Page:The lives of the poets of Great Britain and Ireland to the time of Dean Swift - Volume 4.djvu/290

280 of their acquaintance lived: His lordſhip conſenting, the duke took with him a pair of trumpets, and a kettle-drum, to give the muſic a more martial air: But to this the Opera muſic made an objection at firſt, becauſe as they ſhould be wanted that night in their poſts, they ſhould forfeit half a louis d’or each, for non-appearance. Half a louis d’or! ſays his grace, follow the duke of Wharton, and all your forfeitures ſhall be paid. They did ſo, and entered Poiſſy in ſuch a muſical manner, that they alarmed the whole town, and their friend did not know whether he had beſt keep his houſe, or fly for it; but the affair was ſoon explained, and the muſical troop was entertained by the gentleman their friend, in a very handſome manner. This frolic being now finiſhed, there was one thing more abſolutely neceſſary, viz. to diſcharge the reckoning, upon which occaſion the duke in a very laconic manner addreſſed himſelf to the young lord.’ My lord, ſays he, ‘I have not one livre in my pocket, wherefore I muſt deſire you to pay theſe fellows, and I’ll do as much for you whenever I am able. Upon this his lordſhip with great chearfulneſs, paid all demands, amounting to 25 louis d’ors.’

It may ſeem a ſtrange obſervation, but it is certainly true, that the brute creation differs not more from the rational in many reſpects, than a man from himſelf: That by ſuffering paſſions to uſurp the dominion of the ſoul, human nature is ſtript of its dignity, debaſed to the beaſts that periſh, and ſtill rendered more ignominious by the complications of guilt. We have already ſeen the duke of Wharton ſet up as the idol of an admiring people; an auguſt ſenate liſtened to the enchantments of his eloquence; a powerful miniſtry dreading his reſolutions; he was courted, flattered, feared, and obeyed. View him now, and the ſcene is ſhifted. Obſerve