.658 ANNUAL REGISTER, 181?. 



And favourite be not, 'tis a dangerous post, — 

 Is gain'd by labour, and by fortune lost : 

 Talents like thine may make a man approv'd. 

 But other talents trusted and belov'd. 

 Look round, my Son, and thou wilt early see 

 The kind of man thou art not form'd to be. 



' The real favourites of the great are tbey^ 

 Who to their views and wants attention pay, 

 And pay it ever ; who, with all their skill. 

 Dive to the heart, and learn the secret will ; 

 If that be vicious, soon can they provide 

 The favourite ill, and o'er the soul preside ; 

 For vice is weakness, and the artful know 

 Their power increases as the passions grow : 

 If indolent the pupil, hard their task ; 

 Such minds will ever for amusement ask ; 

 And great the labour, for a man to choose 

 Objects for one whom nothing can amuse ; 

 For ere those objects can the soul delight. 

 They must to joy the soul herself excite ; 

 Therefore it is, this patient, watchful kind 

 With gentle friction stir the drowsy mind : 

 Fix'd on their end, with caution they proceed, 

 And sometimes give, and sometimes take the lead : 

 Will now a hint convey, and then retire. 

 And let the spark awake the lingering fire ; 

 Or seek new joys and livelier pleasures bring. 

 To give the jaded sense a quick'ning spring. 



« These arts, indeed, my Son must not pursue ; 

 Nor must he quarrel with the tribe that do : 

 It is not safe another's crimes to know. 

 Nor is it wise our proper worth to show: — 

 " My Lord," you say, " engag'd me for that worth :" — 

 True, and preserve it ready to come forth ; 

 If question'd, fairly answer, — and that done. 

 Shrink back, be silent, and thy Father's son ; 

 For they who doubt thy talents scorn thy boast. 

 But they who grant them will dislike thee most: 

 Observe the prudent ; they in silence sit. 

 Display no learning, and affect no wit; 

 They hazard nothing, nothing they assume. 

 But know the useful art of acting dumb. 

 Yet to their eyes each varying look appears. 

 And every word finds entrance at their ears. 



* Thou art Religion's advocate — take heed. 

 Hurt not the cause, thy pleasure 'tis to plead ; 



^ With 



