 | The whole works (1729) |  |
171
TO HIS Grace the Duke of ARGYLL; WITH THE Life of Pomponius Atticus.
The Muse, that Scorns to Flatter, or Defame,
In ev'ry Change of Fortune still the Same;
That, Careless how the Factious Crowd Divide,
Courts not their Folly, nor their Leader's Pride;
To Thee, ARGYLL! who wer't Her earliest Praise,
Aspires once more Her Faithful Voice to raise:
Nor Fears the Strain can Unharmonious be,
That Sings of ATTICUS, and Sings to Thee.
Viewing This Image of ROME's Fav'rite Son,
Pleas'd She Beheld Some Features Like Your Own.
Like Thee He Liv'd Untainted in an Age
Deform'd with Crimes, and Mad with Civil Rage.
Like Thee He firmly to the Laws Adher'd,
Yet more by Prudence than by Party Steer'd.
Like Thee He Learn'd Ambition to Despise,
Yet Gaz'd on Glory with a Lover's Eyes.
Like Thee when Rais'd by Favour, or Success,
Desert He Cherish'd; and Reliev'd Distress.
Like Thee Disdaining each low Vulgar End,
Confess'd the Patriot, and Avow'd the Friend.
Like Thee He met—ah Worst of Human Wrongs!
Ungrateful Hearts, and false Invidious Tongues.
But pass We That Severe Remembrance by.
The Palms Oppress'd shoot faster to the Sky.
In ev'ry Change of Fortune still the Same;
That, Careless how the Factious Crowd Divide,
Courts not their Folly, nor their Leader's Pride;
To Thee, ARGYLL! who wer't Her earliest Praise,
Aspires once more Her Faithful Voice to raise:
172
That Sings of ATTICUS, and Sings to Thee.
Viewing This Image of ROME's Fav'rite Son,
Pleas'd She Beheld Some Features Like Your Own.
Like Thee He Liv'd Untainted in an Age
Deform'd with Crimes, and Mad with Civil Rage.
Like Thee He firmly to the Laws Adher'd,
Yet more by Prudence than by Party Steer'd.
Like Thee He Learn'd Ambition to Despise,
Yet Gaz'd on Glory with a Lover's Eyes.
Like Thee when Rais'd by Favour, or Success,
Desert He Cherish'd; and Reliev'd Distress.
Like Thee Disdaining each low Vulgar End,
Confess'd the Patriot, and Avow'd the Friend.
Like Thee He met—ah Worst of Human Wrongs!
Ungrateful Hearts, and false Invidious Tongues.
But pass We That Severe Remembrance by.
The Palms Oppress'd shoot faster to the Sky.
173
O Fam'd in in Council! as Renown'd in Fight!
Contemplate here this Old Illustrious Knight;
In all Events Superior to His Fate;
Divinely Good, as Eminently Great:
Whose Gen'rous Exit shew'd Him to Excell
No less in Dying than in Living well.
How Few in Those last Conflicts do We find
But Sink beneath the Burthen of their Mind?
Tho' Valour Guards the Tent, or State the Door,
The Scene soon changes in That Dreadful Hour.
Each Guilty Thought will then press rudely in,
Like CÆSAR Stab'd by our own Darling Sin.
But He knew Nothing to Alarm His Soul:
No Clouds of Vice His Sunshine did Controul:
With undiminish'd Lustre He Retreats,
And as He mildly Rose, as calmly Sets.
Contemplate here this Old Illustrious Knight;
In all Events Superior to His Fate;
Divinely Good, as Eminently Great:
Whose Gen'rous Exit shew'd Him to Excell
No less in Dying than in Living well.
How Few in Those last Conflicts do We find
But Sink beneath the Burthen of their Mind?
Tho' Valour Guards the Tent, or State the Door,
The Scene soon changes in That Dreadful Hour.
Each Guilty Thought will then press rudely in,
Like CÆSAR Stab'd by our own Darling Sin.
But He knew Nothing to Alarm His Soul:
No Clouds of Vice His Sunshine did Controul:
With undiminish'd Lustre He Retreats,
And as He mildly Rose, as calmly Sets.
174
Shall then some Pedant Scribe, or Rev'rend Drone
That dully Nods upon a Pulpit-Throne,
Who meanly Merit by Profession Scan,
Exclude from Heaven this Just, this Pious Man?
Sure Faith Alone is but a Weak Pretence;
And Want of Charity is Want of Sense.
The Barren Fig-tree was of right Accurst,
But the Fair Fruitful Vine for Use was Nurst.
That dully Nods upon a Pulpit-Throne,
Who meanly Merit by Profession Scan,
Exclude from Heaven this Just, this Pious Man?
Sure Faith Alone is but a Weak Pretence;
And Want of Charity is Want of Sense.
The Barren Fig-tree was of right Accurst,
But the Fair Fruitful Vine for Use was Nurst.
Give Me Thou Power
Immortal! and Unchang'd!
Whose Care Paternal has through Ages rang'd;
(Christian or Pagan, Both Thy Influence felt,
Whose Bounty is to All Thy Creatures dealt)
Give Me to Travel o'er those Realms of Light,
Where EPICTETUS shines serenely Bright;
Where VARRO and POMPONIUS lead the Way;
Who Follow Virtue ne'er can Go astray.
Whose Care Paternal has through Ages rang'd;
(Christian or Pagan, Both Thy Influence felt,
Whose Bounty is to All Thy Creatures dealt)
Give Me to Travel o'er those Realms of Light,
Where EPICTETUS shines serenely Bright;
Where VARRO and POMPONIUS lead the Way;
Who Follow Virtue ne'er can Go astray.
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