Impale a glow-worm, or vertu profess,

Shine in the dignity of F. R. S.

570

Some, deep Freemasons, join the silent race,
Worthy to fill Pythagoras's place:
Some botanists, or florists at the least,
Or issue members of an annual feast:
Nor pass the meanest unregarded; one
Rose a Gregorian, one a Gormogon : *
The last, not least in honour or applause,
Isis and Cam made doctors of her laws.

580

590

Then, blessing all, Go, children of my care! To practice now from theory repair. All my commands are easy, short, and full: My sons! be proud, be selfish, and be dull: Guard my prerogative, assert my throne: This nod confirms each privilege your own. The cap and switch be sacred to his grace; With staff and pumps the marquis lead the race; From stage to stage the licensed earl may run, Pair'd with his fellow-charioteer, the sun; The learned baron butterflies design, Or draw to silk Arachne's subtile line; The judge to dance his brother serjeant call; The senator at cricket urge the ball; The bishop stow (pontific luxury!) A hundred souls of turkeys in a pie; The sturdy squire to Gallic masters stoop, And drown his lands and manors in a soupe: Others import yet nobler arts from France; Teach kings to fiddle, and make senates dance:+ Perhaps more high some daring son may soar, Proud to my list to add one monarch more; And nobly conscious, princes are but things Born for first ministers, as slaves for kings, Tyrant supreme! shall three estates command, And make one mighty Dunciad of the land ''

600

"A sort of lay-brothers, two of the innumerable slips from the root of the Freemasons."

"Either after their prince, or to Pontoise, or Siberia. an allusion to the frequent exilé of the French parliaments."

More she had spoke, but yawn'd. All nature nods:

What mortal can resist the yawn of gods?
Churches and chapels instantly it reach'd;
St. James's first, for leaden Gilbert * preach'd:
Then caught the schools: the hall scarce kept
awake;

The convocation gaped, but could not speak: 610
Lost was the nation's sense, nor could be found,
While the long solemn unison went round:
Wide, and more wide, it spread o'er all the realm;
E'en Palinurus nodded at the helm:

The vapour mild o'er each committee crept;
Unfinish'd treaties in each office slept;
And chiefless armies dozed out the campaign;
And navies yawn'd for orders on the main.

O Muse! relate, (for you can tell alone;
Wits have short memories, and dunces none,) 620
Relate, who first, who last resign'd to rest;
Whose heads she partly, whose completely bless'd;
What charms could faction, what ambition lull,
The venal quiet, and entrance the dull;

Till drown'd was sense, and shame, and right, and wrong:

O, sing, and hush the nations with thy song!

*

*

*

*

*

630

In vain, in vain! The all-composing hour Resistless falls; the Muse obeys the power. She comes! she comes! the sable throne behold Of Night primeval, and of Chaos old! Before her, Fancy's gilded clouds decay, And all its varying rainbows die away: Wit shoots in vain its momentary fires; The meteor drops, and in a flash expires. As one by one, at dread Medea's strain, The sickening stars fade off the ethereal plain; As Argus' eyes, by Hermes' wand oppress'd, Closed one by one to everlasting rest;

Dr. Gilbert, Archbishop of York.

640

Thus, at her felt approach, and secret might,
Art after Art goes out, and all is Night.
See skulking Truth to her old cavern fled,
Mountains of casuistry heap'd o'er her head!
Philosophy, that lean'd on Heaven before,
Shrinks to her second cause, and is no more:
Physic of Metaphysic begs defence,
And Metaphysic calls for aid on Sense!
See Mystery to Mathematics fly!

In vain they gaze, turn giddy, rave, and die :
Religion blushing veils her sacred fires,
And unawares Morality expires.

Nor public flame, nor private, dares to shine;
Nor human spark is left, nor glimpse divine!
Lo! thy dread empire, Chaos! is restored;
Light dies before thy uncreating word:
Thy hand, great anarch! lets the curtain fall;
And universal darkness buries all.

650

INDEX

OF

PERSONS CELEBRATED IN THIS POEM.

The first number shows the book, the second the verse.