The Vanity of Human Wishes

THE
TENTH SATIRE
OF
Juvenal

Observation with extensive View,
China to Peru;
Remark each anxious Toil, each eager Strife,
Then say how Hope and Fear, Desire and Hate, [5]


airy good. [10]
How rarely Reason guides the stubborn Choice,
Rules the bold Hand, or prompts the suppliant Voice,

Each Gift of Nature, and each Grace of Art,
With fatal Heat impetuous Courage glows,
With fatal Sweetness Elocution flows,
Impeachment stops the Speaker’s pow’rful Breath,
And restless Fire precipitates on Death. [20]

And crouds with Crimes the Records of Mankind,
For Gold his Sword the [infopopup:Hireling] Ruffian draws, [25]

The Dangers gather as the Treasures rise.
And dubious Title shakes the madded Land, [30]
When Statutes glean the Refuse of the Sword,
How much more safe the Vassal than the Lord,

The needy Traveller, serene and gay,
Walks the wild Heath, and sings his Toil away.
Encrease his Riches and his Peace destroy, [40]
New Fears in dire [infopopup:Vicissitude] invade,
[infopopup:Nor] Light nor Darkness bring his Pain Relief,
One shews the Plunder, and one hides the Thief

[infopopup:heir].

Once more, [infopopup:Democritus], arise on Earth,
With chearful Wisdom and instructive Mirth, [50]





[infopopup:modish] Tribe,
Dart the quick Taunt, and edge the piercing [infopopup:gibe]?

Attentive Truth and Nature to descry,
And pierce each Scene with Philosophic Eye.
To thee were solemn Toys or empty Shew, [65]
The Robes of Pleasure and the Veils of Woe:
All aid the Farce, and all thy Mirth maintain,
Whose Joys are causeless, or whose Griefs are vain.

How just that Scorn ere yet thy Voice declare,
[infopopup:Prayr].
[infopopup:Preferment]‘s Gate,

They mount, they shine, evaporate, and fall.

Hate dogs their Flight, and Insult mocks their End.

For growing Names the weekly [infopopup:Scribbler] lies,
To growing Wealth the Dedicator flies,
From every Room descends the painted Face,
That hung the bright [infopopup:Palladium] of the Place,

Heroic Worth, Benevolence Divine:
The Form distorted justifies the Fall,
But will not Britain hear the last Appeal,
[infopopup:Remonstrance] rings,
Our supple Tribes repress their Patriot Throats, [95]
With Weekly Libels and Septennial Ale,
Their Wish is full to riot and to rail.
In full-blown Dignity, see [infopopup:Wolsey] stand,
Law in his Voice, and Fortune in his Hand: [100]

[infopopup:Honour] flows,
His Smile alone Security bestows:

[infopopup:please],
And Rights submitted, left him none to seize.
Mark the keen Glance, and watch the Sign to hate. [110]

Now drops at once the Pride of aweful State,
[infopopup:Plate],
The regal Palace, the luxurious Board, [115]

He seeks the Refuge of Monastic Rest.
And his last Sighs [infopopup:reproach] the Faith of Kings. [120]

Speak thou, whose Thoughts at humble Peace repine,

The richest Landlord on the Banks of [infopopup:Trent]?
For why did Wolsey by the Steps of Fate, [125]

With louder Ruin to the Gulphs below?

When first the College Rolls receive his Name, [135]
Resistless burns the Fever of Renown,
[infopopup:Dome] his future Labours spread,
[infopopup:Mansion] trembles o’er his Head; [140]
Are these thy Views? proceed, illustrious Youth,
And Virtue guard thee to the Throne of [infopopup:Truth],
[infopopup:Heat],
Should Reason guide thee with her brightest Ray, [145]
Should no false Kindness lure to loose Delight,
Should tempting Novelty thy Cell [infopopup:refrain],
[infopopup:Opiates] shed their Fumes in vain; [150]
Should Beauty blunt on [infopopup:Fops] her fatal Dart,
Should no Disease thy torpid Veins invade,
Yet hope not Life from Grief or Danger free, [155]
Deign on the passing World to turn thine Eyes,

Toil, Envy, Want, the [infopopup:Patron], and the Jail. [160]
See Nations slowly wise, and meanly just,
To buried Merit raise the tardy [infopopup:Bust].
If Dreams yet flatter, once again attend,
Nor deem, when Learning her loft Prize bestows [165]

[infopopup:Laud].

And fatal Learning leads him to the [infopopup:Block]:
Around his Tomb let Art and Genius weep,
But hear his Death, ye [infopopup:Blockheads], hear and sleep.
The festal Blazes, the triumphal Show, [175]
[infopopup:pompous] Tale,

For such in distant Lands the Britons shine,

Till Fame supplies the universal Charm.
Where wasted Nations raise a single Name,
[infopopup:Wreaths] regret
Wreaths which at last the dear-bought Right convey
To rust on Medals, or on Stones decay. [190]

A Frame of [infopopup:adamant], a Soul of Fire,

[infopopup:pleasureandpain];
No Joys to him [infopopup:pacificScepters] yield,


[infopopup:GothicStandards] fly,
The March begins in Military State, [205]
Stern Famine guards the solitary Coast,

Hide, blushing Glory, hide [infopopup:pultowas] Day: [210]

[infopopup:supplicant] to wait,
While Ladies interpose, and Slaves debate.
But did not Chance at length her Error mend? [215]
Did no subverted Empire mark his End?
Did rival Monarchs give the fatal Wound?
Or hostile Millions press him to the Ground?
[infopopup:barrenStrand],
He left the Name, at which the World grew pale,
[infopopup:adorn] a Tale.
All Times their Scenes of pompous Woes afford,

With half Mankind embattled at his Side,
[infopopup:GreatXerxes] comes to seize the certain Prey,
[infopopup:myriads] o’er,


The daring [infopopup:Greeks] deride the Martial Shew, [235]


Through purple Billows and a floating Host. [240]

The [infopopup:boldBavarian], in a luckless Hour,
With unexpected Legions bursts away,
Short Sway! fair Austria spreads her mournful Charms, [245]
From Hill to Hill the Beacons rousing Blaze
The fierce Croatian, and the [infopopup:wildHussar],

Of hasty Greatness finds the fatal Doom,
His Foes Derision, and his Subjects Blame,
And steals to Death from Anguish and from Shame.

Enlarge my Life with Multitude of Days, [255]
Hides from himself his State, and shuns to know,
That Life protracted is protracted Woe.
And shuts up all the Passages of Joy: [260]
In vain their Gifts the bounteous Seasons pour,
With [infopopup:listless] Eyes the [infopopup:dotard] views the Store,
Now [infopopup:pall] the tastless Meats, and joyless Wines, [265]
And Luxury with Sighs her Slave resigns.
Approach, ye Minstrels, try the soothing Strain,
And yield the tuneful [infopopup:lenitives] of Pain:
[infopopup:Orpheus] near; [270]

Nor sweeter Musick of a virtuous Friend,
But everlasting Dictates croud his Tongue,
Perversely grave, or positively wrong.


The watchful Guests still hint the last Offence,
[infopopup:Petulance], the Son’s Expence, [280]
And mould his Passions till they make his Will.

He turns, with anxious Heart and cripled Hands,
Or views his [infopopup:coffer] with suspicious Eyes,
Unlocks his Gold, and counts it till he dies. [290]
[infopopup:prime]

Whose peaceful Day Benevolence endears, [295]

Such Age there is, and who could wish its End?

To press the weary Minutes [infopopup:flagging] Wings: [300]
New Sorrow rises as the Day returns,
A Sister sickens, or a Daughter mourns.
Now Kindred Merit fills the [infopopup:sable] [infopopup:bier],
Now [infopopup:lacerated] Friendship claims a Tear.
Year chases Year, Decay pursues Decay, [305]

Till pitying Nature signs the last Release,
And bids afflicted Worth retire to Peace. [310]
But few there are whom Hours like these await,
Who [infopopup:set] unclouded in the Gulphs of Fate.

From [infopopup:Croesus] should the Search descend,

Fears of the Brave, and Follies of the Wise?
From [infopopup:Marlborough] Eyes the Streams of [infopopup:dotage] flow,
And [infopopup:Swift] expires a [infopopup:driveler] and a Show.
The teeming Mother, anxious for her Race,
Begs for each Birth the Fortune of a Face: [320]

Ye [infopopup:nymphs] of rosy Lips and radiant Eyes,
Whom Pleasure keeps too busy to be wise,
Whom Joys with soft Varieties invite [325]
By Day the Frolick, and the Dance by Night,

Who frown with Vanity, who smile with Art,
And ask the latest Fashion of the Heart,
What Care, what Rules your heedless Charms shall save,
Each Nymph your Rival, and each Youth your Slave? [330]
An envious Breast with certain Mischief glows,
And Slaves, the Maxim tells, are always Foes.
Against your Fame with Fondness Hate combines,
The Rival [infopopup:batters], and the Lover mines.
With distant Voice neglected Virtue calls, [335]

And Pride and Prudence take her Seat in vain.
In croud at once, where none the Pass defend,
The harmless Freedom, and the private Friend. [340]

And hissing Infamy proclaims the rest.
[infopopup:HopeFear] [345]
Must dull Suspence corrupt the stagnant Mind?
Must helpless Man, in Ignorance sedate,
Swim [infopopup:darkling] down the Current of his Fate?
Must no Dislike alarm, no Wishes rise,
No Cries attempt the Mercies of the Skies? [350]
Enquirer, cease, Petitions yet remain,
Still raise for Good the supplicating Voice,

Implore his Aid, in his Decisions rest,
Yet with the Sense of sacred Presence prest,
When strong Devotion fills thy glowing Breast, [360]
Pour forth thy Fervours for a healthful Mind,

[infopopup:transmuted] Ill;
For Faith, that panting for a happier Seat, [365]

With these [infopopup:Wisdom] calms the Mind,
And makes the Happiness [infopopup:celestialwisdom] does not find. [370]

FINIS.