Some scruple rose, but thus he eas'd his thought, 370 The Tempter saw his time; the work he ply'd; Stocks and Subscriptions pour on ev'ry side, Till all the Demon makes his full descent In one abundant show'r of Cent per Cent, Sinks deep within him, and possesses whole, Then dubs Director, and secures his soul. Behold Sir Balaam, now a man of spirit, Ascribes his gettings to his parts and merit; What late he call'd a Blessing, now was Wit, And God's good Providence, a lucky Hit. NOTES. 375 Ver. 377. What late he call'd a Blessing, now was Wit, &c.] This is an admirable picture of human nature: In the entrance into life, all, but coxcombs-born, are modest; and esteem the favours of their superiors as marks of their benevolence: but if these favours happen to increase; then, instead of advancing in gratitude to our benefactors, we only improve in the good opinion of ourselves; and the constant returns of such favours make us consider them no longer as accommodations to our wants, or the hire of our service, but debts due to our merit: yet, at the same time, to do justice to our common nature, we should observe, that this does not proceed so often from downright vice as is imagined, but frequently from mere infirmity; of which the reason is evident; for, having small knowledge, and yet an excessive opinion of ourselves, we estimate our merit by the passions and caprice of others; and this perhaps would not be so much amiss, were we not apt to take their favours for a declaration of their sense of our merits. How often, for instance, has it been seen, in the three learned professions, that a Man, who, had he continued in his primeval meanness, would have circumscribed his knowledge within the modest limits of Socrates; yet, being pushed up, as the phrase is, has felt himself growing into a Hooker, a Hales, or a Sydenham; while, in the rapidity of his course, he Things change their titles, as our manners turn: But duly sent his family and wife. There (so the Dev'l ordain'd) one Christmas-tide 381 A Nymph of Quality admires our Knight; 385 Who drinks, whores, fights, and in a duel dies: 390 395 In Britain's Senate he a seat obtains, 400 NOTES. imagined he saw, at every new station, a new door of science opening to him, without so much as staying for a Flatterer to let him in! Ver. 394. And one more Pensioner St. Stephen gains.] W. Juv. The Devil and the King divide the Prize, NOTES. Ver. 401. The Devil and the King divide the Prize,] This is to be understood in a very sober and decent sense; as a Satire only on such Ministers of State (which history informs us have been found) who aided the Devil in his temptations, in order to foment, if not to make, Plots for the sake of confiscations. So sure always, and just, is our Author's satire, even in those places where he seems most to have indulged himself only in an elegant badinage. But this Satire on the abuse of the general laws of forfeiture for hightreason, which laws all well-policied communities have found necessary, is by no means to be understood as a reflection on the Laws themselves; whose necessity, equity, and even lenity, have been excellently well vindicated in that very learned and elegant Discourse, entitled, Some Considerations on the Law of Forfeiture for High-Treason. Third Edition, London, 1748. W. Methinks it was better in the former Editions, because shorter : Ver. 402. curses God] Alluding to the second chapter of the Book of Job; on which passage Warburton made (Divine Legation, Book vi.) the following remarkable observation: “The wife of Job acts a small part in this drama, but a very spirited Then said his wife unto him, 'Dost thou still retain thy integrity? Curse God and die.' Tender and pious! He might see by this prelude of his spouse, what he was to expect from his friends. The Devil, indeed, assaulted Job, but he seems to have got possession of his wife." p. 261. one. EPISTLE IV. ΤΟ RICHARD BOYLE, EARL OF BURLINGTON. ARGUMENT. Of the Use of RICHES. THE Vanity of Expense in People of Wealth and Quality. The abuse of the Word Taste, Ver. 13. That the first Principle and foundation in this, as in every thing else, is Good Sense, Ver. 40. The chief proof of it is to follow Nature, even in works of mere Luxury and Elegance. Instanced in Architecture and Gardening, where all must be adapted to the Genius and Use of the Place, and the Beauties not forced into it, but resulting from it, Ver. 50. How men are disappointed in their most expensive undertakings, for want of this true Foundation, without which nothing can please long, if at all; and the best Examples and Rules will be but perverted into something burdensome and ridiculous, Ver. 65, &c. to 92. A description of the false Taste of Magnificence; the first grand Error of which is to imagine that Greatness consists in the Size and Dimension, instead of the Proportion and Harmony, of the whole, Ver. 97. and the second, either in joining together Parts incoherent, or too minutely resembling, or in the Repetition of the same too frequently, Ver. 105, &c. A word or two of false Taste in Books, in Music, in Painting, even in Preaching and Prayer, and lastly in Entertainments, Ver. 133, &c. Yet PROVIDENCE is justified in giving Wealth to be squandred in this manner, since it is dispersed to the Poor and laborious part of mankind, Ver. 169. [recurring to what is laid down in the first book, Ep. ii. and in the Epistle preceding this, Ver. 159, &c.] What are the proper Objects of Magnificence, and a proper field for the Expense of Great Men, Ver. 177, &c. and finally the Great and public Works which become a Prince, Ver. 191 to the end. |