us'd it does most Good or Hurt.
| The Fourth Volume of the Writings Of the Author of the London-Spy | |