Classic Poem

I.

Cease, cease, ye Libertines , my Feet ,
 And give your Ramblings o'er;
Advance, your welcome Chains to meet,
 And Fortune's LOT adore.

II.

That Span of Life which now remains,
 T UNSTALL , what is't to thee?
Since all the World is bound in Chains ,
 Why should thy Legs go Free?

III.

What Mortal does not Kings bemoan?
 Alas! they all are Slaves,
Chain'd to the Burthen of a Crown ,
 And clogg'd with fawning Knaves.

IV.

So the brave Faulcon , pearch'd on high,
 In broider'd Hood excels,
But he has panu'a his Liberty
 For Varvils, Jesses, Bells .

V.

Rais'd up by Popular Applause
 See, there, a Statesman life,
And, what the Gate Or Favour blows,
 Aloft he mounts the Skies .

VI.

The Mob, at Distance, upwards stares,
 Admires the Airy Thing ;
Yet still he's chain'd and, tho' he soars,
 Blind Fortune holds the String.

VII.

So Paper Kites , Surprize extort,
 But when you' approach the Toys ,
You only find they are the Sport
 Of Gaping Fools and Boys.

VIII.

The plumed Spark, in Scarlet Dye ,
 Sweats thro' a long Campaign,
And, tho' his Honour seems the Tye ,
 His Pay's the powerful Chain .

IX.

Pomp, Modes, Formalities and Pride ,
 To Courtiers Chains afford,
And a thousand other Bonds , beside
 The sacred Tye his WORD.

X.

The Gown is fetter'd to the Fee,
 The Cassock to the Glebe;
That gives a Lustre to the Plea ,
  This makes the Text run Glib.

XI.

See , there, a self conceited Tool ,
 Puff'd up with Pride and Pelf ;
He, he , of all's the greatest Fool ,
 He's fetter'd to HIMSELF.

XII.

The gawdy Beaus , in rich Brocade,
 The dusty Ring approach,
But are more harness'd to their Pride ,
 Than their Horses to the Coach .

XIII.

Soe , with Dress, and painted Looks,
  Enchains her senseless Prigg ,
Thilst He , again, binds her in Locks
 Of his resistless Wigg .

XIV.

Thus ev'ry Thing is bound, we find,
 But, such is Vice 's Growth!
That ev'ry Thing has Power to bind ,
 Except a solemn OATH.

XV.

But, of all Chains , deliver me
 From Wedlock 's Bondage safe;
I can, 'midst Iron Links , be free ,
 And Sit —and Sing —and Laugh .

XVI.

For who wou'd swap the heaviest Clink
 For some Mens HAVE and HOLD
It is the Devil to be Link'd
 To a Jealous, Drunken SCOLD .