i

The SAME ODE Imitated.

By Mr. SAMUEL SAY.

DAnaë, inclos'd in Towers of Brafs,
Strong Iron Gates, and opening Dogs,
Wakeful, had well fecur'd by Day,
Had well fecur'd by Night;

If fove and Venus had not mock'd
The jealous Sire-So Fables tell-
Vain Iron

Vain Brafs! transform'd to Gold,'
He won the greedy Maid.

When Gold appears, the Guards retire,
The Floods divide, the Rocks are fent;
Not Thunder flings the fiery Bolt

With fuch refiftlefs Power.

Subjects their Kings, and Priefts their Gods,"
Exchange for Gold. The Gownman Right
And Wrong confounds; for Gold he pleads;
For Gold betrays the Cause.

Touch'd by thy ftronger Force, tow'rds Thee
The Compafs veers, almighty Gold !
Before thee Wifdom, Valour, Senfe,

And Virtue are no more.

1 Care follows clofe, where Gold precedes :
Sweet Innocence, Contentment, Peace,
No more fhall blefs the Day; no more

Soft Slumbers blefs the Night.
This Horace faw, wife Bard! and durft
Refufe the glittering Bribe; to share

With Cæfar all the World; to fhare
The World, and share the Toil.
Tempt me no more, Mæcenas, tempt
No more thy Flaccus to afpire

To Wealth and Power; he fears the Helm
• Because he fears the Storm.

• What we deny ourselves, juft Heaven
• Reftores with Intereft. Naked, fee!
• Naked thy humble Friend deserts
The Party of the Great.

Glad Fugitive- he longs to reach
The Camp of the contented Few,
• Whofe little is enough- ENOUGH -
That sweeter Word for All !'

O decent Pride! O truly Lord
Of his Poffeffions, who ftill bears
A Soul above them! richer far
Than all Apulia's Stores,

Heap'd in the crowded Barn, could make
The Mind, that covets without End,
And, drinking, thirfts for more! Wretch,
In utmost Plenty, poor!

A filver Stream, a filent Grove,
A Summer's Eve, a fmall Eftate,

Still faithful to its Lord: A Life
Retir'd from Noife or Care,

Steals through the World, with Joys unknown
To the profaner Mind; with Joys
Unknown to crowded Courts; to Peers

And fcepter'd Kings unknown!

Though no proud Palace loads the Ground,
Or towers into the Sky; no Car,
With gilded Trappings gay, behind
Bestuck with pamper'd Slaves,

Moves flow in State; nor coftly Wines
Tokay, Champaign, or Burgundy,
Nor high Ragouts deceive the Tafte,
And propagate Disease!

Yet fair CONTENT my Cottage chears;
Lettuce and Pease my Garden yields:
Plain Food, foft Ale, and homebrew'd Wines,
Still crown my healthful Board.

Though fragrant Fields, or spreading Lawns,
Where the Sheep graze, and Oxen low,
Or ftalks the Stag, with Head erect,
I sometimes musing rove :

Pleas'd with his Load, fometimes my Pad
Smooth ambles to the neighbouring Gate,
Which opens friendly to receive
The not unwelcome Guest.

Happy! who knows himself, and knows
To judge of Happinefs; to whom
Wife Heaven, with kind but frugal Hand,
Has each juft Want fupplied.

1720.

NOTE.

A fmall Collection of Poems, with two Critical Effays in Profe, viz the first on the Harmony, Variety, and Power of Numbers, whether in Profe or Verfe; the fecond on the Numbers of PARADISE LOST; written by the

learned

learned Author of this Ode, appeared in the Year 1745, in a fmall Volume in 4to.

Thefe Effays have been much admired by fome Perfons of Taite and Judgment. But as this Book was only printed by Subfcription among the little Circle of his Friends and Acquaintance, it has fallen into few Hands.

This Ode may be produced as an Inftance, that Rhime is not wanting, where Verfe is written with Eafe and Elegance.

Care follows clofe, where Gold precedes, &c.] This Sentiment is ftrongly enforced and expanded by a modern Claffic. 'When the Defire of Wealth takes hold ' of the Mind, let us look round, and fee how it operates upon thofe, whofe Industry or Fortune has obtained it. When we find them oppreffed with their own Abundance, luxurious without Pleasure, idle without Eafe, impatient and querulous in themselves, and despised, or hated, by the reft of Mankind, we fhall foon be convinced, that if the real Wants of t' is Condition are fatisfied, there remains little to be fought with Sollicitude, or defired with Ardour. The RAMBLER, No. 58.

2 This Horace faw, &c.] This alludes to Horace's declining the Flace of Secretary of State, which was offered him by Auguftus.

ODE XVII.

To ELIUS LAMIA.

By Mr. DUNCOMBE, Sen.

ELIUS, whofe noble 2 Lineage springs

From a long Race of ancient Kings,

(From Him the Lamia's Blood roll'd down, Who greatly fill'd the Formian Throne,

F 3

Where

Where the flow Streams of Liris rove
In Silence through Marica's Grove)
To-morrow from the 4 Eaft fhall roar

Bleak Storms, and spread with Weeds the Shore;
With Leaves the Ground; unless in vain
Croaks the old Crow, prefaging Rain.
Hafte then to ftore thy Billets dry;
To-morrow let a Porker die ;

With this and Wine thy Genius chear,
Nor to thy Slaves be too severe;
But let thy Houfhold, free from Care,
With Thee the focial Banquet share.

NOTES.

This is the fame Lamia mentioned in the 26th Ode of the first Book, and in the 4th Epifle.

2 Horace follows Homer, who, in the roth Book of the Odyffey, fpeaks of Lamus, as King of the Leftrigons.

No one contemns the Honour of a Defcent from a long Race of worthy Ancestors, but fuch as have no Pretenfion to that Honour themselves.

The Pride of Ancestry, and the Defire of continuing " our Lineage, when they tend to an Incitement of vir'tuous and noble Actions, are undoubtedly laudable.' The CONNOISSEUR, NO. 102.

3 Quando et priores hine Lamias ferunt Denominatos; et nepotum

Per memores genus omne faftos,

Auctore ab illo ducis originem, &c.]

Daniel Heinfius reads ducit instead of ducis; and obferves, that genus is the Nominative Cafe. Bentley has put the Juftnefs of this Correction paft Difpute; he shows alfo, that the Parenthefis must be placed after Tyrannus. Sanadon ftrikes out thefe four Lines, and joins the first Verle with the fifth. He offers feveral plaufible Reasons for this Correction; but as he does not pretend to have

the