Dr. Johnson.

(Von Dr. Samuel Johnson, (geboren 1709, geftor: ben 1784) einem Manne, der sich als Sprachforscher, Kunstrichter und wißiger Schriftsteller so ungemein auszeich nete, und dessen sämmtliche Werke Sir John Hawkins im Jahr 1786 in zwölf Bånden herausgab, hat man verschiede ne, mit verdientem Beifall aufgenommene, Satiren, die anfänglich einzeln, und hernach in der bekannten Dodsleyiz schen Sammlung, englischer Gedichte, abgedruckt wurden, Eine der schönsten darunter is die auf die Eitelkeit mensch licher wünsche, eine freie Nachahmung der oben stellenweis fe gelieferten zehnten Satire Juvenal's, mit der man die hier aus jener gelieferten Proben des Anfanges und Schlus fes vergleichen kann.)

Dr. Johnson

Let* obfervation with extenfive view
Survey mankind from China to Peru;
Remark each anxious toil, each eager ftrife,
And watch the bufy fcene of human life;
Then fay how hope and fear, defire and hate,
O'erfpread with fnares the clouded maze of fate,
Where wav'ring man, betray'd by vent'rous pride,
To tread the dreary paths without a guide;
As treach'rous phantoms in the mift delude,
Shuns fancied ills, or chafes airy good.
How rarely reafon guides the ftubborn choice,
Rules the bold hand, or prompts the fuppliant voice,
How nations fink, by darling fchemes opprefs'd,
When vengeance liftens to the fool's request.
Fate wings with ev'ry wifh th' afflictive dart,
Each gift of nature, and each grace of art,
With fatal heat impetuous courage glows,
With fatal fweetness elocution flows;
Impeachment ftops the speaker's pow'rful breath,
And reftlefs fire precipitates on death.

*) v. I---11.

But

Dr. Johnson,

+

*) But fearce obferv'd the knowing and the bold Fall in the gen'ral maffacre of gold;

Wide-wafting peft! that rages unconfin'd,

And crouds with crimes the records of mankind.
For gold his fword the hireling ruffian draws,
For gold the hireling judge diftorts the laws;
Wealth heap'd on wealth, nor truth nor fafety buys,
The dangers gather as the treafures rife.

Let hift'ry tell where rival kings command,
And dubious title fhakes the madded land,
When ftatutes glean the refufe of the fword,
How much more fafe the vaffal than the lord,
Low fculks the hind beneath the rage of pow'r,
And leaves the wealthy traytor in the Tow'r,
Untouch'd his cottage, and his flumbers found,
Tho' confifcation's vulturs hover round.

The needy traveller, ferene and gay VHS
Walks the wild heath, and fings his toil away.
Does envy feize thee? cruth th' upbraiding joy,
Increase his riches, and his peace deftroy;
New fears in dire viciffitude invade,

The ruft'ling brake alarms; and quiv'ring fhade,
Nor light nor darkness bring his pain relief,

One fhews the plunder, and one hides the thief A
Yet **) ftill one general cry the fkies affails,
And gain and grandeur load the tainted gales;
Few know the toiling ftatelman's fear or care,
Th' infidious rival and the gaping beir.,

Once *** more, Democritus, arife on earth, A
With chearful wisdom, and inftructive mirth,w2
See motly life in modern trappings drefs'de
And feed with varied fools th' eternal jeft:

Thou, who couldft laugh, where want enchain'd ca

price,

Toil crufh'd conceit, and man was of a piece;
Where wealth unlov'd without a mourner dy'd;

*) v. 12---22

**) v. 23---27%

***) v. 28---55+

And

And fcarce a fycophant was fed by pride; 12
Where ne'er was known the form of mock debate,
Or feen a new-made mayor's unwieldy ftate;
Where change of fav'rites made no change of laws,
And fenates heard, before they judg'd a caufe;
How wouldst thou fhake at Britain's modifh tribe,
Dart the quick taunt, and etch the piercing gibe!
Attentive truth and nature to decry, 299
And pierce each fcene with philofophic eye.
To thee were folemn toys or empty fhow
The robes of pleafure, and the veils of woe?
All aid the farce, and all thy mirth maintain,
Whofe joys are caufelefs, and whofe griefs are vain!
ghauls all s

Such was the corn that fill'd the lage's mind,
Renew'd at ev'ry glance on human kind;
How juft that corn ere yet thy voice, declare,
Search every state, and canvass ev'ry pray'r

Unnumber'd fuppliants croud Preferment's
gate,

ST

A

Athirst for wealth, and burning to be great.
Delufive Fortune hears th' inceffant call,
They mount, they fhine, evaporate, and fall.
On ev'ry ftage the foes of peace attend,
Hate dogs their flight, and infult mocks their end.
Love ends with hope, the finking fatefiman's door r
Pours in the morning worshiper no more
For growing names the weekly fcribbler lies,
To growing wealth the dedicator flies.
From every room defcends the painted face,
That hung the bright Palladium of the place,
And fmoak'd in kitchens, or in auctions fold,
To better features yields the frame of gold.
For now no more we trace in ev'ry line
Heroic worth, benevolence divine:
The form diftorted juftifies the fall,
And deteftation rids th' indignant wall.

*) v. $6---107.

Where

1

Dr. Johnson

Where *) then shall Hope and Fear their objects
find?

Muft dull Sufpence corrupt the stagnant mind?
Muft helpless man, in ignorance fedate,
Roll darkling down the torrent of his fate?
Muft no diflike alarm, no wishes rise,
No cries attempt the mercies of the skies?
Enquirer, ceafe, petitions yet remain,

Which heav'n may hear, nor deem religion vain.
Still raife for good the fupplicating voice,

But leave to heav'n the measure and the choice.
Safe in his pow'r, whofe eyes difcern afar
The fecret ambufh of a fpecious pray'r.
Implore his aid, in his decifions reft,
Secure, whate'er he gives, he gives the best.
Yet when the fenfe of facred prefence fires,
And strong devotion to the fkies afpires,
Pour forth thy fervours for a healthful mind,
Obedient paffions, and a will refign'd;
For love, which scarcé collective man can fill
For patience fov'reign o'er transmuted ill;
For faith, that panting for a happier feat,
Counts death kind Nature's fignal of retreat:
Theefe goods for man the laws of heav'n ordain,
Thefe goods he grants, who grants the pow'r to
gain;

With thefe celeftial wisdom calms the mind,
And make the happiness she does not find.

Rachel.

(Wie reich die ältere deutsche Literatur an satirischen Schriften, in Versen und Prose sei, davon kann man sich aus dem dritten Bande von Hru. Flögels Geschichte der komischen Literatur belehren. Die beiden lezten Jahre hunderte waren vorzüglich ergiebig an Satiren, die growens theils durch die beiden großen Revolutionen der Kirchenvers besserung und des dreißigjährigen Krieges veranlaßt wurs den. Unter den Dichtern der Orißischen Schule, die auf die Verbesserung der deutschen Poesie so großen Eine fluß hatte, ist in dieser Dichtungsart Joachim Rachel and merkwürdigsten. Er wurde 1618 zu Lunden in Norderdite marschen geboren, und starb als Rektor zu Schleswig, 1669. In seinen zehn Satiren ist die Nachahmung der klassischen Satirendichter des Alterthums überall sichtbar; zugleich aber befaß er viel Originalität und Stärke des Vortrags, der nur oft in eine zu rauhe und ungebildete Sprache eingekleidet ist. Die vier plattdeutschen Satiren, øder veer olde beröhmde Scherzgedichte, die den Rachelischen gewöhnlich beiges druckt sind, haben Joh. Wilh. Laurenberg, damaligen Professor zu Rostock, zum Verfasser.)

Was

Die Kinderzucht.

as wider Tugend läuft, und die Vernunft kann
strafen,

Das sehn die Jungen erst von ihren alten Affen.
Hat Friß die Karten lieb; das Kind weiß insgemein
Was Schüppen, Rauten, Kleeb, was Papsi und K8:
nig sein.

Verkehret Polus gern, ist klug in allen Tücken,
Und kneipt die Würfel wohl; das Kind spielt mit den
Bricken.

Welch Kind gewöhnet sich hernach zum grünen Kraut,
Das nichts als Neckerwein und Wildgebratens schaut:
Das von dem Vater sieht, wie er die Schnecken schlinget,
Die Spargel halb abbeißt, den Stör zu Tische bringer,

Beisp. S. 2. B.

Urts

Rachel.