Should man the ship, direct the helm.

What merchant sends his bark afloat,

Manned by a loose, promiscuous vote

Of those who know nor rope nor chart,

Nor Charles’ Wain from farmer’s cart?

And yet, the nobler Ship of State

We leave to more ignoble fate;

The shuttle-cock of partisans,

Whose breath or mans it or unmans;

And, through base demagogues, inflates