The prudent calmly to their shades retreat;-- Then is the mind o'ercast--in wordy rage And loud contention angry men engage; Then spleen and pique, like fire-works thrown in spite, To mischief turn the pleasures of the night; Anger abuses, Malice loudly rails, 230 Revenge awakes, and Anarchy prevails: Till wine, that raised the tempest, makes it cease, And maudlin Love insists on instant peace; He noisy mirth and roaring song commands, Gives idle toasts, and joins unfriendly hands; Till fuddled Friendship vows esteem and weeps, And jovial Folly drinks and sings and sleeps. * * * * * A club there is of Smokers.--Dare you come To that close, clouded, hot, narcotic room? When, midnight past, the very candles seem 240 Dying for air, and give a ghastly gleam; When curling fumes in lazy wreaths arise, And prosing topers rub their winking eyes; When the long tale, renew'd when last they met, Is spliced anew, and is unfinish'd yet; When but a few are left the house to tire, And they half-sleeping by the sleepy fire; Ev'n the poor ventilating vane, that flew Of late so fast, is now grown drowsy too; When sweet, cold, clammy punch its aid bestows, 250 Then thus the midnight conversation flows:-- "Then, as I said, and--mind me--as I say, At our last meeting--you remember"--"Ay;" "Well, very well--then freely as I drink I spoke my thought--you take me--what I think: And sir, said I, if I a freeman be, It is my bounden duty to be free."-- "Ay, there you posed him; I respect the chair, But man is man, although the man's a mayor. If Muggins live--no, no!--if Muggins die, 260 He'll quit his office--neighbour, shall I try?"-- "I'll speak my mind, for here are none but friends: They're all contending for their private ends; No public spirit, once a vote would bring; } I say a vote was then a pretty thing; } It made a man to serve his country and his king. } But for that place, that Muggins must resign, You've my advice--'tis no affair of mine." * * * * *