EPILOGUE

TO THE

SATIRE S.

Written in M DCC XXXVIII.

DIALOGUE. II.

Fr.'Tisalla

is all a libel---Paxton (Sir) will fay.
P. Not yet, my friend! to-morrow
faith it may;

And for that very cause I print to-day.
How should I fret to mangle ev'ry line,
In rev'rence to the fins of Thirty-nine!
Vice with fuch giant-ftrides comes on amain,
Invention ftrives to be before in vain;
Feign what I will, and paint it e'er so strong,
Some rifing genius fins up to my fong.

F. Yet none but you by name the guilty lash; Ev'n Guthry faves half Newgate by a dafh. Spare then the Perfon, and expofe the Vice.

5

P. How, Sir! not damn the sharper, but the dice?

NOTES.

Ver. 1. Paxton] Late folicitor to the treasury.

Ver. 11. Ev'n Guthry] The ordinary of Newgate, who publishes the memoirs of the malefactors, and is often prevailed upon to be fo tender of their reputation, as to fet down no more than the initials of their name.

Come

Come on then, Satire! gen'ral, unconfin'd,
Spread thy broad wing, and fouce on all the kind.
Ye statesmen, priefts, of one religion all!

16

Ye tradesmen, vile, in army, court, or hall!
Ye rev'rend athiefts. F. Scandal! name them, who.
P. Why, that's the thing, you bid me not to do.
Who ftary'd a fifter, who forfwore a debt,
I never nam'd; the towns inquiring yet.
The pois'ning dame----F. You mean----P. I dont.

F. You do.

20

P. See, now I keep the fecret, and not you! The bribing statefman---F. Hold, too high you go. P. The brib'd elector---F. There you ftoop too

low.

25 P. I fain would please you, if I knew with what; Tell me, which knave is lawful game, which not? Muft great offenders, once efcap'd the crown, Like royal harts be never more run down? Admit your law to fpare the knight requires, As beafts of nature may we hunt the Squires? Suppofe I cenfure---you know what I mean--To fave a Bishop, may I name a Dean?

F. A Dean, Sir? no: his fortune is not made, You hurt a man that's rifing in the trade.

NOTES.

35

Ver. 31. As beafts of nature may we hunt the Squires?] The expreffion is rough, like the fubject, but no reflection: For if beafts of nature, then not beasts of their own making; a fault too frequently objected to country-fquires. However, the Latin is nobler, feræ natura, things uncivilized, and free. Fera, as the critics fay, being from the Hebrew, Pere, Afinus filveftris.

Ver. 35. You hurt a man that's rifing in the trade.] For, as the reasonable De la Bruyere obferves, "Qui ne fait etre un ERASME, doit penfer a eire Eveque."

40

P. If not the tradefmen who fet up to-day,
Much lefs the 'prentice who to-morrow may.
Down, down, proud Satire! tho' a realm be spoil'd,
Arraign no mightier thief than wretched Wild;
Or, if a court or country's made a job,
Go drench a pick-pocket, and join the mob.
But, Sir, I beg you (for the love of vice!)
The matter's weighty, pray confider twice;
Have you lefs pity for the needy cheat,
The poor and friendless villain, than the great? 45
Alas! the fmall difcredit of a bribe

Scarce hurts the lawyer, but undoes the fcribe.
Then better fure it charity becomes

To tax directors, who (thank God) have plums;
Still better, ministers; or, if the thing
May pinch ev'n there---why lay it on a King.
F. Stop! stop!

50

P. Muft Satire, then, nor rise nor fall? Speak out, and bid me blame no rogues at all. F. Yes, ftrike that Wild, I'll justify the blow. P. Strike? why, the man was hang'd ten years Who now that obfolete example fears; Ev'n Peter trembles only for his ears.

[ago:

F. What always Peter? Peter thinks you mad, You make men defp'rate, if they once are bad:

NOTES.

Ver. 39. wretched Wild,] Jonathan Wild, a famous thief, and thief impeacher, who was at last caught in his own train and hanged.

Ver. 42. for the love of vice! We mult confider the poet as here directing his difcourfe to a follower of the new fyftem of politics, That private vices are public benefits.

Ver. 57. Ev'n Peter trembles only for his ears.] Peter had, the year before this, narrowly escaped the pillory for forgery; and got off with a fevere rebuke only from the bench.

Elfe

Elfe might he take to Virtue fome

years

hence---

P. As S---k, if he lives, will love the PRINCE.
F. Strange spleen to S---k!

64

P. Do I wrong the man?
God knows, I praise a courtier where I can.
When I confefs, there is who feels for fame,
And melts to goodness, need I SCARB'ROW name
Pleas'd let me own, in Efber's peaceful grove,
(Where Kent and Nature vie for PELHAM's love)
The fcene, the mafter, opening to my view,
I fit and dream I fee my CRAGGS anew!

Ev'n in a bishop I can fpy defert;
Secker is decent, Rundel has a heart,
Manners with candour are to Benson giv'n,
To Berkley, ev'ry virtue under Heav'n.

But does the Court a worthy man remove?
That inftant, I declare, he has my

NOTES.

love:

70

75

Ver. 65. Scarb'row] Earl of, and knight of the garter, whose personal attachments to the king appeared from his fteady adherence to the royal intereft, after his refignation of his great employment of mafter of the horse; and whose known honour and virtue made him be efteemed by all parties.

Ver. 66. Efber's peaceful grove,] The house and gardens of Ether in Surry, belonging to the honourable Mr Pelham, brother of the Duke of Newcastle. The author could not have given him a more amiable idea of his character than in comparing him to Mr Craggs.

Ver. 74. But does the Court a worthy man remove 2] The poet means, remove him for his worth: not that he esteemed the being in cut a proof either of corruption, or virtue. "I had a glimpse of a letter of yours lately, (fays he to Dr Swift), by which 1 find you are, like the vulgar, apter to think well of people out of power, than of people in power. Perhaps it is a mistake; but, however, there is fomething in it generous.' Lett. 17. Sept. 3, 1726. vol. vi.

I fhun his zenith, court his mild decline;
Thus SOMMERS once, and HALLIFAX, were mine.
Oft, in the clear, ftill mirror of retreat,

I ftudy'd SHREWSBURY, the wife and great :
CARLETON'S calm fenfe, and STANHOPE'S noble flame,
Compar'd, and knew their gen'rous end the fame:
How pleafing ATTERBURY'S fofter hour!
How shin'd the soul, unconquer'd in the Tow'r!
How can I PULT'NEY, CHESTERFIELD forget,
While Roman spirit charms, and Attic wit:
ARGYLL, the state's whole thunder born to wield;
And shake alike the Senate and the Field:

NOTES.

85

Ver. 77. Sommers] John Lord Sommers died in 1716. He had been Lord Keeper in the reign of William III. who took from him the feals in 1700. The author had the honour of knowing him in 1706. A faithful, able, and incorrupt minifter; who, to the qualities of a confummate statesman, added thofe of a man of learning and politeness.

Ibid. Hallifax,] A peer, no lefs diftinguished by his love of letters than his abilities in parliament. He was difgraced in 1710, on the change of Q. Anne's ministry.

Ver. 79. Shrewsbury,] Charles Talbot, Duke of Shrewfbury, had been fecretary of state, ambassador in France, lord-lieutenant of Ireland, lord chamberlain, and lord treafurer. He several times quitted his employments, and was often recalled. He died in 1718.

Ver. 80. Carleton] Hen. Boyle, Lord Carleton, (nephew of the famous Robert Boyle), who was fecretary of state under King William III. and prefident of the council under Q. Anne.

Ibid. Stanhope] James Earl Stanhope. A nobleman of equal courage, fpirit, and learning. General in Spain, and fecretary of ftate,

Ver. 84. Chesterfield] Philip Earl of Chesterfield, commonly given by writers of all parties for an example to the age he lives in, of fuperior talents, and public virtue.

Or