Meanness, at sight of whom, with brave disdain, The breast of Manhood swells, but swells in vain; 130 Before whom Honour makes a forced retreat, And Freedom is compell'd to quit her seat; Meanness, which, like that mark by bloody Cain Borne in his forehead for a brother slain, God, in his great and all-subduing rage, Ordains the standing mark of this vile age. The venal hero trucks his fame for gold, The patriot's virtue for a place is sold; The statesman bargains for his country's shame, And, for preferment, priests their God disclaim; 140 Worn out with lust, her day of lechery o'er, The mother trains the daughter whom she bore In her own paths; the father aids the plan, And, when the innocent is ripe for man, Sells her to some old lecher for a wife, And makes her an adulteress for life; Or in the papers bids his name appear, And advertises for a L----: Husband and wife (whom Avarice must applaud) Agree to save the charge of pimp and bawd; 150 Those parts they play themselves, a frugal pair, And share the infamy, the gain to share; Well pleased to find, when they the profits tell, That they have play'd the whore and rogue so well. Nor are these things (which might imply a spark Of shame still left) transacted in the dark: No--to the public they are open laid, And carried on like any other trade: Scorning to mince damnation, and too proud To work the works of darkness in a cloud, 160 In fullest vigour Vice maintains her sway; Free are her marts, and open at noonday. Meanness, now wed to Impudence, no more In darkness skulks, and trembles, as of yore, When the light breaks upon her coward eye; Boldly she stalks on earth, and to the sky Lifts her proud head, nor fears lest time abate, And turn her husband's love to canker'd hate, Since Fate, to make them more sincerely one, Hath crown'd their loves with Montague their son; 170 A son so like his dam, so like his sire, With all the mother's craft, the father's fire, An image so express in every part, So like in all bad qualities of heart, That, had they fifty children, he alone Would stand as heir apparent to the throne. With our own island vices not content, We rob our neighbours on the Continent; Dance Europe round, and visit every court, To ape their follies, and their crimes import: 180 To different lands for different sins we roam, And, richly freighted, bring our cargo home, Nobly industrious to make Vice appear In her full state, and perfect only here. To Holland, where politeness ever reigns, Where primitive sincerity remains, And makes a stand; where Freedom in her course Hath left her name, though she hath lost her force In that as other lands; where simple Trade Was never in the garb of Fraud array'd; 190 Where Avarice never dared to show his head; Where, like a smiling cherub, Mercy, led By Reason, blesses the sweet-blooded race,