Dr. Jonathan Swift: From “Verses on the Death of Dr. Swift”

Lyrics

"The Dean, if we believe report Was never ill receiv'd at Court As for his works in verse and prose I own myself no judge of those; Nor can I tell what critics thought 'em: But this I know, all people bought 'em As with a moral view design'd To cure the vices of mankind: His vein, ironically grave Expos'd the fool, and lash'd the knave To steal a hint was never known But what he writ was all his own "He never thought an honour done him Because a dukе was proud to own him Would rather slip aside and choose To talk with wits in dirty shoеs; Despis'd the fools with stars and garters So often seen caressing Chartres He never courted men in station Nor persons held in admiration; Of no man's greatness was afraid Because he sought for no man's aid Though trusted long in great affairs He gave himself no haughty airs: Without regarding private ends Spent all his credit for his friends; And only chose the wise and good; No flatt'rers; no allies in blood: But succour'd virtue in distress And seldom fail'd of good success; As numbers in their hearts must own Who, but for him, had been unknown "With princes kept a due decorum But never stood in awe before 'em He follow'd David's lesson just: 'In princes never put thy trust'; And, would you make him truly sour Provoke him with a slave in pow'r The Irish senate if you nam'd With what impatience he declaim'd! Fair Liberty was all his cry For her he stood prepar'd to die; For her he boldly stood alone; For her he oft expos'd his own Two kingdoms, just as faction led Had set a price upon his head; But not a traitor could be found To sell him for six hundred pound "Had he but spar'd his tongue and pen He might have rose like other men: But pow'r was never in his thought And wealth he valu'd not a groat: Ingratitude he often found And pity'd those who meant the wound: But kept the tenor of his mind To merit well of human kind: Nor made a sacrifice of those Who still were true, to please his foes He labour'd many a fruitless hour To reconcile his friends in pow'r; Saw mischief by a faction brewing While they pursu'd each other's ruin But, finding vain was all his care He left the Court in mere despair "And, oh! how short are human schemes! Here ended all our golden dreams What St. John's skill in state affairs What Ormond's valour, Oxford's cares To save their sinking country lent Was all destroy'd by one event Too soon that precious life was ended On which alone our weal depended When up a dangerous faction starts With wrath and vengeance in their hearts; By solemn League and Cov'nant bound To ruin, slaughter, and confound; To turn religion to a fable And make the government a Babel; Pervert the law, disgrace the gown Corrupt the senate, rob the crown; To sacrifice old England's glory And make her infamous in story: When such a tempest shook the land How could unguarded Virtue stand? "With horror, grief, despair, the Dean Beheld the dire destructive scene: His friends in exile, or the tower Himself within the frown of power Pursu'd by base envenom'd pens Far to the land of slaves and fens; A servile race in folly nurs'd Who truckle most when treated worst "By innocence and resolution He bore continual persecution While numbers to preferment rose Whose merits were, to be his foes; When ev'n his own familiar friends Intent upon their private ends Like renegadoes now he feels Against him lifting up their heels "The Dean did by his pen defeat An infamous destructive cheat; Taught fools their int'rest how to know And gave them arms to ward the blow Envy hath own'd it was his doing To save that helpless land from ruin; While they who at the steerage stood And reap'd the profit, sought his blood "To save them from their evil fate In him was held a crime of state A wicked monster on the bench Whose fury blood could never quench As vile and profligate a villain As modern Scroggs, or old Tresilian Who long all justice had discarded Nor fear'd he God, nor man regarded Vow'd on the Dean his rage to vent And make him of his zeal repent; But Heav'n his innocence defends The grateful people stand his friends Not strains of law, nor judge's frown Nor topics brought to please the crown Nor witness hir'd, nor jury pick'd Prevail to bring him in convict "In exile, with a steady heart He spent his life's declining part; Where folly, pride, and faction sway Remote from St. John, Pope, and Gay "His friendships there, to few confin'd Were always of the middling kind; No fools of rank, a mongrel breed Who fain would pass for lords indeed: Where titles gave no right or power And peerage is a wither'd flower; He would have held it a disgrace If such a wretch had known his face On rural squires, that kingdom's bane He vented oft his wrath in vain; Biennial squires to market brought; Who sell their souls and votes for nought; The nation stripp'd, go joyful back To rob the church, their tenants rack Go snacks with thieves and rapparees And keep the peace to pick up fees; In ev'ry job to have a share A jail or barrack to repair; And turn the tax for public roads Commodious to their own abodes "Perhaps I may allow, the Dean Had too much satire in his vein; And seem'd determin'd not to starve it Because no age could more deserve it Yet malice never was his aim; He lash'd the vice, but spar'd the name; No individual could resent Where thousands equally were meant His satire points at no defect But what all mortals may correct; For he abhorr'd that senseless tribe Who call it humour when they gibe He spar'd a hump, or crooked nose Whose owners set not up for beaux True genuine dulness mov'd his pity Unless it offer'd to be witty Those who their ignorance confess'd He ne'er offended with a jest; But laugh'd to hear an idiot quote A verse from Horace, learn'd by rote "He knew a hundred pleasant stories With all the turns of Whigs and Tories: Was cheerful to his dying day; And friends would let him have his way "He gave the little wealth he had To build a house for fools and mad; And show'd by one satiric touch No nation wanted it so much That kingdom he hath left his debtor I wish it soon may have a better."