Page images
PDF
EPUB

And I notf ftrip the gilding off a Knave,

Unplac'd, unpenfion'd, no man's heir, or flave?
I will, or perish in the generous cause :

Hear this, and tremble! you, who 'fcape the Laws.
Yes, while I live, no rich or noble knave
Shall walk the World, in credit, to his grave.
8 To Virtue only and her friends a Friend,
The World befide may murmur, or commend.
Know, all the distant din that world can keep,
Rolls o'er my Grotto, and but fooths my fleep.
h There, my retreat the best Companions grace,
Chiefs out of war, and Statefmen out of place.
There St. John mingles with my friendly bowl
The Feast of Reafon and the Flow of foul:

115

120

125

And He, whofe lightning pierc'd th' Iberian Lines, Now forms my Quincunx, and now ranks my Vines, Or

f Detrahere et pellem, nitidus qua quifque per ora
Cederet introrfum turpis; num Laelius, et qui
Duxit ab oppreffa meritum Carthagine nomen,
Ingenio offenfi? aut laefo doluere Metello,
Famofifque Lupo cooperto verfibus? atqui
Primores populi arripuit populumque tributim;
Scilicet Uni æquus virtuti atque ejus Amicis.
h Quin ubi fe a vulgo et fcena in fecreta remorant
Virtus Scipiadae et mitis fapientia Laeli,

Nugari cum illo, et difcincti ludere, donec
Decoqueretur olus, foliti.

VOL. II.

Quidquid fum ego, quamvis
N

Or tames the Genius of the stubborn plain,
Almoft as quickly as he conquer'd Spain.

i Envy must own, I live among the Great, No Pimp of pleasure, and no Spy of state, With eyes that pry not, tongue that ne'er repeats, 135 Fond to fpread friendships, but to cover heats;

To help who want, to forward who excel;

This, all who know me, know; who love me, tell;
And who unknown defame me, let them be
Scriblers or Peers, alike are Mob to me.
This is my Plea, on this I reft my caufe —

* What faith my Council, learned in the laws?
F. Your Plea is good; but still I fay, beware!
Laws are explain’d bý men—so have a care.
It ftands on record, that in Richard's times
A man was hang'd for very honest rhymes;
m Confult the Statute, " quart." I think, it is,
"Edwardi fext." or "prim. et quint. Eliz."

Infra Lucili cenfum, ingeniumque; tamen me
i Cum magnis vixiffe invita fatebitur ufque
Invidia; et fragili quaerens illidere dentem,
Offendet folido:

Diffentis.

140

145

See

knifi quid tu, docte Trebati,

T. Equidem nihil hinc diffingere poffum. Sed tamen ut monitus caveas, ne forte negotî Incutiat tibi quid fanctarum infcitia legum:

❝m Si mala condiderit in quem quis carmina, jus eft "Judiciumque."

See Libels, Satires-here you have it-read.

P. n Libels and Satires! lawless things indeed! 150 But grave Epiftles, bringing Vice to light,

Such as a King might read, a Bishop write,
Such as Sir Robert would approve―

F. Indeed?

The Cafe is alter'd-you may then proceed;
• In fuch a cafe the Plaintiff will be hifs'd,
My Lords the judges laugh, and you're dismiss'd.

H. Efto, fiquis n mala, fed bona fi quis Judice condiderit laudatus Caesare? fi quis Opprobriis dignum laceraverit, integer ipfe? T. Solventur rifu tabulæ: tu miffus abibis.

[ocr errors]

155

[blocks in formation]

BOOK II.

SATIRE II.

To Mr. BETHEL.

WHAT, and how great, the Virtue and the Art

To live on little with a cheerful heart;

b (A doctrine fage, but truly none of mine)
Let's talk, my friends, but talk before we dine.
Not when a gilt Buffet's reflected pride
Turns you from found Philosophy aside;
Not when from plate to plate your eye-balls roll,
And the brain dances to the mantling bowl.

Hear Bethel's Sermon, one not vers'd in schools,
d But ftrong in sense, and wife without the rules.
h Go work, hunt, exercife! (he thus began)
Then fcorn a homely dinner, if you can.

10

Your

SATIRA

11.

UAE virtus & quanta, boni, fit vivere parvo,

Q(Nec meus hic fermo : fed qua praccepit Ofellus,

Rufticus, dabnormis Sapiens, craffaque Minerva)
Difcite, e non inter lances menfafque nitentes;
Cum ftupet infanis acies fulgoribus, et cum
Acclinis falfis animus meliora recufat:

< Verum hic impranfi mecum difquirite. Cur hoc?
Dicam, fi potero, male verum examinat omnis
Corruptus judex. h Leporum fectatus, equove
ab indomito; vel (fi Romana fatigat

i Your wine lock'd up, your Butler stroll'd abroad,
Or fish deny'd (the river yet unthaw'd)
If then plain bread and milk will do the feat,
The pleasure lies in you, and not the meat.

k Preach as I please, I doubt our curicus men
Will chufe a pheasant still before a hen ;
Yet hens of Guinea full as good I hold,
Except you eat the feathers green and gold.

Militia affuetum graecari) feu pila velox,
Molliter aufterum ftudio fallente laborem;
Seu te difcus agit, pete cedentem aëra disco :
Cum labor extulerit faftidia; ficcus, inanis,
Sperne cibum vilem: nifi Hymettia mella Falerno,
Ne biberis, diluta. i foris eft promus, et atrum
Defendens pifces hiemat mare: cum fale panis
Latrantem ftomachum bene leniet. unde putas, aut
Quî partum? non in caro nidore voluptas
Summa, fed in teipfo eft. tu pulmentaria quaere
Sudando. pinguem vitiis albumque neque ostrea,
Nec fcarus, aut poterit peregrina juvare lagoïs.

k Vix tamen eripiam, pofito pavone, velis quin
Hoc potius quam gallina tergere palatum ?
Corruptus vanis rerum: quia veneat auro
Rara avis, et picta pandat fpectacula cauda

[merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small]

Tamquam ad rem attineat quidquam. Num vefceris ista, Quam laudas, pluma? coctave num adeft honor idem ? Carne tamen quamvis diftat nihil hac, magis illa; Imparibus formis deceptum te patet, esto.

Unde datum fentis, lupus hic, Tiberinus an alto

« PreviousContinue »