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78
SATYR.
When one of our heroic Advent'rers now
Would drink her down, and turn her int' a Sow,
So simple were those Times, when a grave Sage
Could with an Oldwive's-Tale instruct the Age;
155 Teach Virtue, more fantastick Ways and nice,
Than ours will now endure t' improve in vice,
Made a dull Sentence, and a moral Fable
Do more, than all our Holdings-forth are able;
A forc'd obscure Mythology convince,
160 Beyond our worst Inflictions upon Sins.
When an old Proverb, or an End of Verse
Could more, than all our Penal Laws, coerce;
And keep Men honester than all our Furies
Of Jailors, Judges, Constables, and Juries;
165 Who were converted then with an old Saying,
Better than all our Preaching now, and praying.
Would drink her down, and turn her int' a Sow,
So simple were those Times, when a grave Sage
Could with an Oldwive's-Tale instruct the Age;
155 Teach Virtue, more fantastick Ways and nice,
Than ours will now endure t' improve in vice,
Made a dull Sentence, and a moral Fable
Do more, than all our Holdings-forth are able;
A forc'd obscure Mythology convince,
160 Beyond our worst Inflictions upon Sins.
When an old Proverb, or an End of Verse
Could more, than all our Penal Laws, coerce;
And keep Men honester than all our Furies
Of Jailors, Judges, Constables, and Juries;
165 Who were converted then with an old Saying,
Better than all our Preaching now, and praying.
- ↑ 167, 168. What Fops had these been, had they liv'd with us,—Where the best Reason's made ridiculous.] One of the principal Characteristics of this wild and wanton Reign, was a Spirit of rallying and bantering every Thing that was serious and sober; and was in a great Measure owing to the other Extreme of an hypocritical Gravity, which distinguished the Age before.
181, 182.
