"YES, let us strike the Lyre, and sing, and rhyme; By far the wisest way of spending time.”— So says Anacreon, my dear Kien Long; Let Britain then, and China, hear our Song. ΤΟ THE EMPEROR OF CHINA. DEAR KIEN long, Ar length an opportunity presents itself for conversing with the second Potentate upon earth; George the Third being most undoubtedly the first, although he never made Verses. Thy praises of Moukden, thy beautiful little Ode to Tea, &c. have afforded me infinite delight; and to gain my plaudit, who am rather difficult to please, will, I assure thee, be a feather in thy Imperial cap. Principibus placuisse Viris, non ultima laus est. Praise from a Bard of my poetic spirit, Proclaims indeed no small degree of merit. Excuse this piece of egotism: it is natural, and justified by the sublimest authorities. What says Virgil? “Tentanda via est quà me quoque possim Tollere humo, Victorque xirûm volitare per ora. What likewise Lucretius? "Insignemque meo capiti petere inde Coronam What also Ovid? "Jamque Opus exegi," &c. What moreover Horace? "Exegi Monumentum ære perennius, &c. What Ennius? "Nemo me lacrumis decoret nec funera fletu,” &c. What again the great Father of Poetry, Homer, in his delightful Hymn, that some impudent Scholiasts declare he never wrote? —τίς δύμμιν ἀνης ήδιστος ΑΟΙΔΩΝ Ἐνθάδε· πωλεῖται; καὶ τέω τέρπεσθε μάλιστα; Τυφλὸς ἀνής· δικεῖ δε χίω ἐνὶ παιπαλοέσσης Τοῦ πᾶσαι μετόπισθεν ἀριστευούσιν ̓Αοιδαί. Which, with a few preceding lines omitted in the quotation, I thus a little paraphrastically and beautifully translate: Should Curiosity at times inquire, Who strikes with sweetest art the Muse's Lyre? Who sells and sings his Works, and sings and sells, And leaves all other Poets far behind." So much for my profound learning in defence of egotism; for where is the man that does not rank himself among his own Admirers? Now to the point.-As Lord Macartney, with his most splendid retinue, is about to open a trade with thee, in the various articles of tin, blankets, woollen in general, &c. in favour of the two Kingdoms; why might not a literary commerce take place between the great Kien Long, and the no less celebrated Peter Pindar? Thou art a man of Rhymes; and so am I. Thou art a genius of uncommon versatility: so am I. Thou art an enthusiast to the Muses: so am I. Thou art a lover of novelty: so am I. Thou art an idolater of Royalty: so am 1. With such a congeniality of mind, in my God's name and thine, let us surprise the World with an interchange of our Lucubrations, both for its improvement and delight. And to show thee that I am not a literary Swindler, unable to repay thee for goods I may receive from thy Imperial Majesty, I now transmit specimens of my talents in Ode, Ballad, Elegy, Fable, and Epigram. I am, dear Kien Long, Thy humble Servant, and Brother-poet, P. PINDAR. |