These lighter Graces seek not to condemn; } ’Tis they were made for thee, not [thou] for them; } They are the polished Cut, and thy fair Soul the Gem. } Say, should my Tracy be unvex’d with Care, Why not his Pleasures as their Mistress share? And, in Distress and Sorrow should he pine, 430 Unview’d and absent, would they not be thine? Then, to thy Promise and thy Cecil true, } The Path direct that Reason points pursue; } Love chooses well his Way, when Reason enters too.” } * * * * * Near to this Mansion was an antient Hall } Of Veres; still standing, but inclined to fall. } Grey frown’d the massy towers, green shook the ivy’d Wall. } These were, it seemed, a Race from first to last, A strange, unsocial, mark’d, peculiar Cast[e]. They lov’d all common Manners to defy 440 And chose a wayward Singularity. In times of trouble they oppos’d the State— Of Peace, the Church—and gloried in Debate. It was their Humour and their boast to be From all the shackles of the Vulgar free; All common rules they doubted or denied; } Each for himself determined to decide, } And to himself be Law, rule, Governor and Guide. } Old as it was, its Lords were much afraid T’inspect the Mansion in the part decay’d, 450 For twofold Reasons: first, that from the part Contiguous Ruin into View would start; And next, they found, so many a Call had shar’d The Current Cash, that nothing could be spar’d. In the huge Hall, high hung in gilded frames, Heroic Shreeves and venerable Dames, With forms majestic and commanding Look, And smoak-dried all with equalizing smoak; Yet Kneller’s Wigs still curl’d, a comely Sight, And Lely’s Bosoms, tho’ in clouded White; 460 These, with the taper Hand and naked Arms, In Time’s dark veil hid once obtrusive Charms. The last Esquire, who liv’d himself to please, Felt through his Life this family disease; Foe to his Church, it pleas’d him to the heart, When he could Anger to her friends impart; And by his own, or by a borrow’d, Jest See the sad Vicar troubled and distress’d— The modest Vicar, who with meek good Sense Fear’d the vain laugh of heartless Insolence. 470 No Student he; yet, what our Squire had read Cool’d his Affections and disturb’d his head; Made him his Neighbours and his friends dispise, And class himself among the learnt and wise. To his Dependents he was pleas’d to say: } “Go where you will to hearken or to pray; } Choose your own Guide, or Guideless take your Way! } I rest in Church, ’tis decent, what the State In Life requires from every Magistrate; While you, my friends, unheeded as you pass, 480 May sleep at Church, at Meeting, or at Mass; Or, placed at Ease beneath the Summer Sky, In his own Temple serve the Deity.”