The Poetical Entertainer Or, Tales, Satyrs, Dialogues, And Intrigues, &c. Serious and Comical. All digested into such Verse as most agreeable to the several Subjects. To be publish'd as often as occasion shall offer [by Edward Ward] |
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The deceitfulness of human Friendship:
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 | The Poetical Entertainer |  |
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The deceitfulness of human Friendship:
OR, Providence the best Friend to the Unfortunate.
An Ode.
The wretched Mortal who hath Sense
To put his Trust in Providence,
May hope to be reliev'd;
But he who foolishly depends
On old Acquaintance, call'd, his Friends,
Will surely be deceiv'd.
To put his Trust in Providence,
May hope to be reliev'd;
But he who foolishly depends
On old Acquaintance, call'd, his Friends,
Will surely be deceiv'd.
For mutual Int'rest is the tye,
That makes vain Man on Man rely;
And he that once is low,
If he attempts to rise, will find,
'Tis in the Nature of Mankind,
To always keep him so.
That makes vain Man on Man rely;
And he that once is low,
If he attempts to rise, will find,
'Tis in the Nature of Mankind,
To always keep him so.
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Men love to see another toss'd,
By Fate, from Pillar unto Post,
Till mis'rably undone;
That when reduc'd to starving Shame,
They may aloud his Conduct blame,
And magnify their own.
By Fate, from Pillar unto Post,
Till mis'rably undone;
That when reduc'd to starving Shame,
They may aloud his Conduct blame,
And magnify their own.
I thought, long since, (cries every Base
Censorious Slut, and Purse-proud Ass)
What all his huffing Pride
Would come to, for his Neighbours say,
He rather chose to Spend than Pay,
Or else he was bely'd.
Censorious Slut, and Purse-proud Ass)
What all his huffing Pride
Would come to, for his Neighbours say,
He rather chose to Spend than Pay,
Or else he was bely'd.
Such Calumnies as these, and worse,
The sordid World will cast, in course,
Upon the Wretch decay'd;
And, tho' he's honest, if he starves,
They'll all agree, that he deserves
To want his daily Bread.
The sordid World will cast, in course,
Upon the Wretch decay'd;
And, tho' he's honest, if he starves,
They'll all agree, that he deserves
To want his daily Bread.
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But Crowds of Flatt'rers, if you're Rich,
Will wait like Lacquies at your Breech,
All hoping for a Boon:
But if you once mistake your way,
And backward fall into Decay,
You'll find your Levy flown.
Will wait like Lacquies at your Breech,
All hoping for a Boon:
But if you once mistake your way,
And backward fall into Decay,
You'll find your Levy flown.
Nay, even those you have preferr'd,
And kept, perhaps, at Bed and Board,
Will to the World pretend,
(Instead of owning Favours done,
Which helpt, perhaps, your Ruin on)
That each have been your Friend.
And kept, perhaps, at Bed and Board,
Will to the World pretend,
(Instead of owning Favours done,
Which helpt, perhaps, your Ruin on)
That each have been your Friend.
Ever since Adam first Rebel'd,
Ingratitude has been intail'd
On all his vicious Race;
No Man can boast a God-like Mind,
From that Infernal Dross refin'd;
By Nature all are Base.
Ingratitude has been intail'd
On all his vicious Race;
No Man can boast a God-like Mind,
From that Infernal Dross refin'd;
By Nature all are Base.
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The only real Diff'rence is,
There are Degrees in Villanies;
But still the very best
Of Men, if he'd but look at home,
Would be convinc'd, he is by some
Sly little Devil possest.
There are Degrees in Villanies;
But still the very best
Of Men, if he'd but look at home,
Would be convinc'd, he is by some
Sly little Devil possest.
Only the bigger Knave than he,
Like greater Monsters in the Sea,
Will prey on him that's less;
And those more honest than himself,
He'll over-reach, for sake of Pelf,
And thus his Wrongs redress.
Like greater Monsters in the Sea,
Will prey on him that's less;
And those more honest than himself,
He'll over-reach, for sake of Pelf,
And thus his Wrongs redress.
From Tyrants down to petty Knaves,
All have their Bubbles, Fools and Slaves;
'Tis by Experience found:
For one Degree another rides,
And that, the next Degree bestrides,
And thus the World goes round.
All have their Bubbles, Fools and Slaves;
'Tis by Experience found:
For one Degree another rides,
And that, the next Degree bestrides,
And thus the World goes round.
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