That very Cæsar, born in Scipio's days, COMMENTARY. 220 Ver. 222. In this one Passion, &c.] But now it may be objected to our philosophic Poet, that he has indeed shewn the true means of NOTES. to throw up the dyke at Rochelle, and to dispute the prize of poetry with Corneille; whom to traduce was the surest method of gaining the affection of this ambitious minister; nay, who formed a design to be canonized as a saint. A perfect contrast to the character of Cardinal Fleury, who shewed that it was possible to govern a great state with moderate abilities and a mild temper. His ministry is impartially represented by Voltaire in the Age of Louis XIV. Warton. Ver. 215. ambition was the vice.] Pride, vanity, and ambition are such bordering and neighbouring vices, and hold so much in common, that we generally find them going together; and, therefore, as generally mistake them for one another. This does not a little contribute to our confounding characters; for they are, in reality, very different and distinct; so much so, that it is remarkable, the three greatest men in Rome, and cotemporaries, possessed each of these passions separately, with very little mixture of the other two: the men I mean were Cæsar, Cato, and Cicero: for Cæsar had ambition without either vanity or pride; Cato had pride without ambition or vanity; and Cicero had vanity without pride or ambition. The aim of these passions too are very different. VANITY leads men, as it did Cicero, to seek homage from others PRIDE, as it did Cato, to seek homage from one's self: and AMBITION, as in the case of Cæsar, to dispense with it from all, for the sake of solid interest. Warburton. Time, that on all things lays his lenient hand, Old politicians chew on wisdom past, COMMENTARY. of coming to the knowledge and characters of men, by a Principle certain and infallible, when found; yet it is, by his own account of so difficult investigation, that its counterfeit (and it is always attended with one) may be easily mistaken for it. To remove this difficulty, therefore, and consequently the objection that arises from it, the Poet has given (from ver. 221 to 228.) one certain and infallible criterion of the Ruling Passion: which is this, that all the other passions, in the course of time, change and wear away; while this is ever constant and vigorous, and still going on from strength to strength, to the very moment of its demolishing the miserable machine which it has now, at length, over-worked. Of this great truth, the Poet (from ver. 227 to the end) gives various instances, in all the principal Ruling Passions of our nature, as they are to be found in the Man of business, the Man of pleasure, the Epicure, the Parsimonious, the Toast, the Courtier, the Miser, and the Patriot; which last instance, the Poet has had the art, under the appearance of Satire, to turn into the noblest compliment on the person to whom the Epistle is addressed. NOTES. Ver. 225. it sticks to our last sand, &c.]" M. de Lagny mourut le 12 Avril, 1734. Dans les derniers momens, ou il ne connoissoit plus aucun de ceux qui étoient autour de son lit, quelqu'un, pour faire une expérience philosophique, s'avisa de lui demander quel étoit le quarré de douze. Il repondit dans l'instant, et apparemment sans savoir qu'il repondit, cent quarante quatre."—Fontenelle, Eloge de M. de Lagny. Warburton. Ver. 228. Old politicians] The strength and continuance of what our author calls the Ruling Passion, concerning which see ver. 174, and the notes, is strongly exemplified in these eight characters; namely, the Politician, the Debauchee, the Glutton, the Economist, As weak, as earnest, and as gravely out, NOTES. 230 Economist, the Coquette, the Courtier, the Miser, and the Patriot. Of these characters, the most lively, because the most dramatic, are the fifth and seventh. There is true humour also in the circumstance of the frugal Crone, who blows out one of the consecrated tapers in order to prevent its wasting. Shall I venture to insert another example or two? An old usurer, lying in his last agonies, was presented by the priest with the crucifix. He opened his eyes a moment before he expired, attentively gazed on it, and cried out, "These jewels are counterfeit; I cannot lend more than ten pistoles upon so wretched a pledge.” To reform the language of his country was the ruling passion of Malherbe. The priest, who attended him in his last moments, asked him if he was not affected with the description he gave him of the joys of heaven?" By no means," answered the incorrigible bard; “I desire to hear no more of them, if you cannot describe them in a purer style." Both these stories would have shone under the hands of Pope. This doctrine of our author may be farther illustrated by the following passage of Bacon: "It is no less worthy to observe how little alteration, in good spirits, the approaches of death make, for they appear to be the same men till the last instant. Augustus Cæsar died in a compliment; Livia, conjugii nostri memor, vive et vale. Tiberius, in dissimulation; as Tacitus saith of him, Jam Tiberium vires et corpus, non dissimulatio deserebant. Vespasian, in a jest; Ut puto Deus fio. Galba, with a sentence; Feri, si ex re sit populi Romani; holding forth his neck. Septimus Severus, in a despatch; Adeste, si quid mihi restat agendum." This Epistle concludes with a stroke of art worthy admiration. The Poet suddenly stops the vein of ridicule with which he was flowing, and addresses his friend in a most delicate compliment, concealed under the appearance of satire. Warton. Ver. 231. Lanesb'row] An ancient Nobleman, who continued this practice long after his legs were disabled by the gout. Upon the death of Prince George of Denmark, he demanded an audience of the Queen, to advise her to preserve her health and dispel her grief by dancing. Pope. Behold a reverend sire, whom want of grace Has made the father of a nameless race, Shov'd from the wall perhaps, or rudely press'd By his own son, that passes by unbless'd: Still to his wench he crawls on knocking knees, And envies ev'ry sparrow that he sees. A salmon's belly, Helluo, was thy fate; The doctor call'd, declares all help too late; 66 235 Mercy!" cries Helluo, "mercy on my soul! 240 Is there no hope!-Alas! then bring the jowl." The frugal crone, whom praying priests attend, Still tries to save the hallow'd taper's end, Collects her breath, as ebbing life retires, For one puff more, and in that puff expires. 245 "Odious! in woollen! 'twould a saint provoke," Were the last words that poor Narcissa spoke ; NOTES. Ver. 241. then bring the jowl."] It is remarkable that a similar story may be found in the eighth book of Athenæus, concerning the poet Philoxenus, a writer of dithyrambics, who grew sick by eating a whole polypus, except the head; and who, when his physician told him he would never recover from his surfeit, called out, "Bring me then the head of the polypus." It is not here insinuated that Pope was a reader of Athenæus; but he evidently copied this ludicrous instance of gluttony from La Fontaine : "Puis qu'il faut que je meure Qu'on m'apporte tout à l'heure Le reste de mon poisson." Warton. Ver. 242. The frugal crone, &c.] A fact told him by Lady Bolingbroke, of an old Countess at Paris. Warburton. Ver. 247. the last words that poor Narcissa spoke;] This story, as well as the others, is founded on fact, though the author had the 66 No, let a charming chintz and Brussels lace Wrap my cold limbs, and shade my lifeless face: 250 One would not, sure, be frightful when one's deadAnd-Betty-give this cheek a little red." The courtier smooth, who forty years had shin'd A humble servant to all human kind, Just brought out this, when scarce his tongue could stir : "If-where I'm going-I could serve you, Sir?" "I give and I devise" (old Euclio said, And sigh'd) "my lands and tenements to Ned." 66 Why, if I must-(then wept) I give it Paul." The Manor, Sir?" The Manor! hold," he cried, 260 Not that, I cannot part with that”—and died. And you, brave COBHAM! to the latest breath, Shall feel your Ruling Passion strong in death: Such in those moments as in all the past; 66 Oh, save my country, Heaven!" shall be your last. NOTES. 265 the goodness not to mention the names. Several attribute this in particular to a very celebrated actress, who, in detestation of the thought of being buried in woollen, gave these her last orders with her dying breath. Pope. Ver. 251. Betty-] The Betty here mentioned was Mrs. Saunders, Mrs. Oldfield's friend and confidante; a good actress in parts of decayed widows and old maids. Warton. Ver. 261. and died.] Sir William Bateman used those very words on his death-bed. No comic nor satiric writer has ever carried their descriptions of avarice or gluttony so far as what has happened in real life. Other vices have been exaggerated; these two never have been. Warton. |