In the straight line of virtue; but the ways
Of men being crooked ways, it will not lead
To honours, titles, dignities, or wealth.

Forsake thy friends; for well the courtier knows That friendship is, like virtue, but a name,

A mere ideal semblance, nothing real.

And above all, assume the patriot's tongue

461

Till you have gain'd your will, which when obtain'd
React the despot; for what is a people?

An ignorant mass made to obey the laws;
'Tis wealth alone is wise and ought to rule.

465

And when you wish to triumph o'er men's rights, Tell them in sounding triplets they are free.、 Then let your preamble be full of words

470

466. made to obey the laws;-See Belskam, vi. p. 13, where a noted bishop is mentioned as declaring; "that speculative and philosophical disquisitions upon the subject of government, though they might be allowed, did more harm than good; but that public discussions of such topics ought to be prevented and that he did not know, in fact, what the mass of the people in any country had to do with the laws but to obey them." Ye Lockes! ye Sidneys! ye Hampdens! ye Franklins! I think I see your noble spirits smiling at the puny effusions of upstart presumption; I think I see your indignation more kindled at the patient apathy of the hearers, than at the daring boldness of the deliverer of such dogmas. But this, alas! is but one small link in that great chain of causes and effects, which are fast leading to the destruction of the British constitution. See a similar sentiment to the bishop's delivered by lord G. Germaine, Debrett, vii. 107.

470. Then let your preamble-That the preamble of a bill has not unfrequently been at variance with its clauses, is a complaint of long standing, in this country. Our best lawyers and statesmen have too often had reason to express their disapprobation at such a proceeding. See the speeches of Dunning, Feb. 17, 1777, Almon's Deb. vi. 239-241. Lord Shelburne, Nov. 10, 1775, ib. v. 68. Sir John Barnard, March 10, 1740, Chandler's Deb. xii. 270.

.

Sweet as Hyblæan honey, when your laws,
Whether enacting, or declaratory,

Are most subversive of the people's rights;
Or otherways, amid some other clauses

Of various import, foist by silent stealth

475

Some dubious clause with latent mischief fraught;
And if the people should in tumult rise,
(For action and reaction equal are,)

Send them to battle 'gainst the friends of man :

Tell them such friends are natural enemies,

480

Who to maintain the blest relations

Of peace and amity are incapable.

And in one period to embrace the whole,

Do as you would not others do to you.'

Thus have I taught, O prince! and my success 485 Has e'en surpass'd my most gigantick hopes;

66

a

474. amid some other clauses, &c.-This is another piece of ministerial dexterity of still longer standing than the one just described. Thus in the Land Tax Bill passed April 1738, clause was fraudulently slipped in to exempt the prince of Wales from paying the sixpence in the pound, called civillist money, which amounted to upwards of 1000l." Chandler's Deb. ix. p. vii. Minutes of the third Session, &c. Under this head may be ranged the various encroachments in the Mutiny Acts. See the speech of Mr. Harley, Feb. 24, 1740-1, Chandler, xii. 141-2. Mr. Thornton in his speech on the Militia Bill, Nov. 1751, says; "I must not however omit to take notice that the militia laws have been spoiled by design, some villanous clauses having been artfully intruded into them, which were previously known to be such as would render them entirely useless." Debrett's Deb. iii. 113. See sir W. Meredith's speech, Jan. 24, 1772, Debrett, vi. 156, and the complaints of Mr. Grey and the M. of Lansdowne concerning the surreptitious clause that repealed the salutary restrictions of the Bank, Belsham, vi. 36-7. 44-5.

All Europe knows it, for it feels my power;
E'en Asia forgets her Mahomet,

And bows the knee to Mammon. But I've fail'd
In one important point; not all my arts

So manifold, and various, can seduce

490

The haughty soul of Chatham; he, proud peer,
Disdains all compromise; his eloquence
Thunders and lightens through the British senate,
And rives their very hearts; not even North
With all his haughtiness and pomp of power,
Not Hillsborough's frown, nor Grenville's potent

tongue

495

499

Can stop the mighty torrent: much I dread
The dire effect; already Rockingham,
With Shelburne, Conway, Saville, Grafton's duke,
Richmond, with Granby, Sawbridge, Dunning, Wray,

497. Grenville's potent tongue-Mr. Grenville was the celebrated author of the measure of taxing America, a measure which the sagacity of a Walpole thought too hazardous to venture upon; but said that “he should leave it to some more daring successor in office to make the experiment." See Belsham, i. 112--118.320.

499. Rockingham, &c.-These patriotic defenders of the rights and liberties of their brethren in America were ably and warmly supported by their compatriots, Dowdeswell, Wilkes, Hartley, Fuller, Luttrell, Johnstone, lords John and George Cavendish, &c. &c. But their efforts were vain, and the consequences were such as must always be expected from the direction of passion and imbecillity. That some of these statesmen afterwards forgot the principles upon which they had acted during the American troubles, is a truth which every honest man must deplore; but it was no part of the poet's duty to omit paying the debt of gratitude to those men whose exertions contributed so largely to the happiness of our transatlantick brethren.

Camden and Barrè, Beckford, Burke, and Fox,
Second the patriot's efforts; and so second,
As when Aurora from the roseate bed
Of her Tithonus rising slow dispels
The vapours of the night; but this be mine
With these replenish'd coffers to forefend.
Ask every Briton what he loves most dear,
He'll tell you Liberty, nor would he lend
One momentary aid to enslave mankind,
Much less his brethren of the self-same blood,
Language, and manners, but that sophistry,
Miscalled eloquence, and Gorgian lore,
Which makes the worse appear the better cause,
Freezes the genuine instinct of his soul:
Forgetting principle, he trusts in men ;
This is his bane; could he but once be taught
To trust men less, and principle love more,
Not all the arts of hell and earth combin'd

505

510

515

509. He'll tell you Liberty," There is (said the duke of Buckingham, Oct. 13, 1675,) a thing called liberty, which, whatsoever some men may think, is that the people of England are fondest of; it is that they will never part with; and is that His Majesty (Car. II.) in his speech has promised us to take a particular care of." Timberland's Lords' Debates, i. 164. True; the people of England never will part with it; it is their birthright; it has descended to them from their Saxon progenitors, and their history will tell its enemies that they have frequently gone very great lengths to preserve it. "God send the prerogative touch not our liberty!" was the exclamation of the people in the time of Elizabeth, which gave such offence to Mr. Secretary Cecil; and perhaps other secretaries would be equally offended were they now to exclaim-God send that corruption destroy not the constitution! Cobbett's Parl. Hist. i. 936. See Belsham, i. 267-8.

Could do him further harm. Britannia too,

That virgin goddess, spurns my proffer'd aid;
She cast a wistful look to western skies,

520

''Tis not my deed,' she cried, and sped her flight To where Gibraltar towers above the clouds, And by her Elliot pours destructive fire

525

530

Upon the astounded foe. Still Mammon's powers
Are not enfeebled; this Columbia knows,
And knowing feels, for all her enemies
Owe not their frail existence but to me.
But now I must return, my coffers fill'd,
Yet with firm hope at time's appointed hour
To meet brave Moloch on the plains of death."
Scarce had he ended, and his prince's eye
Glanc'd approbation, when Azazel tall
Unfurl'd hell's streaming ensign to the sound
Of countless clarions. But no loud acclame,
No universal shout new courage rais'd,

For o'er the fiery surge a sudden blast,

535

Surcharg❜d with sulphurous and with nitrous smoke, Impregnate with inflammable, rush'd forth

With fell impetuosity, and consum'd

540

Instant the imperial streamer. Satan stood
Speechless; and e'en with horrour Moloch gaz'd.
As when some subterranean wind confin'd
In Etna's sulphurous womb sudden expands,
Struggling for birth, and pours whole torrents out
Of liquid lava o'er the fertile plains

Of Sicily; nor mound, nor dam can stop

545