'It shall be fickle, false, and full of fraud, Bud and be blasted in a breathing-while; 290 The bottom poison, and the top o'erstrawed With sweets that shall the truest sight beguile :

The strongest body shall it make most weak,

Strike the wise dumb and teach the fool to speak.

'It shall be sparing and too full of riot 295 Teaching decrepit age to tread the measures; The staring ruffian shall it keep in quiet, Pluck down the rich, enrich the poor with treasures;

It shall be raging-mad and silly-mild, Make the young old, the old become a child.

300

It shall suspect where is no cause of fear; It shall not fear where it should most mistrust; '

It shall be merciful and too severe,

And most deceiving when it seems most just;