The bay and holly, which decorate the pews, give a date to the period, and determine this preposterous union of January with June to have taken place about the time of Christmas, "When Winter linger'd in her icy veins." Addison would have classed her among the evergreens of the sex. It has been observed, that "the church is too small, and that the wooden post, which seems to have no use, divides the picture very disagreeably."[86] This cannot be denied: but it appears to be meant as an accurate representation of the place, and the artist delineated what he saw. The grouping is good, and the principal figure has the air of a gentleman. The light is well distributed, and the scene most characteristically represented. PLATE VI. "Gold, thou bright son of Phœbus, source Of universal intercourse; Of weeping Virtue soft redress: And blessing those who live to bless: Ye oft behold this sacred trust, The tool of avaricious lust; No longer bond of human kind, But bane of every virtuous mind. What chaos such misuse attends, Friendship stoops to prey on friends; Health, that gives relish to delight, Is wasted with the wasting night; Doubt and mistrust is thrown on Heaven, And all its power to chance is given. Sad purchase of repentant tears, Of needless quarrels, endless fears, Of hopes of moments, pangs of years! Sad purchase of a tortur'd mind, To an imprison'd body join'd." [Illustration: THE RAKE'S PROGRESS, PLATE VI.] Though now, from the infatuated folly of his antiquated wife, in possession of a fortune, he is still the slave of that baneful vice which, while it enslaves the mind, poisons the enjoyments, and sweeps away the possessions of its deluded votaries. Destructive as the earthquake which convulses nature, it overwhelms the pride of the forest, and engulfs the labours of the architect. Newmarket and the cock-pit were the scenes of his early amusements; to crown the whole, he is now exhibited at a gaming-table, where all is lost! His countenance distorted with agony, and his soul agitated almost to madness, he imprecates vengeance upon his own head. "In heartfelt bitter anguish he appears, And from the bloodshot ball gush purpled tears! He beats his brow, with rage and horror fraught; His brow half bursts with agony of thought!"