Where, on their Brawny Shoulders mounted high,
While the Brave Youth their Various Manhood try,
I wou'd the Thrones of Emperors defie.
Superfluous Wealth, and Pomp, I not defire;.
But what Content, and Decency require.
Then might I live by my own Surly Rules,
Not forc'd to worship Knaves, and flatter Fools.
And thus fecur'd of Eafe, by fhunning Strife,
With Pleasure would I Sail down the fwift Stream of Life
But oh ridiculous vain With,. for One
Already loft, and doom'd to be undone.

Alas! what Hope remains! For to my Pray'rs
Regardless Fortune ftops her wounded Ears:

II

As to the Syrens Charms, Ulyffes' Mariners.

11 Mermaids on the Coaft | fecurely; at which Disappoint of Sicily, whofe Charms Ulyffes (being forewarn'd) avoided by Ropping his Mariners Ears with Wax,and so sail'd by them) 7. 12,

ment they threw themselves into the Sea, and were turn'd into Rocks, &c. Hom, Odyss

JUVENAL

THE

TENTH SATYR

By Mr. D RTDEN.

The ARGUMENT.

The Poet's Defign, in this Divine Satyr, is to reprefent the various Wishes and Defires of Mankind; and to fet out the Folly of 'em. He runs through all the feveral Heads of Riches, Honours, Eloquence, Fame for Martial Atchievements, Long Life, and Beauty; and gives Inftances in each, how frequently they have prov'd the Ruin of those that own'd them. He concludes there fore, that fince we generally chufe fo ill for our felves, we shou'd do better to leave it to the Gods, to make the Choice for us. All we can fafely ask of Heaven, lies within a very fmall Compass. Tis but Health of Body and Mind And if we have thefe, 'tis not much matter what we want befides; for we have already enough to make us bappy.

LOOK

LOOK round the Habitable World, how few

Know their own God; or knowing it, pursue.
How void of Reafon are our Hopes and Fears!
What in the Conduct of our Life appears
So well defign'd, fo luckily begun,

But, when we have our Wish, we wish undone?
Whole Houses, of their whole Defires poffeft,
Are often ruin'd, at their own Request.

In Wars, and Peace, Things hurtful we require,
When made obnoxious to our own Desire.

With Lawrels fome have fatally been crown'd;
Some, who the Depths of Eloquence have found,
In that unnavigable Stream were Drown'd.

The Brawny Fool, who did his Vigour boast;
In that Prefuming Confidence was loft:
But more have been by Avarice oppreft,
And Heaps of Money crowded in the Cheft:
Unwieldly Sums of Wealth, which higher mount
Than Files of marshall'd Figures can account.
To which the Stores of Crafus, in the Scale,
Wou'd look like little Dolphins, when they fail
In the vaft Shadow of the British Whale.

For this, in Nero's Arbitrary Time,

When Virtue was a Guilt, and Wealth a Crime,
A Troop of Cut-throat Guards were sent, to seize
The rich Mens Goods, and gut their Palaces:
The Mob, Commiffion'd by the Government,
Are feldom to an Empty Garret fent.
The fearful Paffenger, who travels late,
Charg'd with the Carriage of a Paltry Plate,
Shakes at the Moonshine Shadow of a Rush;
And fees a Red-Coat rise from ev'ry Bush:

1 Milo of Crotona; who for | aTryal of his Strength, going to rend an Oak, perished in the Attempt: For his Arms

were caught in the Trunk of it; and he was devoured by wild Beafts,

The