住了这么久，一座简陋的房子，会让你不满意地离去;当你从你所期待的荣华富贵中坠落时，你会发现设计出来的只是一个简单的便利。你，每天在剧院里都能看到，像尼禄的宫殿一样，金光闪闪，我们那卑贱的、没有镀金的舞台，恐怕会瞧不起你，因为这朴素的房间，你会瞧不起这欢乐的场面。然而，现在廉价的药物已经发展到一定的程度，一套朴素的衣服，既然我们只能做一件，总比被人知道是一件玷污了的衣服要好。那些因你的恩宠而发了财的人，可以拿着大笔的钱来做生意;我们，破产的银行家，被大火烧得半死，带着我们的少量存货退到简陋的屋顶;可怜我们的损失，而你却羡慕他们的浮夸。我们不再为名誉和荣誉而奋斗;我们两方面都让步，只乞求吗?生活;无法负担他们巨大的开销，他们建造和招待如此华丽，就像那个时代野心勃勃的君主一样，他们把法律交给了我们的地方舞台。 Great neighbours enviously promote excess, While they impose their splendour on the less; But only fools, and they of vast estate, The extremity of modes will imitate, The dangling knee-fringe, and the bib-cravat. Yet if some pride with want may be allowed, We in our plainness may be justly proud; Our Royal Master willed it should be so; Whate 'er he's pleased to own, can need no show: That sacred name gives ornament and grace, And, like his stamp, makes basest metal pass. 'Twere folly now a stately pile to raise, To build a playhouse while you throw down plays; While scenes, machines, and empty operas reign, And for the pencil you the pen disdain; While troops of famished Frenchmen hither drive, And laugh at those upon whose alms they live: Old English authors vanish, and give place To these new conquerors of the Norman race. More tamely than your fathers you submit; You're now grown vassals to them in your wit. Mark, when they play, how our fine fops advance The mighty merits of their men of France, Keep time, cry Ben! and humour the cadence. Well, please yourselves; but sure 'tis understood, That French machines have ne'er done England good. I would not prophesy our house's fate; But while vain shows and scenes you overrate, 'Tis to be feared? That, as a fire the former house o'erthrew, Machines and tempests will destroy the new.