Afar they mark the flambeau’s bright approach,
And shun the shining train, and golden coach.
  [mm]In vain, these dangers past, your doors you close,
And hope the balmy blessings of repose;
Cruel with guilt, and daring with despair,
The midnight murd’rer bursts the faithless bar;
Invades the sacred hour of silent rest,
[L]And leaves, unseen, a dagger in your breast.
  [nn]Scarce can our fields, such crowds at Tyburn die,
With hemp the gallows and the fleet supply. 
Propose your schemes, ye senatorian band,
Whose ways and means[M]support the sinking land: 
Lest ropes be wanting in the tempting spring,
To rig another convoy for the king[N].
  [oo]A single gaol, in Alfred’s golden reign,
Could half the nation’s criminals contain;
Fair justice, then, without constraint ador’d,
Held high the steady scale, but sheath’d the sword [D];
No spies were paid, no special juries known,
Blest age! but ah! how different from our own!
  [pp]Much could I add,—­but see the boat at hand,
The tide, retiring, calls me from the land: 
[qq] Farewell!—­When youth, and health, and fortune spent,
Thou fly’st for refuge to the wilds of Kent;
And, tir’d, like me, with follies and with crimes,
In angry numbers warn’st succeeding times;
Then shall thy friend, nor thou refuse his aid,
Still foe to vice, forsake his Cambrian shade;
In virtue’s cause, once more, exert his rage,
Thy satire point, and animate thy page.

FOOTNOTES

[a]
Quamvis digressu veteris confusus amici,
Laudo, tamen, vacuis quod sedem figere Cumis
Destinet atque unum civcm donare Sibyllae.

[b]
—­Ego vel Prochytam praepono Suburae. 
Nam quid tam miserum, tam solum vidimus, ut non
Deterius credas horrere incendia, lapsus
Tectorum assiduos, ae mille pericula saevae
Urbis et Augusto recitantes mense poetas

[c]
Sed dum tota domus reda componitur una,
Substitit ad veteres arcus—­

[d]
Hic tunc Umbricius; Quando artibus, inquit, honestis
Nullus in urbe locus, nulla emolumenta laborum,
Res hodie minor est, here quam fuit, atque eadem eras
Deteret exiguis aliquid:  proponimus illue
Ire, fatigatas ubi Daedalus exuit alas,
Dum nova canities,—­

[e] —­et pedibus me Porto meis, nullo dextram subeunte bacillo.

[f]
Cedamus patria:  vivant Artorius istic
Et Catulus:  maneant, qui nigrum in candida vertunt.

[g]
Queis facile est aedem conducere, flumina, portus,
Siccandam eluviem, portandum ad busta cadaver,—­
Munera nunc edunt.

[h] Quid Romae faciam?  Mentiri nescio:  librum, Si malus est, nequeo laudare et poscere:—­

[i]
—­Ferre ad nuptam, quae mittit adulter,
Quae mandat, norunt alii; me nemo ministro
Fur erit, atque ideo nulli comes exeo,—­

[Transcriber’s note:  There is no Footnote [j]]