And Gold but fent to keep the fools in play, But I, who think more highly of our kind, Like Doctors thus, when much difpute has paft, We find our tenets just the same at last. COMMENTARY. 5. 10 16 Both As much as to fay, "You, my Lord, hold the fubject we are upon, as fit only for SATIRE; I, on the contrary, efteem it amongst the high points of Philosophy, and profound ETHICS: But as we both agree in the main Principle, that Riches were not given for the reward of Virtue, but for very different purposes (see Effay on Man, Ep. iv.), let us compromise the matter, and confider the fubject both under your idea and mine conjointly, i. e. Satirically and Philofophically."—And this, in fact, we shall find to be the true character of this poem; which is of a Species peculiar to itself; partaking equally of the nature of his Ethic Epifles and of his Satires, just as the beft pieces of Lician arose from a combination of the Dialogues of Plato, and the Scenes of Ariftophanes This it will be neceffary to carry with us, if we would fee either the wit or the reafoning of this Epiftle in their true light. NOTES. WARBURTON. objections that it is thought neceffary to hint at these inaccuracies in fo correct a writer, but merely to prevent their becoming authorities for errors. "In the Epiftles to Lords Bathurst and Burlington," fays Johnfon, "Warburton has endeavoured to find a train of thought which was never in the writer's head; and, to fupport his hypothefis, has printed that first which was published laft." WARTOR. 7 Both fairly owning, Riches, in effect, No grace of Heav'n, or token of th' Elect; NOTES. 20 B. What VER. 20. JOHN WARD of Hackney, Efq. Member of Parliament, being profecuted by the Duchess of Buckingham, and convicted of Forgery, was first expelled the Houfe, and then stood on the pillory on the 17th of March, 1727. He was fufpected of joining in a conveyance with Sir John Blunt, to fecrete fifty thoufand pounds of that Director's estate, forfeited to the South Sea Company by Act of Parliament. The Company recovered the fifty thousand pounds against Ward; but he fet up prior conveyances of his real estate to his brother and fon, and concealed all his perfonal, which was computed to be one hundred and fifty thousand pounds. These conveyances being alfo set aside by a bill in Chancery, Ward was imprifoned, and hazarded the forfeiture of his life, by not giving in his effects till the last day, which was that of his examination. During his confinement, his amusement was to give poison to dogs and cats, and fee them expire by flower or quicker torments. To fum up the worth of this gentleman, at the several æras of his life: At his standing in the Pillory, he was worth above two hundred thousand pounds; at his commitment to Prifon, he was worth one hundred and fifty thousand; but has been fince fo far diminished in his reputation, às to be thought a worse man by fifty or fixty thousand. РОРЕ. FR. CHARTRES, a man infamous for all manner of vices. When he was an enfign in the army, he was drummed out of the regiment for a cheat; he was next banished Bruffels, and drummed out of Ghent, on the fame account. After a hundred tricks at the gaming-tables, he took to lending of money at exorbitant intereft and on great penalties, accumulating premium, intereft, and capital into a new capital, and feizing to a minute when the payments became due; in a word, by a constant attention to the vices, wants, and follies of mankind, he acquired an immenfe fortune. His houfe was a perpetual bawdy-house. He was twice condemned for rapes, and pardoned; but the laft time not without imprisonment in Newgate, and large confifcations. He died in Scotland VOL. III. T P B. What Nature wants, commodious Gold bestows, 'Tis thus we eat the bread another fows. COMMENTARY. P. But VER. 21. What Nature wants, &c.] Having thus fettled the terms of the debate, before he comes to the main question, the Ufe of Riches, it was neceffary to difcufs a previous one, whether, indeed, they be, upon the whole, useful to mankind or not; (which he does from ver. 20 to 77). It is commonly observed, says he, (from ver. 20 to 35.), That Gold most commodiously supplies the wants of Nature: "Let us first confider the propofition in general, both in MATTER and EXPRESSION; 1. As it regards the supply; and this we shall find to be very unequal: 2. As it regards the wants ; and thefe, we shall fee, are very ambiguous; under that term, all NOTES. our Scotland in 1731, aged 62. The populace at his funeral raised a great riot, almoft tore the body out of the coffin, and caft dead dogs, &c. into the grave along with it. The following Epitaph contains his character very justly drawn by Dr. Arbuthnot : HERE continueth to rot The Body of FRANCIS CHARTRES, In fpite of AGE and INFIRMITIES, in the undeviating Pravity of his Manners, in Accumulating WEALTH; Who P. But how unequal it beftows, obferve, 'Tis thus we riot, while, who sow it, starve: COMMENTARY. What our fantastic and imaginary, as well as real, wants being comprized. Hitherto the use is not very apparent. Let us in the fecond place, therefore, confider the propofition in particular, or how Gold fupplies the wants of nature both in private and public life: 1. As to private; it aids us, indeed, to fupport life; but, at the fame time, it hires the affaffin. 2. As to Society; it may procure friendships and extend trade; but it allures robbers, and corrupts our acquaintance. 3. As to Government; it pays the guards neceffary for the support of public liberty; but it may, with the same ease, bribe a Senate to overturn it." The matter, therefore, being thus problematical, the Poet, inftead of formally balancing between the good and ill, chufes to leave this previous Queftion undetermined (as Tacitus had done before him; where, fpeaking of the ancient Germans, he says, Argentum et aurum propitii aut irati Dii negaverint dubito); and falls NOTES. Who could CHEAT without the Mask of HONESTY, When poffeffed of TEN THOUSAND a Year, And having daily deferved the GIBBET for what he did, Think not his Life ufelefs to Mankind! A confpicuous PROOF and EXAMPLE, Of how small Eftimation is EXORBITANT WEALTH In the Sight of GOD, at By his beftowing it on the moft UNWORTHY OF ALL MORTALS. This fine reflection has been much admired; it is alfo found in La Bruyere; but he evidently borrowed it from Seneca: "Non funt divitiæ bonum; nullo modo magis poteft Deus concupita traducere, quam fi ille ad perpeffimos defert, ab optimis abigit." Cur Bonis Viris mala fiunt, cap. v. What Nature wants (a phrase I much distrust) 25 Useful, COMMENTARY. at once upon what he esteems the principal of these abuses, public Corruption. For having in the last inftance, of the Ufe of Riches in Government, spoken of venal Senates, he goes on to lament the mifchief as defperate and remedilefs; Gold, by its power to corrupt with Secrecy, defeating all the efforts of public spirit, whether exerted in the courage of Heroes, or in the wisdom of Patriots. NOTES. It This paffage was pointed out to me by an amiable friend, equally fkilled in all parts of useful and ornamental learning in matters both of tafte and philosophy, Dr. Heberden. The figure of Chartres is introduced by Hogarth in the firft plate of his Rake's Progress, and behind him stands a man whom he always had about him, and was his pimp. This Gentleman, it was faid, was worth feven thousand pounds a year eftate in Land, and about one hundred thousand in Money. Mr. WATERS, the third of these worthies, was a man no way refembling the former in his military, but extremely fo in his civil capacity; his great fortune having been raised by the like diligent attendance on the neceffities of others. But this Gentleman's hiftory must be deferred till his death, when his worth may be known more certainly. POPE. VER. 20. Waters,] The Waters here mentioned is the fame person who is introduced under the character of "Wife Peter ;" whose name was "Walter," though fometimes called Waters. See Note in this Epistle. VER. 21. What Nature wants, commodious Gold beftows,] The epithet commodious gives us the very proper idea of a Bawd or Pander; and this thought produced the two following lines, which were in all the former editions, but, for their bad reasoning, omitted: "And if we count amongst the needs of life WARBURTON. |