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the most ornamented, with ease. For the rest, his harmony and strength of numbers, his force and splendour of colouring, his gravity and sublimity of sentiment, would have rather led him to another model. Nor was his temper less unlike that of Horace, than his talents. What Horace would only smile at, Mr. Pope would treat with the grave severity of Persius: and what Mr. Pope would strike with the caustic lightning of Juvenal, Horace would content himself in turning into ridicule.

If it be asked then, why he took any body at all to imitate, he has informed us in his Advertisement: To which we may add, that this sort of Imitations, which are of the nature of Parodies, adds reflected grace and splendour on original wit. Besides, he deemed it more modest to give the name of Imitations to his Satires, than, like Despreaux, to give the name of Satires to Imitations.

SATIRE I.

TO MR. FORTESCUE.

P.THERE are (I scarce can think it, but am told)
a'There are, to whom my Satire seems too bold :
Scarce to wise Peter complaisant enough,
And something said of Chartres much too rough.
The lines are weak, another's pleas'd to say,
Lord Fanny spins a thousand such a day.
Tim'rous by nature, of the Rich in awe,
I come to council learned in the Law:
You'll give me, like a friend both sage
Advice; and (as you use) without a Fee.

and free,

5

HORATIUS. TREBATIUS.

HORATIUS.

SUNT quibus in Satira videar nimis acer, et ultra
Legem tendere opus; bsine nervis altera, quidquid
Composui, pars esse putat, similesque meorum
Mille die versus deduci posse.

Quid faciam ? præscribe.

NOTES.

Trebati,

Ver. 3. Scarce to wise Peter-Chartres] It has been commonly observed of the English, that a Rogue never goes to the Gallows without the pity of the Spectators, and their parting curses on the rigour of the Laws that brought him thither; and this has been as commonly ascribed to the good nature of the people. But it a mistake. The true cause is their hatred and envy of power. Their compassion for Dunces and Scoundrels (when exposed by great writers to public contempt, either in justice to the age, or in vindication of their own Characters) has the same source. They cover their envy to a superior Genius, in lamenting the severity of his Pen.

F. I'd write no more.

P. Not write? but then I think,

And for my soul I cannot sleep a wink. I nod in company, I wake at night,

Fools rush into my head, and so I write.

F. You could not do a worse thing for your life. 15 Why, if the nights seem tedious-take a wife: fOr rather truly, if your point be rest, Lettuce and cowslip wine; Probatum est.

But talk with Celsus, Celsus will advise

Hartshorn, or something that shall close your eyes. 20 Or, if you needs must write, write Cæsar's Praise, hYou'll gain at least a Knighthood, or the Bays.

Transnanto Tiberim, somno quibus est opus alto;
Irriguumve mero sub noctem corpus habento.
*Aut, si tantus amor scribendi te rapit, aude
Cæsaris invicti res dicere, multa laborum

Praemia laturus.

NOTES.

Ver. 7. Tim'rous by nature, of the rich in awe,] The delicacy of this does not so much lie in the ironical application of it to himself, as in his seriously characterising the Person for whose advice he applies. Ver. 11. Not write? etc.] He has omitted the most humorous part of the answer.

Peream male, si non
Optimum erat,

and has lost the grace, by not imitating the conciseness, of

verum nequeo dormire.

For conciseness, when it is clear (as in this place) gives the highest grace to elegance of expression-But what follows is as much above the Original, as this falls short of it.

P. What? like Sir Richard, rumbling, rough, and fierce,

With ARMS, and GEORGE, and BRUNSWICK crowd the

verse,

Rend with tremendous sound your ears asunder,

25

With Gun, Drum, Trumpet, Blunderbuss, and Thunder?
Or nobly wild, with Budgel's fire and force,
Paint Angels trembling round his falling horse?
F. Then all your Muse's softer art display,
Let CAROLINA smooth the tuneful lay,
Lull with AMELIA's liquid name the Nine,
And sweetly flow thro' all the Royal Line.
P. 'Alas! few verses touch their nicer ear;
They scarce can bear their Laureate twice a year;

H. Cupidum, pater optime, vires Deficiunt: ineque enim quivis horrentia pilis Agmina, nec fracta pereuntes cuspide Gallos, Aut labentis equo describat vulnera Parthi.

T. Attamen et justum poteras et scribere fortem, Scipiadam ut sapiens Lucilius.

H. Haud mihi deero,

Cum res ipsa feret: 'nisi dextro tempore, Flacci

NOTES.

Ver. 23. What? like Sir Richard, etc.] Mr. Molyneux, a great Mathematician and Philosopher, had a high opinion of Sir Richard Blackmore's poetic vein. "All our English poets, except Milton, (says he, in a letter to Mr. Locke,) have been mere ballad-makers in comparison of him.". And Mr. Locke, in answer to this observation, replies, "I find with pleasure, a strange harmony throughout, between your thoughts and mine." Just so a Roman Lawyer, and a Greek Historian, thought of the poetry of Cicero. But these being judgments made by men out of their own profession, are little regarded. And Pope and Juvenal will make Blackmore and Tully pass for Poetasters to the world's end.

Ver. 28. falling Horse?] The horse on which his Majesty charged at the battle of Oudenard; when the Pretender, and the Princes of the blood of France, fled before him.

And justly Cæsar scorns the Poet's lays,
It is to History he trusts for Praise.

F.m Better be Cibber, I'll maintain it still,
Than ridicule all Taste, blaspheme Quadrille,
Abuse the City's best good men in metre,
And laugh at Peers that put their trust in Peter.
"Ev'n those you touch not, hate you.

P. What should ail them?

F. A hundred smart in Timon and in Balaam:
The fewer still you name, you wound the more;
Bond is but one, but Harpax is a score.

P. Each mortal has his pleasure: none deny
Scarsdale his bottle, Darty his Ham-pye;
Ridotta sips and dances, till she see
The doubling Lustres dance as fast as she;
PF-loves the Senate, Hockley-hole his brother,
Like in all else, as one Egg to another.

35

40

45

50

Verba per attentam non ibunt Caesaris aurem :
Cui male si palpere, recalcitrat undique tutus.
T. Quanto rectius hoc, quam tristi lædere versu
Pantolabum scurram, Nomentanumve nepotem ?
"Cum sibi quisque timet, quanquam est intactus, et odit,
H. Quid faciam ? saltat Milonius, ut semel icto
Accessit fervor capiti, numerusque lucernis.
PCastor gaudet equis; ovo prognatus eodem,
Pugnis. quot capitum vivunt, totidem studiorum

NOTES.

Ver. 39. Abuse the City's best good men in metre,] The best good Man, a City phrase for the richest. Metre-not used here purely to help the verse, but to shew what it is a citizen esteems the greatest aggravation of the offence.

Ver. 41. what should ail them?] Horace hints at one reason, that each fears his own turn may be next; his imitator gives another, and with more art, a reason which insinuates that his very lenity, in using feigned names, increases the number of his enemies.

Ver. 50. Like to all else, as one Egg to another.] This has neither the justness nor elegance of,-ovo prognatus eodem.

For