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ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY COPIES PRINTED. 
 No. 
 
THE WISH. 
 
THE WISH; 
 
 WRITTEN BY DR. WALTER POPE, 
 
 FELLOW OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY. 
 
 REPRINTED FROM THE FIRST EDITION, 
 
 WITH A SHORT LIFE OF THE AUTHOR BY MR. 
 
 BEVERLY CHEW. 
 
 PRINTED BY F. HOPKINS, 
 
 ON THE MARION PRESS, JAMAICA, LONG ISLAND. 
 MDCCCXCVII. 
 
Copyright, 1897, by F. HOPKINS. 
 
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 THE WISH. 
 
 little poem here reprinted for 
 the first time in many years seems 
 
 t0 
 
 ? ' editors of the numerous collections 
 
 an to e com- 
 paratively unknown to readers of this generation. 
 It was first printed two hundred years ago, in 1697, 
 and passed through several editions, the third ap- 
 pearing in 1710. 
 
 The title of the first edition is given herewith in 
 facsimile. It seems to have been changed to "The 
 Old Man's Wish " in subsequent editions, and is 
 so quoted by Benjamin Franklin in a letter to be 
 given later. 
 
 7 
 
8 The Wish. 
 
 Dr. Walter Pope, the author of the poem, was a 
 native of Northamptonshire, and was no relation, 
 so far as known, to the younger and more celebrated 
 poet of the same family name. His mother was a 
 daughter of the Puritan divine John Dod, and John 
 Wilkins, afterward Bishop of Chester, was his half- 
 brother. 
 
 He was graduated from Wadham College, Oxford, 
 in 1649, having first entered Trinity College, Cam- 
 bridge, and was admitted to a fellowship in 1651. 
 After holding several offices in the University of 
 Oxford he succeeded Sir Christopher Wren as pro- 
 fessor of Astronomy in Gresham College in 1660. 
 In the following year he was elected Dean of Wad- 
 ham College, and the degree of Doctor of Medicine 
 was conferred upon him by the University. 
 
 He traveled extensively abroad, and was master 
 of the French, Italian, and Spanish languages, which 
 in turn he taught to his half-brother Wilkins. On 
 Wilkins's elevation to the see of Chester he ap- 
 pointed Pope registrar of the diocese, a position 
 which he held until his death. In 1687 ne resigned 
 his professorship, and retired to Epsom, probably 
 
The Wish. 9 
 
 owing to a severe inflammation of the eyes from 
 which he suffered in the preceding year. 
 
 On the 1 6th of November, 1693, he met with a 
 severe calamity in the loss of all his books in a fire 
 in Lombard Street. His later years were passed in 
 Bunhill Fields, London, where he died at a very 
 advanced age on the 25th of June, 1714, and was 
 buried in St. Giles's, Cripplegate. 
 
 Anthony a Wood was rather severe in his criti- 
 cisms of Dr. Pope, and accused him of leading 
 " a heathenish and epicurean life " ; but we know 
 that this opinion was not held by many distin- 
 guished men, notably Dr. Seth Ward, with whom 
 he lived many years, and who made him an allow- 
 ance, or pension, of ^100 a year. Wood's opinion 
 of Dr. Pope's writings was naturally colored by his 
 unfavorable view of his life, and he called them 
 "frivolous things rather fit to be buried in oblivion 
 with the author than to be remembered." 
 
 In addition to " The Wish," Dr. Pope wrote 
 "Memoirs of M. Du Vail," London, 1670, and 
 "To the Memory of the Most Renowned DuVall," 
 a Pindaric ode, 1671, the person ironically cele- 
 
io The Wish. 
 
 brated therein was Claude Duval the highwayman, 
 "Select Novels from Cervantes and Petrarch," 
 London, 1674, and "Moral and Political Fables," 
 London, 1698. 
 
 Whatever may be the value of Anthony & Wood's 
 low estimate of Dr. Pope's writings, it is certain 
 that no less a person than Dr. Benjamin Franklin 
 had a very high opinion of " The Wish," as the 
 following extract from a letter to George Whately 
 dated Passy, 23 d May, 1785, shows.t 
 
 <I like better the concluding sentiment in the old 
 song called " The Old Man's Wish," wherein, after 
 wishing for a warm house in a country town, an easy 
 horse, some good authors, ingenious and cheerful 
 companions, a pudding on Sundays, with stout ale 
 and a bottle of Burgundy, etc., etc., in separate stanzas 
 each ending with this burthen, 
 
 " May I govern my passions with absolute sway, 
 Grow wiser and better as my strength wears away, 
 Without gout or stone, by a gentle decay," 
 
 The Complete Works of Benjamin Franklin," compiled and edited by 
 John Bigelow, New York, Putnam, 1888, vol. ix, p. 113. 
 
fbe Wish. ii 
 
 he adds : 
 
 " With a courage undaunted may I face the last day, 
 And, when I am gone, may the better sort say : 
 
 c ln the morning when sober, in the evening when 
 
 mellow, 
 He 's gone, and has not left behind him his fellow ; 
 
 For he governed his passions/ etc." 
 
 'But what signifies our wishing? Things happen, 
 after all, as they will happen. I have sung that wish- 
 ing song a thousand times when I was young, and 
 now find at fourscore that the three contraries have 
 befallen me, being subject to the gout and the 
 stone, and not being yet master of all my passions/ 
 
 Joseph Ritson, in " A Select Collection of English 
 Songs," three volumes, London, 1783, gives "The 
 Old Man's Wish" as Song xxvm of the second 
 volume, but prints only the first, third, fourth, fifth, 
 and seventeenth stanzas, together with the chorus, 
 which is altered after the last stanza as follows. 
 
 1 For he governed his passion with an absolute sway, 
 And grew wiser and better as his strength wore away, 
 Without gout or stone, by a gentle decay/ 
 
12 The Wisb. 
 
 Mr. Ritson adds a footnote that throws some light 
 upon the date of composition of the poem, which, 
 if he is correct, must have been during the earlier 
 years of Dr. Pope's life. 
 
 The author republished this song in his old age, 
 with large additions, and a number of whimsical 
 notes, and illustrations from the Roman, Italian, and 
 German poets. None of his supplemental stanzas 
 were thought properly adapted to the present publi- 
 cation, but all the corrections and alterations he has 
 made in the original verses have been carefully re- 
 tained; except only as to the last chorus, which does 
 not in his enlarged copy differ from the first/ 
 
 However, the verses certainly have sufficient merit 
 to warrant this reprint, both from a metrical and 
 from a philosophical point of view, and it is easy to 
 understand why honest old Ben Franklin confesses 
 to have " sung that wishing song a thousand times." 
 The sentiment may be " epicurean," and thus give 
 some shadow of excuse for the estimate of the 
 author's life in the "Athenae Oxonienses," but no 
 more perhaps than might be expected from one who 
 
The Wish. 13 
 
 had survived two Revolutions, and who looked for- 
 ward to an old age of peace and quiet. 
 
 The music for "The Wish," given by Ritson in 
 his third volume, is by the celebrated composer Dr. 
 John Blow, (1648-1708,) for many years organist 
 of Westminster Abbey, and master of the still better 
 known Henry Purcell, his successor. In case any of 
 the readers of this reprint desire to follow the ex- 
 ample of Benjamin Franklin, and sing "The Old 
 Man's Wish," they are here afforded an opportunity, 
 and "apt notes to sing withal." 
 
 It remains only to say that in this reprint the 
 learned commentary in which the author embedded 
 his verses has been omitted as of little or no interest 
 to the modern reader. 
 
 BEVERLY CHEW. 
 
 NEW YORK, February, 1897. 
 
 *Jk 
 
THE 
 
 W I S 
 
 Written by Dr. TOTE Feliow of the 
 ROYAL SOCIETY. 
 
 fails eft ware fowm, Hor. 
 
 ml 
 hiti* foter'mt regales addere majus. Id. 
 
 L $ T> 
 
 Printed in the Year MDCXGVIL 
 
TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE CHARLES LORD 
 CLIFFORD, GRANDSON AND HEIR TO RICHARD 
 E. OF BURLINGTON AND CORK, AND ONE OF 
 THE GENTLEMEN OF HIS MAJESTY'S BED- 
 CHAMBER. 
 
 My Lord, 
 
 The Honour and Respect which I had for your Lordships 
 Father, is not wholly unknown to you ; as also, with what Conde- 
 scention, Familiarity, and Kindness, he always used me. I own, 
 those Days which I spent in his Lordship's Conversation in France, 
 were without Comparison, the very best Part of my Life. I design' d 
 to have made my Gratitude Public ; and to that End, Composed a 
 small Treatise, and Dedicated it to him, which he not only saw, but 
 was also pleased graciously to accept : But before I could get it 
 Printed, he died, to the great Loss of the Public, and all good Men ; 
 but to none so much as me, for my Dammage is irreparable, unless 
 your Lordship succeeds him in his Favour to me, as you do in his 
 Honour and Vertues, which I hope, but dare not expect. 
 
 I humbly present your Lordship with this Copy of Verses, an 
 Earnest of something of a greater Bulk, but I dare not say of a 
 better Composition ; for if the Approbation of my Friends, has not 
 imposed upon my Credulity, and my Taste does not deceive me, 
 this is the most kindly, and palatable Fruit, that ever my Cultivation 
 has produc'd: I wish it were worthy your Acceptation; however, 
 I hope, I am excusable, having offer' d to your Lordship the best of 
 my Substance. I conclude, begging pardon for my Presumption, 
 and praying Heaven to continue, and increase the Felicities of your 
 noble Family. I am, my Lord, your Lordship's most humble, and 
 obedient Servant W. POPE. 
 
THE PROLOGUE TO THE WISH; 
 
 Being a Parafrase on these Verses of Horace. 
 
 Quid dedicatum poscit Apollinem 
 Fates, quid or at? de patera novum 
 Fundens Liquorem? 
 
 Hor. Ode 31, Lib. I. 
 
 Me quoties reficit gelidus Digentia Rivus, 
 Quern Mandela bibit, Rugosus frigore Pagus. 
 Quid s entire put as? Quid credis Amice precari? 
 
 Id. Ep. 1 8, Lib. i. 
 
 That is, 
 
 When Poets offering at Apollo Shrine, 
 Out of the sacred Goblets pour new Wine, 
 What do they wish? what do they then desire? 
 
 When I'm at Epsom, or on Bans ted-Down, 
 Free from the Wine, and Smoak, and Noise o'th' Town, 
 When I those Waters drink, and breath that Air, 
 What are my Thoughts? what's my continual Prayer? 
 
Song XXVTJI. If I live to grow old, as J Jind 1 go down. 
 
 Pope. 
 Set by Dr. Blow. 
 
 
 If I live to grow old, as I find I go 
 
 down, Let this be my fate: in a coun - -try 
 
 town, May I have a warm house with a stone at my 
 
 
 gate, A ad a clean- (y young girl to rub my bald pate ; 
 CHORUS. 
 
 May I go-vern my passion, with an ab so lute 
 
 sway, And grow wiser and better as my strength wears a 
 
 
 FT* 
 
 way, Without gout or stone, Without gout or stone, by a 
 
 
 gen-tie de cay, by a gen 
 
 m y^ j | 
 
 tie de cay. 
 
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 rVci '*fe !&^g&gfe?fo^<^^^^efo^^^^^<fe^gfo^^fe<^gfo^ 
 
 THE WISH. 
 
 i. 
 
 IF I live to be Old, for I find I go down, 
 Let this be my Fate. In a Country Town, 
 May I have a warm House, with a Stone at the Gate, 
 And a cleanly young Girl, to rub my bald Pate. 
 
 CHORUS. 
 
 May I govern my Passion with an absolute Sway, 
 
 And grow Wiser, and Better, as my Strength wears away, 
 
 Without Gout, or Stone, by a gentle decay. 
 
22 The Wish. 
 
 II. 
 
 May my little House stand on the Side of a Hill, 
 With an easy Descent, to a Mead, and a Mill, 
 That when I've a mind, I may hear my Boy read, 
 In the Mill, if it rains, if it's dry, in the Mead. 
 May I govern, &c. 
 
 III. 
 
 Near a shady Grove, and a murmuring Brook, 
 With the Ocean at Distance, whereon I may look, 
 With a spacious Plain, without Hedge or Stile, 
 And an easy Pad-Nag, to ride out a Mile. 
 May I govern, &c. 
 
 IV. 
 
 With Horace and Petrarch, and Two or Three more 
 Of the best Wits in the Ages before, 
 With roast Mutton, rather than Ven'son or Teal, 
 And clean, tho' course Linnen at every Meal. 
 May I govern, &c. 
 
fbe Wish. 23 
 
 V. 
 
 With a Pudding on Sundays, with stout humming Liquor, 
 And Remnants of Latin to welcome the Vicar, 
 With Mont e-Fias cone or Burgundy Wine 
 To drink the Kings Health as oft as I dine. 
 May I govern, &c. 
 
 VI. 
 
 May my Wine be Vermillion, may my Malt-drink be pale, 
 In neither extream, or too mild or too stale. 
 In lieu of Deserts, Unwholsome and Dear, 
 Let Lodi or Parmisan bring up the Rear. 
 May I govern, &c. 
 
 VII. 
 
 Nor Tory, or Wig, Observator or Trimmer 
 May I be, nor against the Laws torrent a Swimmer. 
 May I mind what I speak, what I write, and hear read, 
 But with matters of State ne'er trouble my Head. 
 May I govern, &c. 
 
24 The Wish. 
 
 i 
 
 VIII. 
 
 Let the Gods who dispose of every Kings Crown, 
 Whomsoever they please, set up and pull down. 
 He pay the whole Shilling impos'd on my Head, 
 Tho I go without Claret that Night to my Bed. 
 May I govern, &c. 
 
 IX. 
 
 I'll bleed without grumbling, tho' that Tax should appear 
 As oft as New Moons, or Weeks in a Year, 
 For why should I let a seditious Word fall ? 
 Since my Lands in Utopia pay nothing at all. 
 May I govern, &c. 
 
 X. 
 
 Tho' I care not for Riches, may I not be so poor, 
 That the Rich without shame cannot enter my Door, 
 May they court my converse, may they take much delight, 
 My old Stories to hear in a Winters long Night. 
 May I govern, &c. 
 
The Wish. 25 
 
 XI. 
 
 My small stock of Wit may I not misapply, 
 To flatter ill men be they never so high, 
 Nor mispend the few Moments I steal from the Grave, 
 In fawning, or cringing, like a Dog or a Slave. 
 May I govern, &c. 
 
 XII. 
 
 May none whom I love, to so great Riches rise 
 As to slight their Acquaintance, and old Friends despise. 
 So Low, or so High, may none of them be, 
 As to move either Pity, or Envy in me. 
 May I govern, &c. 
 
 XIII. 
 
 A Friendship I wish for, but alas tis in vain, 
 Joves Store-House is empty and can't it supply, 
 So firm, that no change of Times, Envy, or Gain, 
 Or Flattr'y, or Woman, should have Pow'r to unty. 
 May I govern, &c. 
 
 4 
 
26 The Wish. 
 
 XIV. 
 
 But if Friends prove unfaithful, and Fortune a Whore, 
 Still may I be Virtuous, though I am Poor, 
 My life then, as useless, may I freely resign, 
 When no longer I relish, true Wit, and good Wine. 
 May I govern, &c. 
 
 XV. 
 
 To out live my Senses may it not be my Fate, 
 To be blind, to be deaf, to know nothing at all, 
 But rather let Death come before 'tis so late, 
 And while there's some Sap in it, may my Tree fall. 
 May I govern, &c. 
 
 XVI. 
 
 I hope I shall have no occasion to send 
 For Priests, or Fysicians, till I am so near mine End 
 That I have eat all my Bread, and drunk my last Glass, 
 Let them come then, and set their Seals to my Pass. 
 May I govern, &c. 
 
<fbe Wish. 27 
 
 XVII. 
 
 With a Courage undaunted, may I face my last Day, 
 And when I am dead may the better sort say, 
 In the Morning, when sober, in the Evening, when mellow, 
 He's gone, and left not behind him his Fellow. 
 May I govern, &c. 
 
 XVIII. 
 
 Without any Noise when I've pass'd o'r the Stage, 
 And decently acted what part Fortune gave, 
 And put off my Vests in a chearful Old Age, 
 May a few honest Fellows see me laid in my Grave. 
 May I govern, &c. 
 
 XIX. 
 
 I care not whether under a Turf, or a Stone, 
 With any Inscription upon it, or none, 
 If a Thousand Years hence, Here lies W. P. 
 Shall be read on my Tomb, what is it to me ? 
 May I govern, &c. 
 
28 The Wish. 
 
 XX. 
 
 Yet one Wish I add, for the sake of those Few 
 Who in reading these Lines any Pleasure shall take, 
 May I leave a good Fame, and a sweet smelling Name. 
 AMEN. Here an End of my WISHES I make. 
 
 CHORUS. 
 
 May I govern my Passion with an absolute Sway, 
 
 And grow Wiser, and Better, as my Strength wears away, 
 
 Without Gout, or Stone, by a gentle Decay. 
 
M523966 
 
 B 
 
I