The first Part imitated in the Year 1714, by Dr. SWIFT; the latter Part added afterwards.
"VE often wifh'd that I had clear
For life, fix hundred pounds a year,
A handfome Houfe to lodge a Friend,
A River at my garden's end,
A Terras-walk, and half a Rood
Of Land, fet out to plant a Wood.
Well, now I have all this and more,
I ask not to encrease my store;
But here a Grievance feems to lie,
All this is mine but till I die;
I can't but think 'twould found more clever,
To me and to my Heirs for ever.
'If I ne'er got or lost a groat,
By any Trick, or any Fault;
And if I pray by Reafon's rules,
And not like forty other Fools:
As thus, "Vouchsafe, oh gracious Maker ↓
"To grant me this and other Acre: "Or, if it be thy Will and Pleasure, "Direct my Plow to find a Treasure:" • But only what my Station fits,
And to be kept in my right Wits,
Preferve, Almighty Providence!
Juft what you gave me, Competence :
And let me in thefe fhades compofe
Something in Verfe as true as Profe;
VOL. VI.
Ingenium; utque foles, cuftos mihi maximus adfis,
E go ubi me in montes et in arcem ex Urbe removi,
Quid prius illuftrem Satiris Mufaque pedestri?
Nec mala me ambitio perdit, nec plumbeus Aufter,
Autumnufque gravis, Libitinae quaeftus acerbae.
Matutine pater, feu Jane libentius audis,
Unde homines operum primos vitaeque labores
Inftituunt, (fic Dis placitum) tu carminis efto
Principium: Romae sponsorem me rapis: Eia,
Ne prior officio quifquam refpondeat, urge:
Sive Aquilo radit terras, feu bruma nivalem
Interiore diem gyro trahit, ire neceffe eft.
Poftmodo, quod mî obfit, clare certumque locuto,
Luctandum in turba, et facienda injuria tardis.
Quid tibi vis, infane? et quam rem agis? improbus
urget.
• Remov'd from all th' Ambitious Scene,
• Nor puff'd by Pride, nor funk by Spleen.'
In fhort, I'm perfectly content,
Let me but live on this fide Trent;
Nor cross the Channel twice a year,
To spend fix months with Statesmen here.
I must by all means come to town,
'Tis for the fervice of the Crown.
"Lewis, the Dean will be of use,
"Send for him up, take no excuse."
The toil, the danger of the Seas;
Great Minifters near think of thefe;
Or let it coft five hundred pound,
No matter where the money's found,
It is but fo much more in debt,
And that they ne'er confider'd yet.
"Good Mr. Dean go change your gown,
"Let my Lord know you're come to town."
I hurry me in hafte away,
Not thinking it is Levee-day;
And find his Honour in a Pound,
"I thought the Dean had been too proud, "To juftle here among the croud."
Another in a furly fit,
Tells me I have more Zeal than Wit, "So eager to exprefs your love,
"You ne'er confider whom you shove,
Iratis precibus. tu pulfes omne quod obftat,
Ad Maecenatem memori fi mente recurras,
Hoc juvat, et melli eft; ne mentiar. at fimul atras
Ventum eft Efquilias; aliena negotia centum
Per caput, et circa faliunt latus. Ante fecundam
Rofcius orabat fibi adeffes ad Puteal cras.
De re communi fcribae magna atque nova te
Orabant hodie meminiffes, Quinte, reverti.
Imprimat his cura Maecenas figna tabellis.
Dixeris, Experiar: Si vis, potes, addit; et inftat.
Septimus octavo propior jam fugerit annus,
Ex quo Maecenas me coepit habere fuorum
In numero: duntaxat ad hoc, quem tollere rheda
Vellet, iter faciens, et cui concredere nugas
"But rudely pross before a Duke.”
'I own, I'm pleas'd with this rebuke,
And take it kindly meant to show,
What I defire the World fhould know.
I get a whisper, and withdraw;
When twenty Fools I never faw
Come with Petitions fairly, pean'd,
Defiring I would ftand their friend.:
This humbly offers me his Cafe
That, begs my int'reft for a Place-
A hundred other Men's affairs,
Like bees, are humming in my ears.
"To-morrow my Appeal comes on,
"Without your help the Caufe is gone
The Duke expects my Lord and you,
About fome great Affair, at Two-
"Put my Lord Bolingbroke in mind,
"To get my Warrant quickly fign'd:
"Confider 'tis my first request.-
Be fatisfy'd, I'll do my best :--
Then presently he falls to teize,
"You may for certain, if you please;
"I doubt not, if his Lordship knew-
"And, Mr. Dean, one word from
you--
'Tis (let me fee) three years and more,
(October next it will be four)
Since HARLEY bid me first attend,
And chofe me for an humble friend;
Would take me in his Coach to chat,
And question me of this and that;
As, "What's o'clock?" And, "How's the Wind?"
"Who's Chariot's that we left behind?
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