The Poems of Charles Sackville Sixth Earl of Dorset: Edited by Brice Harris |
 | I. |
Epilogue to “Tartuffe”
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 | II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| 1 | | VI. |
| VII. |
 | The Poems of Charles Sackville |  |
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Epilogue to “Tartuffe”
Many have been the vain attempts of witAgainst the still prevailing hypocrite.
Once, and but once, a poet got the day,
And vanquish't Busy in a puppet play.
But Busy rallying, arm'd with zeal and rage,
Possessed the pulpit and pull'd down the stage.
To laugh at English knaves is dangerous then,
Whilst English fools will think them honest men.
But sure no zealous Rabbi will deny us
Free leave to act our Monsieur Ananias.
A man may say without being thought an atheist
There are damn'd rogues amongst the French and Papist
That fix salvation to short bands and hair,
That belch and snuffle to prolong a prayer,
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Plain whoring, gluttony, and drunkenness;
And in a decent way perform them too,
As well, nay better far, alas, than you
Whose fleshly failings are but fornication—
We Godly phrase it “gospel propagation,”
Just as rebellion was call'd reformation.
Though zeal stand sentry at the gate of sin,
Yet all that have the word pass freely in;
Silent and in the dark for fear of spies
We march and take damnation by surprise.
There's not a roaring blade about the town
Can go so far towards Hell for half a crown
As I for sixpence, because I know the way:
For want of guides, men are too apt to stray.
Therefore give ear to what I shall advise:
Let every married man that's rich and wise
Take a Tartuffe of known ability
To teach and to increase his family,
Who may to settle lasting reformation
First get his son, then give him education.
| The Poems of Charles Sackville | |