And resolv'd the next winter (for that is my time, When the days are at shortest) to get it in rhyme; Till then it was lock'd in my box at Parnassus ; When that subtle companion, in hopes to surpass us, Conveys out my paper of hints by a trick,
(ForI think in my conscience he deals withOld Nick) And from my own stock provided with topics, He gets to a window beyond both the tropics, There out of my sight, just against the north zone, Writes down my conceits, and then calls them his
And you, like a booby, the bubble can swallow:
Now who but Delany can write like Apollo?
High treason by statute! yet here you object,
He only stole hints, but the verse is correct;
Though the thought be Apollo's 'tis finely express'd ;
So a thief steals my horse, and has him well dress'd.
Now whereas the sad criminal seems past
repentance,
We Phoebus think fit to proceed to his sentence.
Since Delany has dar'd, like Prometheus his sire,
To clime to our region, and thence to steal fire;
We order a vulture in shape of the spleen,
ΤΟ
prey on his liver, but not to be seen.
And we order our subjects of every degree
To believe all his verses were written by me :
And under the pain of our highest displeasure,
To call nothing his but the rhyme and the measure.
And lastly, for Stella, just out of her prime,
I'm too much revenged already by time,
In return to her scorn, I sent her diseases,
But will now be her friend whenever she pleases:
And the gifts I bestow'd her will find her a lover,
Though she lives till she's gray as a badger all over.
PARNASSUS, February the twenty-seventh.
The Poets assembled here on the eleventh,
Convened by Apollo, who gave them to know,
He'd have a vicegerent in his empire below;
But declared that no bard should this honour in-
Till the rest had agreed he surpass'd them in merit:
Now this, you'll allow, was a difficult case,
For each bard believed he'd a right to the place;
So, finding the assembly grow warm in debate,
He put them in mind of his Phaeton's fate:
'Twas urg'd to no purpose; disputes higher rose,
Scarce Phoebus himself could their quarrelscompose;
Till at length he determined that every bard
Should (each in his turn) be patiently heard.
First, one who believ'd he excell'd in translation, t Founds his claim on the doctrine of man's trans
"Since the soul of great Milton was given to me, I hope the Convention will quickly agree." "Agree!" quoth Apollo: "from whence is this
Is he just come from reading Pythagoras at school? Be gone, sir, you've got yoursubscriptions in time, And given in return neither reason nor rhyme."
* See the preceding poem. N.
Dr. Trapp. N.
To the next says the God, "Though now I won't
I'll tell you the reason for which I refuse you:
Love's Goddess has oft to her parents complain'd,
Of my favouring a bard who her empire disdain'd;
That at my instigation, a poem you writ,
Which to beauty and youth preferr'd judgment
and wit;
That, to make you a Laureat, I gave the first voice,
Inspiring the Britons t'approve of my choice.
Jove sent her to me, her power to try;
The Goddess of beauty what God can deny?
She forbids your preferment; I grant her desire.
Appease the fair Goddess: you then
may rise The next * that appear'd had good hopes of
For he merited much for his wit and his breeding. 'Twas wise in the Britons no favour to show him. He else might expect they should pay what they owe him.
And therefore they prudently chose to discard
The Patriot, whose merits they would not reward:
The God, with a smile, bad his favourite advance,
"You were sent by Astræa her envoy to France :
You bend your ambition to rise in the state;
I refuse you, because you could stoop to be great."
Then a bard who had been a successful trans-
lator,†
"The convention allows me a versificator."
Says Apollo, "You mention the least of your merit;
By your works, it appears you have much of my
spirit.
† Mr. Pope was probably here meant. N.
I esteem you so well, that to tell you the truth, The greatest objection against you's your youth: Then be not concern'd you are now laid aside; If you live you shall certainly one day preside." Another, low bending, Apollo thus greets, "'Twas I taught your subjects to walk through the streets.* "
"You taught them to walk! why, they knew it before:
But give me the bard that can teach them to soar.
Whenever he claims, 'tis his right, I'll confess,
Who lately attempted my style with success;
Who writes like Apollo has most of his spirit,
And therefore 'tis just I distinguish his merit;
Who makes it appear, by all he has writ,
His judgment alone can set bounds to his wit;
Like Virgil correct, with his own native ease,
But excels even Virgil in elegant praise;
Who admires the ancients, and knows 'tis their due,
Yet writes in a manner entirely new;
Though none with more ease their depths can explore,
Yet whatever he wants he takes from my store;
Though I'm fond of his virtues, his pride I can see,
In scorning to borrow from any but me:
It is owing to this, that, like Cynthia, his lays
Enlighten the world by reflecting my rays."
This said, the whole audience soon found out his
The convention was summon'd in favour of SWIFT.
* Mr. Gay; alluding to his "Trivia." N.
IRELAND is now our royal care,
We lately fix'd our viceroy there:
How near was she to be undone,
Till pious love inspired her son!
What cannot our vicegerent do,
As poet and as patriot too?
Let his success our subjects sway,
Our inspirations to obey,
And follow where he leads the way:
Then study to correct your taste;
Nor beaten paths be longer trac'd.
No simile shall be begun,
With rising or with setting sun;
And let the secret head of Nile
Be ever banish'd from your isle.
When wretched lovers live on air,
I beg you'l! the chameleon spare ;
And when you'd make a hero grander,
Forget he's like a salamander.
No son of mine shall dare to say,
Aurora usher'd in the day,
Or ever name the milky-way.
* The last twe've lines of this poem were printed separately in 1743, on the death of lady Catharine Forbes, only daughter of Anur, first earl of Granard, descended from the noble family of Forbes in Scotland). She was the second lady of Arthur, third earl of Donegal; and died June 15, 1743. N.
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