Графични страници
PDF файл
ePub

Or fhall we every Decency confound,

Through Taverns, Stews, and Bagnios take our round,
Go dine with Chartres, in each Vice outdo
SK-l's lewd Cargo, or Ty-y's Crew,

From Latian Syrens, French Circæan Feasts,
Return'd well travel'd, and transform'd to Beafts,
Or for a titled Punk, or foreign Flame,
Renounce our Country, and degrade our Name?
If, after all, we must with " Wilmot own,
The Cordial Drop of Life is Love alone,
And Swift cry wifely, "Vive la Bagatelle !"

125

The Man that loves and laughs, muft fure do well. 130 w Adieu-if this advice appear the worst, E'en take the Counsel which I gave you firft:

Or better Precepts if you can impart,

Why do, I'll follow them with all my

heart.

Unus ut e multis populo fpectante referret.
Emtum mulus aprum. crudi, tumidique lavemur,
Quid deceat, quid non, obliti; Caerite cera

S

Digni; remigium vitiofum Ithacenfis Ulyssei;

Cui potior patria fuit interdicta voluptas.

u Si, Mimnermus uti cenfet, fine amore jocifque Nil eft jucundum; vivas in amore jocifque.

W

Vive, vale. fi quid novisti rectius istis, Candidus imperti: fi non, his utere mecum.

EPISTLE

T LE I..

To AUGUSTUS.

ADVERTISEMENT.

THE

HE Reflections of Horace, and the Judgments paft in his Epistle to Auguftus, feemed fo feafonable to the prefent Times, that I could not help applying them to the use of my own Country. The Author thought them confiderable enough to addrefs them to his Prince; whom he paints with all the great and good qualities of a Monarch, upon whom the Romans depended for the Increase of an abfolute Empire. But to make the Poem entirely English, I was willing to add one or two of those which contribute to the Happiness of a Free people, and are more confiftent with the Welfare of our Neighbours.

This Epiftle will show the learned World to have fallen into Two mistakes: one, that Auguftus was a Patron of Poets in general; whereas he not only prohibited all but the Beft Writers to name him, but recommended that Care even to the Civil Magistrate: "Admonebat Praetores, ne paterentur Nomen fuum ob“ folefieri,” &c. The other, that this Piece was only a general Discourse of Poetry; whereas it was an Apology for the Poets, in order to render Auguftus more

[blocks in formation]

their Patron. Horace here pleads the Cause of his Contemporaries, first against the Tafte of the Town, whose humour it was to magnify the Authors of the preceding Age; fecondly against the Court and Nobility, who encouraged only the Writers for the Theatre; and laftly against the Emperor himself, who had conceived them of little Ufe to the Government. He fhews (by a View of the Progrefs of Learning, and the Change of Taste among the Romans) that the Introduction of the Polite Arts of Greece had given the Writers of his Time great advantages over their Predeceffors; that their Morals were much improved, and the licence of thofe ancient Poets restrained: that Satire and Comedy were become more just and useful; that whatever extravagances were left on the Stage, were owing to the Ill Tafte of the Nobility; that Poets, under due Regulations, were in many refpects useful to the State; and concludes, that it was upon them the Emperor himself muft depend, for his fame with Posterity.

We may farther learn from this Epiftle, that Horace made his Court to this Great Prince, by writing with a decent Freedom towards him, with a just Contempt of his low Flatterers, and with a manly Regard to his own Character.

EPISTLE

WE

EPISTLE

To AUGUSTUS.

I.

HILE you, great Patron of Mankind! a fustain
The balanc'd World, and open all the Main;
Your Country, chief, in Arms abroad defend;
At Home, with Morals, Arts, and Laws amend;
b How fhall the Mufe, from fuch a Monarch, fteal
An hour, and not defraud the Public Weal?

• Edward and Henry, now the Boast of Fame,
And virtuous Alfred, a more d facred Name,
After a Life of generous toils endur'd,
The Gaul fubdued, or Property fecur'd,
Ambition humbled, mighty cities storm'd,
Or Laws establish'd, and the world reform'd;

ΤΟ

Clos'd

C

E PISTOL A

Ad AUGUSTUM.

UM tot a fuftineas et tanta negotia folus,

I.

Res Italas armis tuteris, moribus ornes, Legibus emendes; in b publica commoda, peccem, Si longo fermone morer tua tempora, Caefar.

• Romulus, et Liber pater, et cum Caftore Pollux, Poft ingentia facta, & Deorum in templa recepti, Dum terras hominumque colunt genus, aspera bella Componunt, agros adfignant, oppida condunt;

e Clos'd their long Glories with a figh, to find
Th' unwilling Gratitude of base mankind!
All human Virtue, to its latest breath,

f Finds Envy never conquer'd, but by Death.
The great Alcides, every Labour past,
Had ftill this Monfter to fubdue at last.
g Sure fate of all, beneath whofe rifing ray
Each ftar of meaner merit fades away!
Opprefs'd we feel the beam directly beat,
Thofe Suns of Glory please not till they set.
To thee, the World its present homage pays,
The Harvest early, but mature the praise :
Great Friend of Liberty! in Kings a Name
Above all Greek, above all Roman Fame*:
Whofe Word is Truth, as facred and rever'd,
i As Heaven's own Oracles from Altars heard.
Wonder of Kings! like whom, to mortal eyes
* None e'er has rifen, and none e'er fhall rife.

h

15

20

25

30

Juft

e Ploravere fuis non refpondere favorem
Speratum meritis. diram qui contudit Hydram,
Notaque fatali portenta labore fubegit,
Comperit invidiam fupremo fine domari,
8 Urit enim fulgore fuo, qui praegravat artes
Infra fe pofitas: extinctus amabitur idem.

h Praefenti tibi maturos largimur honores,
i Jurandafque tuum per numen ponimus aras,
k Nil oriturum alias, nil ortum tale fatentes.
Sed tuus hoc populus fapiens et justus in uno,
*Te noftris ducibus, te Graiis anteferendo,

« ПредишнаНапред »