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FABLE [06] VI.
The Miser and Plutus.
1 The wind was high; the window shakes,
2 With sudden start the Miser wakes,
3 Along the silent room he stalks,
4 Looks back and trembles as he walks,
5 Each lock and ev'ry bolt he trys,
6 In ev'ry creek and corner prys,
[Page 19]7 Then opes the chest with treasure stor'd,
8 And stands in rapture o'er his hoard.
9 But now, with sudden qualms possest,
10 He wrings his hands, he beats his breast,
11 By conscience stung he wildly stares,
12 And thus his guilty soul declares.
13 Had the deep earth her stores confin'd,
14 This heart had known sweet peace of mind.
15 But virtue's sold. Good Gods, what price
16 Can recompense the pangs of vice!
17 O bane of good! seducing cheat!
18 Can man, weak man, thy power defeat?
19 Gold banish'd honour from the mind,
20 And only left the name behind;
21 Gold sow'd the world with ev'ry ill;
22 Gold taught the murd'rer's sword to kill;
23 'Twas gold instructed coward hearts
24 In treach'ry's more pernicious arts:
25 Who can recount the mischiefs o'er?
26 Virtue resides on earth no more!
27 He spoke, and sigh'd. In angry mood
28 Plutus, his God, before him stood;
29 The Miser trembling lock'd his chest,
30 The Vision frown'd, and thus addrest.
31 Whence is this vile ungrateful rant?
32 Each sordid rascal's daily cant:
33 Did I, base wretch, corrupt mankind?
34 The fault's in thy rapacious mind.
35 Because my blessings are abus'd,
36 Must I be censur'd, curst, accus'd?
37 Ev'n virtue's self by knaves is made
38 A cloak to carry on the trade,
39 And power (when lodg'd in their possession)
40 Grows tyranny, and rank oppression.
41 Thus when the villain crams his chest,
42 Gold is the canker of the breast;
43 'Tis av'rice, insolence, and pride,
44 And ev'ry shocking vice beside.
45 But when to virtuous hands 'tis given,
46 It blesses, like the dews of Heaven,
[Page 21]47 Like Heav'n, it hears the orphan's cries,
48 And wipes the tears from widows eyes.
49 Their crimes on gold shall misers lay,
50 Who pawn'd their sordid souls for pay?
51 Let bravos then (when blood is spilt)
52 Upbraid the passive sword with guilt.
Source edition
Gay, John, 1685-1732. FABLES. By Mr. GAY. London: Printed for J. Tonson and J. Watts, MDCCXXVII., 1727, pp. 18-21. [14],173,[1]p.: ill.; 4°. (ESTC T13818)
Editorial principles
Typography, spelling, capitalization, and punctuation have been cautiously modernized. The source of the text is given and all significant editorial interventions have been recorded in textual notes. This ECPA text has been edited to conform to the recommendations found in Level 5 of the Best Practices for TEI in Libraries version 4.0.0.
Other works by John Gay
- [FABLE ] INTRODUCTION TO THE FABLES. The Shepherd and the Philosopher. ()
- FABLE [01] I. The Lyon, the Tyger, and the Traveller. ()
- FABLE [02] II. The Spaniel and the Cameleon. ()
- FABLE [03] III. The Mother, the Nurse, and the Fairy. ()
- FABLE [04] IV. The Eagle, and the Assembly of Animals. ()
- FABLE [05] V. The Wild Boar and the Ram. ()
- FABLE [07] VII. The Lyon, the Fox, and the Geese. ()
- FABLE [08] VIII. The Lady and the Wasp. ()
- FABLE [09] IX. The Bull and the Mastiff. ()
- FABLE [10] X. The Elephant and the Bookseller. ()
- FABLE [11] XI. The Peacock, the Turkey, and Goose. ()
- FABLE [12] XII. Cupid, Hymen, and Plutus. ()
- FABLE [13] XIII. The tame Stag. ()
- FABLE [14] XIV. The Monkey who had seen the World. ()
- FABLE [15] XV. The Philosopher and the Pheasants. ()
- FABLE [16] XVI. The Pin and the Needle. ()
- FABLE [17] XVII. The Shepherd's Dog and the Wolf. ()
- FABLE [18] XVIII. The Painter who pleased No body and Every body. ()
- FABLE [19] XIX. The Lyon and the Cub. ()
- FABLE [20] XX. The Old Hen and the Cock. ()
- FABLE [21] XXI. The Rat-catcher and Cats. ()
- FABLE [22] XXII. The Goat without a beard. ()
- FABLE [23] XXIII. The Old Woman and her Cats. ()
- FABLE [24] XXIV. The Butterfly and the Snail. ()
- FABLE [25] XXV. The Scold and the Parrot. ()
- FABLE [26] XXVI. The Cur and the Mastiff. ()
- FABLE [27] XXVII. The Sick Man and the Angel. ()
- FABLE [28] XXVIII. The Persian, the Sun and the Cloud. ()
- FABLE [29] XXIX. The Fox at the point of death. ()
- FABLE [30] XXX. The Setting-dog and the Partridge. ()
- FABLE [31] XXXI. The Universal Apparition. ()
- FABLE [32] XXXII. The two Owls and the Sparrow. ()
- FABLE [33] XXXIII. The Courtier and Proteus. ()
- FABLE [34] XXXIV. The Mastiffs. ()
- FABLE [35] XXXV. The Barley-mow and the Dung-hill. ()
- FABLE [36] XXXVI. Pythagoras and the Countryman. ()
- FABLE [37] XXXVII. The Farmer's Wife and the Raven. ()
- FABLE [38] XXXVIII. The Turkey and the Ant. ()
- FABLE [39] XXXIX. The Father and Jupiter. ()
- FABLE [40] XL. The two Monkeys. ()
- FABLE [41] XLI. The Owl and the Farmer. ()
- FABLE [42] XLII. The Jugglers. ()
- FABLE [43] XLIII. The Council of Horses. ()
- FABLE [44] XLIV. The Hound and the Huntsman. ()
- FABLE [45] XLV. The Poet and the Rose. ()
- FABLE [46] XLVI. The Cur, the Horse, and the Shepherd's Dog. ()
- FABLE [47] XLVII. The Court of Death. ()
- FABLE [48] XLVIII. The Gardener and the Hog. ()
- FABLE [49] XLIX. The Man and the Flea. ()
- FABLE [50] L. The Hare and many Friends. ()