Her eloquence was sweeter than her fong,
Soft as her heart, and as her reason strong;
Her form each beauty of her mind express'd,
Her mind was Virtue by the Graces drefs'd.

HORACE. BOOK IV. O DE IV.

Written at Oxford 1725 *.

"Qualem miniftrum fulminis alitem, &c."

I.

As the wing'd minifter of thundering Jove,

To whom he gave his dreadful bolts to bear,

Faithful + affiftant of his master's love,

King of the wandering nations of the air,

II.

When balmy breezes fann'd the vernal sky,
On doubtful pinions left his parent nest,
In fight effays his growing force to try,
While inborn courage fir'd his generous breast;

III. Then

* First printed with Mr. Weft's tranflation of Pindar. See the Preface to that gentleman's Poems.

In the rape of Ganymede, who was carried up to Jupiter by an eagle, according to the Poetical Hiftory.

III.

Then, darting with impetuous fury down,
The flocks he flaughter'd, an unpractis'd foe
Now his ripe valour to perfection grown
The fcaly fnake and crested dragon know:
IV.

Or, as a lion's youthful progeny,

Wean'd from his favage dam and milky food, The grazing kid beholds with fearful eye,

Doom'd first to stain his tender fangs in blood :

V.

Such Drufus, young in arms, his foes beheld,
The Alpine Rheti, long unmatch'd in fight:
So were their hearts with abject terror quell'd;
So funk their haughty fpirit at the fight..

VI.

Tam'd by a boy, the fierce Barbarians find

How guardian Prudence guides the youthful flame, And how great Cæfar's fond paternal mind Each generous Nero forms to early fame;

VII.

A valiant fon fprings from a valiant fire.
Their race by mettle fprightly courfers prove;
Nor can the warlike eagle's active fire
Degenerate to form the timorous dove.
VIII.

But education can the genius raife,
And wife inftructions native virtue aid;
Nobility without them is disgrace,

And Honour is by vice to fhame betray'd..

IX. Let

IX.

Let red Metaurus, ftain'd with Punic blood,
Let mighty Afdrubal fubdued, confefs
How much of empire and of fame is ow'd
By thee, O Rome, to the Neronian race.

X.

Of this be witnefs that aufpicious day,

Which, after a long, black, tempestuous night, Firft fimil'd on Latium with a milder ray,

And chear'd our drooping hearts with dawning light. XI.

Since the dire African with wasteful ire

Rode o'er the ravag'd towns of Italy;
As through the pine-trees flies the raging fire,
Or Eurus o'er the vext Sicilian fea.

XII.

From this bright æra, from this profperous field,
The Roman glory dates her rising power;

From hence 'twas given her conquering sword to wield,
Raife' her fall'n gods, and ruin'd shrines restore.
XIII.

Thus Hannibal at length defpairing spoke:
"Like ftags to ravenous wolves an easy prey,
"Our feeble arms a valiant foe provoke,
"Whom to elude and 'scape were victory;

XIV.

"A dauntless nation, that from Trojan fires, "Hoftile Aufonia, to thy deftin'd fhore

"Her gods, her infant fons, and aged fires,

XV.

"As on high Algidus the sturdy oak,

"Whofe spreading boughs the axe's sharpness feel "Improves by lofs, and, thriving with the ftroke, "Draws health and vigour from the wounding steel

XVI.

"Not Hydra sprouting from her mangled head "So tir'd the baffled force of Hercules; "Nor Thebes, nor Colchis, fuch a monfter bred, "Pregnant of ills, and fan'd for prodigies.

XVII.

Plunge her in ocean, like the morning fun, "Brighter fhe rifes from the depths below: "To earth with unavailing ruin thrown, "Recruits her ftrength, and foils the wondering foe

XVIII.

No more of victory the joyful fame

"Shall from my camp to haughty Carthage fly; «Loft, loft, are all the glories of her name! “With Afdrubal her hopes and fortune die!

XIX.

"What fhall the Claudian valour not perform,

"Which Power Divine guards with propitious care, "Which Wisdom fteers through all the dangerous ftorm, "Through all the rocks and fhoals of doubtful war?"

VIRTUE

VIRTUE AND FAME.

TO THE COUNTESS OF EGREMONT.

VIR

IRTUE and Fame, the other day, Happen'd to cross each other's way; Said Virtue," Hark ye! madam Fame, "Your ladyship is much to blame;

Jove bids you always wait on me, "And yet your face I feldom fee:

"The Paphian queen employs your trumpet, "And bids it praise fome handsome ftrumpet; "Or, thundering through the ranks of war, "Ambition ties you to her car.

Saith Fame," Dear madam, I protest,
"I never find myself so bleft

"As when I humbly wait behind you!
"But 'tis fo mighty hard to find you!
In fuch obfcure retreats you lurk!
"To seek you, is an endless work."

"Well," anfwer'd Virtue, "I allow
"Your plea. But hear, and mark me now.
"I know (without offence to others)
"I know the best of wives and mothers;
"Who never pass'd an useless day
"In fcandal, goffiping, or play:
"Whose modest wit, chaftis'd by sense,

Is lively chearful innocence;

"Whofe