Would fix his fortune in some little place.
Thus better than myself, it seems, he knows,
How far my interest with my patron goes;
And answering all objections I can make,
Still plunges deeper in his dear mistake.

From this wild fancy, Sir, there may proceed
One wilder yet, which I foresee and dread;
That I, in fact, a real interest have,
Which to my own advantage I would save,
And, with the usual courtier's trick, intend
To serve myself, forgetful of my friend.

To shun this censure, I all shame lay by,
And make my reason with his will comply;
Hoping for my excuse, 'twill be confess'd,
That of two evils I have chose the least.
So, Sir, with this epistolary scroll,
Receive the partner of my inmost soul:
Him you will find in letters, and in laws
Not unexpert, firm to his country's cause,
Warm in the glorious interest you pursue,
And, in one word, a good man and a true.

10

20

TO MR. HARLEY, WOUNDED BY

GUISCARD.* 1711.

ab ipso

Ducit opes animumque ferro. HOR.

N one great now, superior to an age, The full extremes of Nature's force we find:

25

How heavenly virtue can exalt; or rage Infernal, how degrade the human mind.

While the fierce monk does at his trial stand,
He chews revenge, abjuring his offence:
Guile in his tongue, and murder in his hand,
He stabs his judge to prove his innocence.

The guilty stroke and torture of the steel

Infix'd, our dauntless Briton scarce perceives: 10

* Antoine de Guiscard had been Abbot of Borly, near the Cevennes in France, but being of a vicious and profligate disposition, he committed offences which obliged him to fly from his country. He afterwards entered into the army, and was made colonel of a regiment of horse, and lieutenant-general, with pensions both from England and Holland. He afterwards, to make his peace with France, became a spy on the English court, was discovered, and taken before the council to be examined, when in a fit of madness and despair he stabbed Mr. Harley with a penknife which he had secreted. He was immediately secured, but died in Newgate a few days after, of some wounds he received in the scuffle. A very particular account of this transaction by Dean Swift and Mrs. Manley is printed in the Supplement to the Dean's works.

The wounds his country from his death must feel,
The patriot views; for those alone he grieves.

The barbarous rage that durst attempt thy life,
Harley, great counsellor, extends thy fame:
And the sharp point of cruel Guiscard's knife,
In brass and marble carves thy deathless name.

Faithful assertor of thy country's cause,

Britain with tears shall bathe thy glorious wound: She for thy safety shall enlarge her laws,

And in her statutes shall thy worth be found. 20

Yet midst her sighs she trium s ›n the hand
Reflecting, that diffus'd thu ic woe;
ier land:

A stranger to her altars, an

No son of hers could me

ate this blow.

Meantime thy pain is gracious Anna's care:
Our queen, our saint, with sacrificing breath,
Softens thy anguish in her powerful prayer
She pleads thy service, and forbids thy death.

:

Great as thou art, thou canst demand no more,

O breast bewail'd by earth, preserv'd by heaven! No higher can aspiring virtue soar :

Enough to thee of grief, and fame is given.

31

AN EXTEMPORE INVITATION

TO THE EARL OF OXFORD, LORD HIGH TREASURER,

MDCCXII.

MY LORD,

UR weekly friends to-morrow meet
At Matthew's palace, in Duke-street,
To try for once, if they can dine
On bacon-ham, and mutton-chine.

If wearied with the great affairs,
Which Brita t sts to Harley's cares,

Thou, humble st.

sman, mayst descend,

nt to unbend,

Thy mind one moi

To see thy servant

om his soul

Crown with thy health the sprightly bowl:
Among the guests, which e'er my house
Receiv'd, it never can produce
Of honour a more glorious proof-
Though Dorset us'd to bless the roof.

END OF VOL. I.

10

CHISWICK PRESS-PRINTED BY WHITTINGHAM AND WILKINS,

TOOKS COURT, CHANCERY LANE.