"Stet quicunque volet potens
"Aule culmine lubrico, &c."
NTERR'D beneath this marble stone
Lie fauntering Jack and idle Joan.
While rolling threefcore years and one
Did round this globe their courses run;
If human things went ill or well;
If changing empires rofe or fell
The morning paft, the evening came,
And found this couple still the fame.
They walk'd, and eat, good folks: what then?
Why then they walk'd and eat again :
They foundly flept the night away :
They did juft nothing all the day:
And, having bury'd children four,
Would not take pains to try for more :
Nor fifter either had nor brother;
They feem'd juft tally'd for each other.
Their moral and œconomy
Moft perfectly they made agree:
Each virtue kept its proper bound,
Nor trefpafs'd on the other's ground.
Nor fame nor cenfure they regarded:
They neither punifh'd nor rewarded.
He car'd not what the footmen did:
Her maids fhe neither prais'd nor chid :
So every fervant took his course;
And, bad at first, they all
Slothful diforder fill'd his ftable;
And fluttish plenty deck'd her table.
Their beer was ftrong; their wine was port:
Their meal was large; their grace was fhort.
the poor the remnant meat,
Juft when it grew not fit to eat.
They paid the church and parish rate;
And took, but read not, the receit :
For which they claim their Sunday's due,
Of flumbering in an upper pew.
No man's defects fought they to know;
So never made themselves a foe.
No man's good deeds did they commend;
So never rais'd themselves a friend.
Nor cherish'd they relations poor;
That might decrease their prefent store :
Nor barn nor houfe did they repair ;
That might oblige their future heir.
They neither added nor confounded;
They neither wanted nor abounded.
Each Christmas they accompts did clear,
And wound their bottom round the year.
Nor tear nor fmile did they employ
At news of public grief or joy.
When bells were rung, and bonfires made;
If afk'd, they ne'er deny'd their aid :
Their jug was to the ringers carried;
Whoever either died or married.
Their billet at the fire was found;
Whoever was depos'd or crown'd,
Nor good, nor bad, nor fools, nor wife;
They would not learn, nor could advise :
Without love, hatred, joy, or fear,
They led-a kind of—as it were:
Nor wifh'd, nor car'd, nor laugh'd, nor cried
And fo they liv'd, and fo they died,
Written in MONTAIGNE'S ESSAYS,
Given to the Duke of SHREWSBURY in FRANCE, after the Peace, 1713.
ICTATE, O mighty judge, what thou hast seen
Of cities and of courts, of books and men; And deign to let thy fervant hold the pen.
Through ages thus I may prefume to live;
And from the transcript of thy profe receive
What my own fhort-liv'd verfe can never give.
Thus fhall fair Britain with a gracious fmile
Accept the work; and the instructed ifle,
For more than treaties made, fhall blefs my toil.
Nor longer hence the Gallic ftyle preferr'd,
Wisdom in English idiom fhall be heard ;
While Talbot tells the world, where Montaigne err'd.
An EPISTLE, defiring the QUEEN's Picture.
Written at PARIS, 1714.
But left unfinished, by the fudden News
of her MAJESTY's Death.
HE train of equipage and pomp of state,
The fhining fide-board, and the burnish'd plate,
Let other minifters, great Anne, require;
And partial fall thy gift to their defire.
To the fair portrait of my Sovereign Dame,
To that alone, eternal be my claim.
My bright defender, and my dread delight;
If ever I found favour in thy fight;
If all the pains that for thy Britain's fake
My paft has took, or future life may take,
Be grateful to my Queen: permit my prayer,
And with this gift reward my total care.
Will thy indulgent hand, fair Saint, allow
The boon and will thy ear accept the vow?
That, in despite of age, of impious flame,
And eating Time, thy picture like thy fame
Entire may laft; that, as their eyes furvey
The femblant fhade, men yet unborn may say,
Thus great, thus gracious, look'd Britannia's Queer;
Her brow thus fmooth, her look was thus ferene;
When to a low, but to a loyal hand
The mighty Emprefs gave her high command,
That he to hoftile camps and kings should haste,
To speak her vengeance, as their danger, paft;
To fay, fhe wills detefted wars to cease;
She checks her conqueft, for her fubjects eafe;
And bids the world attend her terms of peace.
Thee, gracious Anne, thee prefent I adore,
Thee, Queen of Peace-If Time and Fate have power
Higher to raise the glories of thy reign;
In words fublimer, and a nobler strain,
May future bards the mighty theme rehearse,
Here, Stator Jove, and Phoebus king of verfe,
The votive tablet I fufpend ****
To the Right Honourable
The COUNTESS Dowager of DEVONSHIRE; On a Piece of WIESSEN'S, whereon were all her GRANDSONS painted.
WIESSEN and Nature held a long conteft,
If She created, or He painted beft;
With pleafing thought the wondrous combat grew,
She, ftill form'd fairer; He, ftill liker drew.
In thefe feven brethren, they contended laft,
With art increas'd, their utmoft fkill they tried,
And, both well pleas'd they had themselves furpafs'd,
The Goddefs triumph'd, and the Painter dy'd.
That both, their fkill to this vaft height did raife,
Be ours the wonder, and be yours the praise :
For here, as in fome glafs, is well defcry'd
Only yourfelf thus often multiply'd,
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