Moral and political dialogues: with Letters on chivalry and romance, Volume 1

Long work perhaps may spoil thy colours quite. Bat never will reduce the native white;

To all the ports of honour and of gain,

I often steer my course in vain,
Thy gale comes cross, and drives me back again.
Thou slack'nest all my nerves of industry,

By making them so oft to be
The tinkling strings of thy loose minstrelsie.
Whoever this world's happiness would fee,
Must as entirely cast off thee,

As they who only heaven desire,

Do from the world retire. This was my error, this my gross mistake, Myself a demy-votary to make, Thus with Sapphira, and her husband's fate, (A fault which I like them am taught too late) For all that I gave up, 1 nothing gain, And peristi for the part which I retain.

VIII.

Teach me not then, O thou fallacious Muse,

The court, and better king, t* accuse; The heaven under which I live is fair; The fertile foil will a full harvest bear; Thine, thine is all the barrenness; if thou Mak'st me sit still and sing, when I should plough;

When

When I but think, how many a tedious year
Our patient sov'reign did attend
His long misfortunes fatal end;

How chearfully; and how exempt from fear,

On the Great Sovereign's will he did depend,

I ought to be accurst, if I refuse

Too wait on his, O thou fallacious Muse!

Kings have long hands (they fay) and though
I be

So distant, they may reach at length to me.
However, of all princes, thou

Should'st not reproach rewards for being small or flow;

Thou, who rewardest but with popular breath, And that too after death.

DIALOGUE IIL

On the Age of Queen Elizabeth.

MR. DIGBY, DR. ARBtTTHNOT, MR. ADDISON.

IT happened, in the summer of the year 1716, that Dr. Arbuthnot and Mr. Addison had occasion to take a journey together into Warwick/hire. Mr. Digbv, who had received intelligence of their motions, and was then at Colejhill, contrived to give them the meeting at Warwick; where they intended to pass a day or two, in visiting the curiosities of that fine town, and the more remarkable of thoie remains of antiquity that are to be seen in its neighbourhood. These were matter of high entertainment to all of them; to Dr. Arbuthnot, for the pleasure of recollecting the ancient times; • 7 to to Mr. Addison, on account of some political reflexions, he .was fond of indulging on such occasions; and to Mr; Digby, from an ingenuous curiosity, and the love of seeing and observing whatever was most: remarkable, whether in the past ages, or the present.

Amongst other things that amused them, they were much taken with the great church at Warwick. They entertained themselves with the several histories, which it's many old monuments re-called to their memory [/J. The famous inscription of Sir Fulk Grevil occasioned some reflexions; especially to Mr. Digby, who had used to be much affect* ed with the fame and fortunes of the accomplished Sir Philip Sidney. The glory of the house of Warwick was, also, an ample sield of medication. But

[f] For the account of these Monuments, and of KetuIiworth-Caftlet see the plans and descriptions of

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