The Minor Poems of Joseph Beaumont ... Edited from the autograph manuscript with introduction and notes by Eloise Robinson |
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Riches
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 | The Minor Poems of Joseph Beaumont |  |
444
Riches
June 9.
1
O had I but ten thousand pounds a year!Fool, thou hast more,
Had'st thou that Wish, thy Wealth would make thee swear
That thou wert poor;
And so thou art not now, who hast
Enough to spend: wouldst have enough to waste?
2
Alas thou canst not; had thou all the OreBoth Indies breed
Twould quite starve Prodagalitie; No store
Knows how to feed
The gulf of that strange Monster, whose
Vast stomach by abundance greater grows.
3
My Lord, with his ten thousand pounds a yearDoth cleerly want
Full twice ten thousand Things which thou canst spare:
His means is scant,
But ample thine, for 'tis confest
That he the richest is, who needeth least.
445
4
Besides, thou knowest not the charge of suchA large estate:
'Twill spend thee all thy Rest, & cost so much
Of Quiet, that
No honest Beggar thou wilt finde
So needy in Content, as thy poor Minde.
5
Thou must be put to finde so many MenAnd Horses for
The service of that proud Estate; and then
Maintain the Warr
At thine own charge; that Warr whereby
Thou must defend & keep thy Credit high.
6
Selfcheated Slave, the more thy Servants areThe more hast thou
Thyself to serve: less costly is the care
Which they bestow
Than thine; their Services sure end
Is erning, thine doth only make thee spend.
| The Minor Poems of Joseph Beaumont | |