And if he should unimportun'd impart

His fecret Thoughts, and truft you with his Heart,
Let not your Drinking, Anger, Pride or Luft,
Ever invite you to betray the Truft.

First never praise your own Designs, and then
Ne'er leffen the Defigns of other Men;
Nor when a Friend invites you any where,
To, fet a Partridge, or to chase a Hare,
Beg he'd excufe you for this once, and fay,
You must go home, and study all the Day.
So 'twas that once Amphion jealous grown,
That Zethus lov'd no Pleafures but his own.;
Was forc'd to give his Brother's Friendship o'er,
Or to refolve to touch his Lyre no more ;
He chofe the fafeft and the wifest way,
And to oblige his Brother, left his Play.
Do you the fame, and for the felf-fame End,
Obey your civil importuning Friend;

And when he leads his Dogs into the Plain,
Quit your untimely Labours of the Brain,
And leave your ferious Studies, that you may
Sup with an equal Pleafure on the Prey.
Hunting's an old and honourable Sport,
Lov'd in the Country, and efteem'd at Court;
Healthful to th' Body, pleafing to the Eye,
And practis'd by our old. Nobility:

Who fee you love the Pleasures they admire,
Will equally approve what you defire;

Such Condefcenfion will more Friendship gain,
Than the best Rules which your wife Books contain.
Talk not of others. Lives, or have a care
Of whom you talk, to whom, and what, and where;
For you don't only wound the Man you blame,
But all Mankind; who will expect the fame.
Shun all inquifitive and curious Men,
For what they hear they will relate again;
And he who hath impatient craving Ears,
Hath a Joofe Tongue to utter all he hears;

And Words, like th' moving Air of which they're
When once let loose, can never be reclaim'd. [fram'd, -
Where you've access to a rich pow'rful Man,
Govern your Mind with all the care you can;
And be not by your foolish Luft betray'd,
To court his Coufin, or debauch his Maid:
Left with a little Portion, and the pride
Of being to the Family ally'd,

He gives you either; with which Bounty bleft,
You must quit all Pretenfions to the reft;
Or left, incens'd at your Attempt, and griev'd:
You should abuse the Kindness you receiv'd;
He coldly thwarts your impotent defire,
'Till you at laft chufe rather to retire,
Than tempt his Anger any more; and fo
Lofe a great Patron, and a Mistress too.
Next have a care, what Men you recommend
To th' Service or Efteem of your rich Friend;
Left for his Service or Efteem unfit,

They load you with the Faults which they commit
But as the wifeft Men with all their Skill

May be deceiv'd, and place their Friendship ill:-
So when you fee you've err'd, you must refufe
To defend those whom their own Crimes accufe.
But if through Envy of malicious Men

They be accus'd, you must protect them then,
And plead their Caufe your felf; for when you fee
Him you commend, attack'd with Infamy,

Know that 'tis you they hate, when him they blame ;-
Him they have wounded, but at you they aim;
And when your Neighbour's Houfe is fet on Fire,
You must his Safety as your own confpire.
Such hidden Fires, though in the Suburbs caft,
Neglected, may confume the Town at last.
They who don't know the Dangers, which attend
The glittering Court of a rich pow'rful Friend;
Love no Eftate fo much, and think they're bleft,
When they make but a Leg amongst the rest ;

But they who've try'd it, and with prudent Care
Do all its Honours, and its Ills compare,

Fear to engage, left with their Time and Pain,
They lofe more Pleasure than they hop'd to gain
See you, that while your Veffel's under Sail,
You make your best Advantage of the Gale
Left the Wind changes, and fome ftormy Rain
Should throw you back to your first Port again.
You must endeavour to difpofe your Mind
To please all Humours of a different kind;
Whofe Temper's ferious, and their Humour fad,
They think all blithe and merry Men are mad;
They who are merry, and whofe Humour's free,
Abhor a fad and ferious Gravity;

They who are flow and heavy, can't admit
The Friendship of a quick and ready Wit;
The Slothful hate the bufie active Men,
And are detefted by the fame again.

They whose free Humour prompts them to be gay}
To Drink all Night, and Revel all the Day,
Abhor the Man, that can his Cups refufe;
Though his untimely Virtue to excufe,

He fwears that one fuch merry drinking Feaft,
Would make him Sick for a whole Week at least
Suffer no Cloud to dwell upon your Brow,
The modeft Men are thought obfcure and low;
And they, who an affected Silence keep,
Are thought to be too rigid, fower and deep.
Amongst all other things, do not omit
To fearch the Writings of great Men of Wit,
And in the Converfation of the Wife,
In what true Happiness and Pleafure lyes;
Which are the fafeft Rules to live at eafe,
And the best way to make all Fortunes pleafe;
Left through the craving Hopes of gaining more,
And fear of lofing what you gain'd before,
Your poor unfatisfy'd mifguided Mind,
To needy Wishes, and falfe Joys confin'd,

Puts its free boundless fearching Thoughts in Chains,
And where it fought its Pleasure, finds its Pains.
If virtuous Thoughts, and if a prudent Heart
Be giv'n by Nature, or obtain'd by Art;
What leffens Care, the Mind's uneafie Pain,
And reconciles us to our felves again;
Which doth the trueft Happiness create,
Unblemish'd Honour, or a great Eftate;
Or a safe private Quiet, which betrays
It felf to eafe, and cheats away the Days.
When I am at-----where my kind Fate
Hath plac'd my little moderate Estate,
Where Nature's care hath equally employ'd
Its inward Treasures, and its outward Pride;
What Thoughts d'ye think thofe eafie Joys infpire}
What do you think I covet and defire?
'Tis, That I may but undisturb'd poffefs
The littl' I have, and, if Heaven pleases, less;
That I, to Nature and my felf, may give

The little time that I have left to live;

Some Books, in which I fome new thoughts may find,
To entertain, and to refresh my Mind;
Some Horfes, which may help me to partake
The lawful Pleafures which the Seafons make;
An eafie Plenty, which at leaft may spare
The frugal Pains of a Domestick Care;
A Friend, if that a faithful Friend there be,
Who can love fuch an idle Life, and me;
Then, Heav'n, give me but Life and Health, I'll find
A grateful Soul, and a contented Mind,

33

ASON G.

By Mr. WOLSELEY.

Freedom is a real Treasure,

Love a Dream, all falfe and vain, Short, uncertain is the Pleafure,

Sure and lafting is the Pain.

II.

A fincere and tender Paffion
Some ill Planet over-rules;
Ah how blind is Inclination!
Fate and Women dote on Fools.

Anfwer'd by Mr. WHARTON.

WH

Hen Wits from Sighing turn to Railing,
Ill Success pleads fome Excufe;

Always trying, ever failing,

Will provoke the dulleft Muse.

II.

Cupid a revengeful God is,

Woe be to the Poet's Heart,

Flannel Shirts and Whale-bone Bodice

Are not proof against his Dart.

W

Another ANSWER.

HY this talking ftill of Dying,
Why this difmal Look and Groan,

Leave, fond Lover, leave your Sighing,
Let these fruitlefs Arts alone.
Love's the Child of Joy and Pleasure,
Born of Beauty, nut with Wit,