S A T I R E II.

To Mr.

BE THE L.

WHAT

HAT, and how great, the Virtue and

the Art To live on little with a chearful heart;

(A doctrine fage, but truly none of mine) Let's talk, my friends, but talk · before we dine. • Not when a gilt Buffet's reflected pride 5 Turns

you

from sound Philosophy aside; Not when from plate to plate your eye-balls roll, And the brain dances to the mantling bowl. Hear BETHEL's Sermon, one not vers'd in

schools, * But strong in sense, and wise without the rules. 10

Go work, hunt, exercise! (he thus began) Then scorn a homely dinner, if you can. 'Your wine lock'd up, your Butler strollid abroad, Or fifh deny'd (the river yet unthawd)

N6j s. VER. 9. Bethel. The same to whom leveral of Mr. Pope's Letters are addressed.

E

Defendens pisces hiemat mare: cum sale panis
Litrantem stomachum beneleniet. unde putas, aut
Quî partum ? non in caro nidore voluptas
Summa, sed in teipso est. tu pulmentaria quaere
Sudando. pinguem vitiis albumque neque ostrea,
Nec scarus, aut poterit peregrina juvare lagoïs.

* Vix tamen eripiam, pofito pavone', velis quin
Hoc potius quam gallina tergere palatum ;
Corruptus vanis rerum : quia veneat auro
Rara avis, et picta pandat spectacula cauda :
Tamquam ad rem attineat quidquam. Num vel-

ceris ifta,
Quam laudas, pluma ? coctove num adest honor

idem?
Carne tamen quamvis distat nihil hac, magis illa;
Imparibus formis deceptum te patet, esto.
Unde datum sentis, lupus hic, Tiberinus, an alto
Captus hiet? pontesne inter jactatus, an amnis
Ostia sub Tusci?" laudas, insane, trilibrem
Mullum; in fingula quem minuas pulmenta ne-

ceffe eft.
Ducit te species, video. quo pertinet ergo
Proceros odisse lupos? quia scilicet illis
Majorem natura modum dedit, his breve pondus.
Jejunus raro stomachus vulgaria temnit.
m Porrettum

magno magnum fpe&tare catino
Vellem, ait Harpyiis gula digna rapacibus. At vos,

If then plain bread and milk will do the feat, 15 The pleasure lies in you, and not the meat.

* Preach as I please, I doubt our curious men Will chuse a pheasant still before a hen; Yet hens of Guinea full as good I hold, Except you eat the feathers green and gold. 20 'Of carps and mullets why prefer the great, , (Tho' cut in pieces ere my Lord can eat) Yet for small Turbots such esteem profess? Because God made these large, the other less. ** Oldfield with more than Harpy throat endu'd, 25 Cries “ Send me, Gods! a whole Hog barbecu’d!”

NOTE s.

VER. 25. Oldfield.] This eminent Glutton ran through a fortune of fifteen hundred pounds a year in the simple luxury of good eating.

Ver. 26. Hog barbecu’d, &c.] A West Indian term of Gluttony; a hog roasted whole, stuffed with spice, and basted with Madera wine.

P.

* Praesentes, Austri, coquite horum opsonia ;

quamquam Putet aper rhombufque recens, mala copia quando Aegrum sollicitat stomachum; cum rapula plenus Atque acidas mavult inulas. °necdụm omnis abacta Pauperies epulis regum : nam vilibus ovis Nigrisque est oleis hodie locus. Haud ita pridem Gallonî praeconis erat acipensere mensa Infamis. quid ? tum rhombos minus aequora

alebant? p Tutus erat rhombus, tutoque ciconia nido, Donec vos auctor docuit praetorius. ergo * Si quis nunc mergos suaves edixerit assos, Parebit pravi docilis Romana juventus.

Sordidus a tenui victus distabit, Ofello Judice: nam frustra vitium vitaveris istud, Si te alio

pravus

detorseris. Avidienus Cui Canis ex vero ductum cognomen adhæret,

NOTES,

VER. 27. Oh blah it, South-winds!] This has not the force, nor gives us the pleasant allusion of the original, fogiite. VER. 42. Bedford-head ;) A famous Eating-house. P.

VER. 43. Or ev'n to crack live Crawfisn] There is force and humour in dixerit and parebit, which the imitation does pot reach.

36

Oh blast it, “ South-winds! till a stench exhale
Rank as the ripeness of a rabbit's tail.
By what Criterion do ye eat, d'ye think,
If this is priz'd for sweetness, that for stink? 30
When the tir'd glutton labours thro' a treat,
He finds no relish in the sweetest meat,
He calls for something bitter, something four,
And the rich feast concludes extremely poor :
° Cheap eggs, and herbs, and olives still we see;
Thus much is left of old Simplicity!

The Robin-red-breast till of late had rest,
And children facred held a Martin's nest,
Till Becca-ficos sold so dev'lish dear
To one that was, or would have been, a Peer. 40
? Let me extol a Cat, on oysters fed,
I'll have a party at the Bedford-head;
Or ev'n to crack live Crawfish recommend;
I'd never doubt at Court to make a friend.

"'Tis yet in vain, I own, to keep a pother 45 About one vice, and fall into the other : Between Excess and Famine lies a mean; Plain, but not sordid; tho' not splendid, clean.

• Avidien, or his Wife (no matter which, For him you'll call a 'dog, and her a bitch) 50

N o T E s. Ver. 50. For him you'll calla dog, and her a bitch, &c.] Our Poet had the art of giving wit and dignity to his Billingsgate, which Horace seems not to have learnt.