A FAMILIAR EPISTLE TO A FRIEND, &c.
[1]WHEN ſcience in her earlieſt day,
Beam'd forth on man her friendly ray,
Tho' ſhe excurſively might roam,
She look'd on Egypt as her home;
There, as the Nile o'erſpread the earth,
And gave to vegetation birth,
[2] She, fraught with ſentiment refin'd,
Diffus'd her influence o'er the mind.
'Twas then, (convinc'd when folly hung
Impatient on the babler's tongue,
How much repoſe to all 'twould yield,
If by my pow'r his lips were ſeal'd,)
Her ſapient ſons my image rear'd,
And I became a God rever'd,
There many an age preſerv'd my reign,
A foe to folly and her train.
At length, a mummy-hunting lord,
Whoſe head Virtù and dullneſs ſtor'd,
Who left his country to explore
The trifles of each foreign ſhore,
Brought me, with other wrecks of time,
To this all variable clime!
Long in his cabinet I lay,
Secluded from the face of day;
For tho' he travell'd far and wide
To gratify his curious pride;
[3] Had travers'd Egypt, Greece, and Rome,
And brought a heap of trump'ry home;
It ſurely muſt provoke your laughter,
He ſcarcely ever ſaw them after.
At length, one night replete with evil,
The dice together with the devil,
Join'd iſſue with the ſons of fraud,
And I appear'd again abroad,
The large eſtate, a father's care,
Bequeath'd a moſt ungracious heir,
The hand of uſury had ſeiz'd,
And moſt unmercifully ſqueez'd:
From thence no ſuccours could ariſe,
No pleaſing hope of new ſupplies;
Yet debts of honor all muſt pay,
Or they again can never play.
Many and artful were the ways
His lordſhip try'd a ſum to raiſe;
At firſt, he claim'd the promis'd place
He earn'd by pimping for his grace:
[4] But, who misfortunes can reſiſt!
He and his party were diſmiſs'd.
Then to the next in pow'r apply'd,
So mean his ſoul, ſo fall'n his pride!
But, as they did not want his aid,
In vain was each conceſſion made.
When finding all expedients fail,
At laſt he fix'd on—what? A ſale.
To Langford ſtraight, a meſſage ſent
Expreſſive of his full intent;
Who came, his orders to obey,
Bowing and ſmirking all the way.
A catalogue was quickly made,
Prefac'd with pomp and much parade;
Of urns, from Herculaneum brought
(In fact not worth a ſingle groat)
Of headleſs trunk and noſeleſs buſt,
Tarniſh'd by artificial ruſt;
Of medals brought from Rome and Greece,
Who know to pluck your Engliſh geeſe;
[5] Fragments of pyramids from Egypt,
Foſſils and ſhells long time in ſea dipt,
With each exotic by the ſcore
Which would a volume fill and more.
Some natives too, by Langford's art,
Made, of the catalogue a part.
The public prints announc'd the day,
When hundreds came who could not pay;
And yet they needs muſt come to ſhew
Their veneration for Virtù.
The Seaſons by Leticia Br—nd—n
Were bought her cabinet to ſtand on;
When he, who languiſh'd to be bleſt,
Thus artfully the fair addreſs'd,
" The Spring, when all its beauties riſe,
I ſee depicted in your eyes;
See Summer, in its gayeſt pride,
Attendant ever on your ſide;
[6] Rich Autumn in your boſom ſee,
And Winter in your chaſtity:
Tell me Leticia then the reaſons
You thus are anxious for the ſeaſons?
She felt the faſcinating art,
And freely yielded up her heart.
The modern bards, as yet whoſe rhyme,
Is not with value ſtamp'd by time,
Were indiſcriminately ſold
For nothing, as they were not old.
For Clio, the hiſtoric muſe,
Two authors bid with equal views;
The one in female veſtments clad,
The other wrap'd around with plad;
Long they contended for the field,
Too headſtrong both and proud to yield;
At length exclaim'd the bonny Scot,
Suppoſe, fair laſs! we ſhare the lot?
[7] When lo! a hollow ſound was heard,
And burſting from the floor appear'd,
A rev'rend form, with aſpect bland,
Fair Truth and Candor in his hand,
Around his honour'd brow was ſeen
The laurel ever freſh and green.
" How long, (began the rev'rend Sage,)
O Sm—ll—t, ſhall thy partial page,
Preſumptuouſly my peace invade,
And draw me from Elyſium's ſhade:
How long ſhall Clio! honour'd name!
By whom I reach'd immortal fame,
To prejudice and paſſion bend
To ſerve a hot-brain'd woman's end?"
The animated muſe return'd,
" Long have I with reſentment burn'd,
Still hoping ſome propitious hour,
Would free me from tyrannic pow'r:
[8] 'Tis come! my ſoul with rapture warms,
Rapin, O! take me to thy arms,
The floor receiv'd them unadmoniſh'd,
And left the bidders all aſtoniſh'd.
When Phaeton, whoſe thirſt of fame,
Had nearly ſet the world on flame,
Was by an able ſtateſman bought
Whoſe ſoul with rectitude was fraught;
'Twas wonder'd, he, ſo fond of truth!
Should buy a headſtrong brainleſs youth:
Said he, I buy him to rebuke
The conduct of a certain duke;
And, 'midſt the univerſal ſtare,
Sent him poſt haſte to Groſvener Square.
A Diomede, who ſlily bore
From Troy's ill-fated walls of yore
The ſacred pledge of freedom giv'n
To her by all indulgent heav'n,
[9] Was by an earl of Northern race
Purchas'd his cabinet to grace;
At which a patriot, high inflam'd,
Indignantly and loud exclaim'd;
" No wonder he who baſely plan'd
The fall of freedom in this land,
Should with exhilerated ſoul
Buy him who Troy's palladium ſtole."
ALCIDES' club, whoſe pond'rous weight
Seem'd falling on the Hydra's pate,
Was by an enterprizing knight
Beheld with wonder and delight;
" That club, (ſaid he,) with good direction,
" Would make fine work at an election:
" I'll have it, ſpite of all expence,
" Tho' murder prove the conſequence."
He bought, and gave it to MAC'QUIRK,
Who made at Brentford glorious work;
[10] Beat out poor CLARK'S ill-fated brains,
And gain'd a penſion for his pains.
In bronze the buſt of CROMWELL ſtood,
Anxious alone for England's good,
A noble Lord, of Stewart's race,
Turn'd pale, and trembling left the place,
And, while precipitate he fled,
Look'd round in terror for his head.
" So long as ſhall exiſt this land
" May CROMWELL, fraught with terror ſtand,
" To him who Britain's law defies,"
A Middleſex elector cries.
When antiques made by modern hands,
Were bought by antiquarian S—DS;
When he affected to define
This Grecian, and that Florentine,
O! how it tickled up the fancy,
Of nicely-judging Doctor CH—NC—Y.
[11]
For NEWTON'S head whoſe piercing eyes,
Explor'd the wonders of the ſkies;
Who could with certitude declare
The ſize and diſtance of each ſtar.
MARTIN and FERGUSON contended,
And how the conteſt would have ended
I know not, had not evening come,
And call'd them both to lecture home.
They gone, no bidders could I ſee,
So light was held philoſophy.
Cloſe in a corner SHAKESPEAR'S buſt
Neglected ſtood, defil'd with duſt;
When GARRICK ſaw it, with reſpect
He bow'd and ſpake to this effect,
" O! thou who could'ſt with eaſe impart,
" The paſſions of the human heart,
" Who ſtudiouſly look'd nature through,
" And ſhew'd her in each point of view.
[12] " Shall it be told in future, I
" When thou wert ſold, ſtood tamely by,
" Forbid it all the pow'rs above,
" Duty forbid, forbid it love;"
And thence to ſhew his high regard,
He to his boſom hug'd the bard.
The ancient poets heads were bought
By men, who would be poets thought.
Firſt FAWKS and COLEMAN made a fuſs,
Bought TERENCE and THEOCRITUS;
Next, FRANKLIN falling on his knees,
Worſhipp'd and bought old SOPHOCLES,
But through ſo many ages ſoil'd,
In cleaning, they the features ſpoil'd.
ANTINOUS, blooming as the dawn,
In Titians glowing colours drawn,
By CH—RL—T H—Y'S was bought with joy,
Who much admir'd the handſome boy.
[13] Her keeper ſmiling at the bull,
Told her his character in full;
She trembled at the horrid tale,
Turn'd pale and red, and red and pale,
Grew quite enrag'd with grief and pain,
Then threw it from her with diſdain.
A noble lord, with pitying eye,
Beheld his fav'rite proſtrate lie;
And thus his ſentiments expreſt;
" Come injur'd beauty to my breaſt,
" To Italy, whoſe kindly arms
" Shall ſhield thee from theſe rude alarms,
" Together ſafely we'll retreat,
" Nor breath a ſigh for T—LN—S ſeat."
And now a gay reſplendent ſtar,
Became the object of their care;
But where ſhall I deſcription find,
To paint each agitated mind;
[14] Charm'd with the luſtre of its ray,
All madly bid, and bid away;
At length a patriot whoſe fame
Was rais'd by popular acclaim,
Who on the ſhoulders of the croud,
Had bawl'd for liberty aloud;
For the bright gem, his freedom gave,
And down he ſunk, a titled ſlave.
By BARRAT next, a noble view,
Was nobly purchas'd by BUCCLEUGH;
Happy the painter who can find,
A patron of exalted mind;
This to his tints freſh vigour gives,
By this the lifeleſs canvas lives:
And hence when BARRAT meets our eyes,
We ſee another BERGHAM riſe.
A much eſteem'd Jardin d'amour,
Bought by his lordſhip in his tour,
[15] For an original was ſold,
And fetch'd its weight in ſterling gold:
A Frenchman chuckled at the joke,
And thus in broken accents ſpoke;
" Mon Dieu, mon Pere! it make me laugh,
" To ſee de connoiſſeur, de calf;
" Dat fine original from France,
" Was copied dere, by Englis DANCE,"
To whom with joy, a ſtander by,
Quickly retorted this reply:
" When ancient Rome in arms was found,
" Superior to the nations round;
" When ſcience rear'd her latent head,
" And all abroad her influence ſpread:
" When arts beneath her foſt'ring wing,
" Luxuriouſly were ſeen to ſpring;
" The great Auguſtus mildly reign'd,
" His peoples father, patron, friend.
[16] " What wonder then, if we behold
" One cauſe the ſame effect unfold;
" Behold in Britain! favour'd iſle,
" Excited by the royal ſmile:
" Arts, arms, and ſcience juſtly claim
" The wreath of univerſal fame."
FOOTE for the head of Momus try'd,
And ſo did many a wag beſide;
But whether 'twas prophetic fear,
Inſpir'd the cautious auctioneer:
Or whether he, as oft the caſe is,
Had bidders plac'd in diff'rent places;
Becauſe this lot was of the number,
Left on his hands 'mongſt former lumber;
Impoſſible for me to fix,
Who know ſo little of their tricks;
Thus much is certain, on his tongue,
Theſe words reiterated hung,
[17] " A going, going, ſpeak in time,
" The price is nothing, 'tis a crime,
" A crime of moſt enormous hue,
" To trifle thus with dear Virtù;
" And Sir, believe me, till this hour,
" The ling'ring hammer, void of pow'r,
" Had hung but that the gen'ral frown,
" Brought it precipitately down;"
FOOTE gain'd the head, his foes defeated,
Quick to the theatre retreated,
And cloſe in league with Momun join'd,
At LANGFORD laugh'd, and all mankind.
Poor POWELL's patent next appears,
To pay off all his old arrears;
When DAGGER MARR, and TOMMY CLOUGH,
Blaſted and ſwore, and ſaid as how,
'Twas the advice of all their friends,
That they ſhould join their odds and ends;
[18] That injur'd merit long kept down,
Might riſe to entertain the town;
DAGGER ſays TOM, how ſtands your purſe?
Ah me, ſays DAGGER! there's the curſe;
Which to our riſing fame I fear
Will prove a permanent barrier:
He drew it forth, and wrap'd around
In dirty rag, a ſhilling found;
This might have done in FLEETWOOD's days,
Said TOM, when puppet ſhews and plays,
An equal ſhare of fame poſſeſt,
The puppet ſhew, in gen'ral beſt;
But now by g—were I to join,
The patent's ſuch a blaſted price,
We ſhould not get a ſingle ſlice.
TOM loung'd, and MARR with tragic port,
Stalk'd ſwearing onward to Duke's Court,
[19] Where drench'd in beer 'till morning dawn,
Their future hopes, their money gone;
And quite with want of oaths oppreſt,
They ſunk inſenſibly to reſt.
Now KING or HOLLAND 'twas agreed,
Were fitteſt POWELL to ſucceed;
But HOLLAND, when his friend was nam'd,
Suppreſt the tear, and thus declaim'd;
" Say, can I think, e're well the tomb
" Is clos'd upon his manly bloom;
" While grief yet triumphs on the face,
" Of all his little orphan race;
" Say, can I think at their expence,
" To raiſe myſelf to eminence:
" No, rather let one greatly try,
" The patent for their uſe to buy:"
KING, who of generous mold is made,
And feels for all who want his aid;
[20] Turns ſuddenly about, and cries,
Why? "what the devil ails my eyes."
Others there were who eyed aſkance,
The parchment with a longing glance;
Whoſe hearts obdurate never felt,
Whoſe eyes unpitying never melt:
To human nature a diſgrace,
Who curſt their ſtars, and left the place:
While things in this uncertain ſtate,
Hung wav'ring on the thread of fate:
A meſſenger arriv'd expreſs,
And thus deliver'd his addreſs;
" The noble friend, the gods be prais'd,
" Who POWELL to the patent rais'd,
" Hath ſeen the hapleſs widow's tear,
" All copious ſtreaming on his bier;
" And touch'd with pity at the ſight,
" Transfers to her, her huſband's right:"
[21] A gen'ral plaudit ſhook the room,
And joy diſpel'd the recent gloom.
A medal which no ſemblance bore,
To thoſe by artiſts made of yore,
But ſmooth as one ſome years ago,
Invented, drawn, and grav'd by YEO;
And lately bought on Stratford's plain,
Was for a dinner ſold again:
Pox of the jubilee, ſaid one,
Another, in ſarcaſtick tone,
Swore 'twas a farce, a fair take in,
The whole not worth a ſingle pin;
The ode no poetry could boaſt,
The muſick was in diſcord loſt,
The temple to the firſt of bards,
Was like a tott'ring houſe of cards.
Thus he affected to deſpiſe,
What he had ſeen with envious eyes;
[22] And ſwelling heard with conſcious pride,
Loud peals of laughter on his ſide.
When from among the croud, a youth,
Thus boldly ſpake, impell'd by truth;
" When culprit reaſon truant plays,
" And wanders forth in fancy's maze,
" Thy random ſhafts may pleaſe a-while,
" And raiſe the unreflecting ſmile,
" But ſoon as abſent ſenſe returns,
" Our cheek with indignation burns,
" We feel the folly and diſgrace,
" Of being cheated by grimace.
" I too this inſtitution ſaw,
" Which ſtruck each feeling breaſt with awe;
" Saw all the human powers combin'd,
" In GARRICK's animated mind;
" Saw filial love his ſoul engage,
" To the great father of the ſtage:
[23] " And felt, what thou canſt ne'er impart,
" The bliſs of reaſon round my heart."
At which Contempt in Laughter's place,
Poſſeſſion took of every face;
So truth for ever with her frown,
Shall bear the bauble folly down.
A curious buſt of Indian clay,
Which bore the marks of regal ſway,
Brought in the Plaſſy from Bengal,
Was ſent to Merchant Taylor's hall;
'T was by an Eaſtern artiſt wrought,
Beyond the reach of common thought.
A ſpring no mortal could ſuſpect,
If touch'd, produc'd this ſtrange effect;
The head would ſhake, the eyes would roll,
And ſeeming life poſſeſt the whole.
[24]
To know its hiſtory and fame,
The univerſal wiſh became;
When one, in Eaſtern learning ſkill'd,
The univerſal wiſh fulfill'd.
" In ancient times, when the rude north,
" Pour'd her rapacious children forth,
" When like a widely ſpreading flood,
" They delug'd all the Eaſt with blood;
" They ſeiz'd that hapleſs prince's throne,
" And deem'd his revenues their own;
" Some ſay, it ſtill recorded ſtands,
" He fell untimely by their hands:
" But in theſe days, when juſtice reigns,
" The horrid tale, no credit gains."
While he proceeded to relate
This prince's, and his country's fate;
The meſſenger the buſto bearing,
Return'd, and begg'd a patient hearing.
[25] " Soon as (ſaid he) the ſpot I gain'd,
" Where truth and elocution reign'd,
" Fronting the chair I took my ſtand,
" Applying to the ſpring my hand;
" Shake not, ſaid one, thy head at me,
" Thou can'ſt not ſay, I murder'd thee;
" Let not thine eye indignant roll
" Another cry'd, to fright my ſoul;
" A Third exclaim'd, ye ſhades of night!
" 'Tis D—W—A, hide me from his ſight:
" And now a gen'ral terror ran
" Through all, and catch'd from man to man;
" I ſeiz'd the moment of diſmay,
" And came with haſty ſteps away.
" When from a prince to empire born,
" The diadem is baſely torn,
" The wretch who gave the bleeding blow,
" May well the action diſavow;
[26] " May well, ſhould e'er his ſhade appear,
" To petrifaction turn, with fear;
" But that the unpolluted heart,
" Should thus eccentrically ſtart:
" That ſouls as virtue's boſom fair,
" Should ſhake at trifles light as air,
" Shake like the murderer and thief,
" Amazes me beyond belief:"
He ceas'd, and with him all agreed,
'Twas ſtrange! 'twas paſſing ſtrange, indeed
A group of heads, but lately brought,
From Herculaneum's dreadful vault;
(Gorg'd when th' Almighty hid his face,
And nature trembled to her baſe,)
Came in rotation to be ſold,
And LANGFORD thus, their hiſt'ry told.
" Theſe were the men, when Rome aroſe,
" Said he, with vengeance on her foes;
[27] " When from the orient, to the north,
" Her eagles flew with terror forth;
" When ſhe to half the world gave law,
" And kneeling, kept the reſt in awe:
" Theſe were the men, who brought diſgrace,
" On her, and all the Roman race;
" Reſtor'd what long ſhe ſought to gain,
" By millions ſpent, and thouſands ſlain;
" And bid her conqu'ring legions ceaſe,
" Brib'd by the nations round, to peace.
" 'Twas then the high patrician pride,
" Look'd with contempt on all beſide;
" 'Twas then the public treaſure went,
" To ſerve each infamous intent;
" 'Twas then corrupt, her ſenate grown,
" Aſſum'd a pow'r, before unknown;
" And freedom by the ſwelling tear,
" Confeſs'd her diſſolution near.
[28]
" 'Twas then her judges warp'd the laws,
" To ſerve th' abandon'd villain's cauſe;
" Then o'er a ſon, whoſe guiltleſs blood
" Faſt flow'd, a weeping father ſtood;
" The prop of his declining day,
" Snatch'd by the murd'rer's arm away:
" And ſaw the wretch by vile chicane,
" Eſcape, by whom his ſon was ſlain.
" Then juſtice hid, abaſh'd, her head,
" Miſrule, her baleful influence ſpread,
" And ſtalking forth with giant ſtride,
" Menac'd deſtruction far and wide.
" At length enrag'd, the people roſe,
" And ruſh'd impetuous on their foes;
" To juſtice brought them for their crimes,
" A mark to all ſucceeding times:
" And lo! beneath the ſculptor's hand,
" Conſign'd to infamy they ſtand."
[29] All look'd aſtoniſh'd at the tale,
Some bluſh'd, and ſome turn'd ſickly pale,
When one, intelligent of ſoul,
Thus feelingly addreſs'd the whole.
" Would you, my countrymen, but caſt
" A retroſpect, on cent'rys paſt;
" Would you explore th' hiſtoric page,
" Tranſmitted down from age to age;
" Then would you feel without alloy,
" The many bleſſings you enjoy.
" Thrice happy England, happy plains,
" Where juſtice dwells, and freedom reigns,
" Where round a virtuous monarch, ſtand,
" A glorious patriotic band,
" Watchful and firm, with ARGUS' eyes,
" To guard her laws againſt ſurprize.
[30]
" Where GRAFTON, ever honour'd name,
" Immortal on the roll of fame;
" Who like an ATLAS, bears the weight,
" Attendant on a mighty ſtate;
" Ne'er leaves the council, ne'er attends
" Newmarket, and his jockey-friends,
" Who when the faſcinating die,
" Bids ample patrimonies fly;
" Ne'er mingles in the guilty train,
" Damn'd to variety of pain:
" Where GRAFTON ſtands, unaw'd by fear,
" Tho' faction thunder in his ear;
" Let fear the guilty mind deform,
" The virtuous man defies the ſtorm.
" Where BEDFORD, whoſe exalted breaſt,
" Is by fair freedom's love impreſt;
" To whom Hibernia's ſons ſhall raiſe,
" The voice of unabating praiſe:
[31] " Who when the laurel, once the boaſt
" Of Britain's nervous ſons was loſt,
" Bid war, with all his horrors ceaſe,
" And gave his vanquiſh'd country peace:
" Refus'd all profit for himſelf,
" (Superior to the love of pelf,)
" All, ſave a ſnuff-box, (trifling thing,)
" Preſented by the Gallic king:
" Where BEDFORD ſtands, beyond the reach
" Of thoſe, who dare his fame impeach;
" Contemns the ſhafts around him hurl'd,
" And ſcorns the malice of the world.
" Where virtuous MANSFIELD, firſt and beſt
" Of orators, by all confeſs'd,
" Whoſe firm undeviating heart,
" From rectitude ſhall ne'er depart;
" But who, an angel might believe,
" If he attempted to deceive:
[32] " Who in the gay convivial hour,
" When wine prevails o'er reaſon's pow'r;
" Hath ſeen his friends drink copious ſtreams,
" In healths to CHARLEY, and to JAMES:
" Hath ſeen them on their knees implore,
" High heav'n their S—n to reſtore;
" Yet hath refus'd the knee to bend,
" Solicited by ev'ry friend;
" And nobly ſcorn'd the guilty wine,
" True to the Hanoverian line:
" Where MANSFIELD ſtands, O! glorious cauſe,
" To guard, and to explain her laws.
" Laws, which our anceſtors obtain'd,
" When JOHN, and either HENRY reign'd;
" When they the tyrant's arm withſtood,
" And purchas'd freedom with their blood.
" Laws, which at ev'ry father's hand,
" The ſon with juſtice may demand,
[33] " Still unſubverted and intire,
" As he receiv'd them from his Sire.
" O! 'tis a theme, on which to dwell
" With pleaſure, makes each art'ry ſwell,
" Extatick to the laſt degree,
" Britannia's high-born ſons to ſee;
" With fond parental care ſecure,
" Her laws inviolably pure.
" But for thoſe grinning traytors there,
" Condemn'd their country's hate to bear;
" Take them, my friend, O! take them hence,
" And with another lot commence."
Next came an old hiſtoric piece,
Which rival'd all the works of Greece;
The ſtory was ſo well portray'd,
Aſſiſted ſo by light and ſhade,
[34]
That e'en the moſt conſummate dunce,
Might know the hiſtory at once.
The hero of the canvas ſtood,
In many a diff'rent attitude.
Firſt in the ſenate he appear'd,
And ſeem'd with much attention heard.
Then as a miniſter of ſtate,
He ſcowl'd around with pride elate.
Next ſtood an army in array,
Which he appear'd employ'd to pay;
One hand (in bus'neſs nicely ſkill'd,)
Perform'd that office, 'tother fill'd
A coffer of enormous ſize,
On which he look'd with jealous eyes.
[35]
Near this again he ſtood confeſt,
A tempting coronet, his creſt,
The ſure, the never-failing boaſt,
Of thoſe who ſerve their country moſt.
But laſt, diſgraceful ſituation,
Accus'd by all of peculation;
Abandon'd and deteſted grown,
He ſafety ſought behind a throne.
Whether the people dragg'd him thence,
To pay for his ſuppos'd offence;
Or ſuffer'd him ſecure to ſtay,
The painter's art forbore to ſay;
Forbore on purpoſe, I preſume,
To give imagination room.
Still were the tints ſo freſh and fair,
Tho' painted many a hundred year;
[36] The preſervation ſtill ſo nice,
'Twas ſold at an enormous price.
Its fate extreamly odd appear'd,
When from the buyer's lips we heard,
" 'Twas bought alone to decorate,
" The room where traytors to the ſtate;
" For manifold offences lie,
" Before they on the ſcaffold die."
Laſt came an urn, which L—GF—D feign'd,
Was carv'd when good AURELIUS reign'd;
But which to me and all appear'd,
The work of days far leſs rever'd.
Full in the front, in baſs-relief,
Rome's colonies o'er-whelm'd with grief
Were ſeen, whilſt commerce trembling ſtood,
And fear'd again to tempt the flood:
[37] In alto on the other ſide
Enthron'd, oppreſſion ſat, and pride,
Corruption near them held her ſeat,
And freedom crouch'd beneath their feet;
Whilſt faction, burſting from her cell,
Encourag'd millions to rebel.
Around this motto ſtruck the eye,
The ſad remains of liberty;
Who for ſo many ages ſpurn'd,
Tyrannic rage, behold inurn'd:
Cut off! O, moſt unhallow'd deed!
When leaſt of all ſhe fear'd to bleed.
Much ſaid, the auctioneer to raiſe
The price and credit of the vaſe,
'Twas he declar'd, no modern bauble,
But an Etruſcan veritable;
And fit, ſo capital a thing,
Fit for the palace of a king.
[38]
When one diſtinguiſh'd from the croud,
Whoſe genius was by all allow'd,
Superior to the common herd,
On his own knowledge thus declar'd.
" This curious vaſe, exceeding like
" In all reſpects, the true antique;
" Is made my friends, of modern clay,
" By artiſts of the preſent day;
" I know them perfectly, could teach
" The name and character of each:
" Could tell how all their lives were ſpent,
" To bring about this bleſt event;
" Who mix'd the clay, who form'd the urn,
" Who bid the flame ſo fiercely burn,
" With life, whoſe hand each figure crown'd:
" And who inſcrib'd the motto round.
" But 'tis enough for me to prove,
" Excited by my country's love;
[39] " To prove of equal rank in fame,
" The ancient and the modern name.
" He ſent it to Saint STEPHEN's fane,
" Where liberty was wont to reign,
" And ſaid, tho' ſhe be baniſh'd thence,
" Her aſhes cannot give offence.
" When all the catalogue was ſold,
" Buſt, Urn, and Picture, turn'd to gold,
" By L—D's art, who ſaid his ſay,
" In his obliging ſmiling way;
" I, hapleſs I, who tell the tale,
" Was offer'd up to public ſale:
" Silence! a lady cry'd for ſhame,
" Silence! indeed, I hate the name;"
An empty prating fool reply'd,
" Madam, with you I coincide,"
" And ſo do I, reply'd a brother,"
Another ſtill, and ſtill another,
[40] Reply'd the ſame, and all the cry
Was, who the duce would Silence buy;
" No bidders, L—D knock'd me down,
" To a Jew-broker for a crown,
" Who with ſmall intereſt content,
" Sold me for ten times ten per cent,
" From him 'twas my miſhap to paſs,
" Into a Virtuoſo's glaſs;
" Near whoſe abode, a ſtructure ſtands,
" Where men from the remoteſt lands,
" Of indiſcriminate degrees,
" All buz, and gather round like bees;
" Where Chriſtians, Jews, and Turks confound
" Language, in undiſtinguiſh'd ſound.
" Behind it ſtands that famous place,
" Where modeſty ne'er ſhews her face;
" Where ign'rance, if ſhe chance to come,
" Is certainly ſent wadling home,
[41] " Whoſe lawleſs ſons avow this creed,
" By lies and fraud we beſt ſucceed;
" And meet tumultuous ev'ry day,
" On each unwary fool to prey:
" Offended thus my eyes and ears,
" Out burſt involuntary tears;
" My long invelop'd tongue I try'd,
" Nor found the uſe of ſpeech deny'd—
Said I, "O!—if thy breaſt,
" Compaſſion feels for the diſtreſt;
" If when the heart-depreſſing ſigh,
" Hath burſt the ſluices of the eye,
" Thy ſoul ſuſceptible hath known,
" Concern for ſorrows not thy own;
" Surely thou wilt with pity hear,
" Nor treat contemptuouſly my pray'r,
" Deliver me for thou art able,
" From this deteſted modern Babel:"
He liſten'd with aſtoniſh'd ear,
The tongue of Silence thus to hear;
[42] And while his breaſt with anger burn'd,
Thus with ſeverity return'd;
" Dar'ſt thou preſumptuouſly defame,
" This ſpot, by that opprobrious name,
" Where matchleſs beauty ev'ry day,
" Shines forth with undiminiſh'd ray:
" Where merchants meet of genuine worth,
" From the four quarters of the earth,
" Men who expand the golden ſail
" Of commerce, to the riſing gale;
" Bring tides of wealth in copious ſtreams,
" Along the boſom of the Thames,
" And bid AUGUSTA in the eyes
" Of all, the grand emporium riſe.
" Dar'ſt thou preſumptuouſly reflect,
" On ſuch a place with diſreſpect!"
Said I, "Ah, little did I dread,
" To draw thy vengeance on my head,
[43] " Elſe had conſummate Silence hung,
" For ever, on my hapleſs tongue;
" But how ſhall mis'ry find relief?
" If ſhe neglect to tell her grief;
" How ſhall the wretch oppreſt with woe,
" Emerge, if none his ſorrows know?
" I hop'd in ſome ſequeſter'd cot,
" Such as thou oft haſt wiſh'd thy lot;
" Beſide a ſtream, and ſylvan ſhade,
" Thou kindly wouldſt have ſeen me laid;
" Or to ſome friend to ſenſe and thee,
" Who, when from folly's children free,
" Glad from the buſtling world retreats,
" And ſcience in his ſtudy meets,
" Thou wouldſt my perſon have conſign'd,
" In mercy to my tortur'd mind;
" Let then compaſſion in thine eye,
" Aſſure me thou wilt yet comply:
" Let anger in thy boſom ceaſe,
" And give me once again to peace:
[44] " And now his ſtubborn ſoul ſubdu'd
" No longer was my pray'r withſtood;
When kindly he; "O, ceaſe to grieve,
" I pity thee, and will relieve:
" I have, HARPOCRATES, a friend,
" Who never will thy ear offend."
" Dumb, I preſume?" "Not he, indeed,
" He talks as faſt as I can read,
" But then his tongue flows ſmoothly on,
" With ſenſe, in perfect uniſon;"
" Go to him, give my compliments,
" Aſſure him why thou com'ſt, and whence,
" Tell all thy tale, nay, do not linger,
" And beg he'll wear thee on his finger."
FINIS.