on, which confifts in ufing the fimpleft language with dignity, and the most ornamented, with eafe. For the reft, his harmony and ftrength of numbers, his force and fplendor of colouring, his gravity and fublime of fentiment, would have rather led him to another model. Nor was his temper lefs unlike that of Horace, than his talents. What Horace would only smile at, Mr. Pope would treat with the grave severity of Perfius: and what Mr. Pope would ftrike with the cauftic lightning of Juvenal, Horace would content himself in turning into ridicule.

If it be asked then, why he took any body at all to imitate, he has informed us in his Advertisement. To which we may add, that this fort of Imitations, which are of the nature of Parodies, adds reflected grace and fplendor on original wit. Befides, he deemed it more modest to give the name of Imitations to his Satires, than, like Defpreaux, to give the name of Satires to Imitations.

SATIRA PRIMA.

HORATIUS. TREBATIUS.

SUNT

HORATIU S.

quibus in Satira videar nimis

acer, et ultra

Legem tendere opus; b fine nervis altera, quidquid
Compofui, pars effe putat, fimilesque meorum
Mille die verfus deduci poffe. Trebati,

Quid faciam? praescribe.

T. Quiefcas.

H. Ne faciam, inquis,

Omnino verfus?

T. Aio.

Optimum erat:

H. Peream male, fi non

verum nequeo dormire.

VER. 3. Scarce to wife Peter-Chartres] It has been commonly obferved of the English, that a Rogue never goes to the Gallows without the pity of the Spectators, and their parting curfes on the rigour of the Laws that brought him thither: and this has been as commonly afcribed to the good nature of the people. But it is a mistake. The true caufe is their hatred and envy of power. Their compaffion for Dunces and Scoundrels (when expofed by great writers to publie contempt, either in juftice to the age, or in vindication of their own Characters) has the fame fource. They cover their envy to a fuperior genius, in lamenting the feverity of his Pen.

Safe from the Bar, the Pulpil & the Throne, Yet touchd and shamid by Ridicule alone

ip: to Satires, Part

SATIRE I.

To Mr. FORTESCUE.

HERE are (I fcarce can think it, but am

P.T THE told)

There are, to whom my Satire seems too bold:
Scarce to wife Peter complaisant enough,
And fomething faid of Chartres much too rough.
b The lines are weak, another's pleas'd to say,
Lord Fanny fpins a thousand such a day.
Tim'rous by nature, of the Rich in awe,

I come to Council learned in the Law:
You'll give me, like a friend both fage and free,
Advice; and (as you use) without a Fee.

F. I'd write no more.

P. Not write? but then I think,

And for my foul I cannot sleep a wink.

VER. 7. Tim'rous by nature, of the Rich in awe,] The delicacy of this does not fo much lie in the ironical application of it to himself, as in its seriously characterifing the Perfon for whose advice he applies.

VER. 12. Not write? &c.] He has omitted the most humourous part of the answer.

Peream male, fi non

Optimum erat,

and has loft the grace, by not imitating the concifenefe, or verum nequeo dormire,