HERE continueth to rot The Body of Francis Chartres, Who with an Infelxible Constancy, and Inimitable Uniformity of Life, Persisted In spite of Age and Infirmities, In the Practice of Every Human Vice; Excepting Prodigality and Hypocrisy: His insatiable Avarice exempted him from the first, His matchless Impudence from the second. Nor was he more singular in the undeviating Pravity of his manners Than successful in Accumulating Wealth. For, without Trade or Profession, Without Trust of Public Money, And without Bribe-worthy Service, He acquired, or more properly created, A Ministerial Estate. He was the only Person of his Time, Who could Cheat without the Mask of Honesty, Retain his Primeval Meanness When possessed of Ten Thousand a Year, And having daily deserved the Gibbet for what he did, Was at last condemned to it for what he could not do. Oh Indignant Reader! Think not his Life useless to Mankind! Providence connived at his execrable Designs, To give to After-ages A conspicuous Proof and Example, Of how small Estimation is Exorbitant Wealth in the Sight of God, By his bestowing it on the most Unworthy of All Mortals. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...TWO WITCHES: 2. THE PAUPER WITCH OF GRAFTON by ROBERT FROST CORRYMEELA by NESTA HIGGINSON SKRINE CENTENNIAL HYMN by JOHN GREENLEAF WHITTIER EPILOGUE TO LESSING'S LAOCOON by MATTHEW ARNOLD QUATORZAINS: 10. TO POESY by THOMAS LOVELL BEDDOES ON THE WAY TO CHURCH by WILFRID SCAWEN BLUNT CAVERNS; WRITTEN OF COLOSSAL CAVE, KENTUCKY by MADISON JULIUS CAWEIN |