Nature well known, no prodigies remain,
Comets are regular, and Wharton plain.
Yet, in this fearch, the wifeft may mistake,
If fecond qualities for first they take.

When Catiline by rapine swell'd his store ;
When Cæfar made a noble dame a whore ;
In this the Luft, in that the Avarice

210

Were means, not ends; Ambition was the vice. 215
That very Cæfar born in Scipio's days,

Had aim'd, like him, by Chaftity, at praise.
Lucullus, when frugality could charm,
Had roafted turnips in the Sabin farm.

In vain th' obferver eyes the builder's toil,
But quite mistakes the fcaffold for the pile.

220

VER. 209. Comets are regular, and Wharton plain.] This illuftration has an exquifite beauty, arifing from the exactness of the analogy: For, as the appearance of irregularity in a Comet's motion, is occafioned by the greatness of the force which pushes it round a very eccentric orb; fo it is the violence of the Ruling Pasfion, that, impatient for its object, in the impetuofity of its courfe towards it, is frequently hurried to an immenfe diftance from it, which occafions all that puzzling inconfiftency of conduct we obferve in it.

VER. 213. A noble dame a whore;] The fifter of Cato, and mother of Brutus.

VER. 215. Ambition was the vice.] Pride, Vanity, and Ambition are fuch bordering and neighbouring vices, and hold fo much in common, that we generally find them going together, and therefore, as generally mistake them for one another. This does not a little contribute to our confounding Characters; for they are, in reality, very different and diftinct; fo much fo, that 'tis remarkable, the three greatest men in Rome, and cotemporaries, poffeffed each of these separately, without the leaft mix ure of the other two: The men I mean were Cæfar, Cato, and Cicero: For Cæfar had Ambition without either vanity or pride; Cato had Pride without ambition or vanity; and Cicero had Vanity without pride or ambition.

VARIATION S.

In the former Editions, ver. 208.

Nature well known, no Miracles remain.

Altered, as above, for very obvious reasons,

In this one paffion man can strength enjoy,
As Fits give vigour, juft when they destroy.
Time, that on all things lays his lenient hand,
Yet tames not this; it ticks to our laft fand.
Confistent in our follies and our fins,
Here honest Nature ends as she begins.
Old Politicians chew on wifdom past,
And totter on in bus'nefs to the last;
As weak, as earneft; and as gravely out,
As fober Lanefb'row dancing in the gout.
Behold a rev'rend fire, whom want of grace
Has made the father of a nameless race,
Shov'd from the wall perhaps, or rudely prefs'd
By his own fon, that paffes by unblefs'd:
Still to his wench he crawls on knocking knees,
And envies ev'ry fparrow that he fees.

A falmon's belly, Helluo, was thy fate;
The doctor call'd, declares all help too late :

66

Mercy cries Helluo, mercy on my foul!

225

230

235

"Is there no hope ?-Alas!—then bring the jowl."
The frugal Crone, whom praying priests attend,
Still ftrives to fave the hallow'd taper's end,
Collects her breath, as ebbing life retires,
For one puff more, and in that puff expires.

245

VER. 227. Here honeft Nature ends as fhe begins.] Human nature is here humorously called boneft, as the impulfe of the ruling Paj fin (which the gives and cherishes) makes her more and more impatient of difguile.

VER. 231. Lanefo'row] An ancient Nobleman, who continued this practice long after his legs were difabled by the gout. Upon the death of Prince George of Denmark, he demanded an audience of the Queen, to advife her to preserve her health, and dispel her grief, by Dancing.

VER. 242. The frugal Crone,] A fact told him, of a Lady at

Paris.

"Odious! in woollen! 'twould a faint provoke, (Were the laft words that poor Narciffa spoke)

No, let a charming Chintz, and Bruffels lace "Wrap my cold limbs, and fhade my lifelefs face: "One would not, fure, be frightful when one's dead"And-Betty-give this Cheek a little Red." 251 The Courtier smooth, who forty years had shin'd An humble fervant to all human kind,

Juft brought out this, when scarce his tongue could ftir, "If-where I'm going-I could ferve you, Sir ?" 255 "I give and I devife (old Euclio faid,

And figh'd)" my lands and tenements to Ned." Your money, Sir?" My money,`Sir, what all? "Why,—if I muft-(then wept) I give it Paul.” The manor, Sir?" The manor hold, he cry'd, 260 "Not that, I cannot part with that”—and dy'd.

And you, brave COBHAM, to the latest breath, Shall feel your ruling Paffion strong in death: Such in those moments as in all the past,

"Oh, fave my Country, Heav'n !" fhall be your last.

VER. 247. the laft words that poor Narciffa fpoke] This ftory, as well as the others, is founded on fact, though the author had the goodness not to mention the names. Several attribute this in particular to a very celebrated Actress, who, in deteftation of the thought of being buried in woollen, gave these her laft orders with her dying breath.

Ine Men, we various ruling Lawsions find, In Women, two almost divide the hind; Those only fixed, they first or last obey, The Love of Pleasure, and the love of Sway