1Vain

Herostratus1

was so fond of fame,

2He set this sacred temple on a flame:

3That stately structure which was so renowned,

4And for the image of

Diana2

crowned,

5Which fell from

Jupiter3

, whom they implored—

6Whom

Ephesus4

and all the world adored.

7Thus some out of ambition, some for gain,

8Mingle together holy and profane.

9So cities,

fanes5

, and altars some have burned,

10And monarchies into

confusions6

turned.

11

My dear Hibernia7

made this story good

12

When crystal Shannon ran with Christian blood8

.

13

As no edict could make that villain die9

,

14

So these are odious to posterity10

.

15Then let me ever have a

splendent11

fame,

16Or let me lose

Hadassah12

, my loved name.

17Far better in oblivion live and die

18Than to survive with these in infamy.

19What got

Antiochus, then Epiphanes13

,

20More than

the epithet of Epimanes14

?

21Or what gained

Brennus after all his plunder15

,

22When he

and’s16

men

received their pay in thunder17

?

23Were they not sacrilegious villains both?

24Doth not posterity their names e’en loathe?

25What pleasure had

Belshazzar18

in his feast,

26Or what

his grandsire19

when he was a beast?

27One took the sacred utensils away;

28The other praised the gods of gold and clay;

29Nor would they be reformed of their error

30Till one was struck with madness, th’other terror.

31What got

Cambyses at horned Ammon’s hand20

32When fifty thousand men died in the sand?

33

What will they get that do our fanes profane21

?

34Sure shame and horror will be all their gain.