The
VANITY
of
HUMAN
WISHES
.
THE
Tenth
Satire
of
JUVENAL
.
IMITATED
By
Mr.
SAMUEL
JOHNSON
.
LET
Ver.
1
—
12.
observation
with
extensive
view
,
Survey
mankind
,
from
China
to
Peru
;
Remark
each
anxious
toil
,
each
eager
strife
,
And
watch
the
busy
scenes
of
crowded
life
;
Then
say
how
hope
and
fear
,
desire
and
hate
,
O'erspread
with
snares
the
clouded
maze
of
fate
,
Where
wav'ring
man
,
betray'd
by
vent'rous
pride
,
To
tread
the
dreary
paths
without
a
guide
;
As
treach'rous
phantoms
in
the
mist
delude
,
Shuns
fancied
ills
,
or
chases
airy
good
.
How
rarely
reason
guides
the
stubborn
choice
,
Rules
the
bold
hand
,
or
prompts
the
suppliant
voice
,
How
nations
sink
,
by
darling
schemes
oppress'd
,
When
vengeance
listens
to
the
fool's
request
.
Fate
wings
with
ev'ry
wish
th'
afflictive
dart
,
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
.
Ver.
13
—
22.
But
scarce
observ'd
the
knowing
and
the
bold
,
Fall
in
the
gen'ral
massacre
of
gold
;
Wide-wasting
pest
!
that
rages
unconfin'd
,
And
crowds
with
crimes
the
records
of
mankind
;
For
gold
his
sword
the
hireling
ruffian
draws
,
For
gold
the
hireling
judge
distorts
the
laws
;
Wealth
heap'd
on
wealth
,
nor
truth
nor
safety
buys
,
The
dangers
gather
as
the
treasures
rise
.
Let
hist'ry
tell
where
rival
kings
command
,
And
dubious
title
shakes
the
madded
land
,
When
statues
glean
the
refuse
of
the
sword
,
How
much
more
safe
the
vassal
than
the
lord
,
Low
sculks
the
hind
beneath
the
rage
of
pow'r
,
And
leaves
the
wealthy
traytor
in
the
Tow'r
,
Untouch'd
his
cottage
,
and
his
slumbers
sound
,
Tho'
confiscation's
vulturs
hover
round
.
The
needy
traveller
,
serene
and
gay
,
Walks
the
wild
heath
,
and
sings
his
toil
away
.
Does
envy
seize
thee
?
crush
th'
upbraiding
joy
,
Increase
his
riches
and
his
peace
destroy
,
New
fears
in
dire
vicissitude
invade
,
The
rustling
brake
alarms
,
and
quiv'ring
shade
,
Nor
light
nor
darkness
bring
his
pain
relief
,
One
shews
the
plunder
,
and
one
hides
the
thief
.
Yet
Ver.
23
—
27.
still
one
gen'ral
cry
the
skies
assails
,
And
gain
and
grandeur
load
the
tainted
gales
;
Few
know
the
toiling
statesman's
fear
or
care
,
Th'
insidious
rival
and
the
gaping
heir
.
Once
Ver.
28
—
55.
more
,
Democritus
,
arise
on
earth
,
With
chearful
wisdom
and
instructive
mirth
,
See
motly
life
in
modern
trappings
dress'd
,
And
feed
with
varied
fools
th'
eternal
jest
:
Thou
who
couldst
laugh
where
want
enchain'd
caprice
,
Toil
crush'd
conceit
,
and
man
was
of
a
piece
;
Where
wealth
unlov'd
without
a
mourner
dy'd
;
And
scarce
a
sycophant
was
fed
by
pride
;
Where
ne'er
was
known
the
form
of
mock
debate
,
Or
seen
a
new-made
mayor's
unwieldy
state
;
Where
change
of
fav'rites
made
no
change
of
laws
,
And
senates
heard
before
they
judg'd
a
cause
;
How
wouldst
thou
shake
at
Britain's
modish
tribe
,
Dart
the
quick
taunt
,
and
edge
the
piercing
gibe
?
Attentive
truth
and
nature
to
decry
,
And
pierce
each
scene
with
philosophic
eye
.
To
thee
were
solemn
toys
or
empty
shew
,
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
.
Such
was
the
scorn
that
fill'd
the
sage's
mind
,
Renew'd
at
ev'ry
glance
on
humankind
;
How
just
that
scorn
ere
yet
thy
voice
declare
,
Search
every
state
,
and
canvass
ev'ry
prayer
.
Ver.
56
—
107.
Unnumber'd
suppliants
crowd
Preferment's
gate
;
Athirst
for
wealth
,
and
burning
to
be
great
;
Delusive
Fortune
hears
th'
incessant
call
,
They
mount
,
they
shine
,
evaporate
,
and
fall
.
On
ev'ry
stage
the
foes
of
peace
attend
,
Hate
dogs
their
flight
,
and
insult
mocks
their
end
.
Love
ends
with
hope
,
the
sinking
statesman's
door
Pours
in
the
morning
worshipper
no
more
;
For
growing
names
the
weekly
scribbler
lies
,
To
growing
wealth
the
dedicator
flies
,
From
every
room
descends
the
painted
face
,
That
hung
the
bright
Palladium
of
the
place
,
And
smoak'd
in
kitchens
,
or
in
auctions
sold
,
To
better
features
yields
the
frame
of
gold
;
For
now
no
more
we
trace
in
ev'ry
line
Heroic
worth
,
benevolence
divine
:
The
form
distorted
justifies
the
fall
,
And
detestation
rids
th'
indignant
wall
.
But
will
not
Britain
hear
the
last
appeal
,
Sign
her
foes
doom
,
or
guard
her
fav'rites
zeal
;
Tho'
Freedom's
sons
no
more
remonstrance
rings
,
Degrading
nobles
and
controuling
kings
;
Our
supple
tribes
repress
their
patriot
throats
,
And
ask
no
questions
but
the
price
of
votes
;
With
weekly
libels
and
septennial
ale
,
Their
wish
is
full
to
riot
and
to
rail
.
In
full-blown
dignity
,
see
Wolsey
stand
,
Law
in
his
voice
,
and
fortune
in
his
hand
:
To
him
the
church
,
the
realm
,
their
pow'rs
consign
,
Thro'
him
the
rays
of
regal
bounty
shine
,
Still
to
new
heights
his
restless
wishes
tow'r
,
Claim
leads
to
claim
,
and
pow'r
advances
pow'r
;
'Till
conquest
unresisted
ceas'd
to
please
,
And
rights
submitted
,
left
him
none
to
seize
.
At
length
his
sov'reign
frowns
—
the
train
of
state
Mark
the
keen
glance
,
and
watch
the
sign
to
hate
.
Where-e'er
he
turns
he
meets
a
stranger's
eye
,
His
suppliants
scorn
him
,
and
his
followers
fly
;
At
once
is
lost
the
pride
of
aweful
state
,
The
golden
canopy
,
the
glitt'ring
plate
,
The
regal
palace
,
the
luxurious
board
,
The
liv'ried
army
,
and
the
menial
lord
.
With
age
,
with
cares
,
with
maladies
oppress'd
,
He
seeks
the
refuge
of
monastic
rest
.
Grief
aids
disease
,
remember'd
folly
stings
,
And
his
last
sighs
reproach
the
faith
of
kings
.
Speak
thou
,
whose
thoughts
at
humble
peace
repine
,
Shall
Wolsey's
wealth
,
with
Wolsey's
end
be
thine
?
Or
liv'st
thou
now
,
with
safer
pride
content
,
The
wisest
justice
on
the
banks
of
Trent
?
For
why
did
Wolsey
near
the
steeps
of
fate
,
On
weak
foundations
raise
th'
enormous
weight
?
Why
but
to
sink
beneath
Misfortune's
blow
,
With
louder
ruin
to
the
gulphs
below
?
What
Ver.
108
—
113.
gave
great
Villiers
to
th'
assassin's
knife
,
And
fix'd
disease
on
Harley's
closing
life
?
What
murder'd
Wentworth
,
and
what
exil'd
Hyde
,
By
kings
protected
,
and
to
kings
ally'd
?
What
but
their
wish
indulg'd
in
courts
to
shine
,
And
pow'r
too
great
to
keep
,
or
to
resign
?
When
Ver.
114
—
132.
first
the
college
rolls
receive
his
name
,
The
young
enthusiast
quits
his
ease
for
fame
;
Thro'
all
his
veins
the
fever
of
renown
Spreads
from
the
strong
contagion
of
the
gown
;
O'er
Bodley's
dome
his
future
labours
spread
,
And
There
is
a
tradition
,
that
the
study
of
friar
Bacon
,
built
on
an
arch
over
the
bridge
,
will
fall
,
when
a
man
greater
than
Bacon
shall
pass
under
it
.
Bacon's
mansion
trembles
o'er
his
head
.
Are
these
thy
views
?
proceed
illustrious
youth
,
And
virtue
guard
thee
to
the
throne
of
Truth
!
Yet
should
thy
soul
indulge
the
gen'rous
heat
,
'Till
captive
Science
yields
her
last
retreat
;
Should
Reason
guide
thee
with
her
brightest
ray
,
And
pour
on
misty
Doubt
resistless
day
;
Should
no
false
Kindness
lure
to
loose
delight
,
Nor
Praise
relax
,
nor
Difficulty
fright
;
Should
tempting
Novelty
thy
cell
refrain
,
And
Sloth
effuse
her
opiate
fumes
in
vain
;
Should
Beauty
blunt
on
fops
her
fatal
dart
,
Nor
claim
the
triumph
of
a
letter'd
heart
;
Should
no
Disease
thy
torpid
veins
invade
,
Nor
Melancholy's
phantoms
haunt
thy
shade
;
Yet
hope
not
life
from
grief
or
danger
free
,
Nor
think
the
doom
of
man
revers'd
for
thee
:
Deign
on
the
passing
world
to
turn
thine
eyes
,
And
pause
awhile
from
letters
,
to
be
wise
;
There
mark
what
ills
the
scholar's
life
assail
,
Toil
,
envy
,
want
,
the
patron
,
and
the
jail
.
See
nations
slowly
wise
,
and
meanly
just
,
To
buried
merit
raise
the
tardy
bust
.
If
dreams
yet
flatter
,
once
again
attend
,
Here
Lydiat's
life
,
and
Galileo's
end
.
Nor
deem
,
when
Learning
her
last
prize
bestows
,
The
glitt'ring
eminence
exempt
from
woes
;
See
when
the
vulgar
'scape
,
despis'd
or
aw'd
,
Rebellion's
vengeful
talons
seize
on
Laud
.
From
meaner
minds
,
tho'
smaller
fines
content
The
plunder'd
palace
or
sequester'd
rent
;
Mark'd
out
by
dangerous
parts
he
meets
the
shock
,
And
fatal
Learning
leads
him
to
the
block
:
Around
his
tomb
let
Art
and
Genius
weep
,
But
hear
his
death
,
ye
blockheads
,
hear
and
sleep
.
The
Ver.
133
—
146.
festal
blazes
,
the
triumphal
show
,
The
ravish'd
standard
,
and
the
captive
foe
,
The
senate's
thanks
,
the
gazette's
pompous
tale
,
With
force
resistless
o'er
the
brave
prevail
.
Such
bribes
the
rapid
Greek
o'er
Asia
whirl'd
,
For
such
the
steady
Romans
shook
the
world
;
For
such
in
distant
lands
the
Britons
shine
,
And
stain
with
blood
the
Danube
or
the
Rhine
;
This
pow'r
has
praise
,
that
virtue
scarce
can
warm
,
'Till
fame
supplies
the
universal
charm
.
Yet
Reason
frowns
on
War's
unequal
game
,
Where
wasted
nations
raise
a
single
name
,
And
mortgag'd
states
their
grandsires
wreaths
regret
,
From
age
to
age
in
everlasting
debt
;
Wreaths
which
at
last
the
dear-bought
right
convey
To
rust
on
medals
,
or
on
stones
decay
.
On
Ver.
147
—
167.
what
foundation
stands
the
warrior's
pride
,
How
just
his
hopes
let
Swedish
Charles
decide
;
A
frame
of
adamant
,
a
soul
of
fire
,
No
dangers
fright
him
,
and
no
labours
tire
;
O'er
love
,
o'er
fear
extends
his
wide
domain
,
Unconquer'd
lord
of
pleasure
and
of
pain
;
No
joys
to
him
pacific
scepters
yield
,
War
sounds
the
trump
,
he
rushes
to
the
field
;
Behold
surrounding
kings
their
pow'r
combine
,
And
one
capitulate
,
and
one
resign
;
Peace
courts
his
hand
,
but
spreads
her
charms
in
vain
;
"
Think
nothing
gain'd
,
he
cries
,
till
nought
remain
,
"
On
Moscow's
walls
till
Gothic
standards
fly
,
"
And
all
be
mine
beneath
the
polar
sky
.
"
The
march
begins
in
military
state
,
And
nations
on
his
eye
suspended
wait
;
Stern
Famine
guards
the
solitary
coast
,
And
Winter
barricades
the
realm
of
Frost
;
He
comes
,
not
want
and
cold
his
course
delay
;
—
Hide
,
blushing
Glory
,
hide
Pultowa's
day
:
The
vanquish'd
hero
leaves
his
broken
bands
,
And
shews
his
miseries
in
distant
lands
;
Condemn'd
a
needy
supplicant
to
wait
,
While
ladies
interpose
,
and
slaves
debate
.
But
did
not
Chance
at
length
her
error
mend
?
Did
no
subverted
empire
mark
his
end
?
Did
rival
monarchs
give
the
fatal
wound
?
Or
hostile
millions
press
him
to
the
ground
?
His
fall
was
destin'd
to
a
barren
strand
,
A
petty
fortress
,
and
a
dubious
hand
;
He
left
the
name
,
at
which
the
world
grew
pale
,
To
point
a
moral
,
or
adorn
a
tale
.
All
Ver.
168
—
187.
times
their
scenes
of
pompous
woes
afford
,
From
Persia's
tyrant
to
Bavaria's
lord
.
In
gay
hostility
,
and
barb'rous
pride
,
With
half
mankind
embattled
at
his
side
,
Great
Xerxes
comes
to
seize
the
certain
prey
,
And
starves
exhausted
regions
in
his
way
;
Attendant
Flatt'ry
counts
his
myriads
o'er
,
'Till
counted
myriads
sooth
his
pride
no
more
;
Fresh
praise
is
try'd
'till
madness
fires
his
mind
,
The
waves
he
lashes
,
and
enchains
the
wind
;
New
pow'rs
are
claim'd
,
new
pow'rs
are
still
bestow'd
,
'Till
rude
resistance
lops
the
spreading
god
;
The
daring
Greeks
deride
the
martial
show
,
And
heap
their
vallies
with
the
gaudy
foe
;
Th'
insulted
sea
with
humbler
thoughts
he
gains
,
A
single
skiff
to
speed
his
flight
remains
;
Th'
incumber'd
oar
scarce
leaves
the
dreaded
coast
Thro'
purple
billows
and
a
floating
host
.
The
bold
Bavarian
,
in
a
luckless
hour
,
Tries
the
dread
summits
of
Cesarean
pow'r
,
With
unexpected
legions
bursts
away
,
And
sees
defenceless
realms
receive
his
sway
;
Short
sway
!
fair
Austria
spreads
her
mournful
charms
,
The
queen
,
the
beauty
,
sets
the
world
in
arms
;
From
hill
to
hill
the
beacons
rousing
blaze
Spreads
wide
the
hope
of
plunder
and
of
praise
;
The
fierce
Croatian
,
and
the
wild
Hussar
,
And
all
the
sons
of
ravage
crowd
the
war
;
The
baffled
prince
in
honour's
flatt'ring
bloom
Of
hasty
greatness
finds
the
fatal
doom
,
His
foes
derision
,
and
his
subjects
blame
,
And
steals
to
death
from
anguish
and
from
shame
.
Enlarge
Ver.
188
—
288.
my
life
with
multitude
of
days
,
In
health
,
in
sickness
,
thus
the
suppliant
prays
;
Hides
from
himself
his
state
,
and
shuns
to
know
,
That
life
protracted
is
protracted
woe
.
Time
hovers
o'er
,
impatient
to
destroy
,
And
shuts
up
all
the
passages
of
joy
:
In
vain
their
gifts
the
bounteous
seasons
pour
,
The
fruit
autumnal
,
and
the
vernal
flow'r
,
With
listless
eyes
the
dotard
views
the
store
,
He
views
,
and
wonders
that
they
please
no
more
;
Now
pall
the
tasteless
meats
,
and
joyless
wines
,
And
Luxury
with
sighs
her
slave
resigns
.
Approach
,
ye
minstrels
,
try
the
soothing
strain
,
And
yield
the
tuneful
lenitives
of
pain
:
No
sounds
alas
would
touch
th'
impervious
ear
,
Tho'
dancing
mountains
witness
Orpheus
near
,
Nor
lute
nor
lyre
his
feeble
pow'rs
attend
,
Nor
sweeter
musick
of
a
virtuous
friend
,
But
everlasting
dictates
crowd
his
tongue
,
Perversely
grave
or
positively
wrong
.
The
still
returning
tale
,
and
ling'ring
jest
,
Perplex
the
fawning
niece
and
pamper'd
guest
,
While
growing
hopes
scarce
awe
the
gath'ring
sneer
,
And
scarce
a
legacy
can
bribe
to
hear
;
The
watchful
guests
still
hint
the
last
offence
,
The
daughter's
petulance
,
the
son's
expence
,
Improve
his
heady
rage
with
treach'rous
skill
,
And
mould
his
passions
'till
they
make
his
will
.
Unnumber'd
maladies
his
joints
invade
,
Lay
siege
to
life
and
press
the
dire
blockade
,
But
unextinguish'd
Av'rice
still
remains
,
And
dreaded
losses
aggravate
his
pains
;
He
turns
,
with
anxious
heart
and
cripled
hands
,
His
bonds
of
debt
,
and
mortgages
of
lands
;
Or
views
his
coffers
with
suspicious
eyes
,
Unlocks
his
gold
,
and
counts
it
'till
he
dies
.
But
grant
,
the
virtues
of
a
temp'rate
prime
Bless
with
an
age
exempt
from
scorn
or
crime
;
An
age
that
melts
in
unperceiv'd
decay
,
And
glides
in
modest
innocence
away
;
Whose
peaceful
day
Benevolence
endears
,
Whose
night
congratulating
Conscience
chears
;
The
gen'ral
fav'rite
,
as
the
gen'ral
friend
;
Such
age
there
is
,
and
who
could
wish
its
end
?
Yet
ev'n
on
this
her
load
Misfortune
flings
,
To
press
the
weary
minutes
flagging
wings
:
New
sorrow
rises
as
the
day
returns
,
A
sister
sickens
,
or
a
daughter
mourns
.
Now
kindred
Merit
fills
the
sable
bier
,
Now
lacerated
friendship
claims
a
tear
.
Year
chases
year
,
decay
pursues
decay
,
Still
drops
some
joy
from
with'ring
life
away
;
New
forms
arise
,
and
diff'rent
views
engage
,
Superfluous
lags
the
vet'ran
on
the
stage
,
'Till
pitying
Nature
signs
the
last
release
,
And
bids
afflicted
worth
retire
to
peace
.
But
few
there
are
whom
hours
like
these
await
,
Who
set
unclouded
in
the
gulphs
of
Fate
.
From
Lydia's
monarch
should
the
search
descend
,
By
Solon
caution'd
to
regard
his
end
,
In
life's
last
scene
what
prodigies
surprise
,
Fears
of
the
brave
,
and
follies
of
the
wise
?
From
Marlb'rough's
eyes
the
streams
of
dotage
flow
,
And
Swift
expires
a
driv'ler
and
a
show
.
The
Ver.
289
—
345.
teeming
mother
,
anxious
for
her
race
,
Begs
for
each
birth
the
fortune
of
a
face
:
Yet
Vane
could
tell
what
ills
from
beauty
spring
;
And
Sedley
curs'd
the
form
that
pleas'd
a
king
.
Ye
nymphs
of
rosy
lips
and
radiant
eyes
,
Whom
Pleasure
keeps
too
busy
to
be
wise
,
Whom
Joys
with
soft
varieties
invite
,
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
?
Against
your
fame
with
fondness
hate
combines
,
The
rival
batters
,
and
the
lover
mines
.
With
distant
voice
neglected
Virtue
calls
,
Less
heard
and
less
,
the
faint
remonstrance
falls
;
Tir'd
with
contempt
,
she
quits
the
slipp'ry
reign
,
And
Pride
and
Prudence
take
her
seat
in
vain
.
In
crowd
at
once
,
where
none
the
pass
defend
,
The
harmless
Freedom
,
and
the
private
Friend
.
The
guardians
yield
,
by
force
superior
ply'd
;
By
Int'rest
,
Prudence
;
and
by
Flatt'ry
,
Pride
.
Now
beauty
falls
betray'd
,
despis'd
,
distress'd
,
And
hissing
Infamy
proclaims
the
rest
.
Where
Ver.
346
—
366.
then
shall
Hope
and
Fear
their
objects
find
?
Must
dull
Suspence
corrupt
the
stagnant
mind
?
Must
helpless
man
,
in
ignorance
sedate
,
Roll
darkling
down
the
torrent
of
his
fate
?
Must
no
dislike
alarm
,
no
wishes
rise
,
No
cries
attempt
the
mercies
of
the
skies
?
Enquirer
,
cease
,
petitions
yet
remain
,
Which
heav'n
may
hear
,
nor
deem
religion
vain
.
Still
raise
for
good
the
supplicating
voice
,
But
leave
to
heav'n
the
measure
and
the
choice
.
Safe
in
his
pow'r
,
whose
eyes
discern
afar
The
secret
ambush
of
a
specious
pray'r
.
Implore
his
aid
,
in
his
decisions
rest
,
Secure
whate'er
he
gives
,
he
gives
the
best
.
Yet
when
the
sense
of
sacred
presence
fires
,
And
strong
devotion
to
the
skies
aspires
,
Pour
forth
thy
fervours
for
a
healthful
mind
,
Obedient
passions
,
and
a
will
resign'd
;
For
love
,
which
scarce
collective
man
can
fill
;
For
patience
sov'reign
o'er
transmuted
ill
;
For
faith
that
panting
for
a
happier
seat
,
Counts
death
kind
Nature's
signal
of
retreat
:
These
goods
for
man
the
laws
of
heav'n
ordain
,
These
goods
he
grants
,
who
grants
the
pow'r
to
gain
;
With
these
celestial
Wisdom
calms
the
mind
,
And
makes
the
happiness
she
does
not
find
.