"But rudely prefs before a Duke." I own, I'm pleas'd with this rebuke, What I defire the World fhould know. ་་ I get a whisper, and withdraw; When twenty Fools I never faw Come with Petitions fairly penn'd, Defiring I would ftand their friend. This humbly offers me his Cafe- Like bees, are humming in my ears. and more, 'Tis (let me fee) three years (October next it will be four) Since HARLEY bid me firft attend, And chofe me for an humble friend; Would take me in his Coach to chat, 60 65 70 75 80 85 And question me of this and that; As, "What's o'clock?" And, "How's the Wind?" "Who's Chariot's that we left behind? 90 Or Hoc genus, Hora quota eft? Threx eft Gallina Syro par. Matutina parum cautos jam frigora mordent: Per totum hoc tempus, fubjectior in diem et horam Jurantem Or gravely try to read the lines Writ underneath the Country Signs; "From Pope, from Parnel, or from Gay?" 95 My Lord and me as far as Stains, As once a week we travel down Yet fome I know with envy fwell, "How think you of our Friend the Dean? "I wonder what fome people mean; My Lord and he are grown so great, "Always together, tête à tête, "What, they admire him for his jokes- 'Tis one to me" Then tell us, pray, I know no more than my Lord Mayor, 100 105 ΣΤΟ 115 120 They Jurantem me feire nihil miratur, ut unum Perditur haec inter mifero lux; non fine votis, O quando faba Pythagorae cognata, fimulque Legibus infanis feu quis capit acria fortis Nec male necne Lepos faltet: fed quod magis ad nos Pertinet, et nefcire malum eft, agitamus; utrumne Divitiis They ftand amaz'd, and think me grown The closest mortal ever known. THUS in a fea of folly toss'd, 125 Sleep, or peruse some ancient Book, 130 And there in fweet oblivion drown Thofe Cares that haunt the Court and Town. O charming Noons! and Nights divine! Or when I fup, or when I dine, 135 The Beans and Bacon fet before 'em, The Grace-cup ferv'd with all decorum : VER. 125. Thus in a fea, etc.] Our Poet excels his friend in his own way of modernizing Horace. But this way is infinitely inferior to his own. For tho' Horace be eafy, he is not familiar; or, if he be, it is the familiarity of Courts, which is never without its dignity. These things burlesque verfe cannot reconcile, nor indeed any other, that I know of, but the fore-going imitations of our Poet. |