And has no Man, but who has kill'd
A Father, right to get a Child?
These Notions then I think but idle:
And Love shall still poffefs the Middle.
This Truth more plainly to discover,
Suppose your Hero were a Lover.
Tho' He before had Gall and Rage,
Which Death, or Conquest must afswage;
He grows difpirited and low:
He hates the Fight, and fhuns the Foe.
In fcornful Sloth ACHILLES flept;
And for his Wench, like TALL-BOY, Wept:
Nor would return to War and Slaughter;
'Till They brought back the Parfon's Daughter.
ANTONIUS fled from ACTIUM's Coast,
AUGUSTUS preffing, ASIA loft:
His Sails by CUPID'S Hand unfurl'd,
To keep the Fair, he gave the World.
EDWARD Our Fourth, rever'd and crown'd, Vig'rous in Youth, in Arms renown'd;
While ENGLAND's Voice, and WARWICK'S Care
Design'd him GALLIA's beauteous Heir;
Chang'd Peace and Pow'r for Rage and Wars,
Only to dry One Widow's Tears.
FRANCE's fourth HENRY we may fee,
A Servant to the fair D'ESTREE;
When quitting COUTRAS profp'rous Field,
And Fortune taught at length to yield,
He from his Guards and Mid-night Tent,
Difguis'd o'er Hills and Vallies went,
To wanton with the sprightly Dame;
And in his Pleasure loft his Fame.
Bold is the Critic, who dares prove, These Heroes were no Friends to Love; And bolder He, who dares aver,
That they were Enemies to War.
Yet, when their Thought fhould, now or never,
Have rais'd their Heart, or fir'd their Liver;
Fond ALMA to those Parts was gone,
Which Love more juftly calls his own.
Examples I could cite You more;
But be contented with these Four:
For when One's Proofs are aptly chofen ;
Four are as valid as four Dozen.
One came from GREECE, and one from ROME;
The other Two grew nearer Home.
For fome in Antient Books delight:
Others prefer what Moderns write:
Now I fhould be extremely loath,
Not to be thought expert in Both.
BUT fhall we take the MUSE abroad,
To drop her idly on the Road?
And leave our Subject in the middle;
AS BUTLER did his Bear and Fiddle?
Yet He, confummate Mafter, knew
When to recede, and where purfue :
His noble Negligences teach,
What Others Toils defpair to reach.
He, perfect Dancer, climbs the Rope,
And balances your Fear and Hope:
If after some distinguish'd Leap,
He drops his Pole, and feems to flip;
Straight gath'ring all his active Strength,
He rises higher half his Length.
With Wonder You approve his Slight;
And owe your Pleasure to your Fright.
But, like poor ANDREW, I advance,
Falfe Mimic of my Mafter's Dance:
A-round the Cord a while I fprawl;
And thence, tho' low, in earnest fall.
My Preface tells You, I digrefs'd: He's half abfolv'd who has confefs'd.
I like, quoth DICK, your Simile:
And in Return, take Two from Me.
As Masters in the Clare-obfcure,
With various Light your Eyes allure:
A flaming Yellow here They spread;
Draw off in Blew, or charge in Red:
Yet from these Colors odly mix'd,
Your Sight upon the Whole is fix'd.
Or as, again, your Courtly Dames,
(Whofe Cloaths returning Birth-Day claims,)
By Arts improve the Stuffs they vary;
And Things are beft, as most contrary.
The Gown with stiff Embroid'ry fhining,
Looks charming with a flighter Lining:
The Out-, if INDIAN Figures stain;
The In-side must be rich and plain.
So You, great Authors, have thought fit,
To make Digreffion temper Wit:
When Arguments too fiercely glare;
You calm 'em with a milder Air:
To break their Points, You turn their Force;
And Furbelow the plain Discourse.
RICHARD, quoth MAT, thefe Words of Thine,
Speak fomething sly, and something fine:
But I fhall e'en refume my Theme;
However Thou may'st praise, or blame.
As People marry now, and fettle; Fierce Love abates his ufual Mettle:
Worldly Defires, and Household Cares
Disturb the Godhead's foft Affairs:
So now, as Health or Temper changes,
In larger Compass ALMA ranges,
This Day below, the next above;
As light, or folid Whimsies move.
So Merchant has his Houfe in Town,
And Country-Seat near BANSTED Down:
From One he dates his Foreign Letters,
Sends out his Goods, and duns his Debtors:
In t'other, at his Hours of Leifure,
He fmokes his Pipe, and takes his Pleasure.
And now your Matrimonial CUPID,
Lafh'd on by Time, grows tir'd and ftupid.
For Story and Experience tell Us,
That Man grows cold, and Woman jealous.
Both would their little Ends fecure:
He fighs for Freedom, She for Pow'r.
His Wishes tend abroad to roam;
And Her's, to domineer at Home.
Thus Paffion flags by flow Degrees;
And ruffl'd more, delighted less,
The busy Mind does feldom go
To thofe once charming Seats below:
But, in the Breast incamp'd, prepares
For well-bred Feints, and future Wars.
The Man fufpects his Lady's crying
(When he last Autumn lay a-dying)
Was but to gain him to appoint Her
By Codicil a larger Jointure.
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