| |
| WHILE at the helm of state you ride, | |
| Our nation’s envy, and its pride; | |
| While foreign courts with wonder gaze, | |
| And curse those councils which they praise; | |
| Would you not wonder, sir, to view | 5 |
| Your bard a greater man than you? | |
| Which that he is, you cannot doubt, | |
| When you have read the sequel out. | |
| You know, great sir, that ancient fellows, | |
| Philosophers, and such folks, tell us, | 10 |
| No great analogy between | |
| Greatness and happiness is seen. | |
| If then, as it might follow straight, | |
| Wretched to be, is to be great. | |
| Forbid it, Gods, that you should try | 15 |
| What ’tis to be so great as I. | |
| The family that dines the latest, | |
| Is in our street esteem’d the greatest; | |
| But latest hours must surely fall | |
| Before him who ne’er dines at all. | 20 |
| Your taste in architect, you know, | |
| Hath been admir’d by friend and foe: | |
| But can your earthly domes compare | |
| To all my castles—in the air? | |
| We’re often taught it doth behove us | 25 |
| To think those greater who’re above us. | |
| Another instance of my glory, | |
| Who live above you twice two story, | |
| And from my garret can look down | |
| On the whole street of Arlington. | 30 |
| Greatness by poets still is painted | |
| With many followers acquainted; | |
| This too doth in my favour speak, | |
| Your levée is but twice a week; | |
| From mine I can exclude but one day, | 35 |
| My door is quiet on a Sunday. | |
| Nor in the manner of attendance | |
| Doth your great bard claim less ascendance. | |
| Familiar you to admiration, | |
| May be approach’d by all the nation: | 40 |
| While I, like the Mogul in Indo, | |
| Am never seen but at my window. | |
| If with my greatness you’re offended, | |
| The fault is easily amended, | |
| For I’ll come down with wondrous ease, | 45 |
| Into whatever place you please. | |
| I’m not ambitious; little matters | |
| Will serve us great, but humble creatures. | |
| Suppose a secretary o’ this isle, | |
| Just to be doing with a while; | 50 |
| Admired, gen’ral, judge, or bishop; | |
| Or I can foreign treaties dish up. | |
| If the good genius of the nation | |
| Should call me to negotiation; | |
| Tuscan and French are in my head; | 55 |
| Latin I write, and Greek I—read. | |
| If you should ask, what pleases best? | |
| To get the most, and do the least; | |
| What fittest for?—you know, I’m sure, | |
| I’m fittest for a—sinecure. | 60 |
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