 | Poems on Affairs of State |  |
28
The Seven Wise Men.
Seven Sages in these latter Times are seen,
The Glory and Support of Albion's Queen;
Whose Wisdom will the Gordian Knot undo,
And be our Isle's Palladium 'gainst the Foe.
Unstable Britain may like Dilos float,
Yet still she's safe while Patriots guide the Boat.
The Glory and Support of Albion's Queen;
Whose Wisdom will the Gordian Knot undo,
And be our Isle's Palladium 'gainst the Foe.
Unstable Britain may like Dilos float,
Yet still she's safe while Patriots guide the Boat.
First stands recorded, in the List of Fame,
The gen'rous, brave, the humble S---'s Name;
Learning's good Ornament, the Muses Pride,
By Nature form'd in Councils to preside.
The Poets, who in Crouds his Table throng,
Are ravish'd with the Accents of his Tongue;
The rhiming Guests are fed with sumptuous Fare,
Rewards can make his gibb'rish Language clear.
The gen'rous, brave, the humble S---'s Name;
Learning's good Ornament, the Muses Pride,
By Nature form'd in Councils to preside.
The Poets, who in Crouds his Table throng,
Are ravish'd with the Accents of his Tongue;
The rhiming Guests are fed with sumptuous Fare,
Rewards can make his gibb'rish Language clear.
A gentle D--- comes next in close Debate,
To search into the deep Intrigues of State;
But scarce had he in Council taken place,
When fond Lucinda call'd away his Grace;
In Liberties of Love, she told her Lord,
His Talent was not for the Council-board.
Her tender Limberham she did implore
To quit those factious Follies at Threescore;
And pleaded that his Name was only given
To have one Man of Honour in the Seven.
To search into the deep Intrigues of State;
But scarce had he in Council taken place,
When fond Lucinda call'd away his Grace;
In Liberties of Love, she told her Lord,
His Talent was not for the Council-board.
Her tender Limberham she did implore
To quit those factious Follies at Threescore;
And pleaded that his Name was only given
To have one Man of Honour in the Seven.
Next giddy Phaethon begins his Flight,
And boldly dares ascend the Orb of Light;
But the rash Youth will soon inflame the Ball,
And with Confusion from his Chariot fall.
Those Jackdaws Eyes can never bear the Test,
Tho they were nourish'd in an Eagle's Nest;
Those artless Hands, and that untimely Zeal,
May harm, but ne'er preserve the Commonweal:
Then to his Library let him confine
The undigested Notions of his Brain;
In curious Speculation spend his Days,
And labour to preserve J---s F---rb---s's Praise.
To Learning, 'tis confess'd, he'as some Pretence,
For he abounds in Books, tho not in Sense.
And boldly dares ascend the Orb of Light;
But the rash Youth will soon inflame the Ball,
And with Confusion from his Chariot fall.
Those Jackdaws Eyes can never bear the Test,
Tho they were nourish'd in an Eagle's Nest;
Those artless Hands, and that untimely Zeal,
May harm, but ne'er preserve the Commonweal:
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The undigested Notions of his Brain;
In curious Speculation spend his Days,
And labour to preserve J---s F---rb---s's Praise.
To Learning, 'tis confess'd, he'as some Pretence,
For he abounds in Books, tho not in Sense.
O valiant Sc---! with unan'mous Voice,
The Nation does applaud the Senate's Choice;
Grown old in Wars, thou must in Council sit,
For Councils now, as once for Actions, fit.
Thy penetrating Sense can soon unfold
Mysterious Truth in thy own Cyphers told.
The Nation does applaud the Senate's Choice;
Grown old in Wars, thou must in Council sit,
For Councils now, as once for Actions, fit.
Thy penetrating Sense can soon unfold
Mysterious Truth in thy own Cyphers told.
As a raw Youth, of the Patrician Race,
In that August Assembly claims a Place,
Only with awful Silence to attend,
And by the Sire's wise Precepts form his tender Mind,
Our modern Sages prudently admit
Young T---s---d should in the Committee sit;
Provided still the first like Stamp he bear,
And, like the Infant Carthaginian, swear
Immortal Hatred to his Father's Foes,
And ever to support The Good Old Cause.
In that August Assembly claims a Place,
Only with awful Silence to attend,
And by the Sire's wise Precepts form his tender Mind,
Our modern Sages prudently admit
Young T---s---d should in the Committee sit;
Provided still the first like Stamp he bear,
And, like the Infant Carthaginian, swear
Immortal Hatred to his Father's Foes,
And ever to support The Good Old Cause.
Unheard came creeping next a crafty Bard,
Who factious Business never did retard;
An antient Stock, in covert Sawpits bold,
In Plots consummate, and in Tricks grown old;
Since among Knaves he holds the foremost place,
Old Fer---n's Footsteps who so well can trace?
Tho twice his Marriage-bed has been betray'd,
Good reason still his Vengeance has allay'd.
The Injury his former Spouse has done,
A large Estate most amply did atone;
He is content his present Spouse should strole
To gain young Bullies to the Kit-kat Bowl.
Who factious Business never did retard;
An antient Stock, in covert Sawpits bold,
In Plots consummate, and in Tricks grown old;
Since among Knaves he holds the foremost place,
Old Fer---n's Footsteps who so well can trace?
Tho twice his Marriage-bed has been betray'd,
Good reason still his Vengeance has allay'd.
The Injury his former Spouse has done,
A large Estate most amply did atone;
He is content his present Spouse should strole
To gain young Bullies to the Kit-kat Bowl.
S---, thou mighty Genius, next arise,
Nor let young J---es thy Vigilance surprize;
Let neither Guilt, or Crime, nor sense of Pain
Distract the Projects of thy teeming Brain,
Those Labours may be crown'd another Reign.
With thy accustom'd Art expound the Laws,
Weighing the Party's Merit, not the Cause.
Above the common Honour of a P---,
Thy restless Soul disdains that humble Sphere.
A Blazing-Comet to amaze the Sight,
And with a fiery Tail the People fright.
Thus, for a while, thou may'st with Lustre shine,
But soon to Primitive Dregs thou must return again.
Nor let young J---es thy Vigilance surprize;
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Distract the Projects of thy teeming Brain,
Those Labours may be crown'd another Reign.
With thy accustom'd Art expound the Laws,
Weighing the Party's Merit, not the Cause.
Above the common Honour of a P---,
Thy restless Soul disdains that humble Sphere.
A Blazing-Comet to amaze the Sight,
And with a fiery Tail the People fright.
Thus, for a while, thou may'st with Lustre shine,
But soon to Primitive Dregs thou must return again.
Oh Albion, on these Shoulders ne'er repose,
These are thy dangerous intestine Foes;
These are the Tyrants who would thee enthral,
Resolve to govern, or o'erthrow the Ball,
Tho they, like Sampson, in the Ruin fall.
These are thy dangerous intestine Foes;
These are the Tyrants who would thee enthral,
Resolve to govern, or o'erthrow the Ball,
Tho they, like Sampson, in the Ruin fall.
| Poems on Affairs of State | |