In this Satire, the Poet proves that Nobility does not confift in Statues and Pedigrees, but in honourable and good Actions: He lafhes Rubellius Plancus, for being infolent, by reafon of bis high Birth; and lays down an Inftance that we ought to make the like Judgment of Men, as we do of Horfes, who are valu'd rather according to their perfonal Qualities, than by the Race of whence they come. He advifes bis noble Friend Ponticus (to whom he dedicates the Satire) to lead a virtuous Life, diffuading him from Debauchery, Luxury, Oppression, Cruelty, and other Vices, by his fevere Cenfures on Lateranus, Damafippus, Gracchus, Nero, Catiline; and in oppofition to these, difplays the Worth of Perfons meanly born, fuch as Cicero, Marius, Servius Tullius, and the Decii.
The Tranftator of this Satire induftriously avoided impofing upon the Reader, and perplexing the Printer with tedious Common-place Notes; but finding towards the latter End many Examples of Noblemen who difgrac'd their Ancestors by vicious Practices, and of Men meanly born, who ennobled their Families by virtuous and brave Actions, be thought fome biftorical Relations were necessary towards vendring thofe Inftances more Intelligible; which is all
he pretends to by his Remarks. He wou'd gladly have left out the heavy Paffage of the Mirmillo and Retiarius, which he boneftly confeffes he either does not rightly underftand, or cannot fufficiently explain. If he has not confin'd himself to the frict Rules of Translation, but has frequently taken the Liberty of Imitating, Paraphrafing, or Recon ciling the Roman Cuftoms to our Modern Usage; he hopes this Freedom is pardonable, fince he has not us'd it, but when he found the Original flat, obfcure, or defective; and where the Humour and Connection of the Author might naturally allow of fuch a Change.
WHAT's the Advantage, or the real Good,
In tracing from the Source our ancient Blood?
To have our Ancestors in Paint or Stone,
Preferv'd as Relicks, or like Monsters fhewn?
The brave Emilii, as in Triumph plac'd,
The virtuous Curii, half by Time defac'd;
Corvinus, with a mouldring Nofe, that bears
Injurious Scars, the fad Effects of Years
And Galba grinning without Nofe or Ears?
Vain are their Hopes, who fancy to inherit
By Trees of Pedigrees, or Fame, or Merit:
Tho' plodding Heralds thro' each Branch may trace
Old Captains and Dictators of their Race,
While their Ill Lives that Family bely,
And grieve the Brass which stands difhonour'd by.
'Tis meer Burlefque, that to our Gen'rals Praise
Their Progeny immortal Statues raise,.......
Yet (far from that old Gallantry) delight
To game before their Images all Night,
And steal to Bed at the Approach of Day,
The Hour when these their Enfigns did display.
Why should foft Fabius impudently bear
Names gain'd by Conquefts in the Gallick War?
Why lays he claim to Hercules his Strain,
Yet dares be base, effeminate and vain ?
The glorious Altar to that Hero built,
Adds but a greater Luftre to his Guilt,
Whose tender Limbs and polish'd Skin disgrace
The grifly Beauty of his manly Race
And who by practifing the difmal Skill
Of Pois'ning, and fuch treach'rous ways to kill,
Makes his unhappy Kindred-Marble sweat,
When his degen'rate Head by theirs is fet.
Long Galleries of Ancestors, and all
The Follies which ill-grace a Country Hall,
Challenge no Wonder or Efteem from me;
• Virtue alone is true Nobility.'
Live therefore well: to Men and Gods appear,
Such as good Paulus, Coffus, Drufus, were;
And in thy Confular triumphal Show,
Let thefe before thy Father's Statues go;
Place 'em before the 3 Enfigns of the State,
As choofing rather to be Good than Great.
Convince the World that you're devout and true,
Be juft in all you fay, and all you do ;
Whatever be your Birth, you're fure to be
A Peer of the first Magnitude to me:
Rome for your fake fhall push her Conquests on,
And bring new Titles home from Nations won,
To dignify fo eminent a Son.
With your bleft Name fhall ev'ry Region found,
Loud as mad Egypt, when her Priests have found
A new Ofiris, for the Ox they drown'd.
But who will call thofe Noble, who deface,
By meaner Acts, the Glories of their Race;
Whose only Title to our Father's Fame
Is couch'd in the dead Letters of their Name?
A Dwarf as well may for a Giant pass;
A Negro for a Swan; a Crook-back'd Lafs
Be call'd Europa; and a Cur may bear
The Name of Tiger, Lion, or whate'er
Denotes the nobleft or the fierceft Beast:
Be therefore careful, left the World in jeft
VOL. II.
Shou'd thee juft fo with the Mock-titles greet,
Of Camerinus, or of Conquer'd Crete.
To whom is this Advice and Cenfure due? Rubellius Plancus, 'tis apply'd to you; Who think your Perfon fecond to Divine, Because defcended from the Drufian Line; on sin Tho' yet you no Illuftrious Act have done, To make the World distinguish Julia's Son From the vile Offspring of a Trull, who fits By the Town Wall, and for her Living knits. You are poor Rogues (you cry) the bafer Stum And inconfiderable Dregs of Rome;
Who know not from what Corner of the Earth
The obfcure Wretch, who got you, ftole bis Birthe 10
Mine I derive from Cecrops May your Grace
Live, and enjoy the Splendor of your Races M
Yet of these base Plebeians we have known one
Some, who, by charming Eloquence, have grown I
Great Senators, and Honours to that Gown:
Some at the Ear with Subtilty defend
The Caufe of an unlearned noble Friend;
Or on the Bench the knotty Laws untie :
Others their stronger Youth to Arms apply,
Go to Euphrates, or thofe Forces join
Which garrifon the Conquefts near the Rhine.
While you, Rubellius, on your Birth rely;
Tho' you refemble your great Family
No more, than thofe rough Statues on the Road
(Which we call Mercuries) are like that God:
Your Blockhead tho' excels in this alone,
You are a living Statue, that of Stone.
Great Son of Troy, who ever prais'da Beast N
For being of a Race above the rest,
But rather meant his Courage, and his Force? To give an Inftance We commend a Horfe (Without Regard of Pafture or of Breed)
For his undaunted Mettle and his Speed;
Who 7 wins moft Plates with greatest Ease, and first
Prints with his Hoofs his Conqueft on the Duft.
But if fleet Dragon's Progeny at laft
Prove jaded, and in frequent Matches caft,
No Favour for the Stallion we retain, V
And no Refpect for the degen'rate Strain;
The worthless Brute is from New-Market brought,
And at an under-rate in Smithfield bought,
To turn a Mill, or drag a loaded Life
Beneath two Panniers and a Baker's Wife.
That we may therefore you, not yours, admire;
First, Sir, fome Honour of your own acquire;
Add to that Stock which justly we bestow
On thofe & bleft Shades to whom you all things owe.
This may fuffice the haughty Youth to fhame,
Whose fwelling Veins (if we may credit Fame)
Burft almoft with the Vanity and Pride,
That their rich Blood to Nero's is ally'd:
The Rumour's likely; for " We feldom find
• Much Senfe with an exalted Fortune join'd.
But Ponticus, I wou'd not you fhou'd raise
Your Credit by hereditary Praise;
Let your own Acts immortalife your Name;
'Tis poor relying on another's Fame;
For, take the Pillars but away, and all
The Superstructure muft in Ruins fall;
As a Vine droops, when by Divorce remov'd
From the Embraces of the Elm fhe lov'd.
Be a good Soldier, or upright Trustee,
An Arbitrator from Corruption free,
And if a Witnefs in a doubtful Caufe,
Where a brib'd Judge means to elude the Laws;
Tho' 9 Phalaris his brazen Bull were there,
And he wou'd dictate what he'd have you swear,
Be not fo Profligate, but rather choose
To guard your Honour, and your Life to lofe,
Rather than let your Virtue be betray'd;
Virtue the nobleft Cause for which you're made.
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