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The grave Sir Gilbert holds it for a rule

That ev'ry man in want is knave or fool:

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"God cannot love (fays Blunt, with tearless eyes) "The wretch he starves"---and piously denies : But the good Bishop with a meeker air, Admits, and leaves them, Providence's care. Yet to be just to these poor men of pelf, Each does but hate his neighbour as himself: Damn'd to the Mines, an equal fate betides

The Slave that digs it, and the Slave that hides. 110 B. Who fuffer thus, mere Charity should own, Muft act on motives pow'rful, tho' unknown. P.Some War, fome Plague, or Famine they foresee, Some Revelation hid from you and me.

endeavour the relief of thofe unhappy fufferers, and three of the managers, who were members of the house, were expelled. By the report of the Committee, appointed to enquire into that iniquitous affair, it appears, that when it was objected to the intended removal of the office, that the Poor, for whose use it was erected, would be hurt by it, Bond, one of the Directors, replied, Damn the Poor. That "God hates the poor," and, "That every man in want is knave or fool," etc. were the genuine apopthegms of fome of the perfons here mentioned.

VER. 102. That ev'ry man in want is knave or fool:] None are more subject to be deluded by this vain mistake, that prudence does all in human affairs, than those who have been moft befriended by Fortune. The reafon is, that, in this fituation Prudence has never been brought to the teft, nor Vanity ever mortified. So that Prudence will be always ready to take to herself what fortune encourages Vanity to call her due. And then want of fuccefs will of courfe be imputed to want of wit.

Why Shylock wants a meal, the cause is found, 115
He thinks a Loaf will rife to fifty pound.
What made Directors cheat in South-fea year?
To live on Ven'fon when it fold fo dear.
Afk you why Phryne the whole Auction buys?
Phryne forefees a general Excife.

Why he and Sappho raise that monftrous fum ?
Alas! they fear a man will cost a plum.

Wife Peter fees the World's refpect for Gold,
And therefore hopes this Nation may be fold:
Glorious Ambition! Peter, fwell thy ftore,
And be what Rome's great Didius was before.

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VER. 118. To live on Ven'fon] In the extravagance and luxury of the South-fea year, the price of a haunch of Venison was from three to five pounds.

VER. 120. general Excife.] Many people about the year 1733, had a conceit that fuch a thing was intended, of which it is not improbable this lady might have fome intimation.

VER. 123. Wife Peter] PETER WALTER, a perfon not only eminent in the wisdom of his profeffion, as a dextrous attorney, but allowed to be a good, if not a fafe, conveyancer; extremely respected by the Nobility of this land, tho' free from all manner of luxury and oftentation: his Wealth was never seen, and his bounty never heard of, except to his own son, for whom he procured an employment of confiderable profit, of which he gave him as much as was necessary. Therefore the taxing this gentleman with any Ambition, is certainly a great wrong to him.

VER. 126. Rome's great Didius] A Roman Lawyer, fo rich as to purchase the Empire when it was set to fale upon the death of Pertinax.

The Crown of Poland, venal twice an age,
To juft three millions ftinted modeft Gage.
But nobler fcenes Maria's dreams unfold,
Hereditary Realms, and worlds of Gold.
Congenial fouls! whofe life one Av'rice joins,
And one fate buries in th' Afturian Mines.

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Much injur'd Blunt! why bears he Britain's hate? A wizard told him in these words our fate: "At length Corruption, like a gen'ral flood, 135 (So long by watchful Minifters withstood)

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VER. 127. The Crown of Poland, etc.] The two perfons here mentioned were of Quality, each of whom in the Miffifippi defpis'd to realize above three hundred thousand pounds; the Gentleman with a view to the purchase of the Crown of Poland, the Lady on a vifion of the like royal nature. They fince retired into Spain, where they are ftill in fearch of gold in the mines of the Afturies.

VER. 133. Much injur’d Blunt !] Sir JOHN BLUNT, originally a scrivener, was one of the first projectors of the South-fea company, and afterwards one of the directors and chief managers of the famous scheme in 1720. He was also one of those who fuffer'd moft feverely by the bill of pains and penalties on the faid directors. He was a Diffenter of a most religious deportment, and profefs'd to be a great believer. Whether he did really credit the prophecy here mentioned is not certain, but it was conftantly in this very ftyle he declaimed against the corruption and luxury of the age, the partiality of Parliaments, and the mifery of party-fpirit. He was particulary eloquent against Avarice in great and noble perfons, of which he had indeed lived to fee many miferable examples. He died in the year 1732.

"Shall deluge all; and Av'rice creeping on,

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Spread like a low-born mist, and blot the Sun ; "Statesman and Patriot ply alike the stocks, "Peerefs and Butler fhare alike the Box, "And Judges job, and Bishops bite the town, "And mighty Dukes pack cards for half a crown. "See Britain funk in lucre's fordid charms, "And France reveng'd of ANNE's and EDWARD'S

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arms!"

'Twas no Court-badge, great Scriv'ner fir'd thy brain, Nor lordly Luxury, nor City Gain:

No, 'twas thy righteous end, afham'd to fee
Senates degen'rate, Patriots difagree,

And nobly wishing Party-rage to cease,

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To buy both fides, and give thy Country peace. 150
All this is madnefs," cries a fober fage:

But who, my friend, has reafon in his rage?
"The ruling Paffion, be it what it will,
"The ruling Paffion conquers Reafon ftill."
Lefs mad the wildest whimsey we can frame,
Than ev'n that Paffion, if it has no Aim;
For tho' fuch motives Folly you may call,
The Folly's greater to have none at all.

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Hear then the truth: ""Tis Heav'n each Paffion

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fends,

"And diff'rent men directs to diff'rent ends. 160

"Extremes in Nature equal good produce, "Extremes in Man concur to gen'ral use."

Ask we what makes one keep, and one bestow?
That Pow'R who bids the Ocean ebb and flow,
Bids feed-time, harvest, equal course maintain, 165
Thro' reconcil'd extremes of drought and rain,
Builds Life on Death, on Change Duration founds, ́
And gives th' eternal wheels to know their rounds.
Riches, like infects, when conceal'd they lie,
Wait but for wings, and in their season fly.
Who fees pale Mammon pine amidst his store,
Sees but a backward fteward for the Poor;
This year a Refervoir, to keep and spare;
The next, a Fountain, fpouting thro' his Heir,
In lavish streams to quench a Country's thirst, 175
And men and dogs fhall drink him 'till they burst.

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Old Cotta fham'd his fortune and his birth, Yet was not Cotta void of wit or worth: What tho' (the use of barb'rous fpits forgot) His kitchen vy'd in coolness with his grot? His court with nettles, moats with creffes ftor'd, With foups unbought and fallads blefs'd his board? If Cotta liv'd on pulfe, it was no more Than Bramins, Saints, and Sages did before; To cram the rich was prodigal expence, And who would take the Poor from Providence?

IMITATIONS.

VER. 182. With foups unbought]

dapibus menfas onerabat inemptis.

Virg.

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