389

And yet the wealthy will not brook delay,
But sweep above our heads, and make their way;
In lofty litters born, and read and write,
Or fleep at ease: the shutters make it night.
Yet ftill he reaches, firft, the public place:
The prease before him flops the client's pace.
The crowd that follows crufh his panting fides,
And trip his heels; he walks not, but he rides.
One elbows him, one juftles in the shole : 396
A rafter breaks his head, or chairman's pole:
Stocking'd with loads of fat town-dirt he
goes;
And fome rogue-foldier, with his hob-nail'd
fhoes,

Indents his legs behind in bloody rows.

See with what fmoke our doles we celebrate :

400

A hundred guests, invited, walk in state : A hundred hungry flaves, with their Dutch kitchins wait.

Huge pans the wretches on their head muft bear,

Which scarce gigantic Corbulo could rear : 404 Yet they muft walk upright beneath the load; Nay, run, and running blow the sparkling flames

abroad.

Ver. 404. gigantic Corbulo] Corbulo was a famous general in Nero's time, who conquered Armenia; and was afterwards put to death by that tyrant, when he was in Greece, in reward of his great fervices. His ftature was not only tall, above the ordinary fize, but he was alfo proportionably ftrong.

Their coats, from botching newly brought, are

torn:

Unwieldy timber-trees in waggons born, Stretch'd at their length, beyond their carriage lie;

That nod, and threaten ruin from on high. 410
For, fhould their axle break, its overthrow
Would crush, and pound to duft, the crowd
below ;
[could know :
Nor friends their friends, nor fires their fons
Nor limbs, nor bones, nor carcafs would re-
main :

But a mash'd heap, a hotchpotch of the
flain.

415

One vaft deftruction; not the foul alone,
But bodies, like the foul, invifible are flown.
Mean time, unknowing of their fellows' fate,
The fervants wash the platter, fcour the plate,
Then blow the fire, with puffing cheeks, and-
lay

420

The rubbers, and the bathing-sheets display;
And oil them firft; and each is handy in his

way.

But he, for whom this bufy care they take,
Poor ghost, is wand'ring by the Stygian lake:
Affrighted with the ferryman's grim face; 425
New to the horrors of that uncouth place;

Ver. 425. the ferryman's &c.] Charon, the ferryman of hell, whofe fare was a halfpenny for every foul.

His paffage begs with unregarded pray'r:
And wants two farthings to difcharge his fare.
Return we to the dangers of the night; 429
And, first, behold our houfes dreadful height:
From whence come broken potsherds tumbling
down;

And leaky ware, from garret windows thrown: Well may they break our heads, that mark the flinty ftone.

'Tis want of fenfe to fup abroad too late;
Unless thou first haft fettled thy estate.
As many fates attend, thy fteps to meet,
As there are waking windows in the street.
Blefs the good gods, and think thy chance is

He wants not wit the danger to decline:
Is cautious to avoid the coach and fix,
And on the lacquies will no quarrel fix.

435

rare

To have a piss-pot only for thy share.

439

The fcouring drunkard, if he does not fight Before his bed-time, takes no reft that night. Paffing the tedious hours in greater pain Than ftern Achilles, when his friend was flain : "Tis fo ridiculous, but fo true withal,

445

A bully cannot fleep without a braul: Yet though his youthful blood be fir'd with wine,

449

Ver. 443. ftern Achilles,] The friend of Achilles was Patroclus, who was flain by Hector.

His train of flambeaux, and embroider'd coat, May privilege my lord to walk fecure on foot. But me, who must by moon-light homeward bend,

Or lighted only with a candle's end,

455

Poor me he fights, if that be fighting, where
He only cudgels, and I only bear.
He ftands, and bids me ftand: I must abide;
For he's the stronger, and is drunk beside.
Where did you whet your knife to-night, he
cries,

And shred the leeks that in your stomach rise ? Whose windy beans have stuft your guts, and

460

where Have your black thumbs been dipt in vinegar? With what companion cobler have you fed, On old ox-cheeks, or he-goat's tougher head? What, are you dumb? Quick, with your anfwer, quick,

Before my foot falutes you with a kick. 465
Say, in what nafty cellar under ground,
Or what church-porch, your rogueíhip may be
found?

Anfwer, or answer not, 'tis all the fame :
He lays me on, and makes me bear the blame.
Before the bar, for beating him, you come; 470 ́
This is a poor man's liberty in Rome.
You beg his pardon; happy to retreat
With fome remaining teeth, to chew your meat.

Nor is this all; for, when retir'd, you think To fleep fecurely; when the candles wink, 475 When ev'ry door with iron chains is barr'd, And roaring taverns are no longer heard; The ruffian robbers by no juftice aw'd, And unpaid cut-throat foldiers, are abroad, Thofe venal fouls, who, harden'd in each ill, 480 To fave complaints and profecution, kill. Chas'd from their woods and bogs, the padders come

To this vaft city, as their native home;
To live at eafe, and fafely fkulk in Rome.

The forge in fetters only is employed;
Our iron mines exhaufted and deftroy'd
In fhackles; for thefe villains fcarce allow
Goads for the teams, and plough-shares for the
plough.

485

Oh happy ages of our ancestors,

Beneath the kings and tribunitial powers! 490 One jail did all their criminals restrain ; Which, now, the walls of Rome can scarce con

tain.

More I could fay, more caufes I could show For my departure; but the fun is low:

Y

Ver. 490. Beneath the kings &c.] Rome was originally ruled by kings, till, for the rape of Lucretia, Tarquin the Proud was expelled. After which it was governed by two Confuls, yearly chofen; but they oppreffing the people, the commoners mutinied, and procured tribunes to be created, who defended their privileges, and often oppofed the confular authority, and the fenate.

VOL. IV.