See the fame man, in vigor, in the gout;
Alone, 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. 80

Who would not praise Patricio's high desert,
His hand unstain’d, his uncorrupted heart,
His comprehensive head! all Int'rests weigh’d,
All Europe fav'd, yet Britain not betray'd.
He thanks you not, his Pride is in Picquette,

85 Newmarket-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 faint revere,
A godless Regent tremble at a Star ?

go

VER. 81. Patritio] Lord G-.
VER. 89. A perjur'd Prince] Louis XỊ, of France, wore

VARIATIONS.
After ver. 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 foughit,
Now fave a People, and now save a groat.

The throne a Bigot keep, a Genius quit,
Faithless thro’ Piety, and dup'd thro' Wit?
Europe a Woman, Child, or Dotard rule,
And just her wiseft monarch make a fool ?

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

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

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

VER.91. The throne a Bigot keep, a Genius quit,] Philip V. of Spain, who, aftes 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 ber wifest 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 fubftitute of God, called a Plastic 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 Ellence, had an high expediency in this place,

In vain the fage, 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 plunge in bus’ness, others shave their crowns : To ease the Soul of one oppressive weight, 105 This quits an Empire, that embroils a State : The fame aduft complexion has impell'd Charles to the Convent, Philip to the Field.

Not always Actions fhew the man: we find Who does a kindness, is not therefore kind: Perhaps Prosperity becalm'd his breaft, Perhaps the Wind just shifted from the east : Not therefore humble he who seeks retreat, Pride guides his steps, and bids him shun the great: Who combats bravely is not therefore brave, 115 He dreads a death-bed like the meanest slave :

110

VER. 107. The same adust complexion bas impell d – Charles to tbe Convent, Philip to the Field.] The attrabilaire complexion of Philip II. is well known, but not so well that he derived it from his father Charles y, whose health, the historians 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 princes 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 Acting, lies.
But
grant

that actions best discover man;
Take the most strong, and sort them as you can. 120
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?
Must then at once (the character to save)
The plain rough Hero turn a crafty Knave ?
Alas! in truth the man but chang'd his mind,
Perhaps was fick, in love, or had not dind.
Ask why from Britain Cæsar would retreat ?
Cæfar himself might whisper he was beat. 130

125

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.

Ver. 130. Cæfur bimself might wbifper be was beat.] Cæsar wrote his Commentaries, in imitation of the Greek Generals, for

VARIATIONS.

VER. 129. In the former Editions ;

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

The mighty Czar would tell you he was drunk. Altered 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 fingle Example,

136

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

"T'is from high Life high Characters are drawn;
A Saint in Crape is twice a Saint in Lawn ;
A Judge is just, a Chanc'lor juster ftill ;
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 every thing:
Court-Virtues bear, like Gems, the highest rate, 14!
Born where Heav'n's influence scarce can penetrate;
In life's low vale, the foil the Virtues like,
They please as beauties, here as wonders strike.
Tho' the same fun with all-diffusive rays 145
Blush in the rose, and in the Di’mond blaze,

the entertainment of the world : But had his friends 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. iby risk tbe 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 dirperfing the relicks of the Pharsalian quarrel, (after narrowly escaping the violence of an enraged populace) brought upon himself an unneceifary 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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