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Tam patiens urbis, tam ferrcus ut tencat se? Juv.

THO' grief and fondness in my breast rebel,
When injur'd THALES bids the town farewel,
Yet ftill my calmer thoughts his choice commend,
I praise the hermit, but regret the friend,

Who now refolves, from vice and LONDON far, 5
To breathe in diftant fields a purer air,
And, fix'd on Cambria's folitary fhore,
Give to St. David one true Briton more.

For who wou'd leave, unbrib'd, Hibernia's land,
Or change the rocks of Scotland for the Strand? 10
There none are swept by fudden fate away,
But all whom hunger fparcs, with age decay:

Born 1709; dyed 1784.

2. THALES is Richard Savage (see vol. 1. p. 339) u bo " left London in July 1739, and parted from the author with tears in his eyes." See bis Lije.

Here malice, rapine, accident conspire,
And now a rabble rages, now a fire;

Their ambush here relentless ruffians lay,
And here the fell attorney prowls for prey ;
Here falling houfes thunder on your head,
And here a female atheist talks you dead.

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While THALES waits the wherry that contains Of diffipated wealth the fmall remains, On Thames's banks, in filent thought we flood, Where Greenwich fmiles upon the filver flood: Struck with the seat that gave * Eliza birth, We kneel, and kifs the confecrated earth; In pleafing dreams the blissful age renew, And call Britannia's glories back to view;

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Behold her cross triumphant on the main,

The guard of commerce, and the dread of Spain. Ere masquerades debauch'd, excife opprefs'd,

Or English honour grew a standing jeft.

A tranfient calm the happy fcenes bestow, And for a moment luil the fenfe of woe. At length awaking, with contemptuous frown, Indignant THALES eyes the neighb'ring town.

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Since worth, he cries, in thefe degen❜rate days 35 Wants ev'n the cheap reward of empty praise ; In those curs'd walls, devote to vice and gain, Since unrewarded science toils in vain; Since hope but fooths to double my distress, And ev'ry moment leaves my little less;

* Queen Elizabeth born at Greenwich,

While yet my fteady fteps no ftaff fuftains,
And life ftill vig'rous revels in my veins;
Grant me, kind heaven, to find fome happier place,
Where honesty and fenfe are no disgrace;

Some pleafing bank where verdant ofiers play, 45
Some peaceful vale with nature's painting gay;
Where once the harrafs'd Briton found repose,
And safe in poverty defy'd his foes;
Some fecret cell, ye pow'rs, indulgent give.

Let

live here, for has learn'd to live. 50
Here let thofe reign, whom pensions can incite
To vote a patriot black, a courtier white;
Explain their country's dear-bought rights away,
And plead for pirates in the face of day ;
With flavish tenets taint our poifon'd youth, 55
And lend a lye the confidenee of truth.
Let fuch raise palaces, and manors buy,
Collect a tax, or farm a lottery,

With warbling eunuchs fill a licens'd stage,
And lull to fervitude a thoughtless age.

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Heroes, proceed! what bounds your pride shall

hold?

What check reftrain your thirst of pow'r and gold? Behold rebellious virtue quite o'erthrown,

Behold our fame, our wealth, our lives your own. To fuch, a groaning nation's fpoils are giv'n, 65 When publick crimes inflame the wrath of heav'n: But what, my friend, what hope remains for me, Who ftart at theft, and blush at perjury?

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Who fcarce forbear, tho' BRITAIN'S court he fing.
To pluck a titled poet's borrow'd wing;
A ftatefman's logick unconvinc'd can hear,
And dare to flumber o'er the Gazetteer;
Defpife a fool in half his penfion drefs'd,
And strive in vain to laugh at Hy's jeft.
Others with fofter fmiles, and fubtler art,
Can fap the principles, or taint the heart;
With more addrefs a lover's note convey,
Or bribe a virgin's innocence away.

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Well may they rife, while I, whofe ruftick tongue Ne'er knew to puzzle right, or varnish wrong, 80 Spurn'd as a beggar, dreaded as a spy,

Live unregarded, unlamented die.

For what but focial guilt the friend endears?
Who fhares Orgilio's crimes, his fortune shares.
But thou, fhould tempting villainy prefent,
All Marlb'rough hoarded, or all Villiers spent,
Turn from the glitt'ring bribe thy scornful eye,
Nor fell for gold, what gold could never buy,
The peaceful flumber, felf-approving-day,
Unfullied fame, and confcience ever gay,

The cheated nation's happy fav'rites, fee!
Mark whom the great carefs, who frown on me!
LONDON! the needy villain's gen'ral home,
The common fhore of Paris, and of Rome;
With eager thirst, by folly or by fate,
Sucks in the dregs of each corrupted state.

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Forgive my tranfports on a theme like this,
I cannot bear a French metropolis.

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Illurious EDWARD! from the realms of day,
The land of heroes and of faints furvey;
Nor hope the British lineaments to trace,
The ruftick grandeur, or the furly grace,
But lot in thoughtlefs eafe, and empty fhow,
Behold the warrior dwindled to a beau;
Since, freedom, piety, refin'd away,

Of France the mimick, and of Spain the prey.
All that at home no more can beg or steal,
Or like a gibbet better than a wheel;

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Hils'd from the ftage, or hooted from the court, Their air, their drefs, their politicks import; 110 Obfequious, artful, voluble and gay,

On Britain's fond credulity they play.

No gainful trade their induftry can 'fcape,

They fing, they dance, clean fhoes, and cure a clap;

All sciences a fafting Monfieur knows,

And bid him go to hell, to hell he goes.
Ah! what avails it, that, from flav'ry far,

I drew the breath of life in English air;
Was early taught a Briton's right to prize,
And lifp the tales of HENRY's victories;
If the guil'd conqueror receives the chain,
And flattery fubdues when arms are vain?

Studious to pleale, and ready to fubmit,
The fupple Gaul was born a parasite :

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