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COBHAM'S a Coward, POLWARTH is a Slave, 130
And LYTTLETON a dark, defigning Knave,
ST. JOHN has ever been a wealthy Fool---
But let me add, Sir ROBERT's mighty dull,
Has never made a Friend in private life,
And was, befides, a Tyrant to his Wife.

But pray, when others praise him, do I blame?

135

Call Verres, Wolfey, any odious name?
Why rail they then, if but a Wreath of mine,
Oh All-accomplish'd ST. JOHN! deck thy fhrine?
What? shall each spurgall'd Hackney of the day,
When Paxton gives him double Pots and Pay,
Or each new-penfion'd Sycophant, pretend
To break my Windows if I treat a Friend?
Then wifely plead, to me they meant no hurt,
But 'twas my Gueft at whom they threw the dirt?

NOTES.

141

VER. 130. Polwarth.] The Hon. Hugh Hume, Son of Alexander Earl of Marchmont, Grandfon of Patric Earl of Marchmont, and diftinguished, like them, in the cause of Liberty. P.

VER. 136. do I blame? Call Verres, Wolfey, any odious name?] The Leaders of Parties, be they as florid as they will, generally do their business by compendium: A fingle rule of Rhetoric, which they may have learnt of Quintilian, or perhaps of a much older Sophift, does their bufinefs, Si nibil, quod nos adjuvet, erit, quæramus quid Adverfarium lædat.

SCRIB.

VER. 141. When Paxton gives him double pots and pay,] If this band of Penfioners were fo offenfive while embodied

Sure, if I fpare the Minister, no rules

146

Of Honour bind me, not to maul his Tools;

Sure, if they cannot cut, it may be faid

His Saws are toothless, and his Hatchets Lead.

It anger'd TURENNE, once upon a day,

150

To see a Footman kick'd that took his pay:

But when he heard th' Affront the Fellow gave,
Knew one a Man of honour, one a Knave;

The prudent Gen'ral turn'd it to a jeft,

And begg'd, he'd take the pains to kick the reft: 155 Which not at prefent having time to do--

F. Hold Sir! for God's-fake where's th' Affront to you?

Against your worship when had S---k writ ?
Or P---ge pour'd forth the Torrent of his Wit?
Or grant the Bard whofe diftich all commend
[In Pow'r a Servant, out of Pow'r a friend]
To W---le guilty of fome venial fin ;

What's that to you who ne'er was out nor in?

NOTES.

160

and under difcipline, what muft we think of their diforders fince they were disbanded and become free-booters ? No virtue nor merit hath escaped them. They have made a great City in the South, too much resemble another in the North, where the products of night and darkness are discharged from Garrets on every honeft man that comes within their reach.

VER. 160. the Bard] A verfe taken out of a poem to Sir R. W. P.

165

The Prieft whofe Flattery be-dropt the Crown,
How hurt he you? he only ftain'd the Gown.
And how did, pray, the florid Youth offend,
Whofe Speech you took, and gave it to a Friend?
P. Faith, it imports not much from whom it came;
Whoever borrow'd, could not be to blame,
Since the whole Houfe did afterwards the fame.
Let Courtly Wits to Wits afford fupply,
As Hog to Hog in huts of Weftphaly;

If one, thro' Nature's Bounty or his Lord's,
Has what the frugal, dirty foil affords,
From him the next receives it, thick or thin,
As pure a mess almost as it came in ;
The bleffed benefit, not there confin'd,
Drops to the third, who nuzzles close behind
From tail to mouth, they feed and they carouse:
The last full fairly gives it to the House.

F. This filthy fimile, this beastly line
Quite turns my ftomach-

;

171

175

180

P. So does Flatt'ry mine;

And all your courtly Civet-cats can vent,

Perfume to you, to me is Excrement.

NOTES.

VER. 164. The Priest etc.] Spoken not of any particular prieft, but of many priests. P.

VER. 166. And how did, etc.] This feems to allude to a complaint made 71. of the preceding Dialogue, P.

But hear me further Japhet, 'tis agreed,

185

190

Writ not, and Chartres fcarce could write or read,
In all the Courts of Pindus guiltless quite ;
But Pens can forge, my Friend, that cannot write;
And must no Egg in Japhet's face be thrown,
Because the Deed he forg'd was not my own?
Muft never Patriot then declaim at Gin,
Unless, good man! he has been fairly in?
No zealous Paftor blame a failing Spouse,
Without a staring Reafon on his brows?
And each Blafphemer quite escape the rod,
Because the infult's not on Man, but God?
Afk you what Provocation I have had ?
The ftrong Antipathy of Good to Bad.
When Truth or Virtue an Affront endures,

195

Th' Affront is mine, my friend, and fhould be yours. Mine, as a Foe profefs'd to falfe Pretence,

Who think a Coxcomb's Honour like his Senfe;

Mine, as a Friend to ev'ry worthy mind;
And mine as Man, who feel for all mankind.

VARIATIONS.

VER. 185. in the MS.

I grant it, Sir; and further, 'tis agreed,
Japhet writ not, and Chartres fcarce could read.

NOTES.

201

VER. 185. Japhet - Chartres] See the Epiftle to Lord Bathurst.

P.

VER. 204. And mine as Man, who feel for all mankind.”

Man,

* S

F. You're strangely proud

P. So proud, I am no Slave:

So impudent, I own myfelf no Knave:

So odd, my Country's Ruin makes me grave.

Yes, I am proud; I must be proud to see

Men not afraid of God, afraid of me:

206

Safe from the Bar, the Pulpit, and the Throne, 210 Yet touch'd and sham'd by Ridicule alone.

O facred weapon! left for Truth's defence, Sole Dread of Folly, Vice, and Infolence ! To all but Heav'n-directed hands deny'd,

The Muse may give thee, but the Gods muft guide:

NOTES.

From Terence: "Homo fum: humani nihil a me alienum puto." P.

VER. 208. Yes, I am proud; etc.] In this ironical exultation the Poet infinuates a fubject of the deepest humiliation,

VER. 211. Yet touch'd and sham'd by Ridicule alone.] The Paffions are given us to awake and fupport Virtue. But they frequently betray their truft, and go over to the interefts of Vice. Ridicule, when employed in the cause of Virtue, fhames and brings them back to their duty. Hence the ufe and importance of Satire.

VER. 214. To all but Heav'n-directed bands] "The "Citizen (fays Plato, in his fifth book of Laws) who does "no injury to any one, without question, merits our ef

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teem. He, who, not content with being barely just "himself, opposes the course of injuftice, by profecuting "it before the Magiftrate, merits our esteem vaftly more. The firft difcharges the duty of a fingle Citizen; but "the other does the office of a Body. But he whofe zeal ftops not here, but proceeds to ASSIST THE MAGISTRATE

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