THE BIRTH OF FLATTERY.

THE BIRTH OF FLATTERY .

The Subject — Poverty and Cunning described — When united , a jarring Couple — Mutual Reproof — The Wife consoled by a Dream — Birth of a Daughter — Description and Prediction of Envy — How to be rendered ineffectual , explained in a Vision — Simulation foretells the future Success and Triumphs of Flattery — Her Power over various Characters and different Minds ; over certain Classes of Men ; over Envy himself — Her successful Art of softening the Evils of Life ; of changing Characters ; of meliorating Prospects , and affixing Value to Possessions , Pictures , &c. — Conclusion .

Omnia habeo , nec quicquam habeo ; Quidquid dicunt , laudo ; id rursum si negant , laudo id quoque : Negat quis , nego ; ait , aio : Postremò imperavi egomet mihi Omnia assentari .

Terent . in Eunuch .

'Tis an old maxim in the schools , That flattery is the food of fools ; Yet now and then your men of wit Will condescend to taste a bit .

Swift . Muse of my Spenser , who so well could sing The passions all , their bearings and their ties ; Who could in view those shadowy beings bring , And with bold hand remove each dark disguise , Wherein love , hatred , scorn , or anger lies : Guide him to Fairy-land , who now intends That way his flight ; assist him as he flies , To mark those passions , Virtue's foes and friends , By whom when led she droops , when leading she ascends . Yes ! they appear , I see the fairy train ! And who that modest nymph of meek address ? Not Vanity , though loved by all the vain ; Not Hope , though promising to all success ; Not Mirth , nor Joy , though foe to all distress ; Thee , sprightly syren , from this train I choose , Thy birth relate , thy soothing arts confess ; 'T is not in thy mild nature to refuse , When poets ask thine aid , so oft their meed and muse . In Fairy-land , on wide and cheerless plain , Dwelt , in the house of Care , a sturdy swain ; A hireling he , who , when he till'd the soil , Look'd to the pittance that repaid his toil And to a master left the mingled joy And anxious care that follow'd his employ : Sullen and patient he at once appear'd , As one who murmur'd , yet as one who fear'd ; Th' attire was coarse that clothed his sinewy frame , Rude his address , and Poverty his name . In that same plain a nymph , of curious taste , A cottage ( plann'd with all her skill ) had placed ; Strange the materials , and for what design'd The various parts , no simple man might find ; What seem'd the door , each entering guest withstood , What seem'd a window was but painted wood ; But by a secret spring the wall would move , And daylight drop through glassy door above : 'T was all her pride , new traps for praise to lay , And all her wisdom was to hide her way ; In small attempts incessant were her pains , And Cunning was her name among the swains . Now , whether fate decreed this pair should wed , And blindly drove them to the marriage bed ; Or whether love in some soft hour inclined The damsel's heart , and won her to be kind , Is yet unsung : they were an ill-match'd pair , But both disposed to wed — and wed they were . Yet , though united in their fortune , still Their ways were diverse ; varying was their will ; Nor long the maid had bless'd the simple man , Before dissensions rose , and she began : — " Wretch that I am ! since to thy fortune bound , " What plan , what project , with success is crown'd ? " I , who a thousand secret arts possess , " Who every rank approach with right address ; " Who've loosed a guinea from a miser's chest , " And worm'd his secret from a traitor's breast ; " Thence gifts and gains collecting , great and small , " Have brought to thee , and thou consum'st them all ; " For want like thine — a bog without a base — " Ingulfs all gains I gather for the place ; " Feeding , unfill'd ; destroying , undestroy'd ; " It craves for ever , and is ever void : — " Wretch that I am ! what misery have I found , " Since my sure craft was to thy calling bound ! " " Oh! vaunt of worthless art , " the swain replied , Scowling contempt , " how pitiful this pride ! " What are these specious gifts , these paltry gains , " But base rewards for ignominious pains ? " With all thy tricking , still for bread we strive , " Thine is , proud wretch ! the care that cannot thrive ; " By all thy boasted skill and baffled hooks , " Thou gain'st no more than students by their books " No more than I for my poor deeds am paid , " Whom none can blame , will help , or dare upbraid . " Call this our need , a bog that all devours , — " Then what thy petty arts , but summer-flowers , " Gaudy and mean , and serving to betray " The place they make unprofitably gay ? " Who know it not , some useless beauties see , — " But ah ! to prove it was reserved for me . " Unhappy state ! that , in decay of love , Permits harsh truth his errors to disprove ; While he remains , to wrangle and to jar , Is friendly tournament , not fatal war ; Love in his play will borrow arms of hate , Anger and rage , upbraiding and debate ; And by his power the desperate weapons thrown , Become as safe and pleasant as his own ; But left by him , their natures they assume , And fatal , in their poisoning force , become . Time fled , and now the swain compell'd to see New cause for fear — " Is this thy thrift ? " quoth he To whom the wife with cheerful voice replied : — " Thou moody man , lay all thy fears aside , " I've seen a vision — they , from whom I came , " A daughter promise , promise wealth and fame ; " Born with my features , with my arts , yet she " Shall patient , pliant , persevering be , " And in thy better ways resemble thee . " The fairies round shall at her birth attend , " The friend of all in all shall find a friend , " And save that one sad star that hour must gleam " On our fair child , how glorious were my dream ! " This heard the husband , and , in surly smile , Aim'd at contempt , but yet he hoped the while : For as , when sinking , wretched men are found To catch at rushes rather than be drown'd ; So on a dream our peasant placed his hope , And found that rush as valid as a rope . Swift fled the days , for now in hope they fled , When a fair daughter bless'd the nuptial bed ; Her infant-face the mother's pains beguiled , She look'd so pleasing and so softly smiled ; Those smiles , those looks , with sweet sensations moved The gazer's soul , and as he look'd he loved . And now the fairies came with gifts , to grace So mild a nature , and so fair a face . They gave , with beauty , that bewitching art , That holds in easy chains the human heart ; They gave her skill to win the stubborn mind , To make the suffering to their sorrows blind , To bring on pensive looks the pleasing smile , And Care's stern brow of every frown beguile . These magic favours graced the infant-maid , Whose more enlivening smile the charming gifts repaid . Now Fortune changed , who , were she constant long , Would leave us few adventures for our song . A wicked elfin roved this land around , Whose joys proceeded from the griefs he found ; Envy his name : — his fascinating eye From the light bosom drew the sudden sigh ; Unsocial he , but with malignant mind , He dwelt with man , that he might curse mankind ; Like the first foe , he sought th' abode of Joy , Grieved to behold , but eager to destroy ; Round blooming beauty , like the wasp , he flew , Soil'd the fresh sweet , and changed the rosy hue ; The wise , the good , with anxious heart he saw , And here a failing found , and there a flaw ; Discord in families 't was his to move , Distrust in friendship , jealousy in love ; He told the poor , what joys the great possess'd , The great — what calm content the cottage bless'd ; To part the learned and the rich he tried , Till their slow friendship perish'd in their pride . Such was the fiend , and so secure of prey , That only Misery pass'd unstung away . Soon as he heard the fairy-babe was born , Scornful he smiled , but felt no more than scorn : For why , when Fortune placed her state so low , In useless spite his lofty malice show ? Why , in a mischief of the meaner kind , Exhaust the vigour of a ranc'rous mind ; But , soon as Fame the fairy-gifts proclaim'd , Quick-rising wrath his ready soul inflamed To swear , by vows that e'en the wicked tie , The nymph should weep her varied destiny , That every gift , that now appear'd to shine In her fair face , and make her smiles divine , Should all the poison of his magic prove , And they should scorn her , whom she sought for love . His spell prepared , in form an ancient dame , A fiend in spirit , to the cot he came ; There gain'd admittance , and the infant press'd ( Muttering his wicked magic ) to his breast ; And thus he said : — " Of all the powers , who wait " On Jove's decrees , and do the work of fate , " Was I , alone , despised or worthless , found , " Weak to protect , or impotent to wound ? " See then thy foe , regret the friendship lost , " And learn my skill , but learn it at your cost . " Know , then , O child ! devote to fates severe " The good shall hate thy name , the wise shall fear ; " Wit shall deride , and no protecting friend " Thy shame shall cover , or thy name defend . " Thy gentle sex , who , more than ours , should spare " A humble foe , will greater scorn declare ; " The base alone thy advocates shall be , " Or boast alliance with a wretch like thee . " He spake , and vanish'd , other prey to find , And waste in slow disease the conquer'd mind . Awed by the elfin's threats , and fill'd with dread The parents wept , and sought their infant's bed : Despair alone the father's soul possess'd ; But hope rose gently in the mother's breast ; For well she knew that neither grief nor joy Pain'd without hope , or pleased without alloy ; And while these hopes and fears her heart divide , A cheerful vision bade the fears subside . She saw descending to the world below An ancient form , with solemn pace and slow . " Daughter , no more be sad " ( the phantom cried ) , " Success is seldom to the wise denied ; " In idle wishes fools supinely stay , " Be there a will , and wisdom finds a way : " Why art thou grieved ? Be rather glad , that he , " Who hates the happy , aims his darts at thee ; " But aims in vain ; thy favour'd daughter lies , " Serenely blest , and shall to joy arise . " For , grant that curses on her name shall wait , " ( So Envy wills , and such the voice of Fate , ) " Yet if that name be prudently suppress'd , " She shall be courted , favour'd , and caress'd . " For what are names ? and where agree mankind , " In those to persons or to acts assign'd ? " Brave , learn'd , or wise , if some their favourites call , " Have they the titles or the praise from all ? " Not so , but others will the brave disdain " As rash , and deem the sons of wisdom vain ; " The self-same mind shall scorn or kindness move , " And the same deed attract contempt and love . " So all the powers who move the human soul , " With all the passions who the will control , ' Have various names — One giv'n by Truth Divine , " ( As Simulation thus was fix'd for mine , ) " The rest by man , who now , as wisdom's , prize " My secret counsels , now as art despise ; " One hour , as just , those counsels they embrace , " And spurn , the next , as pitiful and base . " Thee , too , my child , those fools as Cunning fly , " Who on thy counsel and thy craft rely ; " That worthy craft in others they condemn , " But 't is their prudence , while conducting them . " Be Flattery , then , thy happy infant's name , " Let Honour scorn her and let Wit defame ; " Let all be true that Envy dooms , yet all , " Not on herself , but on her name , shall fall ; " While she thy fortune and her own shall raise , " And decent Truth be call'd , and loved as , modest Praise . " O happy child ! the glorious day shall shine , " When every ear shall to thy speech incline , " Thy words alluring and thy voice divine : " The sullen pedant and the sprightly wit , " To hear thy soothing eloquence shall sit ; " And both , abjuring Flattery , will agree " That Truth inspires , and they must honour thee . " Envy himself shall to thy accents bend , " Force a faint smile and sullenly attend , " When thou shalt call him Virtue's jealous friend , " Whose bosom glows with generous rage to find " How fools and knaves are flatter'd by mankind . " The sage retired , who spends alone his days , " And flies th' obstreperous voice of public praise ; " The vain , the vulgar cry , — shall gladly meet , " And bid thee welcome to his still retreat ; " Much will he wonder , how thou camest to find " A man to glory dead , to peace consign'd . " O Fame ! he'll cry ( for he will call thee Fame ) , " From thee I fly , from thee conceal my name ; " But thou shalt say , Though Genius takes his flight , " He leaves behind a glorious train of light , " And hides in vain : — yet prudent he that flies " The flatterer's art , and for himself is wise . " Yes , happy child ! I mark th' approaching day , " When warring natures will confess thy sway ; " When thou shalt Saturn's golden reign restore , " And vice and folly shall be known no more . " Pride shall not then in human-kind have place , " Changed by thy skill , to Dignity and Grace ; " While Shame , who now betrays the inward sense " Of secret ill , shall be thy Diffidence ; " Avarice shall thenceforth prudent Forecast be , " And bloody Vengeance , Magnanimity ; " The lavish tongue shall honest truths impart , " The lavish hand shall show the generous heart , " And Indiscretion be , contempt of art : " Folly and Vice shall then , no longer known , " Be , this as Virtue , that as Wisdom , shown . " Then shall the Robber , as the Hero , rise " To seize the good that churlish law denies ; " Throughout the world shall rove the generous band , " And deal the gifts of Heaven from hand to hand . " In thy blest days no tyrant shall be seen , " Thy gracious king shall rule contented men ; " In thy blest days shall not a rebel be , " But patriots all and well-approved of thee . " Such powers are thine , that man by thee shall wrest " The gainful secret from the cautious breast ; " Nor then , with all his care , the good retain , " But yield to thee the secret and the gain . " In vain shall much experience guard the heart " Against the charm of thy prevailing art ; " Admitted once , so soothing is thy strain " It comes the sweeter , when it comes again ; " And when confess'd as thine , what mind so strong " Forbears the pleasure it indulged so long ? " Soft'ner of every ill ! of all our woes " The balmy solace ! friend of fiercest foes ! " Begin thy reign , and like the morning rise ! " Bring joy , bring beauty , to our eager eyes ; " Break on the drowsy world like opening day , " While grace and gladness join thy flow'ry way ; " While every voice is praise , while every heart is gay . " From thee all prospects shall new beauties take , " 'Tis thine to seek them and 'tis thine to make ; " On the cold fen I see thee turn thine eyes , " Its mists recede , its chilling vapour flies ; " Th' enraptured lord th' improving ground surveys , " And for his Eden asks the traveller's praise , " Which yet , unview'd of thee , a bog had been , " Where spungy rushes hide the plashy green . " I see thee breathing on the barren moor , " That seems to bloom although so bleak before ; " There , if beneath the gorse the primrose spring , " Or the pied daisy smile below the ling , " They shall new charms , at thy command , disclose , " And none shall miss the myrtle or the rose . " The wiry moss , that whitens all the hill , " Shall live a beauty by thy matchless skill ; " Gale from the bog shall yield Arabian balm , " And the grey willow wave a golden palm . " I see thee smiling in the pictured room , " Now breathing beauty , now reviving bloom ; " There , each immortal name 'tis thine to give , " To graceless forms , and bid the lumber live . " Should'st thou coarse boors or gloomy martyrs see , " These shall thy Guidos , those thy Teniers be ; " There shalt thou Raphael's saints and angels trace , " There make for Rubens and for Reynolds place , " And all the pride of art shall find , in her , disgrace . " Delight of either sex ! thy reign commence ; " With balmy sweetness soothe the weary sense , " And to the sickening soul thy cheering aid dispense . " Queen of the mind ! thy golden age begin ; " In mortal bosoms varnish shame and sin ; " Let all be fair without , let all be calm within . " The vision fled , the happy mother rose , Kiss'd the fair infant , smiled at all her foes , And Flattery made her name : — her reign began : Her own dear sex she ruled , then vanquish'd man ; A smiling friend , to every class she spoke , Assumed their manners , and their habits took ; Her , for her humble mien , the modest loved ; Her cheerful looks the light and gay approved ; The just beheld her , firm ; the valiant , brave ; Her mirth the free , her silence pleased the grave ; Zeal heard her voice , and , as he preach'd aloud , Well-pleased he caught her whispers from the crowd ( Those whispers , soothing-sweet to every ear , Which some refuse to pay , but none to hear ) : Shame fled her presence ; at her gentle strain , Care softly smiled , and guilt forgot its pain ; The wretched thought , the happy found , her true , The learn'd confess'd that she their merits knew ; The rich — could they a constant friend condemn ? The poor believed — for who should flatter them ? Thus on her name though all disgrace attend , In every creature she beholds a friend .