Or tames the Genius of the stubborn plain,
Almoft as quickly as he conquer'd Spain.

i Envy must own, I live among the Great, No Pimp of pleafure, and no Spy of state,

With eyes that pry not, tongue that ne'er repeats, 135 Fond to fpread friendships, but to cover heats;

To help who want, to forward who excel;

This, all who know me, know; who love me, tell;
And who unknown defame me, let them be
Scriblers or Peers, alike are Mob to me.
This is my Plea, on this I reft my caufe-

k What faith my Council, learned in the laws?
F. Your Plea is good; but ftill I fay, beware!
Laws are explain'd by men-fo have a care.
It stands on record, that in Richard's times

A man was hang'd for very honeft rhymes;
m Confult the Statute, "quart." I think, it is,
"Edwardi fext." or "prim. et quint. Eliz."

Infra Lucili cenfum, ingeniumque; tamen me
i Cum magnis vixiffe invita fatebitur ufque
Invidia; et fragili quaerens illidere dentem,
Offendet folido:

Diffentis.

140

145

See

* nifi quid tu, docte Trebati,

T. Equidem nihil hinc diffingere poffum. Sed tamen ut monitus caveas, ne forte negotî Incutiat tibi quid fanctarum infcitia legum :

«m Si mala condiderit in quem quis carmina, jus eft diciumque."

See Libels, Satires-here you have it-read.

P. n Libels and Satires! lawlefs things indeed! 150 But grave Epiftles, bringing Vice to light,

Such as a King might read, a Bishop write,
Such as Sir Robert would approve-

F. Indeed?

The Cafe is alter'd-you may then proceed;
• In fuch a cafe the Plaintiff will be hifs'd,
My Lords the judges laugh, and you're dismiss`d.

H. Efto, fiquis n mala, fed bona fi quis Judice condiderit laudatus Caefare? fi quis Opprobriis dignum laceraverit, integer ipfe? T. Solventur rifu tabulæ: tu miffus abibis.

155

BOOK II.

SATIRE II.

To Mr. BETHEL.

HAT, and how great, the Virtue and the Art To live on little with a cheerful heart; b(A doctrine fage, but truly none of mine) Let's talk, my friends, but talk before we dine. ← Not when a gilt Buffet's reflected pride Turns you from found Philosophy aside; Not when from plate to plate your eye-balls roll, And the brain dances to the mantling bowl.

Hear Bethel's Sermon, one not vers'd in schools, d But ftrong in sense, and wife without the rules. h Go work, hunt, exercife! (he thus began) Then fcorn a homely dinner, if you can.

10

Your

Q

SATIRA

11.

UAE virtus & quanta, boni, fit vivere parvo,
(Nec meus hic fermo : fed qua praecepit Ofellus,
Rufticus, dabnormis Sapiens, craffaque Minerva)
Difcite, e non inter lances menfasque nitentes ;
Cum ftupet infanis acies fulgoribus, et cum
Acclinis falfis animus meliora recufat:

< Verum hic impranfi mecum difquirite. Cur hoc?
Dicam, fi potero, male verum examinat omnis
Corruptus judex. h Leporum fectatus, equove
ab indomito; vel (fi Romana fatigat

i Your wine lock'd up, your Butler ftroll'd abroad,
Or fish deny'd (the river yet unthaw'd)
If then plain bread and milk will do the feat,
The pleasure lies in you, and not the meat.
* Preach as I please, I doubt our curicus men
Will chufe a pheasant still before a hen;
Yet hens of Guinea full as good I hold,
Except you eat the feathers green and gold.

Militia affuetum graecari) feu pila velox,
Molliter aufterum ftudio fallente laborem;
Seu te difcus agit, pete cedentem aëra difco:
Cum labor extulerit faftidia; ficcus, inanis,
Sperne cibum vilem: nifi Hymettia mella Falerno,
Ne biberis, diluta. i foris eft promus, et atrum
Defendens pifces hiemat mare: cum fale panis
Latrantem ftomachum bene leniet. unde putas, aut
Qui partum? non in caro nidore voluptas
Summa, fed in teipfo eft. tu pulmentaria quaere
Sudando. pinguem vitiis albumque neque oftrea,
Nec fcarus, aut poterit peregrina juvare lagoïs.
k Vix tamen eripiam, pofito pavone, velis quin
Hoc potius quam gallina tergere palatum?
Corruptus vanis rerum: quia veneat auro

Rara avis, et picta pandat fpectacula cauda

15

20

Of

Tamquam ad rem attineat quidquam. Num vefceris ifta, Quam laudas, pluma? coctave num adeft honor idem ? Carne tamen quamvis diftat nihil hac, magis illa; Imparibus formis deceptum te patet, efto.

Unde datum fentis, lupus hic, Tiberinus an alto

1 Of carps and mullets why prefer the great, (Though cut in pieces ere my Lord can eat) Yet for fmall Turbots fuch esteem profefs? Because God made thefe large, the other lefs.

Oldfield, with more than Harpy throat endued, Cries, "Send me, Gods! a whole Hog barbecued!" Oh blaft it, n South-winds! till a ftench exhale Rank as the ripeness of a rabbit's tail. By what Criterion do you eat, d'ye think, If this is priz'd for sweetness, that for stink? When the tir'd glutton labours through a treat, He finds no relish in the sweetest meat, He calls for fomething bitter, fomething four, And the rich feaft concludes extremely poor:

25

30

• Cheap eggs, and herbs, and olives, still we fee; Thus much is left of old Simplicity!

35

The

Captus hiet? pontefne inter jactatus, an amnis
Oftia fub Tufci? laudas, infane, trilibrem

Mullum; in fingula quem minuas pulmenta neceffe eft,
Ducit te fpecies, video. quo pertinet ergo

Proceros odiffe lupos ? quia fcilicet illis

Majorem natura modum dedit, his breve pondus.
Jejunus raro ftomachus vulgaria temnit.

m Porrectum magno magnum fpectare catino Vellem, ait Harpyiis gula digna rapacibus. At vos, n Praefentes Auftri, coquite horum opfonia; quamquam Putet aper rhombufque recens, mala copia quando Aegrum follicitat ftomachum; cum rapula plenus Atque acidas mavult inulas necdum omnis abacta