Sidor som bilder
PDF
ePub

THE

THIRD SATIRE

O F

PERS IU S.

ARGUMENT.

OUR author has made two satires concerning study; the first and the third: the firft related to men ; this to young ftudents, whom he defired to be educated in the ftoick philofophy: he himself sustains the perfon of the mafter, or præceptor, in this admirable fatire; where he upbraids the youth of floth, and negligence in learning. Yet he begins with one scholar reproaching his fellow-ftudents with late rifing to their books. After which he takes upon him the other part of the teacher. And addreffing himself particularly to young noblemen, tells them, that by reason of their high birth, and the great poffeffions of their fathers, they are careless of adorning their minds with precepts of moral philofophy: and withal, inculcates to them the miferies which will attend them in the whole courfe of their life, if they do not apply themselves betimes to the knowledge of virtue, and the end of

their creation, which he pathetically infinuates to them. The title of this fatire, in fome ancient manuscripts, was. "The Reproach of Idleness ;’' though in others of the fcholiafts it is infcribed, Against the Luxury and Vices of the Rich." In both of which the intention of the poet is purfued ; but principally in the former..

[ocr errors]

[I remember I tranflated this fatire, when I was a King's fcholar at Westminster-fchool, for a Thurfday-night's exercife; and believe that it, and many other of my exercites of this nature, in English verse, are ftill in the hands of my learned mafter, the reverend Doctor Busby.],

I

S this thy daily courfe? The glaring fun
Breaks in at every chink: the cattle run
To fhades, and noon-tide rays of summer-shun,
Yet plung'd in floth we lie; and friore fupine,
As fill'd with fumes of indigested wine.

This grave advice fome fober student bears;
And loudly rings it in his fellow's ears.
The yawning youth', fcarce half awake, effays
His lazy limbs and dozy head to raise :

}

Then rubs his gummy eyes, and fcrub's his pate;
And cries, I thought it had not been so late:
My cloaths make hafte: why then! if none be near,
He mutters firft, and then begins to fwear:
And brays aloud, with a more clamorous note,
Than an Arcadian afs can stretch his throat.

[blocks in formation]

With much ado, his book before him laid,' And parchment with the fmoother fide display'd; He takes the papers; lays them down again; And, with unwilling fingers, tries the pen: Some peevish quarrel ftreight he strives to pick; His quill writes double, or his ink's too thick; Infufe more water; now 'tis grown fo thin

[ocr errors]

It finks, nor can the characters be seen.

O wretch, and ftill more wretched every day!
Are mortals born to fleep their lives away ?
Go back to what thy infancy began,

Thou who wert never meant to be a man:

Eat

pap

and spoon-meat; for thy gewgaws cry:

Be fullen, and refuse the lullaby.

No more accufe thy pen: but charge the crime

On native floth, and negligence of time.

Think'st thou thy mafter, or thy friends, to cheat?
Fool, 'tis thyself, and that's a worfe deceit.

Beware the public laughter of the town;
Thou fpring'ft a leak already in thy crown.
A flaw is in thy ill bak'd veffel found;
'Tis hollow, and returns, a jarring found.

Yet, thy moist clay is pliant to command;
Unwrought, and easy to the potter's hand :
Now take the mold; now bend thy mind to feel
The first sharp motions of the forming wheel.
But thou haft land; a country-feat, fecure
By a just title; caftly furniture;

A fuming-pan thy Lares to appease:

**hat need of learning, when a man's at ease ?

If this be not enough to fwell thy foul,

Then please thy pride, and fearch the herald's roll,
Where thou shalt find thy famous pedigree

Drawn from the root of fome old Tuscan tree;
And thou, a thousand off, a fool of long degree.
Who, clad in purple, canft thy cenfor greet;
And, loudly, call him coufin, in the street.
Such pageantry be to the people fhown:
There boaft they horfe's trappings, and thy own:
I know thee to thy bottom; from within
Thy fhallow center, to the utmost fkin:
Doft thou not blush to live so like a beatt,
So trim, fo diffolute, fo loosely dreft ?

[ocr errors]

But 'tis in vain the wretch is drench'd too deep; His foul is ftupid, and his heart afleep; Fatten'd in vice; fo callous, and fo grofs, He fins, and fees not; fenfelefs of his lofs. Down goes the wretch at once, unfkill'd to fwim, Hopeless to bubble up, and reach the water's brim. Great Father of the Gods, when, for our crimes, Thou fend'ft fome heavy judgment on the times; Some tyrant-king, the terror of his age, The type, and true vicegerent of thy rage; Thus punish him: fet virtue in his fight,

}

With all her charms adorn'd, with all her graçes bright:

But fet her diftant, make him pale to see

His gains outweigh'd by loft felicity!

Sicilian tortures, and the brazen bull, Are emblems, rather than exprefs the full

Pray justly, to be heard: nor more defire
Than what the decencies of life require.

Learn what thou ow'ft thy country, and thy friend;
What 's requifite to fpare, and what to spend :
Learn this; and after, envy not the store
Of the greas'd advocate, that grinds the poor :
Fat fees from the defended Umbrian draws;
And only gains the wealthy client's cause.
To whom the Marfians more provision send,
Than he and all his family can spend.
Gammons, that give a relish to the tafte,
And potted fowl, and fish, come in so fast,
That ere the first is out, the fecond ftinks:
And mouldy mother gathers on the drinks.
But, here, fome captain of the land or fleet,
Stout of his hands, but of a foldier's wit;
Cries, I have fenfe to ferve my turn, in ftore;
And he's a rascal who pretends to more.
Dammee, what-c'er those book-learn'd blockheads say,
Solon's the veryeft fool in all the play.

Top-heavy drones, and always looking down,

(As over-ballafted within the crown!)

Muttering betwixt their lips fome myftie thing,

Which, well examín'd, is flat conjuring,

Meer madmen's dreams: for what the fchools have

taught,

Is only this, that nothing can be brought

From nothing; and, what is, can ne'er be turn'd to

nought.

« FöregåendeFortsätt »