The Works of the Right Honourable Sir Chas. Hanbury Williams ... From the Originals in the Possession of His Grandson The Right Hon. The Earl of Essex and Others: With Notes by Horace Walpole ... In Three Volumes, with Portraits |
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SANDYS AND JEKYLL;
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| III. |
 | The Works of the Right Honourable Sir Chas. Hanbury Williams |  |
122
SANDYS AND JEKYLL;
A NEW BALLAD:
Printed in April 1743.
Obstupuit steteruntque comæ.
'TWAS at the silent, solemn hour,
When night and morning meet;
In glided Jekyll's grimly ghost,
And stood at Sandys' feet.
When night and morning meet;
In glided Jekyll's grimly ghost,
And stood at Sandys' feet.
His face was like a Winter's day,
Clad in November's frown;
And clay-cold was his shrivel'd hand,
That held his tuck'd-up gown.
Clad in November's frown;
And clay-cold was his shrivel'd hand,
That held his tuck'd-up gown.
123
Sands quak'd with fear, th' effect of guilt,
Whom thus the Shade bespoke;
And with a mournful, hollow voice,
The dreadful silence broke:
Whom thus the Shade bespoke;
And with a mournful, hollow voice,
The dreadful silence broke:
“The night Owl shrieks, the Raven croaks,
“The midnight bell now tolls;
“Behold thy late departed friend,
“The Master of the Rolls.
“The midnight bell now tolls;
“Behold thy late departed friend,
“The Master of the Rolls.
“And tho' by death's prevailing hand,
“My form may alter'd be;
“Death cannot make a greater change,
“Than times have wrought in thee.
“My form may alter'd be;
“Death cannot make a greater change,
“Than times have wrought in thee.
“Think of the part you're acting, Sands,
“And think where it will end;
“Think you have made a thousand foes,
“And have not gain'd one friend.
“And think where it will end;
“Think you have made a thousand foes,
“And have not gain'd one friend.
124
“Oft hast thou said, our cause was good,
“Yet you that cause forsook;
“Oft against places hast thou rail'd,
“And yet a place you took.
“Yet you that cause forsook;
“Oft against places hast thou rail'd,
“And yet a place you took.
“'Gainst these how often hast thou spoke,
“With whom you now assent;
“The Court how oft hast thou abus'd,
“And yet to Court you went.
“With whom you now assent;
“The Court how oft hast thou abus'd,
“And yet to Court you went.
“How could you vote for war with Spain,
“Yet make that war to cease?
“How could you weep for England's debts,
“Yet make those debts increase?
“Yet make that war to cease?
“How could you weep for England's debts,
“Yet make those debts increase?
“How could you swear your country's good
“Was all your wish, or fear?
“And how could I, old doating fool,
“Believe you were sincere!
“Was all your wish, or fear?
“And how could I, old doating fool,
“Believe you were sincere!
“Thou art the cause, why I appear,
“From blissful regions drawn!
“Why teeming graves cast up their dead,
“And why the church-yards yawn,
“From blissful regions drawn!
“Why teeming graves cast up their dead,
“And why the church-yards yawn,
125
“Is owing all to thee, thou wretch!
“The bill thou hast brought in
“Opens this mouth, tho' clos'd by death,
“To thunder against Gin.
“The bill thou hast brought in
“Opens this mouth, tho' clos'd by death,
“To thunder against Gin.
“If of good-nature any spark
“Within thee thou canst find;
“Regard the message that I bring—
“Have mercy on mankind.
“Within thee thou canst find;
“Regard the message that I bring—
“Have mercy on mankind.
“But, Oh, from thy relentless heart,
“The horrid day I see,
“When thy mean hand shall overturn
“The good design'd by me.
“The horrid day I see,
“When thy mean hand shall overturn
“The good design'd by me.
“Riot and slaughter once again
“Shall their career begin;
“And ev'ry parish sucking babe,
“Again be nurs'd with Gin.
“Shall their career begin;
“And ev'ry parish sucking babe,
“Again be nurs'd with Gin.
“The soldiers from each cellar drunk,
“Shall scatter ruin far;
“Gin shall intoxicate, and then,
“Let slip those dogs of war.
“Shall scatter ruin far;
“Gin shall intoxicate, and then,
“Let slip those dogs of war.
126
“This proves thee, Sands, thy country's foe,
“And Desolation's friend;
“What can thy project be in this,
“And what can be thy end?
“And Desolation's friend;
“What can thy project be in this,
“And what can be thy end?
“Is it that, conscious of thy worth,
“Thy sense, thy parts, thy weight;
“Thou know'st this nation must be drunk,
“E're it can think thee great?
“Thy sense, thy parts, thy weight;
“Thou know'st this nation must be drunk,
“E're it can think thee great?
“Too high, poor Wren, hast thou been borne,
“On Pultney's eagle wings;
“Thou wert not form'd for great affairs,
“Nor made to talk with kings.
“On Pultney's eagle wings;
“Thou wert not form'd for great affairs,
“Nor made to talk with kings.
“But where's thy hate to Courts and pow'r?
“Thy patriotism, Sands?
“Think'st thou that gown adorns thy shape,
“That purse becomes thy hands?
“Thy patriotism, Sands?
“Think'st thou that gown adorns thy shape,
“That purse becomes thy hands?
“As when the Fox upon the ground
“A tragic mask espy'd;
“‘O, what a specious front is here,
“‘But where's the brain' he cry'd.
“A tragic mask espy'd;
“‘O, what a specious front is here,
“‘But where's the brain' he cry'd.
127
“So thou, a lord of Treasury,
“And Chancellor art made;
“Sir Robert's place, and Robe, and Seal,
“Thou hast—but where's his head?
“And Chancellor art made;
“Sir Robert's place, and Robe, and Seal,
“Thou hast—but where's his head?
“Thou'rt plac'd by far too high—in vain
“To keep your post you strive;
“In vain like Phaeton attempt,
“A chariot you can't drive.
“To keep your post you strive;
“In vain like Phaeton attempt,
“A chariot you can't drive.
“Each act you do, betrays your parts,
“And tends to your undoing;
“Each speech you make, your dulness shows,
“And certifies your ruin.
“And tends to your undoing;
“Each speech you make, your dulness shows,
“And certifies your ruin.
“Think not, like oaks, to stand on high,
“And brave the storms that blow;
“But, like the reed, bend to the ground,
“And to be safe, be low.
“And brave the storms that blow;
“But, like the reed, bend to the ground,
“And to be safe, be low.
“Poor in thyself, each party's joke,
“Each trifling songster's sport;
“Pelham supports thee in the House,
“The Earl of Bath at court.
“Each trifling songster's sport;
“Pelham supports thee in the House,
“The Earl of Bath at court.
128
“These are the men that push thee on,
“In thy own nature's spite;
“So, like the moon, if thou could'st shine,
“'T would be by borrow'd light.
“In thy own nature's spite;
“So, like the moon, if thou could'st shine,
“'T would be by borrow'd light.
“But soft, I scent the morning air,
“The glow-worm pales its light;
“Farewell, remember me” it cry'd,
And vanish'd out of sight.
“The glow-worm pales its light;
“Farewell, remember me” it cry'd,
And vanish'd out of sight.
Sands, trembling, rose, frighted to death,
Of knowledge quite bereft;
And has, since that unhappy night,
Nor sense nor mem'ry left.
Of knowledge quite bereft;
And has, since that unhappy night,
Nor sense nor mem'ry left.
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