The soldier views her in the shining blade;
The pedant 'midst the lumber in his head.
She to fell Treason the disguise can lend,
And sheath her sword remorseless in a friend:
Her throne's fantastic pride, we often see
Rear'd on the tombs of Truth and Honesty;
Fops, templars, courtiers, slaves, cheats, patriots, all
Pretend to hear, and to obey her call.
Where fix we then?-Each boasting thus his own, Say, does true Honor dwell with all, or none? 20
The truth, my Lord, is clear: though impious pride
Be ever self-ador'd, self-deify'd;
Though fools by passion or self-love betray'd,
Fall down and worship what themselves have made;
Still does the Goddess, in her form divine,
O'er each grim idol eminently shine;
Array'd in lasting majesty, is known
Through every clime and age, unchang'd, and one.
But how explor'd?-Take Reason for your guide, Discard self-love; set passion's glass aside; Nor view her with the jaundic'd eye of pride. Yet judge not rashly from a partial view Of what is wrong or right, or false or true; Objects too near deceive th' observer's eye; Examine those which at a distance lie. Scarce is the structure's harmony descry'd
'Midst the tall column's, and gay order's pride;
But tow'rd the destin'd point your sight remove,
And this shall lessen still, and that improve,
New beauties gain upon your wond'ring eyes,
And the fair Whole in just proportion rise.
Thus Honor's true proportions best are seen,
Where the due length of ages lies between :
This separates pride from greatness, show from
worth,
Detects false beauty, real grace calls forth; —
Points out what merits praise, what merits blame,
Sinks in disgrace, or rises into fame.
Come then, from past examples let us prove What raises hate, contempt, esteem, or love.
Can greatness give true Honor? can expence? Can luxury? or can magnificence?
Wild is the purpose, and the fruitless aim,
Like a vile prostitute to bribe fair Fame;
Persuasive splendor vainly tempts her ear,
And e'en all-potent gold is baffled here.
Ye pyramids, that once could threat the skies,
Aspiring tow❜rs, and cloud-wrapt wonders, rise!
To latest age your founder's pride proclaim;
Record the tyrant's greatness; tell his name;
No more:-The treacherous brick and mould'ring b
Are sunk in dust: the boasting title gone;
Pride's trophies swept by Time's devouring flood;
Th' inscription want, to tell where once they stood.
But could they rival Nature, Time defy,
Yet what record but Vice or Vanity?
His the true glory, though his name unknown,
Who taught the arch to swell; to rise, the stone;
Not his, whose wild command fair art obey'd,
Whilst folly dictated, or passion sway'd.
No: spite of greatness, pride and vice are seen, seen, Shameful in pomp, conspicuously mean.
In vain, O Studley, thy proud forests spread; In vain each gilded turret rears its head;
In vain thy lord commands the streams to fall, Extends the view, and spreads the smooth canal,☛ While guilt's black train each conscious walk in
And cries of orphans haunt him in the shade.
Mistaken man! by crimes to hope for fame!
Thy imag'd glory leads to real shame :
Is villany self-hated? thus to raise
Upbraiding monuments of foul disgrace ?
Succeeding times, and ages yet unborn,
Shall view the guilty scenes with honest scorn;
Disdain each beauty thy proud folly plann'd,
And curse the labors of oppression's hand.
Next view the Hero in th' embattled field; True Honor's fruit can conquest's laurel yield ?
Him only honor'd, only lov’d we find,
Who fights not to destroy, but save mankind:
PELIDES' fury may our wonder move,
But god-like HECTOR is the man we love.
See WILLIAM'S sword a tyrant's pride disarm;
See LEWIS trembling under MARLB'RO's arm:
Say, which to human kind are friends or foes;
And who detests not These, and loves not Those? -
Conquest unjust can ne'er command applause;
'Tis not the vict'ry charms you, but the cause:
Not Caesar's self can feign the patriot's part,
Nor his false virtues hide his poison'd heart:
But round thy brows the willing laurels twine,
Whose voice wak'd Freedom in the savage mine!
Yes truly glorious, only great is he,
Who conquers, or who bleeds for liberty.
"Heroes are much the same, the point's agreed,
"From Macedonia's madman to the Swede."
Like baleful comets flaming in the skies,
At destin❜d times th' appointed scourges rise;
Awhile in streaming lustre sweep along,
And fix in wonder's gaze th' admiring throng;
But Reason's eye detects the spurious ray,
And the false blaze of glory dies way.
Now all th' aerial cells of wit explore; The mazy rounds of science travel o'er ; Search all the deep recesses of the mind, And see, if there true Honor sit enshrin'd.
Alas, nor wit nor science this can boast,
Oft' dash'd with error, oft' in caprice lost!
Transient as bright the short-liv'd bubbles fly! ←
And modes of wit, and modes of science die.
See Rab'lais once the idol of the age;
Yet now neglected lies the smutted page !
Of once renown'd Des Cartes how low the fall,-
His glory with his whirlpools vanish all!
See folly, wit-and weakness, wisdom stain,—
And Villars witty-Bacon wise in vain!
Oft' vice corrupts what sense and parts refine,
And clouds the splendor of the brightest line,
Sullies what Congreve, and what Dryden writ,--
This, fashion's slave: as that, the slave of wit.
In vain fair Genius bids the laurel shoot, 130
The deadly worm thus eating at the root :
Corroded thus, the greenest wreaths decay,
And all the poet's honors fall away;
Quick as autumnal leaves, the laurels fade,
And drop on Rochester's and Otway's head.
Where then is found TRUE HONOR, heavenly
Ask LONSDALE, ask your heart-she dictates there.
The lasting honor, and bid glory live:
On Virtue's basis only fame can rise,
To stand the storms of age, and reach the skies:
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