385

And b great Naffau to Kneller's hand decreed
To fix him graceful on the bounding Steed;
So well in paint and stone they judg'd of merit :
But Kings in Wit may want discerning Spirit.
The Hero William, and the Martyr Charles,
One knighted Blackmore, and one penfion'd Quarles;
Which made old Ben and furly Dennis fwear,
"No Lord's anointed, but ac Ruffian Bear."
Not with fuch & majefty, fuch bold relief,
The Forms august, of King, or conquering Chief,
E'er fwell'd on marble; as in verse have shin'd
(In polifh'd verfe) the manners and the Mind.
Oh! could I mount on the Mæonian wing,
Your Arms, your Actions, your Repose to fing! 395
What f feas you travers'd, and what fields you fought!
Your Country's Peace, how oft, how dearly bought!

d

Fortis b Alexandri vultum fimulantia. quod fi
Judicium fubtile videndis artibus illud
Ad libros et ad haec Mufarum dona vocares;
c Boeotum in craffo jurares aëre natum.

[At neque dedecorant tua de fe judicia, atque Munera quae multa dantis cum laude tulerunt, Dilecti tibi Virgilius Variufque poetae ;]

399

How

Nec magis expreffi & vultus per ahenea figna, Quam per vatis opus mores animique virorum Clarorum apparent. nec fermones ego mallem Repentes per humum, e quam res componere gestas, Terrarumque f fitus et flumina dicere, et arces

How g barbarous rage fubfided at your word,

405

And Nations wonder'd while they dropp'd the sword!
How, when you nodded, o'er the land and deep, 400
h Peace ftole her wing, and wrapt the world in fleep;
Till earth's extremes your mediation own,
And i Afia's Tyrants tremble at your Throne-
Butk Verfe, alas! your Majefty disdains ;
And I'm not us'd to Panegyric strains :
The Zeal of Fools offends at any time,
But most of all, the Zeal of Fools in rhyme.
Befides, a fate attends on all I write,
That when I aim at praise, they say m I bite.
A vilen Encomium doubly ridicules:
There's nothing blackens like the ink of fools.
If true, a ° woful likeness; and if lyes,
"Praise undeferv'd is scandal in disguise :"

410

Well

Montibus impofitas, et s barbara regna, tuisque
Aufpiciis totum ↳ confecta duella per orbem,
Clauftraque cuftodem pacis cohibentia Janum,
Et i formidatam Parthis, te principe, Romam :
Si quantum cuperem, poffem quoque. fed neque parvum
* Carmen majestas recipit tua; nec meus audet
Rem tentare pudor, quam vires ferre recufent.
Sedulitas autem 1 ftulte, quem diligit, urget;
Praecipue cum fe numeris commendat et arte.
Difcit enim citius, meminitque libentius illud
Quod quis m deridet, quam quod probat et veneratur.
Nil moror" officium, quod me gravat: ac neque ficto
In • pejus vultu proponi cereus ufquam,

A

Well

may he P blush, who gives it, or receives; And when I flatter, let my dirty leaves (Like Journals, Odes, and fuch forgotten things As Eusden, Philips, Settle, writ of Kings)

Clothe fpice, line trunks, or, fluttering in a row, Befringe the rails of Bedlam and Soho.

Nec

P

prave

factis decorari verfibus opto: Ne p rubeam pingui donatus munere, et una Cum fcriptore meo capfa porrectus aperta, 9 Deferar in vicum vendentem thus et odores, Et piper, et quicquid chartis amicitur ineptis.

415

BOOK

BOOK II.

EPISTLE II.

"Ludentis fpeciem dabit, & torquebitur." HoR.

DEAR

EAR Col'nel, Cobham's and your country's
Friend!

You love a Verfe, take fuch as I can fend.

b A Frenchman comes, prefents you with his Boy, Bows, and begins-" This Lad, Sir, is of Blois : "Obferve his shape how clean! his locks how curl'd! "My only fon, I'd have him fee the world: "His French is pure; his Voice too—you shall hear. "Sir, he's your flave, for twenty pound a year. "Mere wax as yet, you fashion him with ease, "Your Barber, Cook, Upholsterer, what you please: "A perfect genius at an Opera fong

"To fay too much, might do my honour wrong. "Take

FL

EPISTOLA II.

LORE, bono claroque fidelis amice Neroni, b Si quis forte velit puerum tibi vendere natum Tibure vel Gabiis, et tecum fic agat: "Hic et “Candidus, et talos a vertice pulcher ad imos, "Fiet eritque tuus nummorum millibus octo; « Verna ministeriis ad nutus aptus heriles; "Litterulis Graecis imbutus, idoneus arti "Cuilibet: argilla quidvis imitaberis uda:

15

"Take him with all his virtues, on my word; "His whole ambition was to ferve a Lord: "But, Sir, to you, with what would I not part? "Though faith, I fear, 'twill break his Mother's heart. "Once (and but once) I caught him in a lie, "And then, unwhipp'd, he had the grace to cry: “The fault he has I fairly shall reveal,

"(Could you o'erlook but that) it is, to steal."

c

If, after this, you took the graceful lad,
Could you complain, my Friend, he prov'd so bad?
Faith, in such case, if you should prosecute,
I think Sir Godfrey should decide the fuit;
Who fent the Thief that stole the Cash, away,
And punish'd him that put it in his way.

d Confider then, and judge me in this light;

20

25

I told you when I went, I could not write;

You

"Quin etiam canet indoctum, fed dulce bibenti. "Multa fidem promiffa levant, ubi plenius aequo "Laudat venales, qui vult extrudere, merces. "Res urget me nulla: meo fum pauper in aere. "Nemo hoc mangonum faceret tibi: non temere a me

66

Quivis ferret idem: femel hic ceffavit, et (ut fit) "In fcalis latuit metuens pendentis habenae: "Des nummos, excepta nihil te fi fuga laedit."

c Ille ferat pretium, poenae fecurus, opinor. Prudens emifti vitiofum: dicta tibi eft lex. Infequeris tamen hunc, et lite moraris iniqua. d Dixi me pigrum proficifcenti tibi, dixi Talibus officiis prope mancum; ne mea faevus