No Wit to flatter, left of all his ftore!

No Fool to laugh at, which he valu'd more.
There, Victor of his health, of fortune, friends,
And fame; this lord of useless thousands ends.
His Grace's fate fage Cutler could foresee,
315
And well (he thought) advis'd him, "Live like me."
As well his Grace reply'd, "Like you, Sir John?
"That I can do, when all I have is gone."
Refolve me, Reafon, which of thefe is worse,
Want with a full, or with an empty purse?
Thy life more wretched, Cutler, was confefs'd,
Arife, and tell me, was thy death more blefs'd?

NOTES.

320

VER. 313. There, Victor | parties concerned; who, it of his health, of fortune, is likely, had made but a friends, And fame-] The very forry decifion. The term implies the difficulty abhorrence of an empty purse he had to get the better of would have certainly perall these incumbrances. And verted the judgment of Want it is true, as his history in- with a full one: And the forms us, he had the impe- longings for a full one, would diment of good parts, which, probably have as much miffrom time to time, a little led Want with an empty one. hindered and retarded his Whereas Reason resolves this Victories. matter in a trice. There being a poffibility that Want with an empty purse may be relieved; but none, that Want with a full purse ever

VER. 319. Refolve me, Reafon, which of thefe is worfe, Want with a full, or with an empty_purse?] The poet did well in appealing to Reafon, from the

can.

325

Cutler faw tenants break, and houses fall,
For very want; he could not build a wall.
His only daughter in a stranger's pow'r,
For very want; he could not pay a dow'r.
A few grey hairs his rev'rend temples crown'd,
'Twas very want that fold them for two pound.
What ev'n deny'd a cordial at his end,
Banish'd the doctor, and expell'd the friend?
What but a want, which you perhaps think mad,
Yet numbers feel, the want of what he had!
Cutler and Brutus, dying both exclaim,
"Virtue! and Wealth! what are ye but a name !"
Say, for fuch worth are other worlds prepar'd?
Or are they both, in this their own reward?
A knotty point! to which we now proceed.

But you are tir'd-I'll tell a tale--B. Agreed.

330

336

P. Where London's column, pointing at the skies Like a tall bully, lifts the head, and lyes;

VARIATIONS.

VER. 337. in the former Editions,

That knotty point, my Lord, fhall I difcufs,
Or tell a tale?-A Tale.-It follows thus.

NOTES.

340

VER. 339. Where Lon- | ment, built in memory of don's column,] The Monu- the fire of London, with an

There dwelt a Citizen of fober fame,

A plain good man, and Balaam was his name;
Religious, punctual, frugal, and so forth;
His word would pass for more than he was worth.
One folid dish his week-day meal affords,

345

An added pudding folemniz'd the Lord's :
Conftant at Church, and Change; his gains were

fure,

His givings rare, fave farthings to the poor.

The Dev'l was piqu'd fuch faintship to behold, And long'd to tempt him like good Job of old: 350But Satan now is wiser than of yore,

And tempts by making rich, not making poor. Rouz'd by the Prince of Air, the whirlwinds fweep The furge, and plunge his Father in the deep; Then full against his Cornish lands they roar, 355 And two rich fhip-wrecks bless the lucky fhore.

NOTES.

infcription, importing that | inhabitants to
city to have been burnt by
the Papifts. P.

those to

whom that misfortune arrives: When a fhip happens to be ftranded there, they have been known to bore

VER. 355. Cornish] The author has placed the fcene of these shipwrecks in Corn-holes in it, to prevent it's wall, not only from their getting off; to plunder, and frequency on that coaft, but fometimes even to massacre from the inhumanity of the the people: Nor has the

Sir Balaam now, he lives like other folks,

He takes his chirping pint, and cracks his jokes:
"Live like yourself," was foon my Lady's word;
And lo! two puddings fmoak'd upon the board. 360
Asleep and naked as an Indian lay,

An honeft factor ftole a Gem away:

He pledg❜d it to the knight; the knight had wit,
So kept the Di'mond, and the rogue was bit.
Some scruple rofe, but thus he eas'd his thought,
"I'll now give fix-pence where I gave a groat; 366

NOTES.

Parliament of England been | they would try to do more

yet able wholly to fupprefs these barbarities. P.

VER. 360. And lo! &c.] The poet had obferv'd above, that when the luxuriously-felfish had got more than they knew how to ufe,

than live; inftead of imparting the leaft pittance of it to those whom fortune had reduced to do less than live:

The VANITY of which chimerical project he well expofed in these lines:

What Riches give us let us then enquire.

Meat, Fire, and Cloaths. What more? Meat, Cloaths,

and Fire.

But here, in one who had not yet learnt the art of difguifing the Poverty of Wealth by the Refinements

of Luxury, he fhews, with admirable humour, the ridicule of that project :

And lo! two Puddings smoak'd upon the board.

M

"Where once I went to church, I'll now go twice

"And am fo clear too of all other vice."

The Tempter faw his time; the work he ply'd; Stocks and Subfcriptions pour on ev'ry fide,

'Till all the Dæmon makes his full defcent

In one abundant show'r of Cent per
Cent,
Sinks deep within him, and possesses whole,
Then dubs Director, and fecures his foul.

370

375

Behold Sir Balaam, now a man of spirit, Afcribes his gettings to his parts and merit; What late he call'd a Bleffing, now was Wit, And God's good Providence, a lucky Hit. Things change their titles, as our manners turn:

His Compting-house employ'd the Sunday-morn;

Seldom at Church ('twas such a busy life)

381

But duly fent his family and wife.

There (fo the Dev'l ordain'd) one Christmas-tide
My good old Lady catch'd a cold, and dy'd.

A Nymph of Quality admires our Knight; He marries, bows at Court, and grows polite:

385

Leaves the dull Cits, and joins (to please the fair)

The well-bred cuckolds in St James's air:
Firft, for his Son a gay Commiffion buys,

Who drinks, whores, fights, and in a duel dies: 390
His daughter flaunts a Viscount's tawdry wife;
She bears a Coronet and P-x for life.

2