Shall burning Ætna, if a sage requires, Forget to thunder, and recal her fires ? On air or sea new motions be imprest, 125 Oh, blameless Bethel ! to relieve thy breast ? When the loose mountain trembles from on high, Shall gravitation cease, if you go by ? Or some old temple, nodding to its fall, For Chartres' head reserve the hanging wall ? 130 But still this world (so fitted for the knave) Contents us not. A better shall we have s A kingdom of the just then let it be : But first consider how those just agree. The good must merit God's peculiar care ; 135 But who, but God, can tell us who they are ? One thinks on Calvin Heav'n's own spirit fell ; Another deems him instrument of heil; If Calvin feel Heav'n's blessing, or its rod, This cries there is, and that, there is no God. 140 What shocks one part will edify the rest, Nor with one system can they all be blest, The very best will variously incline, And what rewards your virtue, punish mine. • Whatever is, is right.'—This world, 'tis true, 145 Was made for Cæsar-but for Titus too : And which more blest? who chain'd his country, say, Or he whose virtue sigh'd to lose a day? But sometimes virtue starves, while vice is fed.' What then : is the reward of virtue bread ? 150 That vice may merit, 'tis the price of toil ; The knave deserves it, when he tills the soil; The kpave deserves it, when be tempts the main, Where folly fights for kings, or dives for gain. The good man may be weak, be indolent ; Nor is his claim to plenty, but content. But grant him riches, your demand is o'er ? No-shall the good want health, the good want pow'r ?? 155 . Add health, and pow'r, and ev'ry earthly thing ; What nothing earthly gives, or can destroy, ITO 175 To whom can riches give repute or trust, 185 Content or pleasure, but the good and just ? Judges and senates have been bought for gold, Esteem and love were never to be sold. Oh fool! to think God hates the worthy mind, The lover and the love of human-kind, 190 Whose life is healthful, and whose conscience clear, Because he wants a thousand pounds a year. Honour and shame from no condition rise ; Act well your part, there all the honour lies. Fortune in men hath some small diff'rence made, 195 One flaunts in rags, one flutters in brocade, 205 The cobler apron'd, and the parson gown'd, strings, Look next on greatness.; say where greatness lies? « Where, but among the heroes and the wise ?' Heroes are much the same, the point's agreed, From Macedonia's madman to the Swede ; 220 The whole strange purpose of their lives, to find, Or make, an enemy of all mankind ! Not one looks backward, .onward still he goes, Yet ne'er looks forward farther than his nose. No less alike the politic and wise, 225 All sly slow things, with circumspective eyes : Men in their loose unguarded hours they take, Not that themselves are wise, but others weak. But grant that those can conquer, these can cheat ; 'Tis phrase absurd, to call a villain great : 230 Who wickedly is wise, or madly brave, Is but the more a fool, the more a knave. Who poble ends by noble means obtains, What's fame : a fancy'd life in other's breath, 250 When what t'oblivion better were resign'd, Is hung on high, to poison half mankind. All fame is foreign, but of true desert ; Plays round the head, but comes not to the heart : One self-approving hour whole years out-weighs 255 Of stupid starers, and of loud huzzas : And more true joy Marcellus exil'd feels, Than Cæsar with a senate at his heels. la parts superior what advantage lies ? Tell (for you can) what is it to be wise ? 260 'Tis but to know how little can be known ; To see all other's faults, and feel our own : Condemn'd in bus'ness, or in arts to drudge, Without a second, or without a judge. Truths would you teach, or save a sinking land ? 265 All fear, none aid you, and few understand. Painful pre-eminence ! yourself to view Above life's weakness, and its comforts too. Bring then these blessings to a strict account ; Make fair deductions, see to what they ’mount, 270 285 scorn them on How much of other each is sure to cost ; |