THE PLUTUS, 501-517

He might fancy, I ween, it were madness or e'en

the sport of some mischievous sprite.
So often the best of the world is possessed

by the most undeserving of men,
Who have gotten their pile of money by vile

injustice ; so often again
The righteous are seen to be famished and lean,

yea, with thee as their comrade to dwell.
Now if Wealth were to-night to recover his sight,

and her from amongst us expel,
Can you tell me, I pray, a more excellent way

of bestowing a boon 011 mankind ?
POV. O men on the least provocation prepared

to be crazy and out of your mind,
Men bearded and old, yet companions enrolled

in the Order of zanies and fools,
O what is the gain thai the world would obtain

were it governed by you and your rules ?
Why, if Wealth should allot himself equally out

(assume that his wight ye restore),
Then none would to science his talents devote

or practise a craft any more.

Yet if science and art from the world should depart,
pray whom would ye get for the future
To build you a ship, or your leather to snip,

or to make you a wheel or a suture ?
Do ye think that a man will be likely to tan,

or a smithy or laundry to keep,
Or to break up the soil with his ploughshare, and toil
the fruits of Demefcer to reap,
If regardless of these he can dwell at his ease,

a life without labour enjoying ?

CIIK, Absurd! why the troubles and tasks you describe
we of course shall our servants employ in.

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