Classic Poem

" 'Tis from high life high characters we trace,
A judge in lawn is twice a judge in lace; "
A county member shines with double glare,
When he to sessions drives his new gilt chair;
Then plodding fools will take him by the hand,
The chair, like magic, friendship can command,
The self-same man on foot may trudge along,
Unknown to all the friendly knowing throng.
A worthy cobler long might beat the stone,
Before his trade could make his merits known;
But let some god, as fable sings of old,
Descend a show'r of man-betwitching gold —
Then he is equal both in sense and breeding,
(For money cancels ev'ry want of reading.)
To M-rr-s, H-p-k-ns, Maevius and the rest,
Of tip-top folks that here are thought the best.
Hail! sacred drug! thou cure for ev'ry pain,
To foolish man both antidote and bane;
Life-giving nostrum, death-dispensing rod,
That works such wonders not inspir'd by God,
The selfish motive for each nobler deed,
That guards the worthless while the virtuous bleed
Brib'd by thy pow'r the virgin sells her all ,
The desp'rate heart for murder hears thy call,
For you the merchant tempts th'dangrou's deep
For you the miser robs himself of sleep,
For you mechanics ply the forming tool,
For you the knowing knave will act the fool,
For you the lawyer proves that black is white,
For you the judge will say that wrong is right,
For you the coward fights with courage fell,
For you the general will his army sell,
For you the clergy (heav'nly sons below)
Will cure our sins and heal each mental woe,
For you the world, with unremitting toil,
Builds tow'ring hopes on Fortune's faithless spoil;
And men may call their actions what they will,
But gold's their motive universal still.