The Wish.
Corrected and augmented with
a Second Part.
Licensed December 11th. 1691.
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I.
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IF I live to be old, for I find I go down,
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Let this be my Fate in a Country Town;
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May I have a Warm house, with a Stone at the Gate
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And a Cleanly young Girl to rub my Bald-Pate.
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CHORUS.
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May I govern my Passions with an Absolute Sway,
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And grow wiser, and better, as my Strength wears away,
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Without Gout or Stone, by a gentle Decay.
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II.
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In a Country Town, by a Murmuring brook
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With the Ocean at distance, whereon I may look,
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With a spatious Plain, without Hedge, or Stile,
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And an easie Pad-Nagg to ride out a Mile.
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May I, etc.
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III.
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With Horace, and Petrarch, and two or three more
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Of the best Wits, that Reign'd in the Ages before,
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With Roast Mutton, rather then Venison, or Teal,
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And Clean, tho' Coarse Linnen, at every Meal.
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May I, etc.
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IV.
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With a Pudding on Sundays, and Stout humming Liquor,
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And Remnants of Latine to Welcome the Vicar,
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With Monte Fiascone, and Burgundy Wine
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To drink the Kings-health in, as oft as I Dine;
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May I, etc.
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V.
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If to Sixty and odd, I should draw out my life,
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May I not play the Fool then, and steal a Young Wife.
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Least when I can't please, I grow Jealous, and hate her,
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Nor thrice a Week Spit out a Crude Observator.*
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May I, etc.
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* Estimet
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Responsum non dic-
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tum esse quia laesit
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Prior. Ter. in
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Prolog. Eun.
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Vide Observat
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Vol. 3. N. 126.
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VI.
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May I be neither Observator, or Trimmer,
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Nor against the laws stream an obstinate Swimmer;
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May I mind what I speak, what I write, and hear read,
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But with matters of State, nere trouble my old head.
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May I, etc.
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VII.
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Nor Preside in a Coffee Convention of Wits
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Made up of Conceited, Pragmatical Cits.
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Who greedily lick my Oraculous Spaul,
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While I row to St. Peters with my face towards St. Paul.
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May I, etc.
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The Second Part.
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VIII.
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Tho' I care not for Riches, may I not be so poor,
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That the Rich without shame, cannot enter my Door:
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May they Court my converse, may they take much Delight
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My old Stories to hear, in a Winters long Night.
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May I, etc.
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IX.
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My small Stock of Wit may I not misapply
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To Flatter Ill men, be they never so High,
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Nor mispend the few Moments I Steal from the Grave
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In Fawning, and Cringing, like a Dog, or a Slave.
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May I, etc.
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X.
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May none whom I love, to so great Riches rise
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As to slight their Acquaintance, and their old Friends despise,
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So Low, or so High may none of them be,
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As to move either Pity, or Envy in me.
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May I, etc.
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XI.
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A Friendship I wish for, but alas 'tis in Vain,
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Joves Storehouse is Empty, and can't it supply
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So firm, that no Change of Times, Envy, or Gain,
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Or Flattery, or Woman, should have power to Unty.
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May I, etc.
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XII.
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But if Friends prove Unfaithful, and Fortune a Whore,
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Still may I be Vertuous, tho' I am Poor;
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My life then as useless, may I freely Resign,
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When no longer I Relish true Wit, and good Wine.
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May I, etc.
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XIII.
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For those who profess Soul or Body to mend,
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Tho' I hope I shall have no Occasion to send,
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When I have eat All my Bread, and drunk my Last Glass,
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May they come then, and set their Seals to my Pass.
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May I, etc.
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XIV.
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With a Courage Undaunted, may I Face my last day,
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And when I am Dead, may the Better sort say,
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In the Morning when Sober, in the Evening when Mellow,
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He's Gone, and Left not behind him his Fellow.
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CHORUS.
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For he govern'd his Passions with an Absolute Sway,
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And grew wiser, and better, as his Strength wore away,
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Without Gout, or Stone by a gentle Decay.
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