But grant, the virtues of a temp’rate prime. Unnumber’d maladies his joints invade, Lay siege to life and press the dire blockade; But unextinguish’d Av’rice still remains, And dreaded losses aggravate his pains; He turns, with anxious heart and crippled hands, His bonds of debt, and mortgages of lands; Or views his coffers with suspicious eyes, Unlocks his gold, and counts it till he dies. Though dancing mountains witness’d Orpheus near; Nor lute nor lyre his feeble pow’rs attend. 2. But leave to Heav’n the measure and the choice. Approach, ye minstrels, try the soothing strain. The key image of The Vanity of Human Wishes is the image of the portrait in the golden frame. And feed with varied fools th’ eternal jest: Thou who couldst laugh where want enchain’d caprice. Yet should thy soul indulge the gen’rous heat, Till captive Science yields her last retreat; Should Reason guide thee with her brightest ray,And pour on misty doubt resistless day; Should no false kindness lure to loose delight, Nor praise relax, nor difficulty fright; Should tempting novelty thy cell refrain, And sloth effuse her opiate fumes in vain; Should beauty blunt on fops her fatal dart, Nor claim the triumph of a letter’d heart; Should no disease thy torpid veins invade, Nor melancholy’s phantoms haunt thy shade; Yet hope not life from grief or danger free, Nor think the doom of man revers’d for thee: Deign on the passing world to turn thine eyes, And pause awhile from learning, to be wise; There mark what ills the scholar’s life assail, Toil, envy, want, the patron, and the jail. Like "London," "The Vanity of Human Wishes" is an imitation of one of the Satires of the Roman poet Juvenal, whose works date to the first and second centuries. Safe in his pow’r, whose eyes discern afar The secret ambush of a specious pray’r. "The Vanity of Human Wishes" is a poem about, well, the vanity of human wishes. With listless eyes the dotard views the store. And virtue guard thee to the throne of Truth! Till captive Science yields her last retreat; Should Reason guide thee with her brightest ray. Attentive truth and nature to descry, And pierce each scene with philosophic eye. Ye nymphs of rosy lips and radiant eyes, Whom Pleasure keeps too busy to be wise, Whom Joys with soft varieties invite, By day the frolic, and the dance by night, Who frown with vanity, who smile with art, And ask the latest fashion of the heart, What care, what rules your heedless charms shall save, Each nymph your rival, and each youth your slave? The dangers gather as the treasures rise. The Vanity of Human Wishes is a highly political poem showing a deep concern with the processes of history. The ambitious speaker investigates all the kinds of human beings and their desires and wishes, which ultimately comes to the point of futility. proceed, illustrious youth, And virtue guard thee to the throne of Truth! And crowds with crimes the records of mankind. 127 CE), which itself is sometimes called "The Vanity of Human Wishes" or sometimes "The Futility of Aspirations." Athirst for wealth, and burning to be great; Delusive Fortune hears th’ incessant call. Year chases year, decay pursues decay, Still drops some joy from with’ring life away; New forms arise, and diff’rent views engage, Superfluous lags the vet’ran on the stage, Till pitying nature signs the last release, And bids afflicted worth retire to peace. Perplex the fawning niece and pamper’d guest. Publication date 1749 Publisher London Printed for R. Dodsley Collection robarts; toronto Digitizing sponsor msn Contributor Robarts - University of Toronto Language English. The Vanity of Human Wishes was published in January 1749. Against your fame with fondness hate combines, The rival batters, and the lover mines. Unlocks his gold, and counts it till he dies. Increase his riches and his peace destroy. Inquirer, cease, petitions yet remain, Which heaven may hear, nor deem religion vain. Till pitying Nature signs the last release. The robes of pleasure and the veils of woe: All aid the farce, and all thy mirth maintain. In life’s last scene what prodigies surprise. The needy traveller, serene and gay, Walks the wild heath, and sings his toil away. Samuel Johnson is a hugely important literary figure. The edition may have been a large one (though the pamphlet is now by no means common), or the poem may have been less popular than London; for there was no second edition. Yet still one gen’ral cry the skies assails. Toil, envy, want, the patron, and the jail. Each nymph your rival, and each youth your slave? The guardians yield, by force superior plied; To int’rest, prudence; and by flatt’ry, pride. In crowd at once, where none the pass defend, The harmless freedom, and the private friend. Yet ev’n on this her load misfortune flings, To press the weary minutes’ flagging wings: New sorrow rises as the day returns, A sister sickens, or a daughter mourns. Now kindred merit fills the sable bier, Now lacerated friendship claims a tear. Let hist’ry tell where rival kings command, And dubious title shakes the madded land, When statutes glean the refuse of the sword, How much more safe the vassal than the lord:Low sculks the hind beneath the rage of pow’r, And leaves the wealthy traitor in the Tow’r, Untouch’d his cottage, and his slumbers sound, Tho’ confiscation’s vultures hover round. 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