JUVENAL. THE THIRTEENTH SATYR. By Mr. THOMAS CREECH, Fellow of All-Souls-College in Oxford. The ARGUMEN T. Corvinus bad trusted one of his old Friends and Ac quaintance with a Bag of Mony; this Friend denies the Trust, and forfwears it too: Corvinus is very much disturb'd at this Cheat, ftorms and rages, accufes Providence, and is ready to conclude that God takes no Care of Things below, because fome fudden and remarkable Vengeance did not fall upon this perjur'd falfe Wretch. Juvenal hearing of Corvinus's Lofs, and unmanly Behaviour, writes this Satyr to him, both to comfort him after his Lofs, and inftruct him how to bear it; and thence takes occafion to speak of the Vileness and Villany of his Times. He begins with the Condition of the wicked Man; and tells him, i. That the Sinaer must needs hate himself; and, ii. That he will be bated by all Mankind. iii. He puts Cor vinus in mind that he hath a good Eftate, and that this Lofs will not break him. iv. and v. Tha a great many have fuffer'd the like Misfortunes. That Cheats were common, bis Lofs but little and therefore not to be refented with fo violent a Paffion. Hence, vi. He expatiates on the Vileness of the Times; and, vii. compares his Age with the Golden one, which he tediously defcribes. viii. He continues his Reflections on the general Wickedness of the Times. ix. Makes fome Ob fervations on the Confidence of Some Sinners: And, x. endeavours to give fome account of this: He obferves that fome are Atheifts; xi. Others believe a God, but fancy the Money they get by their Perjury, will do them more good than the Punishment he inflicts will do them barm: At least, xii. that God is Merciful, they may Pardon'd, or 'Scape in the Crowd of Sinners; fince Some are forgiven, and all do not meet with Punishments equal to their Deferts. xiii. He cor rects his Friend for his Atheistical Paffion, and rude Accufations of Providence; And, xiv. advifes him to be more cool; and confider, That, xv. fuch Cheats are common, and he bath Suffer'd no more than other Men; And, xvi. that every day he may meet with greater Crimes, which require his Concernment. That, xvii. his Paffion is idle and fruitless; because Revenge, which is the only end of Paffion, will do him no good, it will not retrieve his Lofs; and befides is an Argument of a bafe Mind and mean Temper. Then coming clofer to bis Point, he tells him, xviii. The Wicked are feverely punish'd by their own Confciences; xix. Vengeance waits upon them: And, xx. defcribes the miferable Life and terrible Death of the wick be ed ed Man. And, xxi. clofes all with observing, that few Men ftop at their firft Sin, but go on till their Crimes provoke Providence: And therefore, xxii. Corvinus need not fear but this perjur'd Friend of his would do fo too, and then he should fee fome remarkable Judgment fall upon him. HE I. E that commits a Sin, fhall quickly find The preffing Guilt lie heavy on his Mind; Tho' Bribes or Favour fhall affert his Cause, Pronounce him Guiltless, and elude the Laws: None quits himself; his own impartial Thought Will damn, and Confcience will record the Fault. II. This first the Wicked feels: Then publick Hate But more, Corvinus; thy Estate can bear IV. Nor are fuch Loffes to the World unknown, Most feel them, and in Fortune's Lottery lies V. Abate thy Paffion, nor too much complain; But you, too weak the flighteft Lofs to bear, 1 Some read, Extemplo quodcumque malum, &c. Thy Friend and Old Acquaintance dares difown What Day's fo Sacred, but its Reft's profan'd Art thou to learn that in Another's Gold 2 Thebes had but seven Gates, and the River Nile but feven Mouths. That That thou could't feriously perfwade the Crowd VII. This They cou'd do whilst Saturn fill'd the Throne, Ere Juno burnish'd, or Young Jove was grown; Ere private He left Ida's close Retreat, Or made Rebellion by Example great: And whilft his Hoary Sire to Latium fled, And had not Men the Hoary Heads rever'd, VIII. Now if one Honeft Man I chance to view, Contemning Int'reft, and to Virtue true; 3 That is, were of better Quality, and had more Wealth: Skins and Acorns being the primitive Cloaths and Food, according to the Poets. |