[17] Some mighty Blusterers Impeach with noise,
And call their Private Cry, the Nation's Voice;
[18] From Folio's of Accounts they take their handles,
And the whole Ballance proves a pound of Candles;
As if Paul's Cupola were brought to bed,
After hard Labour, of a small Pin's Head.
[19] Some Rufus, [xxvi] some the Conqueror bring in,
And some from Julius Cæsar's days begin.
A cunning Speaker can command his chaps,
And when the House is not in humour, stops;
In Falsehood Probability imploys,
Nor his old Lies with newer Lies destroys.
[20] If when you speak, you'd hear a Needle fall,
And make the frequent hear-hims rend the wall,
In matters suited to your Taste engage,
Remembring still your Quality and Age.
Thy task be this, young Knight, and hear my Song
What Politicks to ev'ry Age belong.
[21] When Babes can speak, Babes should be taught to say,
King George the Second's Health, Huzza, Huzza!
Boys should learn Latin for Prince William's [xxvii] sake,
And Girls Louisa their Example make.
[22] More loves the Youth, just come to his Estate,
To range the fields, than in the House debate;
More he delights in fav'rite Jowler's Tongue,
Than in Will Shippen, or Sir William Yong: [xxviii]
If in one Chase he can two Horses kill,
He cares not twopence for the Land-Tax Bill:
Loud in his Wine, in Women not o'er nice,
He damns his Uncles if they give advice;
Votes as his Father did, when there's a Call,
But had much rather, never Vote at all.
[23] We take a diff'rent Turn at Twenty-six,
And lofty thoughts on some Lord's Daughter fix;
With Men in Pow'r strict Friendship we persue,
With some considerable Post in view.
A Man of Forty fears to change his Note,
One way to Speak, and t'other way to Vote;
Careful his Tongue in Passion to command,
Avoids the Bar, and Speaker's Reprimand.
[24] In Bags the Old Man lets his Treasure rust,
Afraid to use it, or the Funds to trust;
When Stocks are low, he wants the heart to buy,
And through much caution sees 'em rise too high;
Thinks nothing rightly done since Seventy-eight,
Swears present Members do not talk, but prate:
In Charles the Second's days, says he, ye Prigs,
Torys were Torys then, and Whigs were Whigs.
Alas! this is a lamentable Truth,
We lose in age, as we advance in youth:
I laugh, when twenty will like eighty talk,
And old Sir John with Polly Peachum walk. [xxix]
[25] Now as to Double, or to False Returns,
When pockets suffer, and when anger burns,
O Thing surpassing faith! Knight strives with Knight,
When both have brib'd, and neither's in the right.
The Bayliff's self is sent for in that case,
And all the Witnesses had face to face.
Selected Members soon the fraud unfold,
In full Committee of the House 'tis told;
Th' incredible Corruption is destroy'd,
The Chairman's angry, and th' Election void.
[26] Those who would captivate the well-bred throng,
Should not too often speak, nor speak too long:
Church, nor Church Matters ever turn to Sport,
Nor make St. Stephen's Chappel, Dover-Court. [xxx]