Without the means of knowing right from wrong,
They always are decifive, clear and strong;
Where others toil with philofophic force,
Their nimble nonfenfe takes a fhorter course,
Flings at your head conviction in the lump,
And gains remote conclufions at a jump:
Their own defect invifible to them,
Seen in another they at once condemn,
And though felf-idolized in ev'ry cafe,
Hate their own likeness in a brother's face.
The caufe is plain and not to be denied,
The proud are always moft provok'd by pride,
Few competitions but engender fpite,
And those the most, where neither has a right,
The point of honour has been deemed of use,
To teach good manners and to curb abuse;
Admit it true, the confequence is clear,
Our polished manners are a mask we wear,
And at the bottom, barb'rous ftill and rude,
We are reftrained indeed, but not fubdued
The very remedy, however fure,
Springs from the mischief it intends to cure,
And favage in its principle appears,
Tried, as it should be, by the fruit it bears.
'Tis hard indeed if nothing will defend
Mankind from quarrels but their fatal end,
That now and then an hero muft decease,
That the furviving world may live in peace.
Perhaps at laft, clofe fcrutiny may show
The practice daftardly and mean and low,
That men engage in it compelled by force,
And fear not courage is its proper fource,
The fear of tyrant custom, and the fear
Left fops should cenfure us, and fools fhould fneer;
At least to trample on our Maker's laws,
And hazard life, for any or no cause,
To rush into a fixt eternal ftate,
Out of the very flames of rage and hate,
Or fend another fhiv'ring to the bar
With all the guilt of fuch unnat'ral war,
Whatever use may urge or honour plead,
On reafon's verdict is a madman's deed.
Am I to fet my life upon a throw
Because a bear is rude and furly? No-
A moral, sensible and well-bred man
Will not affront me, and no other can.
Were I empow'rd to regulate the lifts,
They should encounter with well-loaded fifts,
A Trojan combat would be something new,
Let DARES beat ENTELLUS black and blue.
Then each might show to his admiring friends
In honourable bumps his rich amends,
And carry in contufions of his fcull,
A fatisfactory receipt in full.
A story in which native humour reigns
Is often useful, always entertains,
A graver fact enlisted on your fide,
May furnish illuftration, well applied;
But fedentary weavers of long tales,
Give me the fidgets and my patience fails,
'Tis the most afinine employ on earth,
To hear them tell of parentage and birth,
And echo conversations dull and dry,
Embellished with, he faid, and so faid I.
At ev'ry interview their route the fame
The repetition makes attention lame,
We bustle up with unsuccessful speed,
And in the faddeft part cry-droll indeed!
The path of narrative with care purfsue,
Still making probability your clue,
On all the vestiges of truth attend,
And let them guide you to a decent end.
Of all ambitions man may entertain,
The worst that can invade a fickly brain,
Is that which angles hourly for furprize,
And baits its hook with prodigies and lies.
Credulous infancy or age as weak
Are fitteft auditors for fuch to feek,
Who to please others will themselves difgrace,
Yet please not, but affront you to your face.
A great retailer of this curious ware,
Having unloaded and made many stare,
Can this be true? an arch obferver cries-
Yes, rather moved, I faw it with these eyes.
Sir! I believe it on that ground alone,
I could not, had I feen it with my own.
A tale fhould be judicious, clear, succinct,
The language plain, and incidents well-link'd,
Tell not as new what ev'ry body knows,
And new or old, ftill haften to a close,
There cent'ring in a focus, round and neat,
Let all your rays of information meet:
What neither yields us profit or delight,
Is like a nurse's lullaby at night,
Guy Earl of Warwick and fair Eleanore,
Or giant-killing Jack would pleafe me more.
The pipe with folemn interpofing puff,
Makes half a fentence at a time enough;
The dozing fages drop the drowsy strain,
Then pauze, and puff-and speak, and pause again.
|