Imagens da página
PDF
ePub
[ocr errors]

tions. He died in Scotland in 1731, aged 62. The Populace at his Funeral rais'd a great Riot, almoft tore the Body out of the Coffin, and caft dead Dogs, &c. into the Grave along with it. The following Epitaph contains his Character very juftly drawn by Dr. Arbuthnot.

HERE continueth to rot

A

The Body of FRANCIS CHARTRES,
Who with an Inflexible Conftancy, and
Inimitable Uniformity of Life,
Perfifted,

A

In fpite of Age and Infirmities,

In the Practice of Every Humane Vice;
Excepting Prodigality and Hypocrify

His infatiable Avarice exempted him from the firft,
His matchlefs Impudence from, the fecond.

[ocr errors]

Nor was he more fingular in the un-deviating Pravity Of his Manners, than fuccefsful in

Accumulating Wealth,

For, without Trade or Profeffion,

[ocr errors]

Without Trust of Publick Money, má
And without Bribe-worthy Service, prisi
He acquir'd, or more properly created,
A Ministerial Estate:

He was the only Perfon of his Time,
Who cou'd Cheat without the Mask of Honesty,
Retain his Primæval Meannefs when poffefs'd of
Ten Thoufand a Year,

And having daily deferv'd the Gibbet for what he did, Was at laft condemn'd to it for what he could hot do

Oh Indignant

eader!

Think not his Life Ufelefs to Mankind!
Providence conniv'd at his execrable Defigns,
To give to After-Ages a confpicuous

Proof

sor Proof and Example,

Of show fmall Eftimation is Exorbitant Wealth in the Sight of GOD, by his beftowing it on The most Unworthy of all Mortals.

This Gentleman was worth feven thousand Pounds a Year in Land, and about one hundred thousand in Money.

[blocks in formation]

Mr. WATERS, the third of thefe Worthies, was a Man no Way resembling the former in his military, but extremely fo in his civil Capacity; his great Fortune having been rais'd by the like diligent Attendance on the Neceffities of others. But this Gentleman's Hiftory muft be deferred for a Time, when his Worth may be known more certainly

[ocr errors]

Our Author thinks many Iconveniencies have a tofe from the Invention of Money, which could not have poffibly been, if there was no Conveyance of Property in fuch fmall Compafs; tho' this we think no Argument, as long as it can be transferr❜d by Acknowledgements, and fmall Pieces of Paper, which he fenfible of, immediately confeffes ::

[ocr errors]

ΤΟ

His Grace will game: To White's a Bull be led, With fpurning Heels, and with a butting Head; To White's be carry'd, as to antient Games, Fair Courfers, Vafes, and alluring Dames Shall then Uxoria, if the Stakes he sweep,

Bear home fix Whores, and make his Lady weep?A
Or foft Adonis, fo perfum'd and fine,

Drive to St. James's a whole Herd of Swine?
Oh filthy Check on all industrious Skill,

[ocr errors]

To fpoil the Nation's laft great Trade, Quadrille!

T Once,

*.

Once, we confess, beneath the Patriot's Cloak, From the crack'd Bag the dropping Guinea fpoke, And jingling down the Back-ftairs, told the Crew "Old Cato is as great a Rogue as you." Bleft Paper-credit! that advanc'd fo high, Now lends Corruption lighter Wings to fly! Gold, imp'd with this, can compafs hardeft Things, Can pocket States, or fetch or carry Kings to craz A fingle Leaf can waft an Army o'er, oldala di Or fhip off Senates to fome diftant Shore doch A Leaf like Sybil's fcatters to and from a Our Fates and Fortunes as the Wind shall blow; Pregnant with Thoufands fits the Scrap unfeen, And filent fells a King, or buys a Queen.);

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

Jo Mr. Pope knew well how to enjoy the Fortune he was-bloft with, the foberer Pleafures were thofe he only dar'd aim at, his Conftitution did not permit him to run into Exceffes, nor his Inclination lead him to it; he thought himself rich, nay, he thought there was no Poverty where there was I Health, Peace, and Competence; he had a charitable Tendernes for the Diftrefs of Poverry, and reproaches in this Poem all hard Hearts, and thofe who fix an Odium SVEN iW bus, abo¶‚mstrb¶ oda

Won

on it

[ocr errors]

Bond damns the Poor, and hates them from his The grave Sir Gilbert holds it for a Rule, [Heart: That every Man in Want is Knave or Fool: II sil basado 119 tiWon God -x) I - od oli ai roid v movis en riving to Li

This is wtrue Story which happened in the Reign of King William H to an unfufpected old Patriot, who coming out at the Back+Door from having been closeted by the King, where he had receiv'd a large Bag of Gui neas, the bursting of the Bag difcover'd his Bufines there.

*

şu God cannot love (fays Blunts with lifted Eyes). The Wretch he ftarves"

and piously denies : But Rev'rend S**n with a fofter Air, Admits, and leaves them Providence's Care.

In the Year 1730, a Corporation was establish'd to lend Money to the Poor upon Pledges,' by the Name of the Charitable Corporation. It was under the Direction of the Right Honourable Sir R. S. Sir Arch. Grant, Mr. Dennis Bond, Mr. Burroughs, &c. But the Whole wás turn'd only to an iniquitous Method of enriching particular People, to the Ruin of fuch Numbers, that it became a parliamentary Concern to endeavour the Relief of those unhappy Sufferers, and three of the Managers, who were Members of the Houfe, were expelld. That God Holy bates the Poor, and That every Man in Want is Knave or Fool, &c. were the general Apothegms of fome of the Perfons here mention'd.

[ocr errors]

01

110

Such Perfons as thefe are perfectly detestable, and who is there that would not prefer the moft extreme Poverty, before Riches, and fuch a contemptible and indigent Mind How many great Philofophers, how many admirable Painters, Poets, and Wits, have been poor? How many reputed Saints, and holy Men and Women? How many have embrac❜d a voluntary Poverty rather than fell their Innocence and Honefty to Courts or Colleges And it is recommended in Holy Writ as a great Bleffing, and the Means of arriving at Heaven, which is faid to be extremely difficult for the Rich, and safer fora Camel to pafs through the Eye of a Needle. Is it not ftrange, that in a Country profeffing Christianity and Reformation, there fhould be any fuch unpurg'd and fordid Spirits volls &

But

But think not Reader that there are many fuch abominable human Brutes: Let us take our Eyes off those blafphemous Mifers, and turn to a Character which we have read with Pleasure more than an hundred Times:

But all our Praises why fhould Lords engross?
Rife honest Muse! and fing the * Man of Ross:
Pleas'd Vaga ecchoes thro' her winding Bounds,
And rapid Severn hoarfe Applaufe refounds,
Who hung with Woods yon Mountain's fultry Brow?
From the dry Rock who made the Waters How?
Not to the Skies in ufelefs Columns toft,
Or in proud Falls magnificently loft,

But clear and artlefs, pouring through the Plain
Health to the Sick, and Solace to the Swain.
Whofe Caufe-way parts the Vale with fhady Rows?
Whofe Seats the weary Traveller repofe?
Who taught that Heav'n directed Spires to rife?"
The Man of Ross, each lifping Babe replies.
Behold the Market-place with Poor oe'rfpread !
The Man of Ross divides the weekly Bread:
He feeds yon Alms-house neat, but void of State,
Where Age and Want fit fmiling at the Gate:
Him portion'd Maids, apprentic'd Orphans bleft,
The Young who labour, and the Old who reft,
Is any fick? the Man of Ross relieves,

Prefcribes, attends, the Med'cine makes, and gives
VOL. II,

F

The Perfon here celebrated, who with a small Eftate actually perform'd all thefe good Works, and whose true Name was almost loft (partly by the Title of the Man of Refs given him by Way of Eminence, and partly by being buried without fo much as an Infcription) was call'd Mr. John Kyrle. He died in the Year 1724, aged 90, and lie interr'd in the Chancel of the Church of Rofi in Herefordshire

« AnteriorContinuar »