Straight they reply, What I have faid is true,
And I'll defend it against him and you;
And if he still dares fay 'tis not, I'll die,

Rather than not maintain he says a' Lie.
Now, would you fee from whence these heats arise,
And where th' important contradiction lies;
'Tis but to know, if, when a Client's preft,
Sawyer or Williams pleads his Cause the best:
Or if to Windfor he most minutes gains,

Who goes by Colebrook, or who goes by Stains;
Who spends his Wealth in Pleasure, and at Play,
And yet affects to be well cloath'd and gay,
And comes to want; and yet dreads nothing more,
Than to be thought neceffitous and poor:
Him his rich Kinsman is afraid to fee,
Shuns like a Burthen to the Family;

And rails at vices, which have made him poor,
Though he himself perhaps hath many more:
Or tells him wifely, Cousin have a care,
And your Expences with your Rents compare;
Since you inherit but a fmall Estate,
Your Pleasures, Coufin, must be moderate.
I know, you think to huff, and live like me,
Coufin, my Wealth fupports my Vanity.

But

But they, who've Wit, and not Estate enough, Must cut their Coat according to their Stuff; Therefore forbear t'affect Equality,

Forget you've such a foolish Friend as me.

There was a Courtier, who to punish thofe,
Who, though below him, he believed his Foes;
And more effectually to vent his rage,
Sent them fine Cloaths and a new Equipage;
For then the foolish Sparks couragious grown,
Set up for roaring Bully's of the Town;
Must go to Plays, and in the Boxes fit,
Then to a Whore, and live like Men of Wit;
'Till at the last, their Coach and Horses spent,
Their Cloaths grown dirty, and their Ribbons rent:
Their Fortune chang'd, their Appetite the fame,
And 'tis too late their Follies to reclaim.
They must turn Porters, or in Taverns wait,
And buy their Pleafures at a cheaper rate;
And 'midst their dirty Mistresses and Wives,
Lead out the rest of their mistaken Lives,
Never be too inquifitive to find

The hidden Secrets of another's Mind,

For when you've torn one Secret from his Breast, You run great risque of loofing all the rest;

And if he should unimportun'd impart

His fecret Thoughts, and trust you with his Heart,

Let not your drinking, anger, pride or luft,
Ever invite you to betray the trust.
First never praise your own designs, and then
Ne're leffen the defigns of other Men;
Nor when a Friend invites you any where,
To fett a Partridge, or to chase a Hare,
Beg he'd excufe you for this once, and fay,
You must go home, and study all the day.
So 'twas that once Amphion jealous grown,
That Zethus loy'd no Pleafures but his own;
Was forced to give his Brother's friendship o're,
Or to refolve to touch his Lyre no more;
He chofe the fafeft and the wifest way,
And to oblige his Brother, left his Play.

Do you
the fame, and for the felf fame end,
Obey your civil importuning Friend;
And when he leads his Dogs into the Plain,
Quit your untimely labours of the Brain,
And leave your serious Studies, that you may
Sup with an equal pleasure on the Prey.
Hunting's an old and honourable sport,
Lov'd in the Country, and esteem'd at Court;

Healthful

Healthful to th' Body, pleasing to the Eye,
And practis'd by our old Nobility:
Who fee you love the Pleasures they admire,
Will equally approve what you defire;
Such Condescention will more Friendship gain,
Than the best Rules which your wife Books contain.
Talk not of others Lives, or have a care

Of whom you talk, to whom, and what, and where,
For you
don't only wound the Man you blame,
But all Mankind; who will expect the fame.
Shun all inquifitive and curious Men,
For what they hear they will relate again;
And he who hath impatient craving Ears,
Hath a loose Tongue to utter all he hears;
(fram'd,
And Words, like th' moving Air of which they're
When once let loofe, can never be reclaim'd.
Where you've access to a rich pow'rful Man,
Govern your Mind with all the care you can;
And be not by your foolish Lust betray'd,
To court his Coufin, or debauch his Maid:
Leaft with a little Portion, and the pride
Of being to the Family ally'd,

He gives you either; with which bounty bleft,
You must quit all pretentions to the reft;

Or left, incens'd at your Attempt, and griev'd
You should abuse the kindness you receiv'd;
He coldly thwarts your impotent defire,
'Till you at last chufe rather to retire,
Than tempt his Anger any more; and fo
Lose a great Patron, and a Mistress too.
Next have a care, what Men

you recommend
To th' service or esteem of your rich Friend;
Left for his Service or Efteem unfit,
They load

you with the faults which they commit, But as the wifeft Men with all their skill

fee

May be deceiv'd, and place their Friendship ill:
So when
you fee you've err'd, you must refuse
To defend those whom their own Crimes accufe.
But if through envy of malicious Men
They be accu'sd, you must protect them then,
And plead their Cause your felf; for when you
Him you commend, attack'd with infamy,
Know that 'tis you they hate, when him they blame;
Him they have wounded, but at you they aim;
And when your Neighbour's Houfe is fet on Fire,
You must his Safety as your own conspire.
Such hidden Fires, though in the Suburbs caft,
Neglected, may confume the Town at last.

They