195

Nor let thy mountain-belly make pretence
Of likeness; thine's a tympany of fenfe.
A tun of man in thy large bulk is writ,
But fure thou'rt but a kilderkin of wit.
Like mine, thy gentle numbers feebly creep;
Thy tragic mufe gives fmiles, thy comic fleep.
With whate'er gall thou fett'st thyself to write,
Thy inoffenfive fatires never bite.
In thy felonious art though venom lies,

It does but touch thy Irish

pen, and dies. Thy genius calls thee not to purchase fame In keen Iarabics, but mild Anagram.

200

Leave writing plays, and choofe for thy com

mand,

205

Some peaceful province in Acroftic land. There thou may'ft Wings difplay and Altars raise,

And torture one poor word ten thousand ways. Or, if thou would'ft thy different talents fuit, Set thy own fongs, and fing them to thy lute." He faid; but his laft words were fcarcely

211

heard: For Bruce and Longvil had a trap prepar'd, And down they fent the yet declaiming bard.

Ver. 193. Nor let thy mountain-belly &c.] Alluding to Shadwell's form, who was pretty lufty. DERRICK.

mild Anagram.] Kind Anagram. MS.

and Altars raife,] And trophies raife. MS.

Ver. 204.

TODD.

Ver. 207.

TODD,

Ver. 212. For Bruce and Longvil &c.] Two very heavy cha

Sinking he left his drugget robe behind,
Born upwards by a fubterranean wind.
The mantle fell to the young prophet's part,
With double portion of his father's art.

215

racters in Shadwell's Virtuofo, whom he calls gentlemen of wit and good fenfe. DERRICK.

EPISTLES.

EPISTLE THE FIRST.

TO MY

HONOURED FRIEND

SIR ROBERT HOWARD*,

ON HIS

EXCELLENT POEMS.

As there is music uninform'd by art
In those wild notes, which, with a merry heart,

Sir Robert Howard, a younger fon of Thomas Earl of Berkfhire, and brother to Mr. Dryden's lady, ftudied for fome time in Magdalene-college. He fuffered many oppreffions on account of his loyalty, and was one of the few of King Charles the IId's friends, whom that monarch did not forget. Perhaps he had his prefent ends in it; for Sir Robert, who was a man of parts, helped him to obtain money in parliament, wherein he fate as burgefs, firft for Stockbridge, and afterwards for Caftle-Rifing in Norfolk. He was, foon after the restoration, made a knight of the Bath, and one of the auditors of the Exchequer, valued at 30001. per annum. Notwithstanding that he was fuppofed to be a great favourer of the Catholics, he foon took the oaths to King William, by whom he was made a privycounsellor in the beginning of the year 1689; and no man was a more open or inveterate enemy to the Nonjurors.

Several of his pieces, both in profe and verfe, were published at different times; among which are the Duel of the Stags, a celebrated poem; the comedy of the Blind Lady; the Com