January, 1795
Pavement slipp'ry, people sneezing,Lords in ermine, beggars freezing ;Titled gluttons dainties carving,Genius in a garret starving.
Lofty mansions, warm and spacious ;Courtiers clinging and voracious ;Misers scarce the wretched heeding ;Gallant soldiers fighting, bleeding.
Wives who laugh at passive spouses ;Theatres, and meeting-houses ;Balls, where simp'ring misses languish ;Hospitals, and groans of anguish.
Arts and sciences bewailing ;Commerce drooping, credit failing ;Placemen mocking subjects loyal ;Separations, weddings royal.
Authors who can't earn a dinner ;Many a subtle rogue a winner ;Fugitives for shelter seeking ;Misers hoarding, tradesmen breaking.
Taste and talents quite deserted ;All the laws of truth perverted ;Arrogance o'er merit soaring ;Merit silently deploring.
Ladies gambling night and morning ;Fools the works of genius scorning ;Ancient dames for girls mistaken,Youthful damsels quite forsaken.
Some in luxury delighting ;More in talking than in fighting ;Lovers old, and beaux decrepid ;Lordlings empty and insipid.
Poets, painters, and musicians ;Lawyers, doctors, politicians :Pamphlets, newspapers, and odes,Seeking fame by diff'rent roads.
Gallant souls with empty purses ;Gen'rals only fit for nurses ;School-boys, smit with martial spirit,Taking place of vet'ran merit.
Honest men who can't get places,Knaves who shew unblushing faces ;Ruin hasten'd, peace retarded ;Candour spurn'd, and art rewarded.
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