Enrage, compofe, with more than magic art,
With pity, and with terror, tear my heart; 345
And fnatch me, o'er the earth, or thro' the air,
To Thebes, to Athens, when he will, and where.
(s) But not this part of the poetic state,
Alone, deferves the favour of the great;
Think of thofe authors, Sir, who would rely 350
More on a reader's fenfe, than gazer's eye.
Or who shall wander where the Mufes fing?
Who climb their mountain, or who taste their
fpring?

How fhall we fill (t) a library with wit,

When Merlin's Cave is half unfurnish'd yet? 355 My Liege! why writers little claim your thought, I guess; and, with their leave, will tell the fault: We (u) peots are (upon a poet's word)

Of all mankind, the creatures most abfurd:

Irritat, mulcet, falfis terroribus implet,

Ut magus; et modo me Thebis, modo ponit A

thenis.

[lunt, [] Verum age, et his, qui fe lectori credere maQuam fpectatoris faftidia ferre fuperbi, Curam impende brevem: fi [] munus Apolline dignum

Vis complere libris; et vatibus addere calcar,
Ut ftudio majore petant Helicona virentem.

[u] Multá quidem nobis facimus mala fæpe poetæ, (Ut vineta egomet cædam mea) cum tibi librum

NOTES.

Ver. 354. a library] Munus Apolline dignum. The Palatine library then building by Auguftus.

Ver. 355. Merlin's Cave] A building in the royal gardens of Richmond, where is a small, but choice collection of books.

ނ

The

361

The (x) feafon when to come, and when to go,
To fing, or cease to fing, we never know;
And if we will recite nine hours in ten,
You lofe you patience, just like other men.
Then too we hurt ourselves, when to defend
A (y) fingle verse, we quarrel with a friend; 365
Repeat (%) unafk'd; lament, the (a) wit's too fine
For vulgar eyes, and point out ev'ry line.
But most, when straining with too weak a wing,
We needs will write Epiftles to the King;
And (b) from the moment we oblige the town,
Expect a place, or penfion from the Crown; 371
Or dubb'd Hiftorians by exprefs command,
T'enroll your triumphs o'er the feas and land,
Be call'd to court to plan fome work divine,
As once for Louis, Boileau and Racine.

375

Yet (c) think, great Sir! (fo many virtues shown),

Ah think, what poet best may make them known ? Or chufe at least fome minifter of grace,

Fit to bestow the (d) Laureat's weighty place.

[x] Solicito damus, aut feffo: cum lædimur [y] unum
Si quis amicorum eft aufus reprendere verfum :
Cum loca jam [x] recitata revolvimus irrevocati:
Cum [a] lamentamur non apparere labores
Noftros, et tenui deducta poemata filò;

Cum [b] fperamus eo rem venturam, ut, fimul atque
Carmina refcieris nos fingere, commodus ultro
Arcelas, et egere vetes, et feribere cogas.

Sed tamen eft [c] operæ pretium cognofcere, quales Adituos habeat belli fpectata domique

Virtus, [d] indigne non committenda poeta.

(e) Charles,

(e) Charles, to late times to be tranfmitted fair, Affign'd his figure to Bernini's care; 381 And great (f) Naffau to Kneller's hand decreed, To fix him graceful on the bounding steed;

So well in paint and stone they judg'd of merit :
But kings in wit may want difcerning fpirit. 385
The Hero William, and the Martyr Charles,
One knighted Blackmore, and one penfion'd
Quarles;

Which made old Ben, and furly Dennis fwear,
"No Lord's anointed, but a (g) Ruffian Bear."
Not with fuch [b] majefty, fuch bold relief, 390
The forms auguft, of King, or conqu❜ring Chief, .
E'er fwell'd on marble; as in verfe have thin'd
(In polish'd verfe) the manners and the mind.

[e] Gratus Alexandro regi Magno fuit ille
Chorilus, incultis qui verfibus et male natis
Rettulit acceptos, regale numifma, Philippos.
Sed veluti tractata notam labemque remittunt
Atramenta, fere fcriptores carmine fœdo
Splendida facta linunt, idem rex ille, poema
Qui tam ridiculum tam care prodigus emit,
Edicto vetuit, ne quis fe præter Apellem
Pingeret, aut alius Lyfippo duceret æra
Fortis [f] Alexandri vultum fimulantià. quod fi
Judicium fubtile videndis artibus illud
Ad libros et ad hæc Mufarum dona vocares;
[g] Boeotum in craffo jurares aere natum.
[At neque dedecorant tua de fe judicia, atque
Munera, quæ multa dantis cum laude tulerunt,
Dilecti tibi Virgilius Variufque poetæ ;]

Nec magis expreffi [b] vultus per ahenea figna,
Oh!

Oh! could I mount on the Mæonian wing,
Your [i] arms, your actions, your repofe to fing!
What [] feas you travers'd, and what fields you
fought!

396 Your country's peace, how oft, how dearly bought! How [7] barb'rous rage fubfided at your word, And nations wonder'd while they dropt the sword! How, when you nodded, o'er the land and deep, [m] Peace ftole her wing, and wrapt the world in

sleep;

TR

401

Till earth's extremes your mediation own,
And [n] Afia's tyrants tremble at your throne----
But [o] Verfe, alas! your Majesty disdains;
And I'm not us'd to panegyric ftrains:

405

The zeal of [p] fools offends at any time,
But most of all, the zeal of fools in rhyme.

Quam per vatis opus mores animique virorum Clarorum apparent. nec fermones ego mallem Repentes per humum, [] quam res componere geflas,

Terrarumque [k] fitus et flumina dicere, et arces Montibus impofitas, et [1] barbara regna, tuifque Aufpiciis totum [l] confecta duella per orbem, Clauftraque [m] cuftodem pacis cohibentia Janum, Et [n] formidatum Parthis, te principe, Romam: Si quantum cuperem, poffem quoque. fed neque

parvum

[o] Carmen majeftas recipit tua; nec meus audet Rem tentare pudor, quam vires ferre recufent. Sedulitas autem [p] Aulte, quem diligit, urget; Præcipue cum fe numeris commendat et arte. Difcit enim citius, meminitque libentius illud

410

Befides, a fate attends on all I write,
That when I aim at praise, they fay [q] I bite.
A vile [r] encomium doubly ridicules:
There's nothing blackens like the ink of fools.
If true, a [s] woful likeness; and, if lies,
"Praife undeferv'd is Scandal in disguise:"
Well may he [] blush, who gives it, or receives;
And when I flatter, let my dirty leaves 415
(Like [u] Journals, Odes, and fuch forgotten things
As Eufden, Philips, Settle, writ of kings)
Clothe fpice, line trunks, or flutt'ring in a row,
Befringe the rails of Bedlam and Soho.

Quod quis [q] deridet, quam quod probat et vene

ratur.

[ficto Nil moror (r) officium, quod me gravat: ac neque In (s) pejus vultu proponi cereus usquam, Nec prave factis decorari verfibus opto: Ne (1) rebeam pingui donatus munere, et una Cum (u) fcriptore meo capfa porrectus aperta, Deferar in vicum vendentem thus et odores, Et piper, et quicquid chartis amicitur ineptis.