State House

'Tis fair that public characters should be To private censure as to favor free, That all may watch, that all may judge their ways, And blame with freedom or commend with ease. If men in office act an upright part, Unled by meanness and unsway'd by art, That claims no wonder from the babbling throng, We pay for acting right and not for wrong. If Bumbo's acts his office doth disgrace, Why—turn the servile blockhead from his place; Put in Aurelius, give him Bumbo's pay, Then public money won't be thrown away. While C—'s merits shine with splendor bright, Support his worth in canker'd envy's spite: Give W—pow'r, strip T—of what he has, And bid the fool go bray with brother Ass. D—takes a nap while some good law is pass'd, And deaf-ear'd R—with wonder cries, "what was't."

How very mean a thing may have seat, To swell the minutes of some low debate, While constituents think him quite profound In state affairs and words of stately sound. Here Cl—r talk o'er what he talk'd before, And Br—n set all the members in a roar, And Colonel—strive to mend a point, Where sense and reason both are out of joint, While surly Yellow-wig still bites his thumb, And harmless, useless, J—remains quite dumb; But when the speaker calls the yeas and neas, He asks what side his neighbour's judgment sways, So he inclines—but knows no reason why— His friend advis'd him—and he can't deny. Bright Tommy S—s when arguments run scarce, Turns the debate to some evasive farce, Or hammers out, with dullness from his brain, Some languid stuff that gives his hearers pain; Idioms and blunders flow without restraint, Till C—starts his ignorance to paint, Then faith I pity handkerchief and nails, They suffer greatly when his nonsense fails.

Once, I remember, Tom was very bold, When quoting Roman luxury of old: " We the Gardeens of all the state," he said, Then cough'd and haugh'd and strok'd his brainless head, " Should banish taste and luxury from hence, " And plays of course—these shock all commonsense; " Rome, Sir, was great, 'till plays reduc'd her fame; " Her modern sons are nothing but a name, " Misled by luxury's alluring shine, " They water'd plants profusely with their wine" Here Tully thunder....see the list'ning throng Admire each accent from his pleasing tongue; All winning eloquence he wields at will, And speaks unaw'd with candour and with skill; His country's welfare still is in his thought.... That country which his blood has partly bought; With other sons of steady worth he toil'd Till Britain's arts of tyranny were foil'd.