Than lose a pound would rather hazard ten. What! be imposed on? No! a British soul Despises imposition, hates control; The law is open; let them, if they dare, Support their cause; the Borough need not spare. 110 All I advise is vigour and good-will: Is it agreed then?--Shall I file a bill?" The trader, grazier, merchant, priest, and all Whose sons aspiring to [professions'] call, Choose from their lads some bold and subtle boy, And judge him fitted for this grave employ. Him a keen old practitioner admits, To write five years and exercise his wits: The youth has heard--it is in fact his creed-- Mankind dispute, that lawyers may be fee'd: 120 Jails, bailiffs, writs, all terms and threats of law, Grow now familiar as once top and taw; Rage, hatred, fear, the mind's severer ills, All bring employment, all augment his bills; As feels the surgeon for the mangled limb, The mangled mind is but a job for him; Thus taught to think, these legal reasoners draw Morals and maxims from their views of law; They cease to judge by precepts taught in schools, By man's plain sense, or by religious rules; 130 No! nor by law itself, in truth discern'd, But as its statutes may be warp'd and turn'd. How they should judge of man, his word and deed, They in their books and not their bosoms read: Of some good act you speak with just applause, "No! no!" says he, "'twould be a losing cause." Blame you some tyrant's deed?--he answers, "Nay, He'll get a verdict; heed you what you say." Thus, to conclusions from examples led, The heart resigns all judgment to the head; 140 Law, law alone, for ever kept in view, His measures guides, and rules his conscience too; Of ten commandments, he confesses three Are yet in force, and tells you which they be, As law instructs him, thus: "Your neighbour's wife You must not take, his chattels, nor his life; Break these decrees, for damage you must pay; These you must reverence, and the rest--you may." Law was design'd to keep a state in peace; To punish robbery, that wrong might cease; 150 To be impregnable--a constant fort, To which the weak and injured might resort. But these perverted minds its force employ, Not to protect mankind, but to annoy; And, long as ammunition can be found, Its lightning flashes and its thunders sound. Or, law with lawyers is an ample still, Wrought by the passions' heat with chymic sill; While the fire burns, the gains are quickly made, And freely flow the profits of the trade; 160 Nay, when the fierceness fails, these artists blow } The dying fire, and make the embers glow, } As long as they can make the smaller profits flow; } At length the process of itself will stop,