Some metaphors, fome handkereniefs difplay,
Thele peep in hats, while thofe with buttons play,
And make me chink it Repetition-day;
There knights har inguing hug a ne gao'ring poft,
And are bat quorum orators at most.
So ner than thus my want of fenfe expose,
I'll deck out bandy-iegs with gold-clock'd hofe,
Or wear a toupet-wig without a nose.
Nay, I would fooner have thy phyz, I swear,
Surintendant des plaifirs d'Angleterre.
4 Ye weekly writers of feditious news, Take care your subjects artfully to chufe,
4 Sumite materiam veftris, qui fcribitis, æquam
Viribus; & verfate diu, quid ferre recufent,
Quid valeant humeri: cui lecta potenter erit, res,
Nec facundia deferet hunc, nec lucidus ordo.
Ordinis hæc virtus erit & Venus, aut ego fallor,
Ut jam nunc dicat, jam nunc debentia dici,
Pleraque differat, & præfens in tempus omittat.
Dixeris egrege, notum fi callida verbum
Redsiderit junctura novum; fi forte neceffe eft
Indiciis monftrare recentibus abdita rerum,
Fingere cinctutis non exaudi a Cethegis
Continget, dabiturque licentia fumpta pudenter.
Et nova fict que nuper habebunt verba fidem, fi
Græco fonte cadant.
All Mr. Heydegger's letters come directed to him from abroad A Monfieur, Monfieur Heydegger, furintendant des plaifirs d'Angleterre. Mr. Heydegger was remarkable for a very ugly countenance.
Write panegyric ftrong, or boldly rail,
You cannot mifs preferment, or a gaol.
Wrap up your poison well, nor fear to say
What was a lie last night is truth to-day.
Tell this, fink that, arrive at Ridpath's praife,
Let Abel Roper your ambition raise.
To lie fit opportunity observe,
Saving fome double meaning in referve;
But oh! you'll merit everlasting fame,
you can quibble on Sir Robert's name. In state affairs use not the vulgar phrafe,
Talk words scarce known in good queen Beffe's days,
New terms let war or traffic introduce,
And try to bring perfuading-fhips in use.
d George Ridpath was a political writer in the reign of queen Anne, and had for his opponent Abel Roper, mentioned in the next line, One of them had the management of a paper called The Flying Poft, the other of The Poft Boy, and both were equally dull, fcandalous, and abufive. The fate of thefe worthies was uniform to the end of their lives, for they were both frequently cudgelled, profecuted, and imprisoned; and, to compleat the parallel, both died on the fame day. Mr. Pope, fpeaking of them, fays,
"There Ridpath, Roper, cudgell'd might ye view,
"The very worfted ftill look'd black and blue.
Coin words: in coining ne'er mind common fenfe,
Provided the original be French.
5 Like South-fea stock, expreffions rise and fall:
King Edward's words are now no words at all.
Did aught our predeceffors genius cramp?
Sure ev'ry reign may have its proper stamp.
All fublunary things of death partake;
What alteration does a cent'ry make!
Kings and comedians are all mortal found,
Cæfar and Pinkethman f are underground.
What's not destroy'd by Time's devouring hand? Where's Troy, and where's the may-pole in the Strand?
-Licuit, femperque licebit
Signatum præfente nota producere nomen,
Ut fylvæ foliis pronos mutantur in annos
Prima cadunt: ita verborum vetus interit etas.
Debemur morti nos noftraque; five receptus
Terrâ Neptunus, claffes aquilonibus arcet,
Regis opus;
fterilifve diu palus aptaque remis
Vicinas urbes alit, & grave fentit aratrum;
Seu curfum mutavit iniquum frugibus amnis
Doctus iter melius; mortalia facta peribunt,
Nedum fermonum ftet honos, & gratia vivax.
Multa renafcentur quæ jam cecidere, cadentque
Quæ nunc funt in honore vocabula, fi volet ufus,
Quem penes arbitrium eft & jus & norma loquendi.
f William Pinkethman, the player. He died the 15th of May 1740.
Peafe, cabbages, and turnips once grew, where
Now ftands New Bond-ftreet, and a newer fquare;
Such piles of buildings now rife up and down,
London itself icems going out of town.
Our fathers crofs'd from Fulham in a wherry,
Their fons enjoy a bridge at Putney ferry.
Think we that modern words eternal are?
Toupet and Tompion, Cofins, and Colmar
Hereafter will be call'd, by fome plain man,
A wig, a watch, a pair of ftays, a fan.
To things themselves if time such change affords,
Can there be any trufting to our words ?
• To screen good minifters from public rage,
And how with party madness to engage,
We learn from Addifon's immortal page.
The Jacobite's ridiculous opinion
Is feen from Tickell's letter to Avignon .
But who puts Caleb'sh Country-Craftsman out,
Is ftill a fecret, and the world's in doubt.
6 Res geftæ regumque ducumque, & triftia bella
Quo fcribi poffent numero, monftravit Homerus.
Verfibus impariter junctis querimonia primum,
Poft etiam inclufa eft voti fententia compos.
Quis tamen exiguos elegos emiferit auctor,
Grammatici certant, & adhuc fub judice lis eft,
Caleb Danvers, names affumed by the writers of the Craftsman.
7 Not long fince parish-clerks, with faucy airs,
Apply'd king David's pfalms to ftate affairs.
Some certain tunes to politicks belong,
On both fides drunkards love a party-fong.
• If full across the Speaker's chair I go,
Can I be faid the rules o' th' Houfe to know?
I'll ask, nor give offence without intent,
Nor through mere fheepishness be impudent.
In acts of Parliament avoid fublime,
Nor e'er address his Majefty in rhyme;
An Act of Parliament's a serious thing,
Begins with year of Lord and year of King;
Keeps close to form, in every word is ftrict,
When it would pains and penalties inflict.
7 Mufa dedit fidibus Divos puerofque Deorum
Et pugilem victorem, & equum certamine primum,
Et juvenum curas, & libera vina referre.
8 Defcriptas fervare vices operumque colores
Cur ego, fi nequeo ignoroque, poeta falutor?
Cur nefcire, pudens prave, quam difcere malo?
9 Verfibus exponi tragicis res comica non vult:
Indignatur item privatis, ac prope focco
Dignis carminibus narrari cœna Thyestæ.
Interdum tamen & vocem Comedia tollit,
Iratufque Chremes tumido dilitigat ore.
Telephus & Peleus, cum pauper et exul uterque
Projicit ampullas & fefquipedalia verba.
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