Of good-for-nothing stones and mortar; Though Flail had little cause to mutter. Who sold the other salt for butter. Justice herself, fam'd for fair dealing, By blindness had not lost her feeling; 140 Her left hand, which the scales should hold, Had often dropt 'em, brib'd with gold; And, though she seem'd impartial, Where punishment was corporal, Pretended to a reg'lar course, 145 In murder, and all crimes of force; Though some first pillory'd for cheating, Were hang'd in hemp of their own beating; Yet, it was thought, the sword she bore Check'd but the desp'rate and the poor; 150 That, urg'd by mere necessity, Were ty'd up to the wretched tree For crimes, which not deserv'd that fate, But to secure the rich and great. Thus every part was full of vice, 155 Yet the whole mass a paradise; Flatter'd in peace, and fear'd in wars They were th' esteem of foreigners, And lavish of their wealth and lives, The balance of all other hives. 160 Such were the blessings of that state; Their crimes conspir'd to make them great: And virtue, who from politics Has learn'd a thousand cunning tricks, Was, by their happy influence, 165 Made friends with vice: And ever since, The worst of all the multitude Did something for the common good. This was the state's craft, that maintain'd The whole of which each part complain'd: 170 This, as in music harmony Made jarrings in the main agree, Parties directly opposite, Assist each other, as 'twere for spite; And temp'rance with sobriety, 175 Serve drunkenness and gluttony. The root of evil, avarice, That damn'd ill-natur'd baneful vice, Was slave to prodigality, That noble sin; whilst luxury 180 Employ'd a million of the poor, And odious pride a million more: Envy itself, and vanity, Were ministers of industry; Their darling folly, fickleness, 185 In diet, furniture, and dress, That strange ridic'lous vice, was made The very wheel that turn'd the trade. Their laws and clothes were equally Objects of mutability! 190 For, what was well done for a time, In half a year became a crime; Yet while they altered thus their laws, Still finding and correcting flaws, They mended by inconstancy 195 Faults, which no prudence could foresee. Thus vice nurs'd ingenuity, Which join'd the time and industry, Had carry'd life's conveniences, Its real pleasures, comforts, ease, 200 To such a height, the very poor } Liv'd better than the rich before. } And nothing could be added more.