BURLESQUE

IMPROVISO TRANSLATION OF THE MODERN VERSIFICATIONS OF AN OF THE FOLLOWING DISTICI ON THE DUTI CIENT LEGENDARY TALES.

OF MODENA'S RUNNING AWAY FROM THE AN IMPROMPTU.

COMET IN 1742 or 1743. The tender infant meek and mild,

Se al venir vostro i principi se n' vanno
Fell down upon the stone;

Deh venga ogni di — durate un anno
The nurse took up the squealing child,
But still the child squeal'd on,

If at your coming princes disappear,
Comets! come ev'ry day and stay a year,

Time his hours should never drive

Call the Betsies, Kates and Jennies, V'er the bounds of thirty-five.

All the names that banish care; High to soar and deep to dive,

Lavish of your grandsire's guineas, Nature gives at thirty-five.

Show the spirit of an heir. Ladies, stock and tend your hire,

All that prey on vice and folly Trifle not at thirty-five;

Joy to see their quarry fly: For, howe'er we boast and strive,

There the gamester, light and jolly,
Life declines from thirty-five.

There the lender, grave and sły.
He that ever hopes to thrive
Must begin by thirty-five ;

Wealth, my lad, was made to wander,
And all who wisely wish to wive

Let it wander as it will; Must look on Thrale at thirty-five.

Call the jockey, call the pander,

Bid them come and take their fill.

When the bonny blade carouses,
IMPROMPTU

Pockets full, and spirits high-
ON HEARING MI58 TURALE CONSULTING

What are acres? what are houses ? WITH A FRIEND ABOUT A GOWN AND Only dirt, or wet or dry.

HAT SHE WAS INCLINED TO WEAR. Should the guardian friend or mother Wear the gown and wear the hat,

Tell the woes of wilful waste: Snatch thy pleasures while they last;

Scorn their council, scorn their pother, Hadst thou nine lives, like a cat,

You can bang or drown at last. Soon those nine lives would be past.

POEMATA.
IMPROMPTU TRANSLATION
OF AN AIR IN THE CLEMENZA DE TITO OF

MESSIA'.
METASTASIO, BEGINNING
Deh se piacermi vuoi.

I Ex alieno ingenio poeta, ex suo tantum versifi-
cator.

. Scalig. Foct. Would you hope to gain my heart,

Tollire concentum, Solymää tollite nymphæ Bid your teasing doubts depart;

Nil mortale loquor; cælum mibi carminis alta He, who blindly trusts, will find

Materies ; poscunt gravius cælestia plectrum. Faith from ev'ry gen'rous mind :

Muscosi fontes, sylvestria tecta, valete, He, who still expects deceit,

Aonidesque Deæ, et mendacis somnia Pindi: Only teaches how to cheat.

Tu, mihi, qui flaminâ movisti pectora sancti

Sidereâ Isaiæ, dignos accende furores!
TRANSLATION

Immatura calens rapitur per secula yates

Sic orsus-Qualis rerum mibi nascitur ordo!
OF A SPEECH OF AQUILLIO IN THE ADRIANO Virgo! virgo parit! felix radicibus arbor
OF METASTASIO, BEGINNING

Jessæis surgit, mulcentesque æthera flores
Tu che in Corte inuechiasti.

Cælestes lambunt animæ, ramisque columba,

Nuncia sacra Dei, plaudentibus insidet alis. GROWN old in courts, thou surely art not one Nectareos rores, alimentaque mitia cælum Who keeps the rigid rules of antient honour; Præbeat, et tacite fæcundos irriget imbres. Weil skill'd to southe a foe with looks of kindness, | Huc, fædat quos lepra, urit quos febris, adeste, To sink the fatal precipice before him,

Dia salutares spirant medicamina rami;
And then lainent his fall with seeining friendship: Hic requies fessis; non sacra sævit in umbra
Open to all, true only to thyself, (praise, | Vis Boreæ gelida, ant rapidi violentia solis.
Thou know'st those arts which blast with envious Irrita vanescent prisca vestigia fraudis
Which aggravate a fault with feign'd excuses, | Justitiæque manus pretio intemerata bilaucem
And drive discountenanc'd virtue from the throne; Attollet reducis; bellis prætendet olivas
That leave the blame of rigour to the prince, Compositis pax alma suas, terrasque revisens
And of his ev'ry gift usurp the merit:

Sedatas niveo virtus lucebit amictu :
That hide in seeming zeal a wicked purpose Volvantur celeres anni! lux purpuret ortum
And only build upon another's ruin,

Expeutata diu ! naturæ claustra refringens,
Nascere, magne puer! tibi primas, ecce, corollas

Deproperat tellus, fundit tibi munera, quicquid
ONE AND TWENTY.

Carpit Arabs, hortis quicquid frondescit Eois. LONG-expected one-and-twenty,

Altius, en! Lebanon gaudentia culmina tollit, Ling'ring year, at length is flown : Pride and pleasure, pomp and plenty,

This translation has been severely criticised by Great *** ****, are now your own.

Dr. Warton, in his edition of Pope, vol. i. p. 105,

8vo. 1797. It certajuly contains some expresLoosen'd from the minor's tether,

sions that are not classical. Let it be remeinbered, Free to mortgage or to sell.

however, that it was a college-exercise, performWild as wind, and light as feather,

ed with great rapidity, and was at first praised Bid the sons of thrift farewell.

beyond all suspicion of defect. C.

jagantes;

Et me, cun

En! summo (xuliant putantes vertice sylvæ. Ecce peregrinis fervent tua limina turbis;
Mittit aromatica, vallis Saronica nubes,

Barbarus en! clarum divino lumine templan Et juga Carmeli recreant fragrantia coelum. logreditur, cultuque too mansuescere gaudet. Deserti latâ mollescunt aspera voce

Cinnameos cumulos, Nabathæi munera veris, Auditur Deus! ecce Deus! rebrantia circum Ecce cremant genibus tritæ regalibus ara! Saxa sonant, Deus; ecce Deus ! deflectitur æther, Solis Ophyræis crurum tibi montibus aurum Demissumque Deum tellus capit; ardua cedrus, Maturant radii; tibi balsama sudat Idame. Gloria sylvaruin, duminum inclinata salutet. | Ætheris en portas sacro fulgore micantes Surgite convalles, tuinidi subsidite montes ! Cælicolæ paudunt, torrenus aurea lacis Stemnite saxa viàm, rapidi discedite fluctus; Flumina prorompunt; non posthac sole rubescet En ! quem turba diu eccinerunt entbca, vates | India nascenti, piacidare argeatea poctis En ! salvator adest; vultus agnoscite cæci Luna vices revehet; radios pater ipse diei Divinos, surdos sacra vox permulceat aures. Proferet archetypos; coelestis gaudia lucis Ille cutim spissam visus hebetare vetabit,

Ipso fonte bibes, que circumfusa beatam Reclusisqne oculis infundet amabile lumen; Regiam inundabit, nullis cessura tenebris, Obstrictasque diu linguas in carmina solvet. Littora deficiens arentia deseret æquor; llle vias vocis pandet, fiexusque liquentis

Sidera fumabunt, diro labefacta tremore llarmoniæ purgata novos mirabitur auris.

Saxa cadent, solidique liquescent robora montis: Accrescunt teneris tactu nova robora nervis: Tu secura tamen confusa elementa videbis, Consuelus fulcro innixus reptare bacilli

Lætaque Messia semper dominabere rege,
Nunc saltu capreas, nunc rursu provocat euros. | Pollicitis firmata Dei, stabilita ruinis.
Non planctus, non mesta sonant suspiria; pectus
Singultans mulcet, lachrymantes tergit ocellos.
Viocla coercebunt luctantem adamantiua unortem,

[Jan. 20, 21, 1779.] Æterrogie Orci dominator vulnere languens

Vitæ qui varias vices Invalidi raptos scepiri plorabit honores.

Rerum perpetuus temperat Arbiter, li qua dulce strepent scatebra, qua lata vires. Læto cedere lumini cunt

Noctis tristitiam qui gelidæ jubet,
Pascua, qua blandum spirat purissimus aer,

Acri sanguine turgidos,
Pastor agit pecudes, teneros mudo suscipit agnos | Obductosque oculos nubibus humidis
Et gremio fotis selectas porrigit berbas,

Sanari voluit meos.
Amissas m
res, revocalq

| Et me, cuncta beans cui po cuit dies, Fidus adest costos, seu nox furat horrida nimbis,

Luci reddidit et mihi. Sive dies merlius morientia toricat arva.

Qua te laude, Deus qua prece prosequar? Postera sic pastor divinus secla bkabit,

Sacri discipulis labri E: curas felix patrias testabitur orbis.

Te semper studiis utilibus colam : Non ultra intestis concurrent agmina signis,

Grates, summe Pater, tuis
Hostiles oculis flammas jaculantia torvisi

Recte qui fruitur muneribus, dedit.
Non litui accendent bellum, non campus ahenis
Triste coruscabit radiis; dabit hasta recusa
Vomerem, et in faleem rigidus curvabitur ensis.

[Dec. 25,1779.]
Atria, pacis opus, surgent, finemque caduci
Natus ad opłatum perducet cæpta pareutis.

Nunc dies Christo inemoranda pato Qui duxit fulcos, illi teret area messem,

Fulsit, in pectus mibi fonte purum Et seræ texent vitts unubracula proli.

Gaudium sacro fluat, et benigni Attoniti duineta vident inculta coloni

Gratia Cæli! Suave rubere ros's, sitientesque inter arenas Christe da tutam trepido quietem, Garrula mirantur salientis murmura rivi. Christe, spem presta stabilem timenti; Per saxa, ignivomi nuper spelæa draconis, Da fidem certam, precibusque fidis Canna viret, juncique tremit variabilis umbra.

Annue, Christe Horruit implexo qua vallis sente, figuræ Surgit amaus abies teretis, buxique seguaces Artificis frondent dextræ; palmisque rubeta 1 [ln Lecto, die Passionis. Apr. 13,1781.] Aspera, odoratæ cedunt mala gramina myrto.

| Summe Deus, qui semper amas quodcunque Per rales sociata lupo lasciviet «gna,

creásti; Cumque leune petet tutus præsepe juvencus.

Judice quo, scelerum est pænitoisse salus : Florea mansuetæ petulantes vincula tigri

Da veteres ndxas animo sic flere norato,
Per ludum pueri injicient, et fessa colubri
Membra viatoris recreabunt frigore lingliæ.

Per Christum ut veniam sit reperire mihi.
Serpenlos teneris nil jam lethale micantes
Tractabit palmis infans, motusque trisculcæ

[In Lecto. Dec. 25, 1782.]
Ridebit linguæ innocuos, squamas que virentes
Aureaque admirans rutilaotis fulgura cristæ. | Spe non inani confugis,
Indue reginam, turritæ frontis honores

Peccator, ad latus meum;
Tolle Salerna sacros, quain circum gloria pennas / Quod poscis, haud unquain tibi
Explicat, incinctam radia a luce tiaræ !

Negabitur solatium.
En! formosa libi spatiosa per atria, proles
Ordinibus surgit densis, vitamque requirit
Inpatiens, lenteone flucntes increpat annos.

CHRISTIANUS PERFECTUS. [Nocte, inter 16 et 17 Junii, 1783.'} SUMME Pater, quodcunque tuum : de corpore

| Qui cupit in sanctos Christo cogente referri, Numen 3

Abstergat mundi labem, nec gaudia carnis Hoc statuat', precibus 5 Christus adesse velit:

Captans, nec fastu tumidus, semperque futuro lagenio parcas, nec sit mihi culpa rogâssc,

Instet, et evellens terroris spicula corde, Qua solum potero parte, placere 7 tibi. .

Suspiciat tandem elementem iu numine patrem.

Huic quoque, nec genti nec sectæ noxjus ulli, Sit sacer orbis amor, miseris qui semper adesse

Gestiat, et, nullo pietatis limite clausus, [Cal. Jan. in lecto, ante lucem. 1784.] Cunctoruin ignoscat vitiis, pietate fruatur.

Ardeat huic toto sacer ignis pectore, possit Summe dator vitæ, naturæ æterne magister,

Ut vitam, poscat si res, impendere vero. Causarum series quo moderante fluit,

Cura placere Deo sit prima, sit ultima, sanctæ Respice quem subiget senium, morbique seniles,

| Irruptum vitæ cupiat servare tenorem; Quem terret vitæ meta propinqua suæ,

Et sibi, delirans quanquam et peccator in horas Respice inutiliter lapsi quem pænitet ævi;

Displiceat, servet tutum sub pectore rectum: Recte ut pæniteat, respice, magne parens.

Nec natet, et nunc has partes, nunc eligat illas,
Nec dubitet quem dicat herum, şed, totus in uno,

Se fidum addicat Christo, mortalia temnens. Pater benigne, summa semper lenitas,

Sed tineat semper, caveatque ante omnia, Crimine gravatain plurimo mentem leva :

turbæ Concede veram pænitentiam, precor,

Ne stolidæ similis, leges sibi segreget audax Concede agendam legibus vitam tuis.

| Quas scrvare velit, leges quas lentus omittat, Sacri vagantes luminis gressus face

Plenum opus effugiens, aptans juga mollia collo Rege, et tuere, quæ nocent pellens procul ;

Sponte sua demens; nihilum decedere summæ Veniam petenti, summe da veniam, pater ;

Vult Dens, at qui cuncta debit tibi, cuncta reVeniæque sancta pacis adde gaudia: Sceleris ut expers omni, et vacuus inetu,

Denique perpetuo contendit in ardua nisu, Te, mente purâ, mente tranquilla colam :

Auxilioque Dei fretus, jam mente serena
Mihi dona morte hæc impetret Christus sua.

Pergit, et imperiis sentit se dulcibus actum.
Paulatim mores, animum, vitamque refingit,

Effigiemque Dei, quantum servare licebit, [Jan. 18, 1784.]

Induit, et, terris major, cælestia spirat,
Summe Pater, puro collustra lumine pectus,

Anxietas noceat ne tenebrosa mibi.
In me sparsa manu virtutum semina larga ÆTERNE rerum conditor,

Sic ale, proveniat messis ut ampla boni. Salutis æternæ dator;
Noctes atque dies animo spes læta recurset, Felicitatis sedibus
Certa mihi sancto flagret amore fides.

Qui nec scelestos exigis,
Certa vetat dubitare fides, spes læta timere, Quoscunque scelerum pænitet;

Velle vetet cuiquam non bene sanctus amor. Da, Christe, penitentiam,
Da, ne sint permissa, pater, mihi præmia frustra, Veniamque, Christe, da mihi;
Et colere, et leges semper amare tuas.

Ægrum trahenti spiritum
Hæc mihi, quo gentes, quo secula,Christe, piâsti, Succurre presens corpori,
Sanguine, precanti promereare tuo!

Mvlto gravatam crimine
Mentem benignus alleva.

poscit. *

[Feb. 27, 1784.] Mexs mea quid qnereris? veniet tibi mollior |

Luce collustret mibi pectus alma,

Pellat et tristes animi tenebras, hora, In summo ut videas numine læ'a patrem;

Nec sinat semper tremere ae dolore,

Gratia Christi: Divinam insontes iram placavit Jesus; Nunc est pro pana pænituisse reis.

Me pater tandem relucem benigno

Summus amplexu foveat, beato 'The night above referred to by Dr. Johnson Me gregi sanctus socium beatum was that in which a paralytic stroke bad de.

Spiritus addat. prived him of his voice ; and, in the anxiety he felt lest it should likewise hare impaired his understanding, he composed the above lines, and said, concerning them, that he knew at the time

JEJUNIUM ET CIBUS. that they were not good, but then that he deemed his discerning this to be sufficient for the quieting

Serviat ut menti corpus jejunia serva, the anxiety before mentioned, as it showed him

Ut mens utatur corpore, sume cibos. that his power of judging was not diminished. 2 Al, tuæ. 3 Al. Jeges. Al. statuant.

Al. votis. A1. precari. 7 Al. litare.

AD URBANUM 1738.

Prigora. seu nimiam longo jacuisse reterno, URBANE, pullis fesse laboribus,

Sive mihi mentem dederit patera minorem. Urbane, nullis victe calumniis,

Te sterili functum cura, vucumque salebris Cui fronte sertum in erudita

Tuto eluctatum spatiis sapientia dia Perpetuo viret, et virebit;

Excipit æthereis, ars omnis plaudit amico, Quid moliatur gens imitantium,

Linguarumque omni terra discordia concors Quid et minetur, sollicitus parumn,

Multiplici reducem circum sonatore magistrum. Vacare solis perge Musis,

Me, pensi immunis cum jam mihi reddor, Juxta animo studiisque fælix.

inertis Linguæ procacis plumbea spicula,

Desidiz sors dura manet, graviorque labore Fidens, superbo frange silentio;

Tristis et atra quies, et tardæ tædia vitæ. Victrix per obstantes catervas

Nascuntur curis curæ, vexatque di lorum Sedulitas animosa tendet.

Importuna cohors, racut mala sompia mentis. Intende nervos fortis, inanibus

Nunc clamosa juvant nocturnæ guadia meuse, Risurus olim nisibus emuli;

Nunc loca sola placent; frustra te, Somne, re

cumbens Intende jam nervos, habebis Participes opera camænas.

Alme voco, impatiens noctis metuensque diei. Non ulla Musis pagina gratior,

Omuia percurro trepidus, circum omnia lustra, Quam quæ severis ludicra jungere

Si qua usquam pateat melioris semita vitæ, Novit, fatigatamque nugis

Nec quid agam invenio, meditatus grandia, cogor Utilibus recreare mentem.

Notior ipse mihi fieri, incultumque fateri Texente nymphis serta Lycoride,

Pectus, et ingenium vano se robore jactans, Rosæ ruborem sic viola adjuvat

Ingenium nisi materiem doctrina ministrat. Immista, sic Iris refulget

Cessat inops rerum, ut torpet, si marmoris absit Æthereis variata fucis.

Copia, Phidiaci fæcunda potcntia cæli.
Quicquid agam, quocunque ferar, conatibus

obstat IN RIVUM A MOLA STOANA LICH. Res angusta domi, et macræ penuria mentis. FELDIE DIFFLUENTEM.

Non rationis opes animus, nunc parta recen.

| Conspicit aggestas, et se miratur in illis, (sens ERRAT adhuc vitreus per prata virentia rivus, Nec sibi de gaza præsens quod postulat usus Quo toties lavi membra tenella puer;

Summus adesse jubet celsa dominator ab arce; Hic delusa rudi frustrabar brachia motu,

Nou, operum serie seriem dum computat ævi, Dum docuit blanda voce natare pater.

Præteritis fruitur, lætos aut sumit honores Fecerunt rami latebras, tenebrisque diurnis Ipse sui judex, actæ bene munera vitæ ; Pendula secretas abdidit arbor aquas.

Sed sua regna videns, loca nocte silentia late Nunc veteres duris periêre securibus umbræ,

Horret, ubi vanæ species, umbræque fugaces, Longinquisque oculis nuda lavacra patent.

Et rerum volitant raræ per inane figure. Lympha tamen cursus agit indefessa perennis, Quid faciam ? tenebrisne pigram dainnare Tectaque qua fuxit, nunc et aperta fuit.

senectam Quid ferat externi velox, quid deterat ætas, Restat ? an accingar studiis gravioribus audax! Tu quoque securus res age, Nise, tuas. Aut, hoc si nimium est, tandem nora lexica

poscam.

ΓΝΩΘΙ ΣΕΑΥΤΟΝ.

IMITATION OF THE ABOVE, BY MR. MURPRY. (Post Lexicon Anglicanum auctum et emen

KNOW YOURSELF. datum).

I (AFTER REVISING AND ENLARGING THE Lexicon ad snem longo luctamine tandem

ENGLISH LEXICON, OR DICTIONARY.) Scaliger ut duxit, tenuis pertæsus opellæ, Vile indignatus studium, nugasque molestas,

WHEN Scaliger, whole years of labour past, logemit exosus, scribendaque lexica waodat Beheld his Lexicon complete at last, Dainnatis, pænam pro penis omnibus unain.

| And weary of his task, with wond'ring eyes, Ille quidem recte, sublinis, doctus et acer,

Saw from words pil'd on words a fabric rise, Quem decuit majora sequi, majoribus aptin,

n. He curs'd the industry, inertly strong, Qui veterum modo facto ducum, modo carmina

lo creeping toil that could persist so long, vatum,

And if, eurag'd he cried, Heav'n meant to shed Gesserat et quicquid virtus, sapientia quicquid, | Its keenest vengeance on the guilty head, Dixerat, imperiique vices, colique meatus, | The drudgery of words the daman'd would know, Ingentemque animo seclorum volveret orbem. Doom'd to write lexicons in endless woel, Fallimur exemplis ; temere sibi turba scho

Yes, you had cause, great genius, to repent; Jarum

“You lost good days, that night be better spent;" Ima tuas credit permitti Scaliger iras, frum You well might grudge the hours of ling'ring Quisque suum nôrit modulum ; tibi, prime viro- |

pain, Ut studiis sperem, aut ausim par esse querelis, | ind view your learnel labours with disdain. Non mihi sorte datum ; lenti seu sanguinis obsint

· See Scaliger's Epigram on this subject, on1 See Gent. Mag. Vol. VIII. p. 156; and see inunicated without doubt by Dr. Johnson, Gent also the lotroduction to Vol. LIV,

Mag. 1748. p. 8.