Learn from the beasts the physic of the field.
And little eagles wave their wings in gold.
Live like yourself, was soon my lady’s word, And lo! two puddings smok’d upon the board.
But just disease to luxury succeeds, And ev’ry death its own avenger breeds.
Heav’n first taught letters for some wretch’s aid, Some banish’d lover, or some captive maid.
Of darkness visible so much be lent, as half to show, half veil, the deep intent.
Of fight or fly, This choice is left ye, to resist or die.
No silver saints, by dying misers giv’n, Here brib’d the rage of ill-requited heav’n; But such plain roofs as Piety could raise, And only vocal with the Maker’s praise.
Others import yet nobler arts from France, Teach kings to fiddle, and make senates dance.
Reason, however able, cool at best, Cares not for service, or but serves when prest, Stays till we call, and then not often near.
Who finds not Providence all good and wise, Alike in what it gives, and what denies.
Destroy all creatures for thy sport or gust, Yet cry, if man’s unhappy, God’s unjust.
In pride, in reas’ning pride, our error lies; All quit their sphere and rush into the skies. Pride still is aiming at the bless’d abodes, Men would be angels, angels would be gods.
If I am right, Thy grace impart Still in the right to stay; If I am wrong, O, teach my heart To find that better way!
Then from the Mint walks forth the man of rhyme, Happy to catch me, just at dinner-time.
There should be, methinks, as little merit in loving a woman for her beauty as in loving a man for his prosperity; both being equally subject to change.
Pleasure, or wrong or rightly understood, Our greatest evil, or our greatest good.
To the Elysian shades dismiss my soul, where no carnation fades.
Monuments, like men, submit to fate.
The laughers are a majority.