The Author having been told by an intimate Friend, that the Duke of Queenfberry had employed Mr. Gay to infpect the Accounts and Management of his Grace's Receivers and Stewards, (which, however, proved afterwards to be a Mistake) writ to Mr. Gay the following Poem. How Written in the Year 1731. OW could you, Gay, difgrace the Mufes To ferve a tastelefs C-rt, twelve Years in vain? SAY, had the Court no better Place to chuse BUT, † princely Douglass, and his glorious Dame, Advanc'd thy Fortune, and preferv'd thy Fame. Mrs. HRD, now C fs of S LK. Nor, Mr. GAY was appointed Gentleman-Ufher to one of the Princeffes, which he refufed. + The Duke of QUEENSBERRY, Nor, will your nobler Gifts be mifapply'd, When o'er your Patron's Treasure you prefide. The World shall own, his Choice was wife and just, For, Sons of Phabus never break their Trust. NOT Love of Beauty less the Heart inflames Of Guardian Eunuchs to the Sultan Dames, Their Paffions not more impotent and cold, Than thofe of Poets to the Luft of Gold. With Paan's pureft Fire his Favourites glow; The Dregs will serve to ripen Ore below; His meanest Work: For, had he thought it fit, That, Wealth fhould be the Appenage of Wit, The God of Light could ne'er have been so blind, To deal it to the worst of human-kind. BUT, let me now, for I can do it well, Your Conduct in this new Employ foretell. AND firft: To make my Obfervation right, With fhameless Vifage, and perfidious Leer. Now, Now, let me fhew how B- and you agree, NEXT, hearken Gay, to what thy Charge requires, With Servants, Tenants, and the neighb'ring Squires. Nor bribe, infult, nor flatter, nor betray. Nor, with your KINDRED half the Palace crowd. BE rich; but of your Wealth make no Parade; Each Farmer in the Neighbourhood can count, * A Title given to every Duke by the Heralds. With With Int'reft, and a Præmium paid befide, Who, while th' unrighteous Mammon is his Friend, THE Law fo ftrictly guards the Monarch's That no Physician dares prescribe by Stealth: BUT, how can I defcribe the rav'nous Breed? Then, let me now by Negatives proceed. SUPPOSE your Lord a trusty Servant fend, On weighty Bus❜nefs, to fome neighb❜ring Friend: Prefume not, Gay, unless you ferve a Drone, To countermand his Orders by your own. SHOULD fome imperious Neighbour fink the Boats; And drain the Fifb-ponds; while your Mafter doats; Shall he upon the Ducal Rights intrench, Because he brib'd you with a Brace of Tench? NOR, from your Lord his bad Condition hide; To feed his Luxury, or footh his Pride. Nor, Nor, at an under Rate his Timber fell; HAVE Peter Walters always in your Mind; † That Rogue of genuine ministerial Kind: Can half the Peerage by his Arts bewitch; Is humbly pray'd to ruin Twenty more. A DEXT'ROUS Steward, when his Tricks are found, Hub money fends to all the Neighbours round: His Mafter, unfufpicious of his Pranks, Pays all the Cost, and gives the Villain Thanks ; SOME, *These Lines are thought to allude to fome Story concerning a great Quantity of Mohoganny, declared rotten, and then ap plied by fome Body to Wainfcots, Stairs, Door-Cafes, &c. + He hath practifed this Trade for many Years, and ftill continues it with Succefs; and after he hath ruined one Lord, is carnestly follicited to take another. A Cant Word. |