Sat. I. The Universal Passion , 11

Begin. Who first the Catalogue shall grace ?To Quality belongs the highest place.

My Lord comes forward; forward let him come?Ye Vulgar 1 at your peril give him room:

He stands for Fame on his forefathers’ feet,

By Heraldry prov’d valiants or discreet .

With what a decent pride he throws his eyesAbove the man by three dejcents less wife ?

If Virtues at his noble hands you crave,

You bid him raise his Fathers from the grave.

Men should press forward in Fame’s glorious chace,Nobles look backward , and so lose the race.

Let high Birth triumph 1 What can be more great ?

Nothing-but Merit in a low estate.

To Virtue’s humblest son let none preferVice, tho’ descended from the Conqueror.

Shall