V.

E. OF ROCHESTER.

ON SILENCE.

Rob

ORILENCE! coeval with Eternity,
Thou wert, ere Nature's-self began

to be,
'Twas one vast Nothing, all, and all

slept fast in thee.

II.

Thine was the sway, ere heav'n was form’d,

or earth, Ere fruitful Thought conceiv'd creation's birth,

5 Or midwife Word gave aid, and spoke the

infant forth.

III.

Then various elements against thee join'd,

In one more various animal combin'd, And fram'd the clam'rous race of busy Human

kind.

IV.

Ιο

The tongue mov'd gently first, and speech

was low, 'Till wrangling Science taught it noise and

show, And wicked Wit arose, thy most abusive foe.

But rebel Wit deserts thee oft'in vain;

Lost in the maze of words he turns again, And seeks a surer state, and courts thy gentle reign.

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VI.
Afflicted Sense thou kindly dost set free,

Oppress'd with argumental tyranny,
And routed Reason finds a safe retreat in thee.

VII.

With thee in private modest Dulness lies,

And in thy bosom lurks in Thought's disguise; Thou varnisher of Fools, and cheat of all the

Wise !

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VIII.
Yet thy indulgence is by both confest;

Folly by thee lies sleeping in the breast, And 'tis in thee at last that Wisdom seeks for

rest.

IX.

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Silence! the knave's repute, the whore's

good name, The only honour of the wishing dame; Thy very want of tongue makes thee a kind of

Fame.

But could'st thou seize some tongues that now

are free, How Church and State should be oblig'd to

thee! At Senate, and at Bar, how welcome would'st thou be!

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XI.

Yet speech ev'n there, submissively with

draws From rights of subjects, and the poor man's

cause : Then pompous Silence reigns, and stills the

noisy Laws.

XII.

Past services of friends, good deeds of foes, What Fav'rites gain, and what the Nation owes,

35 Fly the forgetful world, and in thy arms repose.

XIII.
The country wit, religion of the town,

The courtier's learning, policy o'th' gown, Are best by thee express’d; and shine in thee

alone.

XIV.
The parson's cant, the lawyer's sophistry, 40

Lord's quibble, critic's jest; all end in thee, All rest in peace at last, and sleep eternally.

VI.
E. OF DORSET.

ARTEMISIA.
HO’ Artemisia talks, by fits,
y Of councils, classics, fathers, wits;
Ang Reads Malbranche, Boyle, and

Locke;
Yet in some things methinks she fails,
'Twere well if she would pare her nails,

And wear a cleaner smock.
Haughty and huge as High-Dutch bride,
Such nastiness and so much pride

Are oddly join'd by fate :
On her large squab you find her spread, 10
Like a fat corpse upon a bed,

That lies and stinks in state.

She wears no colours (sign of grace)
On any part except her face :

All white and black beside :
Dauntless her look, her gesture proud,
Her voice theatrically loud,

And masculine her stride.
So have I seen, in black and white,
A prating thing, a Magpye hight,

Majestically stalk;
A stately, worthless animal,
That plies the tongue, and wags the tail,

All flutter, pride, and talk.

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PHRYNE.

HRYNE had talents for mankind,
Open she was and unconfin’d,

Like some free port of trade :
Merchants unloaded here their

freight, And Agents from each foreign state, 5

Here first their entry made.
Her learning and good breeding such,
Whether th’ Italian or the Dutch,

Spaniards or French came to her ;
To all obliging sho'd appear;

10 'Twas Si, Signior, 'twas Yaw, Mynheer,

'Twas S'il vous plaist, Monsieur. Obscure by birth, renown'd by crimes, Still changing names, religions, climes,

At length she turns a Bride :
In di’monds, pearls, and rich brocades,
She shines the first of batter'd jades,

And flutters in her pride.

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So have I known those Insects fair
(Which curious Germans hold so rare)

Still vary shapes and dyes;
Still gain new Titles with new forms;
First grubs obscene, then wriggling worms,

Then painted butterflies.

VII.

DR. SWIFT.
THE HAPPY LIFE OF A COUNTRY PARSON.
VE ARSON, these things in thy possessing

Are better than the Bishop's blessing.
A Wife that makes conserves ; a

Steed
That carries double when there's need;
October store, and best Virginia,
Tithe-Pig, and mortuary Guinea ;
Gazettes sent gratis down, and frank'd,
For which thy Patron's weekly thank'd ;
A large Concordance, bound long since;
Sermons to Charles the First, when Prince; 10
A Chronicle of ancient standing;
A Chrysostom to smoothe thy band in.
The Polyglot—three parts,--my text,
How beit,-likewise--now to my next.
Lo here the Septuagint,—and Paul, 15
To sum the whole,—the close of all.

He that has these, may pass his life,
Drink with the 'Squire, and kiss his wife;
On Sundays preach, and eat his fill,
And fast on Fridays—if he will;
Toast Church and Queen, explain the News,
Talk with Church-Wardens about Pews,
Pray heartily for some new Gift,
And shake his head at Doctor S-t.

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