As thy own laurels flourishing appear, Unfully'd still with cares, nor clogg'd with hope and fear! As from its wants, be from its vices free, From nauseous servile flattery; Nor to a patron prostitute thy mind, 1 Though like Augustus great, as fam'd Mæcenas kind. III. Though great in fame! believe me, generous youth, Form him that knows thy virtues, and admires their worth. Trust not th' ungrateful world too far; Trust not the smiles of the inconstant town; Trust not the plaudits of a theatre (Which Durfey shall with Thee and Dryden share); And teach the world to envy, as thou doft to praise. That blafts a poet's fortunes, while it sounds his name. IV. When first a Muse inflames some youthful breaft, Like an unpractis'd virgin, still she 's kind : Adorn'd with graces then, and beauties blest, She charms the ear with fame, with raptures fills the mind. mind. Then Then from all cares the happy youth is free, Cares, still allay'd with pleasing charms, That crown the head with bays, with beauty fill the arms. But all a woman's frailties foon she shows, Too foon a stale domeftic creature grows : Then, wedded to a Muse that's nauseous grown, We loath what we enjoy, drudge when the pleasure's gone. For, tempted with imaginary bays, Fed with immortal hopes and empty praise, He fame purfues, that fair and treacherous bait, Grows wife when he's undone, repents when 'tis too late.. V. Small are the trophies of his boafted bays, All vainer than his hopes, uncertain as his praise.. Long did his injur'd Muse complain, Admir'd in midst of wants, and charming still in vain.. Long did the generous Cowley mourn, And long oblig'd the age without return. Deny'd what every wretch obtains of Fate, An humble roof, and an obfcure retreat, Condemn'd to needy fame, and to be miferably great. Thus did the world thy great fore-fathers use; Thus all th' inspir'd bards before Did their hereditary ills deplore; From tuneful Chaucer's down to thy own Dryden's Muse. VI. Yet, pleas'd with gaudy ruin, youth will on, As proud by public fame to be undone; Pleas'd, though he does the worst of labours chuse, To ferve a barbarous age, and an ungrateful Mufe. Since Dryden's self, to Wit's great empire born, Whose genius and exalted name Triumph with all the spoils of Wit and Fame, Must, 'midst the loud applaufe, his barren laurels mourn. Ev'n that fam'd man, whom all the world admires, Whom every Grace adorns, and Muse inspires, Like the great injur'd Tasso, shows Triumphant in the midst of woes; In all his wants, majestic still appears, Charming the age to which he owes his cares, And cherishing that Muse whose fatal curse he bears. THE INSECT. AGAINST BULK. "Inest sua gratia parvis." WHERE greatness is to Nature's works deny'd, In worth and beauty it is well fupply'd: In a small space the more perfection 's shown, J Her Her monsters feem a violence to fight; They 're form'd for terror, infects to delight. Thus does the little epigram delight, 'Tis the small infect looks correct and fair, And feems the product of her niceft care. Thus smallest things have a peculiar grace, Bb4 } TO TO HIS FRIEND CAPTAIN CHAMBERLAIN, In Love with a Lady he had taken in an Algerine Prize at Sea. In Allufion to HORACE 2 Od. iv. I. IS no disgrace, brave youth, to own With powerful charms fubdue? And make her haughty lord, the proud Achilles, bow. 11. Stern Ajax, though renown'd in arms, Did yield to bright Tecmessa's charms : As trophies at her feet were thrown. When, beautiful in tears, he view'd the mourning fair, The hero felt her power : Though great in camps, and fierce in war, Proud to become her flave, though late her conqueror. III. When |