Farewel, aspiring thoughts, no more
My soul shall leave the peaceful shore,
To sail ambition's main.
Fallacious as the harlot's kiss,
You promise me uncertain bliss,
But give me certain pain.
A beauteous prospect first you shew,
Which, ere survey'd, you paint anew,
And paint it wondrous pleasant:
This, in a third, is quickly lost,
Thus future good we covet most,
But ne'er enjoy the present.
Deluded on, from scene to scene,
We never end, but still begin,
By flatt'ring hope betray'd;
I'm weary of the painful chace,
Let others run this endless race,
To catch a flying shade.
Let others boast their useless wealth;
Have I not honesty and health?
Which riches cannot give:
Let others to preferment soar,
And, changing liberty for pow'r,
In golden shackles live.
'Tis time at length I should be wise,
'Tis time to seek substantial joys,
Joys out of fortune's pow'r:
Wealth, honours, dignities, and fame
Are joys the blind, capricious dame
Takes from us ev'ry hour.
Come, conscious Virtue! warm my breast,
And bring Content, thy daughter, drest
In ever-smiling charms:
Let sacred Friendship too attend,
A friendship worthy of my friend,
Such as my LAELIUS warms.
With these I'll in my bosom make
A bulwark Fortune cannot shake,
Tho' all her storms arise;
Look down and pity gilded slaves,
Despise ambition's giddy knaves,
And wish the fools were wise.
