 | |
| |
| Death, on a solemn night of state, |
| In all his pomp of terror sate: |
| The attendants of his gloomy reign, |
| Diseases dire, a ghastly train! |
| 5 | Crowd the vast court. With hollow tone, |
| A voice thus thundered from the throne: |
| 'This night our minister we name, |
| Let every servant speak his claim; |
| Merit shall bear this ebon wand;' |
| 10 | All, at the word, stretch'd forth their hand. |
| |
| Fever, with burning heat possess'd, |
| Advanced, and for the wand address'd: |
| 'I to the weekly bills appeal, |
| Let those express my fervent zeal; |
| 15 | On every slight occasion near, |
| With violence I persevere.' |
| Next Gout appears with limping pace, |
| Pleads how he shifts from place to place, |
| From head to foot how swift he flies, 19 |
| 20 | And every joint and sinew plies; |
| |
| Still working when he seems suppress'd, |
| A most tenacious stubborn guest. |
| A haggard spectre from the crew |
| Crawls forth, and thus asserts his due: |
| 25 | 'Tis I who taint the sweetest joy, |
| And in the shape of love destroy: |
| My shanks, sunk eyes, and noseless face, |
| Prove my pretension to the place.' |
| Stone urged his ever-growing force. |
| 30 | And, next, Consumption's meagre corse, |
| |
| With feeble voice, that scarce was heard, |
| Broke with short coughs, his suit preferred: |
| 'Let none object my ling'ring way, |
| I gain, like Fabius, by delay; |
| 35 | Fatigue and weaken every foe |
| By long attack, secure, though slow.' |
| Plague represents his rapid power, |
| Who thinned a nation in an hour. |
| All spoke their claim, and hoped the wand. |
| 40 | Now expectation hushed the band, |
| |
| When thus the monarch from the throne: |
| 'Merit was ever modest known, |
| What, no physician speak his right! |
| None here! but fees their toils requite. |
| 45 | Let then Intemperance take the wand, |
| Who fills with gold their zealous hand. |
| You, Fever, Gout, and all the rest, |
| (Whom wary men, as foes, detest,) |
| Forego your claim; no more pretend: |
| 50 | Intemperance is esteemed a friend; |
| |
| He shares their mirth, their social joys, |
| And, as a courted guest, destroys. |
| The charge on him must justly fall, |
| Who finds employment for you all.' |
