EPISTOLA II. FLORE, bono claroque fidelis amice Neroni,

, • Si quis forte velit puerum tibi vendere natum Tibure vel Gabiis, et tecum fic agat: “ Hic et

“ Candidus, et talos a vertice pulcher ad imos,
« Fiet eritque tuus nummorum millibus octo;
66 Verna minifteriis ad nutus aptus heriles ;
« Litterulis Graecis imbutus, idoneus arti

« Cuilibet: argilla quidvis imitaberis uda:
“ Quin etiam canet indoctum, sed dulce bibenti.

• Multa fidem promiffa levant, ubi plenius aequo
“ Laudat venales, qui vult extrudere, merces.
« Res urget me nulla : meo sum paupere

in aere. “ Nemo hoc mangonum faceret tibi : non temere a

me

Nores.

VER. 4. This Lad, Sir, is of Blois :) A Town in Beauce, where the French congue is spoken in great purity.

But, Sir, to you, with wbat would I not part?)

VER, 15.

E PIST L E II.

DEA

TII

EAR Colnel, COBHAM's and your country's

Friend! You love a Verse, take such as I can send. D A Frenchman comes, presents you with his Boy, Bows and begins" This Lad, Sir, is of Blois : 6. Observe his shape how clean! his locks how curld! “ My only son, I'd have him see the world: 6 “ His French is pure; his voice too-you shall hear. “Sir, he's your slave, for twenty pound a year. 66 Mere wax as yet, you fashion him with ease, " Your Barber, Cook, Upholst'rer, what you please: " A perfect genius at an Opera-song“ To say too much, might do my honour wrong. « Take him with all his virtues, on my word; “ His whole ambition was to serve a Lord; 6. But, Sir, to you, with what would I not part? 15 " Tho’ faith, I fear, 'twill break his Mother's heart. « Once (and but once) I caught him in a lye, " And then, unwhipp’d, he had the grace to cry: " The fault he has I fairly shall reveal, “ (Cou'd you o'erlook but that) it is, to steal. 20

NOTES. The numberwell express the unwillingness of parting with what one can ill .pare.

* M

ás

Quivis ferret idem : semel hic ceffavit, et (ut fit) « In scalis latuit metuens pendentis habenae : ss Des nummos, excepta nihil te si fuga laedit.

• Ille ferat pretium, poenae securus, opinor. Prudens emifti vitiofum: dieta tibi eft lex. Insequeris tamen hunc, et lite moraris iniqua.

Dixi me pigrum proficisenti tibi, dixi
Talibus officiis prope mancum: ne mea faevus
Jurgares ad te quod epistola nulla veniret.
Quid tum profeci, mecum facientia jura
Si tamen attentas? quereris super hoc etiam, quod
Exspectata tibi non mittam carmina mendax.

• Luculli miles collecta viatica multis
Aerumnis, lassus dum noctu stertit, ad assem
Perdiderat: poft hoc vehemens lupus, et fibi et hofti
Iratus pariter, jejunis dentibus acer,
Praefidium regale loco dejecit, ut aiunt,

Notes. VIR. 24. I think Sir Godfrey] An eminent Justice of Peace, who decided much in the manner of Sancho Pancha. P. Sir Godfrey Kneller.

VER. 33. In Anna's Wars, etc.) Many parts of this tory are well told ; but, on the whole, it is much infe. rior to the original.

? If, after this, you took the graceless lad,
Cou'd you complain, my Friend, he prov'd so bad ?
Faith, in such case, if you should prosecute,
I think Sir Godfrey should decide the suit ;
Who sent the Thief that stole the Cash, away, 25
And punish'd him that put it in his way.

• Consider then, and judge me in this light;
I told you when I went, I could not write ;
You said the same; and are you discontent
With Laws, to which you gave your own affent? 30
Nay worse, to ask for Verse at such a time!
D'ye think me good for nothing but to rhime?

• In Anna's Wars, a Soldier poor and old
Had dearly earn'd a little purse of gold:
Tir'd with a tedious march, one luckless night, 35
He slept, poor dog! and lost it, to a doit.
This put the man in such a desp’rate mind,
Between revenge, and grief, and hunger join'd
Againit the foe, himself, and all mankind,
He leap'd the trenches, scald a Castle-wall, 40
Tore down a Standard, took the Fort and all.

}

NOTES. Ver. 37. This put the man, etc.) Greatly below the Original,

Poft hoc vehemens lupus, et fibi et hofti

Iratus pariter, jejunis dentibus acer.
The last words are particularly elegant and hamourous.