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IMITATED.

The First Part Imitated in the Year 1714, by Dr.
Swift; the latter Part added afterwards.

I'VE often wish'd that I had clear
For life six hundred pounds a-year,
A handsome house to lodge a friend,
A river at my garden's end,
A terrace-walk, and half a rood
Of land set out to plant a wood.

Well, now I have all this, and more,

I ask not to increase my store;

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'But here a grievance seems to lie,

'All this is mine but till I die;

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'I can't but think 'twould sound more clever,

'To me and to my heirs for ever.

If I ne'er got or lost a groat,

'By any trick or any fault;
'And if I pray by Reason's rules,

'And not like forty other fools,

'As thus, "Vouchsafe, oh, gracious Maker!
'To grant me this and t'other acre;
Or, if it be thy will and pleasure,
'Direct my plough to find a treasure;

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But only what my station fits,
'And to be kept in my right wits,
'Freserve, almighty Providence!
'Just what you gave me, competence;
And let me in these shades compose
( Something in verse as true as prose,
'Remov'd from all th' ambitious scene,
'Nor puff'd by pride, nor sunk by spleen."
In short, I'm perfectly content,

Let me but live on this side Trent,
Nor cross the Channel twice a-year,
To spend six months with statesmen here.
I must by all means come to Town,
'Tis for the service of the Crown;
"Lewis, the Dean will be of use;
"Send for him up, take no excuse."

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The toil, the danger of the seas, Great ministers ne'er think of these; Or, let it cost five hundred pound, No matter where the money's found,

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It is but so much more in debt,

And that they ne'er consider'd yet.

"Good Mr. Dean, go change your gown; "Let my Lord know you're come to Town." I hurry me in haste away,

Not thinking it is levee-day,

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And find his Honour in a pound,
Hemm'd by a triple circle round,
Chequer'd with ribbons blue and green,
How should I thrust myself between?
Some wag observes me thus perplex'd,
And, smiling, whispers to the next,

"I thought the Dean had been too proud,
"To jostle here among a crowd."

Another, in a surly fit,

Tells me I have more zeal than wit;
"So eager to express your love,

"You ne'er consider whom you shove,
"But rudely press before a duke."
I own I am pleas'd with this rebuke,
And take it kindly meant, to show
What I desire the world should know.

I get a whisper and withdraw,

When twenty fools I never saw
Come with petitions fairly penn'd,
Desiring I would stand their friend.
This humbly offers me his case—
That begs my intʼrest for a place—
A hundred other men's affairs,
Like bees, are humming in my ears.
"To-morrow my appeal comes on;

"Without your help the cause is gone.”–

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"The duke expects my lord and you,
"About some great affair at two."
"Put my Lord Bolingbroke in mind
"To get my warrant quickly sign'd:
"Consider, 'tis my first request."-
“Be satisfy'd, I'll do my best :".
Then presently he falls to tease,
"You may for certain if you please ;
"I doubt not, if his Lorship knew.-

❝ And, Mr. Dean, one word from you.”-
'Tis (let me see) three years and more,
(October next it will be four,)
Since Harley bid me first attend,

And chose me for an humble friend;

Would take me in his coach to chat,

And question me of this and that:

As, "What's o'clock?" and, "How's the wind?" "Whose chariot's that we left behind?"

Or gravely try to read the lines

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Writ underneath the country signs;

Or, "Have you nothing new to-day,

"From Pope, from Parnell, or from Gay?"

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Such tattle often entertains

My Lord and me as far as Staines,

As once a week we travel down

To Windsor, and again to Town,

Where all that passes inter nos,
Might be proclaim'd at Charing-cross.
Yet some I know with envy swell,
Because they see me us'd so well.

"How think you of our friend the Dean?
"I wonder what some people mean:

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แ My Lord and he are grown so great,

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"Always together tête à tête.

"What! they admire him for his jokes-
"See but the fortune of some folks!"
There flies about a strange report
Of some express arriv'd at Court;
I'm stopp'd by all the fools I meet,
And catechis'd in ev'ry street.

"You, Mr. Dean, frequent the great;
"Inform us, will the Emp'ror treat?
"Or do the prints and papers lie?"
"Faith, Sir, you, know as much as I."
"Ah! Doctor, how you love to jest;
""Tis now no secret." "I protest
""Tis one to me."-" Then tell us, pray
"When are the troops to have their pay
And tho' I solemnly declare

I know no more than my Lord Mayor,
They stand amaz'd, and think me grown
The closest mortal ever known.

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