The body to a trunk be turn'd,
And branches issue from the arms.
Thus Dædalus and Ovid too,
That man's a blockhead, have confest:
Powel[1] and Stretch[1] the hint pursue;
Life is a farce, the world a jest.
The same great truth South Sea has prov'd
On that fam'd theatre, the alley;
Where thousands, by directors mov'd,
Are now sad monuments of folly.
What Momus was of old to Jove,
The same a Harlequin is now;
The former was buffoon above,
The latter as a Punch below.
This fleeting scene is but a stage,
Where various images appear;
In different parts of youth and age,
Alike the prince and peasant share.
Some draw our eyes by being great,
False pomp conceals mere wood within;
And legislators, rang'd in state,
Are oft but wisdom in machine.
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Two famous puppetshow-men. — In the year 1715 was published, "A second Tale of a Tub; or, the History of Robert Powel, the Puppetshow-man," written by Thomas Burnet, esq., youngest son to bishop Burnet: who was bred to the law, and, beside the piece here mentioned, was the author of many other political pamphlets against the ministry of the four last years of queen Anne, for some of which he was taken into custody by the messengers; and was suspected of being one of the Mohocks that attacked young Davenant. See Journal to Stella, March 8, 1711-12.
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