See the fame man, in vigour, in the gout;
Alone, in company; in place, or out;
Early at Bus'nefs, and at Hazard late,
Mad at a Fox-chase, wife at a Debate;
Drunk at a Borough, civil at a Ball;
Friendly at Hackney, faithlefs at Whitehall.

Catius is ever moral, ever grave,

Thinks who endures a knave, is next a knave,
Save juft at dinner-then prefers, no doubt,
A Rogue with Ven'fon to a Saint without.

75

80

Who would not praise Patritio's high defert, His hand unstain'd, his uncorrupted heart, His comprehenfive head! all Int'refts weigh'd, All Europe fav'd, yet Britain not betray'd. He thanks you not, his pride is in Picquette, New-market-fame, and judgment at a Bett. What made (fay Montagne, or more fage Charron!) Otho a warrior, Cromwell a buffoon ?

A perjur'd Prince a leaden Saint revere,

A godlefs Regent tremble at a Star?

VER. 81. Patritio] Lord G-n.

85

VER. 89. A perjur'd Prince] Louis XI. of France, wore in

VARIATIONS.

After 86. in the former Editions,

Triumphant leaders, at an army's head,
Hemm'd round with glories, pilfer cloth or bread;
As meanly plunder as they bravely fought,
Now fave a People, and now fave a groat,

The throne a Bigot keep, a Genius quit,
Faithlefs thro' Fiety, and dup'd thro' Wit?
Europe a Woman, Child, or Dotard rule,
And juft her wifeft monarch made a fool ?

Know, GoD and NATURE only are the fame : 95 In Man, the judgment fhoots at flying game; A bird of paffage! gone as foon as found, Now in the Moon perhaps, now under ground.

his Hat a leaden image of the Virgin Mary, which when he fwore by, he feared to break his oath.

VER. 90. A godlefs Regent tremble at a Star ?] Philip Duke of Orleans, Regent of France in the minority of Louis XV. fuperftitious in judicial aftrology, tho' an unbeliever in all religion.

VER. 91. The throne a Pigot keep, a Genius quit,] Philip V. of Spain, who, after renouncing the throne for Religion, refumed it to gratify his Queen; and Victor Amadeus II. King of Sardinia, who refigned the crown, and trying to reaffume it, was imprisoned 'till his death.

VER. 93. Europe a Woman, Child, or Dotard rule,— And just her wifeft monarch made a fool ?] The Czarina, the King of France, the Pope, and the abovementioned King of Sardinia.

VER. 95. Know, God and Nature, etc.] By Nature is not here meant any imaginary fubftitute of God, called a Plafiic nature; but his moral laws: And this obfervation was inferted with great propriety and discretion, in the conclufion of a long detail of the various characters of men: For, from this circumftance, Montagne and others have been bold enough to infinuate, that morality is founded more in cuftom and fashion than in the nature of things. The speaking therefore of a moral law of God as having all the conftancy and durability of his Effence, had an high expediency in this place.

In vain the fage, with retrofpective eye, Would from th' apparent What conclude the Why, Infer the Motive from the Deed, and shew,

ΙΩΙ

That what we chanc'd was what we meant to do.
Behold! If Fortune or a Mistress frowns,
Some plunge in bus'nefs, others fhave their crowns :
To eafe the Soul of one oppreffive weight,
This quits an Empire, that embroils a State:
The fame aduft complexion has impell'd
Charles to the Convent, Philip to the Field.

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110

Not always Actions fhew the man: we find Who does a kindness, is not therefore kind; Perhaps Frofperity becalm'd his breaft, Perhaps the Wind just fhifted from the eaft: Not therefore humble he who fecks tetreat, Pride guides his fteps, and bids him fhun the great: Who combats bravely is not therefore brave, He dreads a death bed like the meanest flave:

115

VER. 107. The fame aduft complexion has impell'd-Charles to the Convent, Philip to the Field.] The atrabilaire complexion of Philip II. is well known, but not fo well that he derived it from his father Charles V. whofe health, the hiftorians of his life tell us, was frequently difordered by bilious fevers. But what the author meant principally to obferve here was, that this humour made both these princes act contrary to their Character; Charles, who was an active man, when he retired into a Convent; Philip, who was a man of the Clofet, when he gave the battle of St. Quintin.

Who reafons wifely is not therefore wife,
His pride in Reas'ning, not in Acting lies.
But grant that Actions beft discover man;
Take the most strong, and fort them as you can.
The few that glare, each character must mark,
You balance not the many in the dark.
What will you do with fuch as disagree?
Suppress them, or miscall them Policy?
Muft then at once (the character to fave)
The plain rough Hero turn a crafty Knave?
Alas! in truth the man but chang'd his mind,
Perhaps was fick, in love, or had not din'd.
Ask why from Britain Cæfar would retreat?
Cæfar himself might whisper he was beat.

119

125

139

VER. 117. Who reasons wifely, etc.] By reasoning is not here meant fpeculating; but deliberating and refolving in public counfels; for this instance is given as one, of a variety of actions.

VER. 130. Cæfar himself might whisper he was beat.] Cæfar wrote his Commentaries, in imitation of the Greek Generals,

VARIATIONS.

VER. 129. In the former Editions;

Afk why from Britain Cæfar made retreat?
Cæfar himself would tell you he was beat.
The mighty Czar what mov'd to wed a Punk?

The mighty Czar would tell you he was drunk.

Alter'd as above, because Cæfar wrote his Commentaries of this war, and does not tell you he was beat. As Cæfar too afforded an inftance of both cafes, it was thought better to make him the fingle Example.

Why rifk the world's great empire for a Punk?
Cæfar perhaps might anfwer he was drunk.
But, fage historians! 'tis your task to prove
One action Conduct; one, heroic Love.

136

'Tis from high Life high Characters are drawn ; A Saint in Crape is twice a Saint in Lawn; A Judge is juft, a Chanc'lor jufter still;

A Gownman, learn'd; a Bishop, what you will;
Wife, if a Minister; but, if a King,

More wife, more learn'd, more juft, more ev'ry thing.
Court-Virtues bear, like Gems, the highest rate, 141
Born where Heav'n's influence fcarce can penetrate;
In life's low vale, the foil the Virtues like,
They please as beauties, here as wonders ftrike.

for the entertainment of the world: But had his friend afked him, in his ear, the reafon of his fudden retreat from Britain, after fo many pretended victories, we have caufe to suspect, even from his own public relation of that matter, that he would have wkifper'd be was beat.

VER. 131. Why risk the world's great empire for a Punk?] After the battle of Pharfalia, Cæfar purfued his enemy to Alexandria, where he became infatuated with the charms of Cleopatra, and inftead of pushing his advantages, and difperfing the relicks of the Pharfalian quarrel, (after narrowly escaping the violence of an enraged populace) brought upon himself an unneceffary war, at a time his arms were most wanted elfewhere.

VER. 141. Court-virtues bear, like Gems, etc.] This whole reflection, and the fimilitude brought to fupport it, have a great delicacy of ridicule.