385

And b great Naffau to Kneller's hand decreed
To fix him graceful on the bounding Steed;
So well in paint and stone they judg'd of merit :
But Kings in Wit may want difcerning Spirit.
The Hero William, and the Martyr Charles,
One knighted Blackmore, and one penfion'd Quarles;
Which made old Ben and furly Dennis fwear,
"No Lord's anointed, but a Ruffian Bear."
Not with fuch & majesty, fuch bold relief,
The Forms auguft, of King, or conquering Chief,
E'er fwell'd on marble; as in verse have thin'd
(In polish'd verfe) the manners and the Mind.
Oh! could I mount on the Mæonian wing,
Your Arms, your Actions, your Repofe to fing! 395
What f feas you travers'd, and what fields you fought!
Your Country's Peace, how oft, how dearly bought!

d

Fortis b Alexandri vultum fimulantia. quod fi
Judicium fubtile videndis artibus illud
Ad libros et ad haec Mufarum dona vocares';
c Boeotum in craffo jurares aëre natum.

[At neque dedecorant tua de se judicia, atque Munera quae multa dantis cum laude tulerunt, Dilecti tibi Virgilius Variufque poetae ;]

Nec magis expreffi d vultus per ahenea figna, Quam per vatis opus mores animique virorum Clarorum apparent. nec fermones ego mallem Repentes per humum, quam res componere gestas, Terrarumque f fitus et flumina dicere, et arces

e

390

How

How g barbarous rage fubfided at your word,

And Nations wonder'd while they dropp'd the fword!
How, when you nodded, o'er the land and deep, 400
h Peace ftole her wing, and wrapt the world in fleep;
Till earth's extremes your mediation own,

And i Afia's Tyrants tremble at your Throne—
But k Verse, alas! your Majefty disdains;
And I'm not us'd to Panegyric strains :
The Zeal of Fools offends at any time,
But most of all, the Zeal of Fools in rhyme.
Befides, a fate attends on all I write,
That when I aim at praife, they fay m I bite.
A vile Encomium doubly ridicules:
There's nothing blackens like the ink of fools.
If true, a ° woful likeness; and if lyes,
"Praise undeserv'd is scandal in disguise :”

405

410

Well

Montibus impofitas, et s barbara regna, tuisque
Aufpiciis totum h confecta duella per orbem,
Clauftraque cuftodem pacis cohibentia Janum,
Et i formidatam Parthis, te principe, Romam:
Si quantum cuperem, poffem quoque. fed neque parvum
* Carmen majeftas recipit tua; nec meus audet
Rem tentare pudor, quam vires ferre recufent.
Sedulitas autem 1 ftulte, quem diligit, urget;
Praecipue cum fe numeris commendat et arte.
Difcit enim citius, meminitque libentius illud
Quod quis deridet, quam quod probat et veneratur.
Nil moror" officium, quod me gravat: ac neque
In pejus vultu proponi cereus ufquam,

ficto

Well may he p blush, who gives it, or receives;
And when I flatter, let my dirty leaves
(Like Journals, Odes, and fuch forgotten things
As Eufden, Philips, Settle, writ of Kings)
Clothe fpice, line trunks, or, fluttering in a row,
Befringe the rails of Bedlam and Soho.

Nec

prave factis decorari verfibus opto: Ne p rubeam pingui donatus munere, et una Cum fcriptore meo capfa porrectus aperta, 9 Deferar in vicum vendentem thus et odores, Et piper, et quicquid chartis amicitur ineptis.

415

BOOK

C

BOOK II.

EPISTLE II.

"Ludentis fpeciem dabit, & torquebitur." HoR.

DEAR

EAR Col'nel, Cobham's and your country's
Friend!

You love a Verse, take fuch as I can fend.

b A Frenchman comes, prefents you with his Boy, Bows, and begins-" This Lad, Sir, is of Blois : "Obferve his shape how clean! his locks how curl'd! "My only fon, I'd have him fee the world: "His French is pure; his Voice too-you shall hear. "Sir, he's your slave, for twenty pound a year. "Mere wax as yet, you fashion him with ease, "Your Barber, Cook, Upholsterer, what you please: "A perfect genius at an Opera fong

"To fay too much, might do my honour wrong.

"Take

EPISTOLA II.

FLORE, bono claroque fidelis amice Neroni,

b Si quis forte velit puerum tibi vendere natum Tibure vel Gabiis, et tecum fic agat: "Hic et "Candidus, et talos a vertice pulcher ad imos, "Fiet eritque tuus nummorum millibus octo; "Verna minifteriis ad nutus aptus heriles; "Litterulis Graecis imbutus, idoneus arti "Cuilibet: argilla quidvis imitaberis uda:

"Take him with all his virtues, on my word;
"His whole ambition was to ferve a Lord:
"But, Sir, to you, with what would I not part?

15

Though faith, I fear, 'twill break his Mother's heart. "Once (and but once) I caught him in a lie, "And then, unwhipp'd, he had the grace to cry: "The fault he has I fairly fhall reveal,

" (Could you

с

o'erlook but that) it is, to steal.'

If, after this, you took the graceful lad,
Could you complain, my Friend, he prov'd fo bad?
Faith, in fuch cafe, if you should profecute,

I think Sir Godfrey should decide the fuit;
Who fent the Thief that stole the Cash, away,
And punish'd him that put it in his way.

20

25

d Confider then, and judge me in this light, I told you when I went, I could not write;

You

"Quin etiam canet indoctum, fed dulce bibenti. "Multa fidem promiffa levant, ubi plenius aequo “Laudat venales, qui vult extrudere, merces.

"Res urget me nulla :

meo fum

pauper

in aere.

"Nemo hoc mangonum faceret tibi: non temere a me Quivis ferret idem: femel hic ceffavit, et (ut fit) "In fcalis latuit metuens pendentis habenae : "Des nummos, excepta nihil te fi fuga laedit." c Ille ferat pretium, poenae fecurus, opinor. Prudens emifti vitiofum: dicta tibi eft lex. Infequeris tamen hunc, et lite moraris iniqua. & Dixi me pigrum proficifcenti tibi, dixi Talibus officiis prope mancum; ne mea faevus