BOOK 11. SATIRE I.
To Mr. FORTESCUE.
HERE are (I fcarce can think it, but am told) a There are, to whom my Satire seems too bold : Scarce to wife Peter complaifant enough,
ΤΗ
And fomething said of Chartres much too rough.
The lines are weak, another's pleas'd to say,
Lord Fanny spins a thousand such a day.
Timorous by nature, of the Rich in awe,
I come to Council learned in the Law:
You'll give me, like a friend both fage and free,
Advice; and (as you use) without a Fee.
F. d I'd write no more.
Mille die verfus deduci poffe.
Quid faciam? praefcribe.
HORATIUS.
SUNT quibus in Satira videar nimis acer, et ultra Legem tendere opus; b fine nervis altera, quidquid Compofui, pars effe putat, fimilefque meorum
Trebati,
life. S
P. Not write? but then I think, e And for my foul I cannot fleep a wink. I nod in company, I wake at night, Fools rufh into my head, and fo I write. F. You could not do a worse thing for your Why, if the nights feem tedious-take a wife: f Or rather truly, if your point be rest, Lettuce and cowflip wine; " Probatum est." But talk with Celfus, Celfus will advise Hartshorn, or fomething that fhall clofe your eyes. Or, if you needs must write, write Cafar's Praise, You'll gain at least a Knighthood, or the Bays. P. What? like Sir i Richard, rumbling, rough, and
fierce,
With Arms and George and Brunswick crowd the verfe,
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Rend with tremendous found your ears afunder,
With Gun, Drum, Trumpet, Blunderbuss, and Thun-
der?
H. Peream male, fi non
dormire.
e verum nequeo
T. f Ter uncti
Tranfnanto Tiberim, fomno quibus eft opus alto;
Irriguumve mero fub noctem corpus habento.
8 Aut fi tantus amor fcribendi te rapit, aude Cæfaris invicti res dicere, multa laborum
Praemia laturus.
H. Cupidum, Pater optime, vires Deficiunt: i neque enim quivis horrentia pilis
Or nobly wild, with Budgell's fire and force,
Paint Angels trembling round his falling Horse?
F. k Then all your Mufe's fofter art display,
Let Carolina fmooth the tuneful lay,
Lull with Amelia's liquid name the Nine,
And sweetly flow through all the Royal Line.
P. Alas! few verfes touch their nicer ear;
They scarce can bear their Laureate twice a year;
And justly Cæfar fcorns the Poet's lays,
It is to History he trufts for Praffe.
F. m Better be Cibber, I'll maintain it still,
Than ridicule all Tafte, blafpheme Quadrille,
Abuse the City's best good men in metre,
And laugh at Peers that put their trust in Peter.
n Ev'n thofe you touch not, hate you.
P. What should ail them?
F. A hundred fmart in Timon and in Balaam :
The
Agmina, nec fracta pereuntes cufpide Gallos,
Aut labentis equo defcribat vulnera Parthi.
T. Attamen et juftum poteras et fcribere fortem, Scipiadam ut fapiens Lucilius.
H. Haud mihi deero,
Cum res ipfa feret: nifi dextro tempore, Flacci
Verba per attentam non ibunt Cæfaris aurem :
Cui male fi palpere, recalcitrat undique tutus.
T. m Quanto rectius hoc, quam trifti lædere versu
Pantolabum fcurram, Nomentanumve nepotem?
"Cum fibi quifque timet, quamquam eft intactus, et odit.
The fewer still you name, you wound the more;
Bond is but one, but Harpax is a score.
P. Each mortal has his pleasure: none deny
Scarfdale his Bottle, Darty his Ham-pye;
Ridotta fips and dances, till she fee
The doubling Luftres dance as fast as she;
PF- loves the Senate, Hockleyhole his brother,
Like in all elfe, as one Egg to another.
I love to pour out all myself, as plain
As downright Shippen, or as oid Montagne :
In them, as certain to be lov'd as seen,
The Soul food forth, nor kept a thought within;
In me what spots (for spots I have) appear,
Will prove at least the Medium must be clear.
In this impartial glafs, my Mufc intends
Fair to expose myself, my foes, my friends;
Publish the present age; but where my text
Is Vice too high, reserve it for the next:
My foes shall with my life a longer date,
And every
friend the less lament my fate.
0
H. Quid faciam? faltat Milonius, ut femel icto
Acceffit fervor capiti, numerusque lucernis.
p Caftor gaudet equis; ovo prognatus eodem,
Pugnis. quot capitum vivunt, totidem ftudiorum
Millia. q me pedibus delectat claudere verba,
Lucili ritu, noftrûm melioris utroque.
Ille velut fidis arcana fodalibus olim
Credebat libris; neque, fi male gefferat, ufquam,
Decurrens alio, neque fi bene; quo fit, ut omnis
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My head and heart thus flowing through my quill,
r Verseman or Proseman, term me which you will,
Papift or Proteftant, or both between,
Like good Erafmus in an honest mean,
In moderation placing all my glory,
While Tories call me Whig, and Whigs a Tory.
Satire's my weapon, but I'm too discreet
To run a-muck, and tilt at all I meet;
I only wear it in a land of Hectors,
Thieves, Supercargoes, Sharpers, and Directors.
u Save but our army! and let Jove incruft
Swords, pikes, and guns, with everlasting ruft!
Peace is my dear delight-not Fleury's more:
But touch me, and no minister so fore.
Whoe'er offends, at fome unlucky time
× Slides into verse, and hitches-in a rhyme,
r
Votiva pateat veluti descripta tabella
Vita fenis. fequor hunc, Lucanus an Appulus, anceps:
[Nam Venufinus arat finem fub utrumque colonus,
Miffus ad hoc, pulfis (vetus eft ut fama) Sabellis ;
Quo ne per vacuum Romano incurreret hoftis;
Sive quod Appula gens, feu quod Lucania bellum
Incuteret violenta] s fed hic ftylus haud petet ultro
Quemquam animantem, et me veluti cuftodiet enfis
Vagina tectus, quem cur deftringere coner,
Tutus ab infeftis latronibus? "O pater et rex
Jupiter, ut pereat pofitum rubigine telum,
Nec quifquam noceat w cupido mihi pacis! at ille,
Qui me commôrit, (melius non tangere, clamo)
* Flebit, et infignis-tota cantabitur urbe.
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