1715.

THE GENTLEMAN'S QUALIFICATIONS DEBATED *.

FROM different ways of thinking comes debate,
This we despise, and that we over-rate,
Just as the fancy takes, we love or hate:
Hence Whig and Tory live in endless jar,
And most of families in civil war :

Hence, 'mongst the easiest men beneath the skies,
E'en in their easy dome, debates arise :

As late they did with ftrength of judgment scan
Those qualities that form a gentleman.

First

By fome of the fellows of the Eafy Club, a juve nile fociety of which I am a fellow. From the general antipathy we all feemed to have at the ill-humour and contra. dictions which arise from trifles, especially those which conftitute Whig and Tory, without having the grand reason for it; this engaged us to take a pleasure in the found of an Easy Club. The club, by one of our special laws, must not exceed twelve; and every gentleman, at his admiffion, was to take the name of fome Scots author, or one eminent for something extraordinary, for obfcuring his real name in the register of our lucubrations; fuch as are named in this debate, Tippermalloch, Buchanan, Hector Boece, &c.

First Tippermalloch pled, with Spanish grace,
That gentry only fprung from ancient race,
Whose names in old records of time were fix'd,
In whose rich veins fome royal blood was mix'd.
I, being a poet sprung from a Douglas' loin,
In this proud thought did with the doctor join;
With this addition, if they could speak sense,
Ambitious I, ah! had no more pretence.
Buchanan, with stiff argument and bold,
Pled, gentry took its birth from powerful gold:
Him Hector Boece join'd; they argu'd ftrong;
Said they," to wealth that title must belong;
"If men are rich, they 're gentle; and if not,
"You'll own their birth and sense are soon

"Pray fay," faid they, "how much respectful

cc grace

"Demands an old red coat and mangled face? "Or one, if he could like an angel preach, "If he to no rich benefice can reach? "E'en progeny of dukes are at a stand "How to make out bare gentry without land." But ftill the doctor would not quit the field, But that rich upstarts fhould to birth-right yield: He grew more stiff, nor would the plea let go; Said he was right, and fwore it fhould be fo.

But happy we, who have fuch wholesome laws, Which, without pleading, can decide a cause.

To

To this good law recourse we had at last,
That throws off wrath, and makes our friendship

fast;

In which the legiflators laid the plot

To end all controversy by a vote.

Yet that we more good-humour might display, We frankly turn'd the vote another way: As in each thing we common topics fhun, So the great prize nor birth nor riches won. The vote was carried thus :-that easy he Who fhould three years a focial fellow be, And to our Easy Club give no offence, After triennial trial, fhould commence A gentleman; which gives as just a claim To that great title, as the blaft of fame Can give to those, who tread in human gore, Or those, who heap up hoards of coined ore; Since, in our focial friendship, nought 's defign'd But what may raise and brighten up the mind; We aiming close to walk by virtue's rules, To find true humour's felf, and leave her fhade to fools.

1721.

ON FRIENDSHIP.

THE earth-born clod who hugs his idle pelf,
His only friends are Mammon and himself.
The drunken fots, who want the art to think,
Still cease from friendship when they cease from
drink.

The empty fop, who scarce for man will pass,
Ne'er fees a friend but when he views his glass.

Friendship first springs from fympathy of mind, Which to complete the virtues all combine, And only found 'mongst men who can espy The merits of his friend without envy. Thus all pretending friendship 's but a dream, Whose base is not reciprocal esteem.

1721.

THE AUTHOR'S ADDRESS

TO THE TOWN-COUNCIL OF EDINBURGH.

YOUR poet humbly means and fhaws,
That contrair to juft rights and laws,
I've fuffer'd muckle wrang,

*

By Lucky Reid and ballad-fingers,

Wha thumb'd with their coarfe dirty fingers
Sweet Adie's funeral fang;

They spoil'd my fenfe, and ftaw my cash,
My mufe's pride murgully'd;
And printing it like their vile trash,

The honest lieges whilly'd.

Thus undone, to London t

It gade to my disgrace,

Sae pimpin and limpin,

In rags wi' bluther'd face.

Yet

* A printer's relict, who, with the hawkers, reprinted my paftoral on Mr. Addison, without my knowledge, on ugly paper, full of errors.

One of their incorrect copies was reprinted at London by Bernard Lintot, in folio, before he printed it, a second time, from a correct copy of my own, with the Honourable Mr. Burchet's English verfion of it.