"Write rashly on, regardless whom you hit, "And yield to Satire, when impell'd by wit." "Cease Goddess, cease," I cry, "I'll hear no "I've ever been a rebel to thy power; [more, "Your caution's right, your arguments are true, "Th' advice is good, but 'tis unpleasant too. "Vain are your toils, and fruitless is your aid, "Whene'er you strive to change what nature made; "Turn to your altars, on your vot❜ries shine, "See Pelham ever kneeling at thy shrine. "Thro' you at first, by slow degrees he rose, "To you the zenith of his power he owes; "You taught him in your middle-way to steer, 66 Impartial, mod'rate, candid, to appear. "Fearful of enmity, to friendship cold, Cautiously frank, and timorously bold; "And so observant never to offend "A foe, he quite forgets to fix a friend. Long vers'd in politics, but poor in parts, "The Courtier's tricks, but not the Statesman's arts; "His smile obedient to his purpose still, "Some dirty compromise his utmost skill. "In vain his own penurious soil he till'd, "In vain he glean'd from Walpole's plenteous field; "In vain the exchequer robes around him flow, "The mantle does not make the prophet now. "Behind him close, behold Newcastle's* Grace, "Haste in his step, and absence in his face; "Who daily suppliant to thy temple goes, "And courts the Goddess, as he courts his foes. "Yet, spite of all thy influence, all thy care, "His prudence always deviates into fear; "His natural gifts so low, he strives in vain "To climb a height, that Dulness can attain; "Which Rushout reach'd, with long-opposing tir'd, "On which thy fav'rite, Wilmington, expir'd ; Thomas Holles, Duke of Newcastle, Mr. Pelham's brother.-W. "Where pliant Dorset sits, and long has sat, "Secure from changes, and the storms of state." But arbitrary Fortune (who derides, Whate'er Experience frames, or Wisdom guides; Without whose smiles, all honour, virtue, worth, Still plead in vain) presided at his birth Newcastle, then (and yet a child), she blest, And rapt'rous these prophetic truths exprest; "Tho' void of honesty, of sense, of art, "A foolish head, and a perfidious heart.* "Yet riches, honours, pow'r, he shall enjoy, "Parties shall follow, monarch shall employ; "Great Britain's seal be to his hand consign'd, "The Ducal coronet his temples bind. "He shall betray and lye, but all in vain, 66 Spite of himself, his posts he shall maintain; "No changes shall involve my fav'rite's fall, "He'll join the current, and be all to all. * Sir R. Walpole said of the Duke of Newcastle, “His name is Perfidy."-W. "Let him but keep his outside show of power, "He'll act with Orford, Granville, Bath, or Gower:" "Prudence, howe'er you smile, howe'er are kind, Thy vot'ries ne'er are leaders of mankind; "Unfit to govern England's restive realm, "She asks a genius to conduct her helm, "That dares forsake thy paths, offend thy law, "Unaw'd by all the fantoms that you draw. Thy fav'rites should to Switzerland repair, "And gently rule some peaceful Canton there; "Or in the neutral, Adriatic state, "With her inactive senators debate: "Think how thy Pelham would in Lucca shine, "And Sands be in Marino styl'd divine. "There let 'em shine, but Britain's reins demand "An Orford's, or, at least, a Granville's hand. "Hence, Goddess, to such supplicants repair, "Who make thy narrow rules their only care; "Whose utmost aim is, barely to do well, "Taught by thy precepts never to excel: "Here I renounce thee, fly thy out-stretch'd arms, "And own the Muse's more prevailing charms." care, Hush loud distress, and mitigate despair? Have not her smiles, when sunk in private grief, Nor dare approach the Muse's sacred seat? * Elizabeth Drax, Countess of Berkeley, wife of the fourth Earl. W. + Lady Caroline Fitzroy, Countess of Harrington, eldest daughter of the Duke of Grafton.-W. |