See the same man, in vigour, in the gout;,
Alorc, in company; in place, or out;
Early at Bus’ness, and at Hazard late;
Mad at a Fox-chase, wise at a Debate;
Drunk at a Borough, civil at a Ball;

75 Friendly at Hackney, faithless at Whitehall.

Catius is ever moral, ever grave,
Thinks who endures a knave, is next a knave,
Save just at dinner-then prefers, no doubt,
A Rogue with Ven'son to a Saint without. 802

Who would not praise Patritio's high desert,
His hand unstain'd, his uncorrupted heart,
His comprehensive head! all Int'rests weigh'd,
All Europe sav'd, yet Britain not betray'd.
He thanks you not, his pride is in Picquette, 85
New-market-fame, and judgment at a Bett.

What made (say Montagne, or more fage Charron!)
Otho a warrior, Cromwell a buffoon ?
A perjur’d Prince a leaden Saint revere,
A godless Regent tremble at a Star?

Ver. 81. Patritio] Lord G-
Ver. 89. A perjur'd Prince] Louis XI. of France, wore in

VARIATIONS.
After y 86. in the former Editions,

Triumphant leaders, at an army's head,
Hemm’d round with glories, pilfer cloth or bread;
As meanly plunder as they bravely fought,
Now save a People, and now save a groat,

The throne a Bigot kcep, a Genius quit,
Faithless thro' Fiety, and dup'd thro' Wit?
Europe a Woman, Child, or Dotard rule,
And just her wiseit monarch made a fool?

Know, God and NATURE only are the fame : 95
In Man, the judgment shoots at flying game;
A bird of passage! gone as soon as found,
Now in the Moon perhaps, now under ground.

his Hat a leaden image of the Virgin Mary, which when he swore by, he feared to break his oath.

Ver. 90. A godlefs Regent tremble at a Star ?] Philip Duke of Orleans, Regent of France in the minority of Louis XV. superstitious in judicial astrology, tho' an unbeliever in all religion,

VER. SI. The throne a Pigot keep, a Genius quit,] Philip V. of Spain, who, after renouncing the throne for Religion, resumed it to gratify his Queen; and Victor Amadeus II. King of Sardinia, who resigned the crown, and trying to reassume it, was imprisoned 'till his death,

VER. 93. Europe a Woman, Child, or Dotard rule, - And just her wiseft monarch made a fool ?] The Czarina, the King of France, the Pope, and the abovementioned King of Sardinia.

VER. 95. Know, God and Nature, etc.) By Nature is not here meant any imaginary substitute of God, called a Plafiic nature; but his moral laws: And this observation was inserted with great propriety and discretion, in the conclusion of a long detail of the various characters of men: For, from this circumstance, Montagne and others have been bold enough to infinuate, that morality is founded more in custom and fashion than in the nature of things. The speaking therefore of a moral law of God as having all the constancy and durability of his Effence, had an high expediency in this place.

ΙΩΙ

In vain the sage, with retrospective eye, Would from th'apparent What conclude the Why, Infer the Motive from the Deed, and shew, That what we chanc'd was what we meant to do. Behold! If Fortune or a Mistress frowns, Some plurge in bus’ness, others shave their crowns: To eale the Soul of one oppreffive weight, 105 This quits an Empire, that embroils a State: The same adult complexion has impellid Charles to the Convent, Philip to the Field.

Not always Actions hew the man: we find Who does a kindness, is not therefore kind; Perhaps Frosperity becalm d his breast, Perhaps the Wind jut fhifted from the east: Not therefore humble he who seeks tetreat, Pride guides his steps, and bids him Mun the great : Who combats bravely is not therefore brave, He dreads a death bed like the meaneft slave:

115

Ver. 107. The forme aduff complexion has impell d-Cbarles to the Convent, Philip to the Field.] The atrabilaire complexicn of Philip II, is well known, but not so well that he derived it from his father Charles V. whose health, the histcrians of his life tell us, was frequently disordered by bilious fevers. But what the author meant principally to observe here was, that this humour made both these prir.ces act contrary to their Character; Charles, who was an active man, when he retired into a Convent; Philip, who was a man of the Closet, when he gave the battle of St. Quintin.

Who reasons wisely is not therefore wise,
His pride in Reas'ning, not in A&ing lies.
But
grant

that Actions best discover man; 119
Take the most strong, and fort them as you can.
The few that glare, each character must mark,
You balance not the many in the dark.
What will you do with such as disagree?
Suppress them, or miscall them Policy?
Muft then at once (the character to save) 125
The plain rough Hero turn a crafty Knave ?
Alas! in truth the man but chang'd his mind,
Perhaps was sick, in love, or had not din'd.
Ak why from Britain Cæsar would retreat ?
Cæfar himself might whisper he was beat. 130

VER. 117. Who reasons wisely, etc.] By reasoning is not here meant speculating ; but deliberating and resolving in public counsels; for this instance is given as one, of a variety of actions.

VEP. 130. Cæsar himself might whisper be was beat.] Cæfar wrote his Commentaries, in imitation of the Greek Generals,

VARIATIONS,
Ver. 129. In the former Editions ;

Ask why from Britain Cæsar made retreat ?
Cæsar himself would tell you he was heat.
The mighty Czar what mov'd to wed a Punk?

The mighty Czar would tell you he was drunk. Alter'd as above, because Cæsar wrote his Commentaries of this war, and does not tell you he was beat. As Cæsar too afforded an instance of both cases, it was thought better to make him the single Example,

Why risk the world's great empire for a Punk ?
Cæfar perhaps might answer he was drunk.
But, sage historians ! 'tis your tak to prove
One action Conduct; one, heroic Love.

'Tis from high Life high Characters are drawn;
A Saint in Crape is twice a Saint in Lawn; 136
A Judge is just, a Chanc'lor jufter fill;
A Gownman, learn'd; a Bishop, what you will ;
Wise, if a Minister ; but, if a King,
More wise, more learn'd, more just, more ev'ry thing.
Court-Virtues bear, like Gems, the highest rate, 141
Born where Heav'n's influence scarce can penetrate :
In life's low vale, the soil the Virtues like,
They please as beauties, here as wonders strike.

for the entertainment of the world: But had his friend asked him, in his ear, the reason of his sudden retreat from Britain, after so many pretended victories, we have cause to suspect, even from his own public relation of that matter, that he would have whisper'd be was beat.

VER. 131. Wby risk the world's great empire for a Punk ?] After the battle of Pharsalia, Cæsar pursued his enemy to Alexandria, where he became infatuated with the charms of Cleopatra, and instead of pushing his advantages, and dispersing the relicks the Pharsalian quarrel, (afte narrowly escaping the violence of an enraged populace) brought upon himself an unnecessary war, at a time his arms were most wanted elsewhere.

VER. 141. Court-virtues bear, like Gems, etc.] This whole reflection, and the fimilitude brought to support it, have a great delicacy of ridicule,

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