the vicissitudes of fortune, as his abilities were various and
astonishing. He is an instance of the great imbecility of intellectual
powers, when once they spurn the dictates of prudence, and the maxims
of life. With all the lustre of his understanding, when his fortune
was wasted, and his circumstances low, he fell into contempt; they
who formerly worshipped him, fled from him, and despised his wit when
attended with poverty. So true is it that,

Want is the scorn of every wealthy fool,
And wit in rags is turn'd to ridicule.

The duke of Wharton seems to have lived as if the world should be new
modelled for him; for he would conform to none of the rules, by which
the little happiness the world can yield, is to be attained. But we
shall not here enlarge on his character, as we can present it to the
reader, drawn in the most lively manner, by the masterly touches of
Pope, who in one of his familiar epistles, thus characterizes him.

POPE's Epistle on the KNOWLEDGE
and CHARACTERS of MEN.


Wharton, the scorn and wonder of our days,
Whose darling passion was the lust of praise:
Born with whate'er could win it from the wise,
Women and fools must like him, or he dies;
Tho' wond'ring senates hung on all he spoke,
The club must hail him master of the joke.
Shall parts so various aim at nothing new?
He'll shine a Tully and a Wilmot too;