It is the pastour lards the brother's sides,
The want that makes him leave.
Dr. Warburton found the passage already changed thus,
It is the pasture lards the beggar's sides,
The want that makes him lean.
And upon this reading of no authority, raised another equally uncertain.
Alterations are never to be made without necessity. Let us see what sense the genuine reading will afford. Poverty, says the poet, bears contempt hereditary, and wealth native honour. To illustrate this position, having already mentioned the case of a poor and rich brother, he remarks, that this preference is given to wealth by those whom it least becomes; it is the pastour that greases or flatters the rich brother, and will grease him on till want makes him leave. The poet then goes on to ask, Who dares to say this man, this pastour, is a flatterer; the crime is universal; through all the world the learned pate, with allusion to the pastour, ducks to the golden fool. If it be objected, as it may justly be, that the mention of pastour is unsuitable, we must remember the mention of grace and cherubims in this play, and many such anachronisms in many others. I would therefore read thus:
It is the pastour lards the brother's sides,
'Tis want that makes him leave.
The obscurity is still great. Perhaps a line is lost. I have at least given the original reading.