Nec jam ultrà coiere Senes, ut regia Dicta Quin nudæ tectis in publica commoda turres 110 Expectant mediæ faftigia fumma columnæ, Plorabant taciti, quorum maturior ætas, Errantem Regem & fluxi infortunia regni. Hiccine (dicebant Graviores) Hiccine, cui mens Altior omnigenas iit indefeffa per artes; Cui fixit dubios miranda Scientia fines Virtutis Vitiique: diferto cujus ab ore Plurima quæ fluxit Sapientia, tradita fidis Spirat adhuc chartis; Patrumque in frontibus hæret Præceptis teneros informatura Minores, Atque No more the Elders throng'd around my Throne, Or loft in Drink and Game the folid Day: Half Pillars wanted their expected Height; God's Temple lies unfinish'd --- The Wife and Grave deplor❜d their Monarch's Fate, And future Mischiefs of a finking State. Is this, the Serious faid, is this the Man, Whofe active Soul thro' every Science ran? Prefcrib'd the dubious Bounds of Good and Ill? Were to the Forehead of the Rabbins ty'd, Our Atque infigne fenum pariter Decus? Ergone nefcit Turba faceta magis, leviori fcommate, (fertis Tam bene quem Luxus cum Majeftate deceret: Confilium; factifque meis mea dicta refellunt. Rex vivat tamen, (hic infit) regnoque fruatur: [audit Quem memoras Regem? (Alter ait ;) neq; enim amplius Rex SOLOMON; patriæ dudùm immemor Ille fuique Servit amans Abræ: quid noftrûm pejus uterque Patraret? nobis fluat ordine Vita foluto, Si fic, quêis animo melior fententia, peccant. Dina premat vario lafcivos flore capillos; Aut lepidum meditata melos, trepidantia pulfet Fila lyræ: dulces mellis fine acumine fuccos Libemus vacui, nec vi nec lege coacti. Our Youth's Inftruction, and our Age's Pride? Then was our Hearing, and his Preaching vain! In lighter Mood the Humorous and the Gay And Charms fuperior to their Master's Fame: Some glofs'd, how Love and Wisdom were at Strife;. Let DINAH bind with Flowers her flowing Hair; Free, as We will, or to enjoy, or leave. Plea Dulcis amat volitare inter leviora Voluptas; Sentimus lugubrè tui mala verbera Sceptri O Ratio, exerces trepido quæ pectore dura Imperia! ut gaudes fævas imponere leges, Si, fapere ut poffim, penitus linquenda Voluptas, Majorefque premant meditantem plura dolores: Judææ mifero Regi fi gaudia Vitæ Deliciafque adimas, ut Principe digna fequatur; Et Curâ paulùm mutatâ, vincula Amoris Exutum Tu compefcas graviore catenâ! Tene autem Dominam fateor legumque tuarum Sævitiam queror immitem fafcefque potentes; Cum fis interea nihil heu! nifi nomen inane; Quot Capitum vivunt, totidem variata figuris Diverfis, Soboles deliri vana cerebri, Mendaces formas, fluxofque induta colores? Scilicet ingentis tituli levis umbra! Catena, Quà fefe alternis Hominum genus acre coercent, Quam primùm finxere Vafri, Timidique fatentur. |