There, victor of his health, of fortune, friends, And fame, this lord of useless thousands ends! His grace's fate sage Cutler could foresee, And well (he thought) advised him, ‘Live like me.' As well his grace replied, Like you, Sir John? That I can do when all I have is gone!' Resolve me, Reason, which of these is worse, Virtue! and wealth! what are ye but a name?' A plain good man, and Balaam was his name; Constant at church and 'Change; his gains were sure; His givings rare, save farthings to the poor. The devil was piqued such saintship to behold, And long'd to tempt him like good Job of old; But Satan now is wiser than of yore, And tempts by making rich, not making poor. An honest factor stole a gem away : He pledged it to the knight; the knight had wit, So kept the diamond, and the rogue was bit. Some scruple rose, but thus he eased his thought; I'll now give sixpence where I gave a groat; Where once I went to church I'll now go twiceAnd am so clear too of all other vice.' The tempter saw his time; the work he plied; Stocks and subscriptions pour on every side, Till all the demon makes his full descent In one abundant shower 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. Things change their titles as our manners turn : His counting-house employ'd the Sunday morn: Seldom at church ('twas such a busy life) There (so the devil ordain'd) one Christmas-tide A nymph of quality admires our knight; In Britain's senate he a seat obtains, 1 EPISTLE IV. To Richard Boyle, Earl of Burlington. OF THE USE OF RICHES. Argument. The vanity of expense in people of wealth and quality. The abuse of the word taste.-That the first principle and foundation in this, as in every thing else, is good sense.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.--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 but be perverted into something burdensome and ridiculous.-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. And the second, either in joining together parts incoherent, or too minutely resembling, or in the repetition of the same too frequently.-A word or two of false taste in books, in music, in painting, even in preaching and prayer, and lastly in entertainments.-Yet Providence is justified in giving wealth to be squandered in this manner, since it is dispersed to the poor and laborious part of mankind. [Recurring to what is laid down in the first book, ep. ii. and in the epistle preceding this.]-What are the proper objects of magnificence, and a proper field for the expense of great men.-And, finally, the great and public works which become a prince. 'Tis strange the miser should his cares employ Not for himself he sees, or hears, or eats; For what has Virro painted, built, and planted? You show us Rome was glorious, not profuse, And pompous buildings once were things of use; Yet shall, my lord, your just, your noble rules, Fill half the land with imitating fools; Who random drawings from your sheets shall take; That, laced with bits of rustic, makes a front; Shall call the winds through long arcades to roar, Conscious they act a true Palladian part, |