Now, as he pac'd along the street,
Thus did he to himself repeat,
"Is this the fortune I must meet? | } |
Is this the merited reward
Which they receive who strive to guard
Their hearts against the tempting guise
Of int'rest and its sorceries;
And say to Virtue, 'Maid divine!
Behold thy slave, I'm wholly thine!'
—It is not that I now repent,
Or harbour selfish discontent,
That I should hesitate to seize
The golden opportunities
Which were presented to my power,
Not ev'ry day, but ev'ry hour,
While with Sir Jeffery Gourmand I
Enjoy'd the means those arts to ply,
Which, by the curious eye unseen,
Might with such gains have pregnant been:
No, no, thank Heaven, I'm not embued
With that worst vice, Ingratitude;
An odious vice that is of kin
To every other mortal sin.
I felt his kindness, and where'er
My lot may be of pain and care,
Those kind reflections I possess
To make me smile in my distress,
That I ne'er for a moment swerv'd
From the best duties he deserv'd;
Nay, which he, to his closing days,
So often honour'd with his praise,—
And should it be my lot to find
Another master good and kind,
Whose gen'rous heart would condescend
To treat Quæ Genus as a friend, |
This I may truly boast, that he
Should find an humble friend in me,
Whose soul is faithful loyalty! | } |
I would the path of truth pursue
As I have long been us'd to do;
And where, howe'er oblig'd to bend
To pressing views, my wishes tend.
But, in this world of chance and change,
As it appears, I'm doom'd to range,
And I may be oblig'd to treat it
As it will be my lot to meet it. |
I will not rob nor will I steal,
But from myself I'll not conceal
The secret purpose which I feel. | } |
Commandments I will never break,
But when fair interest is at stake,
I'll follow in my future views
The conduct which the world pursues;
And when that principle I own,
The world will have no right to frown.
Thus whatsoe'er may be my station,
Where chance may fix my next vocation
I'll keep discretion in my view,
As prudent folk profess to do.
—But ere throughout the town at large
I look for some inviting charge,
Though with one Doctor I have fail'd,
Another now shall be assail'd;
Though brilliant prospects may not shine,
Yet I'll e'en go to Anodyne.
The Quack may prove a better friend
Than e'er Sir Midriff might intend;
At all events, howe'er perverse,
'Tis plain he cannot prove a worse;
Howe'er that be, I can but try."—
—Thus clos'd his thoughts' soliloquy. |