Who  ever  asked  the  witnesses'  high  race

Whose  oath  with  martyrdom  did  Stephen  grace  ?

Ours  was  a  Levite,  and  as  times  went  then.
His  tribe  were  God  Almighty's  gentlemen.
1681,  Dryden,  Absalom  and  Achitophel,  11.  636-45.
Nor  does  it  follow,  'cause  a  Herald

Can  make  a  gentleman,  scarce  a  year  old.
To  be  descended  of  a  Race

Of  Ancient  Kings,  in  a  small  space  ;

That  we  should  all  Opinions  hold

Authentick,  that  we  can  make  old.
S.  Butler,  Hudihras,  pt.  ii,  cant.  3,  1.  674.
Honour,  I  say,  or  honest  fame,
I  mean  the  substance,  not  the  name  ;
(Not  that  light  heap  of  tawdry  wares.
Of  ermine,  coronets,  and  stars.
Which  often  is  by  merit  sought.
By  gold  and  flattery  oftener  bought ;
The  shade  for  which  ambition  looks
In  Selden's  or  in  Ashmole's  books  :  ^)
But  the  true  glory,  which  proceeds,
Reflected  bright,  from  honest  deeds,
Which  we  in  our  own  breast  perceive.
And  kings  can  neither  take  nor  give.
M.  Prior,  Poems  (ed.  C.  Clark),  p.  433.
Honour  and  shame  from  no  condition  rise  ;
Act  well  your  part,  there  all  the  honour  lies.
Fortune  in  men  has  some  small  diff'rence  made.
One  flaunts  in  rags,  one  flutters  in  brocade  ;  .  ..
1  i.e.  Titles  of'Honour  and  The  Order  of  the  Garter,


The  Poets'  Gentleman  395

Worth  makes  the  man,  and  want  of  it,  the  fellow  ;

The  rest  is  all  but  leather  or  prunella.
Stuck  o'er  with  titles  and  hung  round  with  strings.
That  thou  may'st  be  by  kings,  or  whores  of  kings.
Boast  the  pure  blood  of  an  illustrious  race.
In  quiet  flow  from  Lucrece  to  Lucrece  :

But  by  your  fathers'  worth  if  yours  you  rate.
Count  me  those  only  who  were  good  and  great.
