BOOK I.

EPISTLE VI.

TO MR. MURRAY.

THIS Piece is the most finished of all his imitations, and executed in the high manner the Italian Painters call Con Amore. By which they mean, the exertion of that principle, which puts the faculties on the ftretch, and produces the fupreme degree of excellence. For the Poet had all the warmth of affection for the great Lawyer to whom it is addreffed: and, indeed, no man ever more deferved to have a Poet for his Friend. In the obtaining of which, as neither Vanity, Party, nor Fear, had any share: fo he supported his title to it by all the offices of true Friendship.

"NOT to admire, is all the Art I know,

To make men happy, and to keep them fo." (Plain Truth, dear MURRAY, needs no flowers of fpeech, So take it in the very words of Creech.)

b This Vault of Air, this congregated Ball, Self-center'd Sun, and Stars that rife and fall,

There

Ν'

EPISTOLA

VI.

IL admirari, prope res eft una, Numici, Solaque quae poffit facere et fervare beatum. b Hunc folem, et ftellas, et decedentia, certis

There are, my Friend! whofe philofophic eyes
Look through and truft the Ruler with his skies,
To him commit the hour, the day, the year,

And view this dreadful All without a fear.

Admire we then what d Earth's low entrails hold, Arabian fhores, or Indian feas infold;

All the mad trade of e Fools and Slaves for Gold?
Or f Popularity? or Stars and Strings?

The Mob's applaufes, or the gifts of Kings?
Say with what s eyes we ought at Courts to gaze,
the Great our homage of Amaze?

And

pay

If weak the pleasure that from these can spring,
The fear to want them is as weak a thing:

Whether we dread, or whether we defire,
In either cafe, believe me, we admire;

Whether we i joy or grieve, the fate the curfe,
Surpriz'd at better, or furpriz'd at worse.

Thus good or bad, to one extreme betray

Th' unbalanc'd Mind, and fnatch the Man away; 25

Tempora momentis, funt qui

formidine nulla

Imbuti fpectent. d quid censes, munera terrae ?
Quid, maris extremos Arabas e ditantis et Indos ?
Ludicra, quid, f plaufus, et amici dona Quiritis?
Quo fpectanda modo, s quo fenfu credis et ore?
h Qui timet his adversa, fere miratur eodem
Quo cupiens pacto: pavor eft utrobique molestus :
Improvifa fimul fpecies exterret utrumque :

For

i Gaudeat, an doleat; cupiat metuatne; quid ad rem,

Fork Virtue's felf may too much zeal be had;
The worst of Madmen is a Saint run mad.
1 Go then, and if you can, admire the state
Of beaming diamonds, and reflected plate;
Procure a Tafte to double the furprize,

And gaze on m Parian Charms with learned eyes:
Be ftruck with bright" Brocade, or Tyrian Dye,
Our Birthday Nobles' fplendid Livery.

If not fo pleas'd, at Council-board rejoice,
To fee their Judgments hang upon thy Voice;

From P morn to night, at Senate, Rolls, and Hall,
Plead much, read more, dine late, or not at all.
But wherefore all this labour, all this ftrife?

For a Fame, for Riches, for a noble Wife?

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35

Shall One whom Nature, Learning, Birth conspir'd 40
To form, not to admire, but be admir'd,

Sigh, while his Chloe blind to Wit and Worth
Weds the rich Dulnefs of fome Son of earth?

Yet

Si, quidquid vidit melius pejufve fua fpe,
Defixis oculis animoque et corpore torpet?
* Infani fapiens nomen ferat, aequus iniqui;
Ultra quam fatis eft, virtutem fi petat ipfam.
I nunc, argentum et marmor m vetus, aeraque et artes
Sufpice: cum gemmis n Tyrios mirare colores :
Gaude, quod fpectant oculi te o mille loquentem :
Gnavus p mane forum, et vefpertinus pete tectum;
Ne plus frumenti dotalibus emetat agris
Mutus et (indignum; quod fit pejoribus ortus)
Hic tibi fit potius, quam tu mirabilis illi.

Yet s time ennobles, or degrades each Line;
It brighten'd Craggs's, and may darken thine:
And what is Fame? the Meanest have their day,
The Greateft can but blaze, and pafs away.
Grac'd as thou art, t with all the Power of Words,
So known, fo honour'd, at the houfe of Lords:
Confpicuous Scene! another yet is nigh,
(More filent far) where Kings and Poets lie;
u Where Murray (long enough his Country's pride)
Shall be no more than Tully, or than Hyde!

w Rack'd with Sciatics, martyr'd with the Stone, Will any mortal let himself alone?

See Ward by batter'd Beaux invited over,
And defperate Mifery lays hold on Dover.
The cafe is easier in the Mind's disease;

There all Men may be cur'd, whene'er they please.
Would ye be x bleft? defpife low Joys, low Gains;
Disdain whatever Cornbury difdains;

Be virtuous, and be happy for your pains.

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45

50

55

But

u

$ Quicquid fub terra eft, in apricum proferet aetas;
Defodiet condetque nitentia. t cum bene notum
Porticus Agrippae, et via te confpexerit Appî;
Ire tamen reftat, Numa " quo devenit et Ancus.
w Si latus aut renes morbo tentantur acuto,
Quare fugam morbi. * vis recte vivere ? quis non?
Si virtus hoc una poteft dare, fortis omiffis

Hoc age deliciis.

y But art thou one, whom new opinions fway, One who believes as Tindal leads the way,

Who Virtue and a Church alike difowns,

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Thinks that but words, and this but brick and ftones?

Fly z then, on all the wings of wild defire,

Admire whate'er the maddeft can admire :

Is wealth thy paffion? Hence! from Pole to Pole, Where winds can carry, or where waves can roll, 70 For Indian fpices, for Peruvian Gold,

Prevent the greedy, or outbid the bold:

fcore

a Advance thy golden Mountain to the skies;
On the broad base of fifty thousand rise,
Add one round hundred, and (if that's not fair)
Add fifty more, and bring it to a square.
For, mark th' advantage; juft fo many
Will gain a b Wife with half as many more,
Procure her beauty, make that beauty chafte,
And then fuche Friends-as cannot fail to laft.
A Man of wealth is dubb'd a Man of worth,
Venus fhall give him Form, and Anstis Birth,

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80

(Believe

y virtutem verba putes, et

Lucum ligna ? z cave ne portus occupet alter;
Ne Cibyratica, ne Bithyna negotia perdas :
a Mille talenta rotundentur, totidem altera, porro et
Tertia fuccedant, et quae pars quadret acervum,
Scilicet b uxorem cum dote, fidemque, et amicos,
Et genus, et formam, regina d Pecunia donat;
Ac bene nummatum decorat Suadela, Venufque,