"Tis the first Virtue, Vices to abhor; And the first Wisdom, to be Fool no more. great, 65 70 But to the world no 'bugbear is fo NOTES. haps is the most faulty line in the whole collection. The Original is, "Vilius eft auro argentum, virtutibus aurum." which only fays, That as Silver is of lefs value than Gold, fo Gold is of lefs value than Virtue: in which simple inferiority, and not the proportion of it, is implied. For it was as contrary to the Author's purpose, as it is to common sense, to fuppofe, that virtue was but just as much better than gold, as gold is better than filver. Yet Mr. Pope, too attentive to his conftant object, concifenefs, has, before he was aware, fallen into this abfurd meaning. However, this and many other inaccuracies in his works had been corrected, had he lived; as many, that now first appear in this edition, were actually corrected a little before his death. And here I cannot but do juftice to one of his many good qualities, a very rare one, indeed, and what none but a truly "Ocives, cives! *quaerenda pecunia primum eft; Virtus poft nummos: haec 'Janus fummus ab imo Prodocet: haec recinunt juvenes dictata senesque, "Laevo fufpenfi loculos tabulamque lacerto. Eft "animus tibi, funt mores, eft lingua, fidefque: Sed quadringentis fex feptem millia defint, Plebs eris. Pat pueri ludentes, Rex eris, aiunt, NOTE S. great genius can afford to indulge; I mean his extreme readinefs, and unfeigned pleafure, in acknowledging his mistakes: this, with an impatience to reform them, he poffeffed in a greater degree, and with less affectation, than any man I ever knew. VER. 82. From low St. James's up to high St. Paul,] i. e. This is a doctrine in which both Whigs and Tories agree. VER. 83. From him whofe quills ftand quiver'd at his ear,] They who do not take the delicacy of this fatire, may think the figure of ftanding quiver'd, extremely hard and quaint; but it has an exquifite beauty, infinuating that the pen of a Scrivener is as ready as the quill of a porcupine, and as fatal as the fhafts of a Parthian.-Quiver'd at the ear of the Scrivener, defcribes the pofition it is ufually found in, and alludes to the custom of the American canibals, who make use of their k There, London's voice: "Get Money, Money " ftill! "And then let Virtue follow, if she will.” This, this the faving doctrine, preach'd to all, From 'low St. James's up to high St. Paul;' From him whofe "quills ftand quiver'd at his ear, To him who notches sticks at Westminster. 66 80 Barnard in " fpirit, sense, and truth abounds; 85 Pray then, what wants he?" Fourfcore thoufand pounds; A Penfion, or fuch Harnefs for a flave As Bug now has, and Dorimant would have. But Bug and D*1, Their Honours, and fo forth. 90 Yet ev'ry Child another song will fing, P "Virtue, brave boys! 'tis Virtue makes a King." True, confcious Honour is to feel no fin, He's arm'd without that's innocent within ;. NOTES. hair (tied in a knot on the top of their heads) instead of a quiver, for their prison'd arrows. VER. 84. notches flicks] Exchequer Tallies. VER. 85. Barnard in fpirit, fenfe, and truth abounds,] Sir John Barnard. It was the Poet's purpose to say, that this great Man (who does fo much honour to his Country) had a fine genius, improved and put in ufe by a true underftanding; and both, under the guidance of an integrity fuperior to all the temptations of intereft, honours, or any meaner paffion. Many events, fince the paying this tribute to his virtue, have fhewn how much, and how particularly it was due to him. Si recte facies. Hic murus aheneus efto, Nil confcire fibi, nulla pallefcere culpa. Rofcia, dic fodes, melior lex, an puerorum est Naenia, quae regnum recte facientibus offert, Et Maribus Curiis et decantata Camillis? 'Ifne tibi melius fuadet, qui, "Rem facias; rem, "Si poffis, recte; fi non, quocunque modo rem." Ut" propius fpectes lacrymofa poëmata Pupî! W An, qui fortunae te refponfare fuperbae Liberum et erectum, praefens hortatur et aptat? 'Quod fi me Populus Romanus forte roget, cur Non, ut porticibus, fic judiciis fruar îsdem; Nec fequar aut fugiam, quae diligit ipfe vel odit: Olim quod vulpes aegroto cauta leoni a NOTES. VER. 95. Be this thy Screen, and this thy Wall of Brass ;] "Hic murus aheneus efto." Dacier laughs at an able Critic, who was fcandalized, that the ancient Scholiafts had not explained what Horace meant by a wall of brafs; for, fays Dacier, "Chacun fe fait des "difficultez à fa mode, et demande des remarques propor"tionnées à fon goût:" he then fets himself in good earnest about this important enquiry; and, by a paffage in Vegeti, luckily discovers, that it fignified an old veteran, armed Be this thy Screen, and this thy Wall of Brass; Compar'd to this, a Minifter's an Afs. 96 'And say, to which shall our applause belong, This new Court jargon, or the good old fong? The modern language of corrupted Peers, t Or what was spoke at 'CRESSY and POITIERS? Who counfels best? who whispers, "Be but 66 great, 101 "With Praise or Infamy leave that to fate; "Get Place and Wealth, if poffible, with grace; "If not, by any means get Wealth and Place.” For what? to have a " Box where Eunuchs fing, And foremost in the Circle eye a King. 106 Or "he, who bids thee face with fteddy view ftare; If honeft S*z take fcandal at a Spark, LIO Faith I fhall give the answer Reynard gave: "I cannot like, dread Sir, your Royal Cave: 115 NOTES. cap-a-pie in brass, and PLACED TO COVER HIS FELLOW. Our Poet has happily ferved himfelf of this impertinence to convey a very fine ftroke of Satire. VER. 97. And fay, &:] Thefe four Lines greatly fuperior to any thing in the Original. |
