And at the table where they meet, First having bless'd them, took her seat. 'No trifling cause, my darling boys, Your present thoughts and cares employs; 440 No common snare, no random blow, Can work the bane of such a foe: By nature cautious as he's brave, To Honour only he's a slave; In that weak part without defence, We must to honour make pretence; That lure shall to his ruin draw The wretch, who stands secure in law. Nor think that I have idly plann'd This full-ripe scheme; behold at hand, 450 With three months' training on his head, An instrument, whom I have bred, Born of these bowels, far from sight Of Virtue's false but glaring light, My youngest-born, my dearest joy, Most like myself, my darling boy! He, never touch'd with vile remorse, Resolved and crafty in his course, Shall work our ends, complete our schemes, Most mine, when most he Honour's seems; 460 Nor can be found, at home, abroad, So firm and full a slave of Fraud.' She said, and from each envious son A discontented murmur run Around the table; all in place Thought his full praise their own disgrace, Wondering what stranger she had got, Who had one vice that they had not; When straight the portals open flew, And, clad in armour, to their view 470 Martin, the Duellist, came forth. All knew, and all confess'd his worth; All justified, with smiles array'd, The happy choice their dam had made. * * * * * Footnotes: [132] 'The Duellist:' the _North Briton_ had fiercely assailed Mr Martin, M.P. for Camelford, who, on the first day of the next session of Parliament, complained of it; Mr Wilkes owned himself the author, and the result was a duel in Hyde Park, in which Wilkes was severely wounded. He always owned that Martin acted honourably in the rencontre, but not so thought Churchill. [133] 'Hanging friends:' See note on v. 140 of the Epistle to William Hogarth. [134] 'Earl Talbot:' Lord Steward of the King's Household from 1761 to 1782, an economical Reformer. [135] 'Temple:' the British Constitution. [136] 'Flitcrofts:' Henry Flitcroft, an architect of some eminence. [137] 'Brief:' alluding to the practice of obtaining contributions for the repair of churches, &c., by reading briefs in church. [138] 'Resign'd:' the Dukes of Newcastle and Devonshire, Lord Temple, &c. who resigned their offices in 1762. Their successors pretended to economy, but it was a mere pretence. [139] 'Leach:' Dryden Leach, an expert and tasteful printer in Crane Court, Fleet street, was unjustly imprisoned on account of Wilkes. [140]'Pratt:' Lord Camden. [141] 'Seals:' The general warrant for the apprehension of Wilkes was signed by the Earls of Egremont and Halifax, joint secretaries of state for the home department.