There on the walls, by Polygnotus' hand, The conquer'd Medians in trunk-breeches ftand. Where the fhorn youth to midnight lectures rife, 105 Rous'd from their flumbers to be early wife : Where the coarfe cake, and homely husks of beans, From pampering riot the young ftomach weans: And where the Samian Y directs thy fteps to run To Virtue's narrow fteep, and broad-way Vice Thy chaps are fallen, and thy frame disjoin'd; Thy body as diffolv'd as is thy mind. Ver. 103. Polygnotus] A famous painter, who drew the pictures of the Medes and Perfians, conquered by Miltiades, Themiftocles, and other Athenian captains, on the walls of the portico, in their natural habits. Ver. 109. And where the Samian Y &c.] Pythagoras of Samos, made the allufion of the Y, or Greek Upfilon, to vice and virtue. One fide of the letter being broad, characters vice, to which the afcent is wide and easy. The other fide reprefents virtue; to which the paffage is ftrait and difficult; and perhaps our Saviour might alfo allude to this, in thofe noted words of the evangelift, The way to heaven, &c. Haft thou not, yet, propos'd fome certain end, 115 To which thy life, thy every act may tend? 120 Watch the disease in time: for, when within The dropfy rages and extends the skin, In vain for Hellebore the patient cries, And fees the doctor; but too late is wife: 124 Too late for cure, he proffers half his wealth; Conqueft and Guibbons cannot give him health. Learn, wretches, learn the motions of the. mind, Why you were made, for what you were defign'd; 130 And the great moral end of human kind. 135 What's requifite to fpare, and what to spend : Fat fees from the defended Umbrian draws; 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 rafcal who pretends to more. Dammee, whate'er thofe book-learn'd blockheads fay, 151 155 Solon's the verieft fool in all the play. Top-heavy drones, and always looking down (As over-ballafted within the crown!) Muttering betwixt their lips fome mystic thing, Which, well examin'd, is flat conjuring, Meer madmen's dreams: for what the schoolshave taught, Is only this, that nothing can be brought From nothing; and, what is, can ne'er be turn'd to nought, 160. Ver. 140. Fat fees &c.] Cafaubon here notes, that among all the Romans who were brought up to learning, few befides the orators, or lawyers, grew rich. Ver. 142. The Marfians and Umbrians were the most plentiful of all the provinces in Italy. Is it for this they study? to grow pale, tell A ftory, which is just thy parallel. 165 170 A fpark, like thee, of the man-killing trade, His boy to one of his old trusty friends: Will fupple in the bath his outward skin : Sir, you look wan, you hardly draw your breath; Drinking is dangerous, and the bath is death. 'Tis nothing, fays the fool: But, fays the friend, 190 This nothing, fir, will bring you to your end. I have already buried two or three Thou tell'ft me, I look ill, and thou lookest worse. 195 I've done, fays the physician; take your course. The laughing fot, like all unthinking men, Bathes and gets drunk ; then bathes and drinks again: His throat half throttled with corrupted phlegm, And breathing through his jaws a belching 200 fteam: Amidft his cups with fainting fhivering feiz'd, His limbs disjointed, and all o'er difeas'd, His hand refuses to fuftain the bowl: And his teeth chatter, and his eye-balls roll: Till, with his meat, he vomits out his foul: Then trumpets, torches, and a tedious crew 206 Of hireling mourners, for his funeral due. |