Great Johnfon did by ftrength of judgment pleafe;
Yet, doubling Fletcher's force, he wants his eafe.
In differing talents both adorn'd their age;
One for the study, t'other for the stage.
But both to Congreve juftly fhall fubmit,
One match'd in judgment, both o'ermatch'd in
wit.
In him all beauties of this age we fee,
Etherege his courtship, Southern's purity,
The fatire, wit, and strength of manly Wy-
All this in blooming youth you have atchiev'd:
Nor are your foil'd contemporaries griev'd.
So much the sweetness of your manners move,
We cannot envy you, because we love.
Fabius might joy in Scipio, when he faw
A beardlefs conful made against the law,
And join his fuffrage to the votes of Rome;
Though he with Hannibal was overcome.
Thus old Romano bow'd to Raphael's fame,
And fcholar to the youth he taught became. 40
O that your brows my laurel had fuftain'd!
Well had I been depos'd, if you had reign'd:
The father had defcended for the fon;
For only you are lineal to the throne.
Thus, when the state one Edward did depofe,
A greater Edward in his room arofe.
But now, not I, but poetry is curs'd;
For Tom the second reigns like Tom the first,
But let them not mistake my patron's part,
Nor call his charity their own desert,
Yet this I prophefy; thou shalt be seen,
(Though with some short parenthesis between)
High on the throne of wit, and, feated there,
Not mine, that's little, but thy laurel wear,
Thy first attempt an early promise made;
That early promise this has more than paid.
So bold, yet fo judiciously you dare,
That your leaft praise is to be regular.
Time, place, and action, may with pains be
But genius must be born, and never can be
This is your portion; this your native ftore; Heaven, that but once was prodigal before, To Shakespear gave as much; fhe could not give him more.
Maintain your poft; That's all the fame
For 'tis impoffible you
fhould proceed.
Already I am worn with cares and age,
And just abandoning the ungrateful stage:
Unprofitably kept at heaven's expence,
I live a rent-charge on his providence :
But you, whom every muse and grace adorn, 70
Whom I foresee to better fortune born,
Be kind to my remains; and O defend,
Against your judgment, your departed friend!
Let not the infulting foe my fame pursue,
But shade thofe laurels which defcend to you:
And take for tribute what these lines express: 76
You merit more; nor could my love do lefs.
AUSPICIOUS poet, wert thou not my friend,
How could I envy, what I must commend!
But fince 'tis nature's law, in love and wit,
That youth should reign, and withering age
fubmit,
With lefs regret thofe laurels I refign,
Which, dying on my brows, revive on thine.
Ver. 1. Aufpicious poet,] Though amiable in his life and manners, Mr. George Granville, afterwards Lord Lanfdowne, was a very indifferent poet. A faint copier of Waller. The tragedy fo much here extolled was acted in 1698, and is in all refpects the moft un-Homerical of all compofitions. Dr. J. WARTON.
With better grace an ancient chief may yield
The long contended honors of the field,
Than venture all his fortune at a caft,
And fight, like Hannibal, to lofe at last.
Young princes, obftinate to win the prize,
Though yearly beaten, yearly yet they rife:
Old monarchs, though fuccessful, ftill in doubt,
Catch at a peace, and wifely turn devout.
Thine be the laurel then; thy blooming age 15
Can beft, if any can, fupport the stage;
Which fo declines, that fhortly we may fee
Players and plays reduc'd to fecond infancy.
Sharp to the world, but thoughtless of renown,
They plot not on the stage, but on the town, 20
And, in defpair their empty pit to fill,
Set up fome foreign monster in a bill.
Thus they jog on, ftill tricking, never thriving, And murdering plays, which they mifcal rcviving.
Our fenfe is nonfenfe, through their pipes con
Scarce can a poet know the play he made ;
"Tis fo difguis'd in death; nor thinks 'tis he
That fuffers in the mangled tragedy.
Thus Itys firft was kill'd, and after drefs'd
For his own fire, the chief invited guest.
I fay not this of thy fuccefsful fcenes,
Where thine was all the glory, theirs the gains.
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