The works of Allan Ramsay edited by Burns Martin ... and John W. Oliver [... and Alexander M. Kinghorn ... and Alexander Law] |
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The Gentleman's Qualifications, as debated
by some of the Fellows of the Easy Club
, April 1715.
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 | The works of Allan Ramsay |  |
The Gentleman's Qualifications, as debated by some of the Fellows of the Easy Club , April 1715.
From different Ways of Thinking comes debate,
This we despise, and That we over-rate,
Just as the Fancy takes, we love or hate.
Hence Whig and Tory live in endless Jarr,
And most of Families in Civil War:
Hence 'mongst the easiest Men beneath the Skies,
Even in their easy Dome, Debates arise:
As late they did with Strength of Judgment scan
These Qualities that form a Gentleman.
First Tippermaloch pled with Spanish Grace
That Gentry only sprung from antient Race,
Whose Names in old Records of Time were fix'd,
In whose rich Veins some royal Blood was mixt.
I being a Poet sprung from a Douglass' Loin,
In this proud Thought did with the Doctor join;
With this Addition, if they could speak Sense,
Ambitious I, ah! had no more Pretence.
Buchanan, with stiff Argument and bold,
Pled Gentry took its Birth from powerful Gold.
Him Hector Boece join'd, they argued strong,
Said they, to Wealth that Title must belong;
If Men are rich, they're gentle, and if not
You'll own their Birth and Sense are soon forgot.
Pray say, said they, How much respectful Grace
Demands an old red Coat and mangled Face?
Or one, if he could like an Angel preach,
If he to no rich Benefice can reach?
Ev'n Progeny of Dukes are at a Stand
How to make out bare Gentry without Land.
But still the Doctor would not quit the Field,
But that rich Upstarts should to Birth-right yeild;
He grew more stiff, nor would the Plea let go,
Said he was right, and swore it should be so.
This we despise, and That we over-rate,
Just as the Fancy takes, we love or hate.
Hence Whig and Tory live in endless Jarr,
And most of Families in Civil War:
Hence 'mongst the easiest Men beneath the Skies,
Even in their easy Dome, Debates arise:
As late they did with Strength of Judgment scan
These Qualities that form a Gentleman.
First Tippermaloch pled with Spanish Grace
That Gentry only sprung from antient Race,
Whose Names in old Records of Time were fix'd,
In whose rich Veins some royal Blood was mixt.
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In this proud Thought did with the Doctor join;
With this Addition, if they could speak Sense,
Ambitious I, ah! had no more Pretence.
Buchanan, with stiff Argument and bold,
Pled Gentry took its Birth from powerful Gold.
Him Hector Boece join'd, they argued strong,
Said they, to Wealth that Title must belong;
If Men are rich, they're gentle, and if not
You'll own their Birth and Sense are soon forgot.
Pray say, said they, How much respectful Grace
Demands an old red Coat and mangled Face?
Or one, if he could like an Angel preach,
If he to no rich Benefice can reach?
Ev'n Progeny of Dukes are at a Stand
How to make out bare Gentry without Land.
But still the Doctor would not quit the Field,
But that rich Upstarts should to Birth-right yeild;
He grew more stiff, nor would the Plea let go,
Said he was right, and swore it should be so.
But happy we, who have such wholsome Laws,
Which without Pleading can decide a Cause.
To this good Law Recourse we had at last,
That throws off Wrath, and makes our Friendship fast;
In which the Legislators laid the Plot,
To end all Controversy by a Vote.
Which without Pleading can decide a Cause.
To this good Law Recourse we had at last,
That throws off Wrath, and makes our Friendship fast;
In which the Legislators laid the Plot,
To end all Controversy by a Vote.
Yet that we more good Humor might display,
We frankly turn'd the Vote another Way,
As in each Thing we common Topicks shun,
So great the Prize, nor Birth nor Riches won.
The Vote was carried thus, That easy he
Who should three Years a social Fellow be,
And to our Easy Club give no Offence,
After Triennial Tryal, should commence
A Gentleman, which gives as just a Claim
To that great Title, as the Blast of Fame
Can give to them who trade in humane Gore,
Or those who heap up Hoords of coined Ore;
Since in our social Friendship nought's design'd
But what may raise and brighten up the Mind;
We aiming closs to walk by Virtue's Rules,
To find true Honour's self, and leave her Shade to Fools.
We frankly turn'd the Vote another Way,
As in each Thing we common Topicks shun,
So great the Prize, nor Birth nor Riches won.
The Vote was carried thus, That easy he
Who should three Years a social Fellow be,
And to our Easy Club give no Offence,
After Triennial Tryal, should commence
A Gentleman, which gives as just a Claim
To that great Title, as the Blast of Fame
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Or those who heap up Hoords of coined Ore;
Since in our social Friendship nought's design'd
But what may raise and brighten up the Mind;
We aiming closs to walk by Virtue's Rules,
To find true Honour's self, and leave her Shade to Fools.
A juvenile Society, of which I am a Fellow, from the general Antipathy we all seem'd to have at the ill Humor and Contradictions which arise from Trifles, especially those which constitute Whig and Tory, without having the grand Reason for it; this engaged us to take a Pleasure in the Sound of an Easy Club.
This Club, by one of our special Laws, must not exceed Twelve, and any Gentleman at his Admission was to take the Name of some Scots Author, or one eminent for something extraordinary, for obscuring his real Name in the Register of our Lucubrations, such as are nam'd in this Debate, Tippermaloch, Buchanan, Hector Boece, &c.
| The works of Allan Ramsay | |