Th’insulted Sea with humbler Thoughts he gains,
A single Skiff to speed his Flight remains ;
Th’incumber'd Oar scarce leaves the dreaded Coast
Through purple Billows and a floating Hoft.

The bold Bavarian, in a luckless Hour,
Tries the dread Summits of Cesarean Pow'r,
With unexpected Legions bursts away,
And sees defenceless Realms receive his Sway;
Short Sway! fair Austria spreads her mournful

Charms, The Queen, the Beauty, fets the World in Arms; From Hill to Hill the Beacons rousing blaze, Spreads wide the Hope of Plunder and of Praise: The fierce Croatian, and the wild Hussar, And all the Sons of Ravage crowd the War ; The baffled Prince in Honour's flatt’ring Bloom Of hasty Greatness finds the fatal Doom, His Foes Derision, and his Subjects blame, And steals to Death from Anguish and from Shame.

Enlarge (m) my Life with Multitude of Days, In Health, and Sickness, thus the Suppliant prays; Hides from himself his State, and shuns to know, That Life protracted, is protracted Woe. Time hovers o'er, impatient to destroy, And shuts up all the Passages of Joy: In vain their Gifts the bounteous Seasons pour, The Fruit autumnal, and the vernal Flow'r, With listless Eyes the Dotard views the Store, He views, and wonders that they please no more ; Now pall the tasteless Meats, and joyless Wines, And Luxury with Sighs her Slave religns. Approach, ye Minstrels, try the foothing Strain, And yield the tuneful Lenitives of Pain : No Sounds, alas, would touch th' impervious Ear, Tho' dancing Mountains witness Orpheus near, (72) Ver. 188-288.

Nor

Nor Lute nor Lyrę his feeble Pow'r attend,
Nor sweeter Musick of a virtuous Friend,
But everlasting Dictates crowd his Tongue,
Perversely grave, or positively wrong.
The still returning Tale, and ling’ring Jest,
Perplex the fawning Niece and pamper'd Guest,
While growing Hopes scarce awe the gath'ring Sneer,
And scarce a Legacy can bribe to hear;
The watchful Guests still hint the last Offence,
The Daughter's Petulance, the Son's Expence,
Improve his heady Rage with treach'rous Skill,
And mould his Passions till they make his Will.

Unnumber'd Maladies his Joints invade,
Lay Siege to Life, and press the dire Blockade ;
But unextinguish'd Av'rice still remains,
And dreaded Loffes aggravate his Pains ;
He turns, with anxious Heart and crippled Hands,
His Bonds of Debts, and Mortgages of Lands ;
Or views his Coffers with suspicious Eyes,
Unlocks his Gold, and counts it till he dies.

But grant, the Virtues of a temp’rate Prime,
Bless with an Age exempt from Scorn or Crime ;
An Age that melts in unperceiv'd Decay,
And glides in modest innocence away;
Whose peaceful Day Benevolence endears,
Whose Night congratulating Conscience chears 3
The gen'ral Fav'rite as the gen'ral Friend ;
Such Age there is, and who could wish its End?

Yet ev’n on this her Load Misfortune flings,
To press the weary Minutes flagging Wings :
New Sorrow rises as the Day returns,
A Sister fickens, or a Daughter mourns.
Now kindred Merit fills the fable Bier,
Now lacerated Friendship claims a Tear.
Year chases Year, Decay pursues Decay,
Still drops fome Joy from with’ring Life away;
New Forms arise, and different Views engage,
Superfluous lags the Vet'ran on the Stage,

Till pitying Nature signs the last Release,
And bids afflicted Worth retire to Peace.

But few there are whom Hours like these await,
Who set unclouded in the Gulphs of Fate.
From Lydia's Monarch should the Search descend,
By Solon caution’d to regard his End,
In Life's last Scene what Prodigies surprise,
Fears of the Brave, and Follies of the Wise?
From Marlb'rough's Eyes the Streams of Dotage flow,
And Swift expires a Driv'ler and a Show.

The (n) teeming Mother, anxious for her Race,
Begs for each Birth the Fortune of a Face:
Yet Vane could tell what Ills from Beauty spring ;
And Sedley curs’d the Form that pleas'd a King.
Ye Nymphs of rosy Lips and radiant Eyes, .
Whom Pleasure keeps too busy to be wise, .
Whom Joys with soft Varieties invite,
By Day the Frolick, and the Dance by Night,
Who frown with Vanity, who smile with Art,
And ask the latest Fashion of the Heart,
What Care, what Rules your heedless Charms shall

save,
Each Nymph your Rival, and each Youth your Slave?
Against your Fame with Fondness Hate combines,
The Rival batters, and the Lover mines.
With distant Voice neglected Virtue calls,
Less heard and-less, the faint Remonstrance falls ;
Tir'd with Contempt, she quits the flip’ry Reign,
And Pride and Prudence take her Seat in vain.
In crowd at once, where none the Pass defend,
The harmless Freedom, and the private Friend.
The Guardians yield, by Force superior ply'd ;
By Int'rest, Prudence; and by Flattery, Pride.
Now Beauty falls betray’d, despis’d, distress’d,
And hilling Infamy proclaims the rest.

(n) Ver. 289-345.

VOL. II.

Where Where (c) then shall Hope and Fear their Objects

find? Must dull Suspence corrupt the stagnant Mind? Must helpless Man, in Ignorance sedate, Roll darkling down the Torrent of his Fate? Must no Dislike alarm, no Wishes rise, No Cries attempt the Mercies of the Skies? Enquirer, cease; Petitions yet remain, Which Heav'n may hear, nor deem Religion vain. Still raise for Good the fupplicating Voice, But leave to Heav’n the Measure and the Choice. Safe in his Pow'r, whose Eyes discern afar The secret Ambush of a specious Pray’r. Implore his Aid, in his Decisions rest, Secure whate'er he gives, he gives the best. Yet when the sense of facred Presence fires, And strong Devotion to the Skies aspires, Pour forth thy Fervours for a healthful Mind, Obedient Passions and a Will resign'd; For Love, which scarce collective Man can fill; For Patience Sov'reign o'er transmuted Ill ; For Faith, that panting for a happier Seat, Counts Death kind Nature's Signal of Retreat : These Goods for Man the Laws of Heav'n ordain,, These Goods he grants, who grants the Pow'r to

gain ; With these celestial Wisdom calms the Mind, And makes the Happiness she does not find.

(0) Ver. 346-366

THE

THE

BATTLE OF THE WIGS:

IN THREE PART S.

Dabiturque LICENTIA sumpta pudenter - Hor.

WRITTEN IN THE YEAR 1768.

To THE READ E R..

THOUGH the Writer of the following little

1 Piece has chosen to call it An Additional Canto 10 Dr. Garth's Poem of the Dispensary, he by no Mean's pretends to aspire to an Imitation of that Work, much less would he presume to affect a Rivalship with the ingenious Author. The Subject being in some Measure similar, he was induced to make Use of this Title.

The Disputes, at present sublisting between the Fellows and Licentiates of the College of Physicians, concerning their respective Rights, seemed to be no improper Topic for an innocent Laugh. Nothing that should in the least offend any Individual, is intended by it. No Character is designed to be perfonally pointed out. As to the common Sarcasm,

The Killing of Numbers of Patients,' says Dr. Garth, 'is so trite a Piece of Raillery, that it ought

not to make any Impression.'

It is difficult, and perhaps in fome Degree presumptuous, to attempt following, in a confined Walk, the Steps of any Author of Eminence. If Y2