Pride of Human Wishes
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Pride is an ambiguous quality. On the one hand, it can be good to be proud. On the other hand, too much pride can spell trouble. In "The Vanity of Human. Pride quotes from The Vanity of Human Wishes, famous quotes about Pride.
Let observation, with extensive view, Survey mankind from China to Peru; Remark each anxious toil, each eager strife, And watch the busy scenes of crowded life; Then say how hope and fear, desire and hate, O'erspread with snares the clouded maze of fate, Where wavering man, betray'd by venturous pride, To tread the dreary paths without a guide, As treacherous phantoms in the mist delude, Shuns fancied ills, or chases airy good; 10 How rarely Reason guides the stubborn choice, Rules the bold hand, or prompts the suppliant voice; How nations sink, by darling schemes oppress'd, When Vengeance listens to the fool's request; Fate wings with every wish the afflictive dart, Each gift of Nature, and each grace of Art, With fatal heat impetuous courage glows, With fatal sweetness elocution flows, Impeachment stops the speaker's powerful breath, And restless fire precipitates on death!
Let history tell, where rival kings command, And dubious title shakes the madded land, 30 When statutes glean the refuse of the sword, How much more safe the vassal than the lord: Low skulks the hind beneath the reach of power, And leaves the wealthy traitor in the Tower; Untouch'd his cottage, and his slumbers sound, Though Confiscation's vultures hover round.
The needy traveller, serene and gay, Walks the wild heath, and sings his toil away. Does envy seize thee? Crush the upbraiding joy, Increase his riches, and his peace destroy-- 40 Now fears in dire vicissitude invade, The rustling brake alarms, and quivering shade; Nor light nor darkness brings his pain relief, One shows the plunder, and one hides the thief. Yet still one general cry the sky assails, And gain and grandeur load the tainted gales; Few know the toiling statesman's fear or care, The insidious rival, and the gaping heir.
Thou who could'st laugh where want enchain'd caprice, Toil crush'd conceit, and man was of a piece: Where wealth, unloved, without a mourner died; And scarce a sycophant was fed by pride; Where ne'er was known the form of mock debate, Or seen a new-made mayor's unwieldy state; Where change of favourites made no change of laws, And senates heard before they judged a cause; 60 How wouldst thou shake at Britain's modish tribe, Dart the quick taunt, and edge the piercing gibe!
Attentive, truth and nature to descry, And pierce each scene with philosophic eye, To thee were solemn toys or empty show The robes of pleasure, and the veils of woe: All aid the farce, and all thy mirth maintain, Whose joys are causeless, or whose griefs are vain. Such was the scorn that fill'd the sage's mind, Renew'd at every glance on human kind. Unnumber'd suppliants crowd Preferment's gate, Athirst for wealth, and burning to be great; Delusive Fortune hears the incessant call, They mount, they shine, evaporate, and fall.
On every stage the foes of peace attend, Hate dogs their flight, and insult mocks their end. Love ends with hope, the sinking statesman's door Pours in the morning worshipper no more; 80 For growing names the weekly scribbler lies, To growing wealth the dedicator flies; From every room descends the painted face, That hung the bright Palladium of the place; And smoked in kitchens, or in auctions sold, To better features yields the frame of gold; For now no more we trace in every line Heroic worth, benevolence divine: The form distorted justifies the fall, And detestation rids the indignant wall.
Through Freedom's sons no more remonstrance rings, Degrading nobles, and controlling kings; Our supple tribes repress their patriot throats, And ask no questions, but the price of votes; With weekly libels and septennial ale, Their wish is full to riot and to rail. In full-blown dignity see Wolsey stand, Law in his voice, and fortune in his hand! Still to new heights his restless wishes tower; Claim leads to claim, and power advances power; Till conquest unresisted ceased to please, And rights submitted, left him none to seize. At length his sovereign frowns--the train of state Mark the keen glance, and watch the sign to hate; Where'er he turns, he meets a stranger's eye, His suppliants scorn him, and his followers fly; Now drops at once the pride of awful state, The golden canopy, the glittering plate, The regal palace, the luxurious board, The liveried army, and the menial lord.
With age, with cares, with maladies oppress'd, He seeks the refuge of monastic rest. Grief aids disease, remember'd folly stings, And his last sighs reproach the faith of kings.
Or liv'st thou now, with safer pride content, The wisest justice on the banks of Trent? The Vanity of Human Wishes: It was written in late and published in see in poetry. As the subtitle suggests, it is an imitation of Satire X by the Latin poet Juvenal. Unlike Juvenal, Johnson attempts to sympathize with his poetic subjects.
Also, the poem focuses on human futility and humanity's quest after greatness like Juvenal but concludes that Christian values are important to living properly. It was Johnson's second imitation of Juvenal the first being his poem London. The poem was not a financial success, but later critics, including Walter Scott and T. Eliot , considered it to be Johnson's greatest poem. Weinbrot called it one of the great poems in the English language.
Related Questions
In Johnson composed London , his first imitation of Juvenal's poetry, because imitations were popularised by those like Pope during the 18th century. In a conversation with George Steevens, Johnson recounted that he wrote the first seventy lines "in the course of one morning, in that small house behind the church".
The first edition was published on 9 January It was the first publication by Johnson to feature his name on the title page. Whose joys are causeless, or whose griefs are vain. How just that scorn ere yet thy voice declare,. Athirst for wealth, and burning to be great;. They mount, they shine, evaporate, and fall.
by Samuel Johnson
Hate dogs their flight, and insult mocks their end. For growing names the weekly scribbler lies,.
That hung the bright Palladium of the place,. To better features yields the frame of gold;.
from The Vanity of Human Wishes by Samuel Johnson | Poetry Foundation
When first the college rolls receive his name,. The young enthusiast quits his ease for fame;. Spreads from the strong contagion of the gown;.
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Are these thy views? And virtue guard thee to the throne of Truth! Till captive Science yields her last retreat;. Should Reason guide thee with her brightest ray,.
The Vanity of Human Wishes
Should no false Kindness lure to loose delight,. Yet hope not life from grief or danger free,. Deign on the passing world to turn thine eyes,. Nor deem, when learning her last prize bestows. But hear his death, ye blockheads, hear and sleep. Enlarge my life with multitude of days,. In health, in sickness, thus the suppliant prays;. Hides from himself his state, and shuns to know,. In vain their gifts the bounteous seasons pour,. With listless eyes the dotard views the store,.
He views, and wonders that they please no more;. Now pall the tasteless meats, and joyless wines,.