To The First Minister of STATE, for the Time being

Hail mighty Pam! if song without offence Thus hail the first court card in eminence, Thou in whom kings find oft the sov'reign sway; For kings at loo the leading knave obey: Or if, content to play an humbler game, Plain Jack we stile thee, more familiar name, Thou, whose sly blows the lower party feels, While bent the high to catch thy tripping heels; Great in thyself, whatever thou art call'd, Nations by thee enfranchis'd or inthrall'd, Holla'd to day to Palace-yard along, Flatter'd at once in metzotint and song; Or piqu'd, perhaps, while chimes the present line, Ere yet turn'd out, as usual, to resign; Branded by th' honest satire of the times With all a minister's mysterious crimes! To thee I pay my court, till in disgrace, And then as humbly to the next in place. For know, what private worth soe'er thy boast, I not address thy person, but thy post;

Is there a time when statesmen, good or great, Look down with pity on the toils of state; Superiour to the boast of boasted things, The pomp of titles, and the smile of kings: When, in the private hour of social ease, Ambition sleeps, and truth itself may please? At such an hour, when ev'n politeness deigns To taste the rudeness of familiar strains, Presuming thou, in honour to the muse, Indulgent once her labours may peruse, To thee those honest labours she commends: At court while honest doubtless finding friends. But, through thy levee if forbid to press, In freedom's plain and anti-courtier's dress, Light of her rhimes as of petitions made, Should they be lost, forgotten or mislaid, If not so vain to think thou shouldst commend, In either case permit me to defend.

Too well I know imputed as a crime The gift of reason to the man of rhime; To childish Fiction gingling numbers tied, As bells that dangle by its infant side; To useless whims poetick worth confin'd, To strike the sense but not improve the mind. Should on the daring verse, then, censure fall, From priest or prelate, waken'd in the stall; Or should the learned jurors take in hand To burn the books they may not understand; Scorn'd the loud torrent of the mob's abuse, With thee I leave my errour and excuse.

Know then, my patron, once upon a time, While yet a boy, I caught the itch of rhime: But, born with hatred to the sing-song train, Whose numbers charm, like empty notes, in vain, While strange to themes t' employ the muse about, The peccant humour broke but little out; Till late, in waking dreams that trouble youth, On one side prudence urg'd, on t'other truth: Prudence, a worldly-minded dame, and sly, Who fix'd on earth still kept her cautious eye; While truth, whose open breast did mine inflame, Look'd up to Heav'n; to heav'n, from whence she came. When now my eager heart her pow'r confess'd, And thus her willing captive truth address'd. "Art thou, my friend, that enterprizing youth "Who make pretensions to the song of truth; "By reason taught to leave, in early life, "The wanton mistress, for the faithful wife? "Among the sciences thy subject chuse. "Philosophy's the sister of the muse.

Prudence, who heard, made various hems and haws; And, after due, deliberating pause, Shaking her head, "beware rash youth," she cried, "Let prudence here your early footsteps guide. "Art thou so ignorant as not to know "Truth leads us oft to poverty and woe? "Let me advise—wouldst thou succeed in rhime? "Mark, at the proper season, well thy time; "Taking this maxim as a gen'ral rule, "The knave is honest till he plays the fool: "For times there are of such malignant face, "That sharpers only rise to pow'r and place; "Times, when the mere huzza for publick good "Breaks down all ranks of honour and of blood; "When sacred characters like bawds are us'd, "And princes with impunity abus'd: "The throne of majesty a vulgar thing; "While George, the cobler, damns great GEORGE, the king. "In times like these, behold on ev'ry side "What pains we take offensive truth to hide: "Asham'd to show her bashful face at court, "See her simplicity the mob's rude sport; "Her lovers stigmatiz'd by gen'ral hate, "As bold disturbers of the church and state. "Wouldst thou to this abandon'd tribe belong? "What bard e'er heeded yet the TRUTH of song! "Again, 'tis certain there may come a time, "When impudence finds no excuse in rhime; "When even prudence may herself be just; "Her int'rest more to keep than break her trust; "When crowns are honour'd, and, in proper season, "Sh-bb-re, dread patriot, may be hang'd for treason: "A time, perhaps (years work the strangest things) "When the brave Scots may love their best of kings; "When slighted science may approach the throne; "And Britons make true policy their own. "What tho' their patriot hearts are known to fail, "When dearth of barley threatens want of ale "What tho' religion, arm'd by common-sense, "Breaks but its weapons in its own defence; "Ev'n yet may piety be kept alive, "And half expiring patriotism revive. "At such a season, should the muse inspire, "If touch'd with caution, mayst thou strike the lyre, "Perhaps uncensur'd; but to look for praise! "Know these, young bard, are no poetick days. "But should the age, as probably it may, "Turn its loose politicks another way; "While, in religious mood, far push'd the schemes "Of true born Britons, always in extremes, "The times may yet return when frantick zeal "Shall give its wooden sword an edge of steel; "When convocations shall in judgment sit, "To canvass th' infidelity of wit; "On wicked KNOWLEDGE Britain's guilt to lay, "And drive the destin'd victim far away. "O, thus if ignorance should rule, in turn, "Bards lose their ears, and martyr theists burn; "Ready reforming constables, at hand, "Of scientifick vice to cleanse the land; "Have thou with truth nor morals aught to do. "Things are not always fit that may be true."

Here Prudence ended—her advice was good: But Truth had charms that could not be with stood. Hers then the muse—how far success will show In times like ours her song be à propos. So much indeed of prudence did I learn, My fingers ne'er in politicks to burn. Silent I sat, amidst the party rout, When late the ministry turn'd in and out; When rag'd the furious goose-quills of the times, To shame their country with their shameless rhimes. Careless what turtle-eating son of White's Might set the blunders of the state to rights, If Pollio, Gallus, Tully, or his grace, Should all keep out, or who get into place. I car'd not, I, tho' these, or none of these, The king, the house, or mightier mob might please. Blam'd I the peer, whom adverse winds had blown Round the wide world, to prop a monarch's throne; Taught, in the hurricanes of southern seas, The statesman's wisdom and the courtier's ease; By plunder'd Spaniards, the consummate skill To steer a kingdom, like a bark, at will? Tho' made too plain the lee-way of the realm, Did I presume to bid him mind the helm? Nay, when the guardian genii of the land To save our desp'rate fortunes took in hand; I sung them not, tho' crown'd, by half the nation, With civick wreaths, from town and corporation. I ne'er, officious, crack'd my brains t'amend Errours, the great alone might comprehend; Plagu'd, with no songs of praise, our Lord the King; Nor gave one faggot to the blaze of Byng: But, free from panegyrick as abuse, Put all my little wit to private use. Thus far of temp'ral politicks I'm clear; Nor has the spiritual had more to fear. Since gospel witnesses in form were tried, Their valid evidence I ne'er denied; Ne'er intermeddled with the jury's quest, Nor contradicted Littleton or West. When church and state learn'd Warburton would join, Tho' sad th'affair, I made it none of mine: Nor did I e'er, 'gainst Leland's pen, presume To vindicate Lord Bolingbroke or Hume: Made no pretence to freedom of debate; Nor risk'd, like harmless —n—t, Woolston's fate. And tho' for once, in this, a trick of youth, Prudential views are sacrific'd to truth; Could I shake off those vices rhime and sense; This first might likely prove my last offence; Or, in thy cause enlisted once my pen, I never more might trouble truth agen: But to thy purpose turn my ready hand, True to the law and gospel of the land.