T. f Ter uncti

Tranfnanto Tiberim, fomno quibus eft opus alto;

Irriguumve mero fub noctem corpus habento.

* Aut, fi tantus amor fcribendi te rapit, aude CÆSARIS invicti res dicere, I multa laborum Praemia laturus.

H. Cupidum, pater optime, vires

Deficiunt: neque enim quivis horrentia pilis
Agmina, nec fracta pereuntes cufpide Gallos,

Aut labentis equo defcribat vulnera Parthi.

T. Attamen et juftum poteras et fcribere fortem,

Scipiadam ut fapiens Lucilius.

For concifenefs, when it is clear (as in this place) gives the highgrace elegance of

above the Original, as this falls fhort of it.

VER. 23. What? like Sir Richard, &c.] Mr. Molyneux, a great Mathematician and Philofopher, had a high opinion of Sir Richard Blackmore's poetic vein. All our English poets, except Milton (fays he, in a letter to Mr. Locke) have been merę

I nod in company, I wake at night, Fools rush into my head, and fo I write. F. You could not do a worse thing for your life. 15 Why, if the nights feem tedious-take a wife: f Or rather truly, if your point be reft, Lettuce and cowflip-wine; Probatum eft. But talk with Celfus, Celfus will advise Hartshorn, or something that shall close your eyes. 20 * Or, if you needs must write, write CAESAR's Praise, h You'll gain at least a Knighthood, or the Bays.

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

i

and fierce,

With ARMS, and GEORGE and BRUNSWICK Crowd the verse,

Rend with tremendous found your ears afunder, 25 With Gun, Drum, Trumpet, Blunderbufs, and Thunder?

Or nobly wild, with Budgel's fire and force,
Paint Angels trembling round his falling Horfe?
F. Then all your Mufe's fofter art difplay,
Let CAROLINA smooth the tuneful lay,

k

30

ballad-makers in comparison of bim. And Mr. Locke, in answer to this obfervation, replies, I find, with pleasure, a ftrange barmony throughout, between your Thoughts and mine. Just so a Roman awyer, and a Greek Hiftorian, thought of the poetry of Cicero. But these being judgments made by men out of their own profeffion, are little regarded. And Pope and Juvenal will make Blackmore and Tully pass for Poctafters to the world's end. VER. 28. falling Horse?] The horse on which his Majesty

m

H. Haud mihi deero,

Cum res ipfa feret: nifi dextro tempore, Flacei
Verba per attentam non ibunt Cæfaris aurem :
Cui male fi palpere, recalcitrat undique tutus.
T.

Quanto rectius hoc, quam trifti lædere versu
Pantolabum fcurram, Nomentanumve nepotem?
* Cum fibi quifque timet, quamquam est intactus, et
odit.

O

H. Quid faciam? faltat Milonius, ut femel icto
Acceffit fervor capiti, numerufque lucernis.

? Caftor gaudet eqnis; ovo prognatus eodem,
Pugnis. quot capitum vivunt, totidem ftudiorum
Millia. me pedibus delectat claudere verba,

१

charged at the battle of Oudenard; when the Pretender, and the Princes of the blood of France, fled before him.

VER. 39. Abufe the City's best good men in metre] The best good Man, a City phrafe for the richeft. Metre-not used here, purely to help the verse, but to fhew what it is a citizen efteems the greatest aggravation of the offence.

VER. 41. What should ail them?] Horace hints at one reafon, that each fears his own turn may be next; his imitator gives another, and with more art, a reafon which infinuates, that his very lenity, in ufing feigned names, increases the number of his Enemies.

VER. 50. Like in all elfe, as one Egg to another.] This has neither the juftness nor elegance of

ovo prognatus eodem.

1

Lull with AMELIA's liquid name the Nine,
And sweetly flow thro' all the Royal Line.
P. Alas! few verfes touch their nicer ear;
They scarce can bear their Laureate twice a year;
And justly CAESAR scorns the Poet's lays,
It is to Hiftory he trufts for Praife.

35

m

F. Better be Cibber, I'll maintain it still,
Than ridicule all Tafte, blafpheme Quadrille,
Abufe the City's best good men in metre,
And laugh at Peers that put trust in Peter.
n Ev'n thofe you touch not, hate you.

-

40

P. What should ail them? F. A hundred fmart in Timon and in Balaam : The fewer ftill you name, you wound the more; Bond is but once, but Harpax is a score.

O

P. Each mortal has his pleasure: none deny 45
Scarfdale his bottle, Darty his Ham-pye;
Ridotta fips and dances, till fhe fee
The doubling Luftres dance as fast as she ;

PF loves the Senate, Hockley-hole his brother,
Like in all else, as one Egg to another,

I love to pour out all myself, as plain
As downright SHIPPEN, or as old Montagne:

50

For tho' it may appear odd, that those who come from the fame Egg fhould have tempers and purfuits directly contrary; yet there is nothing ftrange, that two Brothers, alike in all things else, fhould have different amufements.

VER. 52. As downright Shippen, or as old Montagne:] They had this, indeed, in common, to use great and to profefs faying what they thought,

liberties of fpeech, Montagne had many

Lucili ritu, noftrûm melioris utroque.

Ille velut fidis arcana fodalibus olim
Credebat libris; neque, fi male gefferat, ufquam
Decurrens alio, neque fi bene: quo fit, ut omnis
Votiva pateat veluti defcripta tabella
Vita fenis. fequor hunc,

Lucanus an Appulus,

anceps:

[Nam Venufinus arat finem sub utrumque colonus,
Miffus ad hoc, pulfis (vetus eft ut fama) Sabellis,
Quo ne per vacuum Romano incurreret hoftis;
Sive quod Appula gens, feu quod Lucania bellum
Incuteret violenta.] fed hic ftylus haud petet ultro
Quemquam animantem, et me veluti cuftodiet enfis
Vagina tectus, quem cur deftringere coner,

f

qualities, that had gained him the love and esteem of his Readers: The other had one, which always gained him the favourable attention of his Hearers. For as a celebrated Roman Orator obferves, " Maledicit INERUDITUS apertius et faepius, cum "periculo etiam fuo. Affert et ifta res OPINIONEM, quia libentiffime homines audiunt ea quae dicere ipfi noluiffent."

VER. 6. the medium must be clear.] Allufion to a fountain of limpid water, thro' which the contents of the bottom are difcovered. This thought affifted him in the easy and happy change of the metaphor in the following line.

VER. 63. My head and heart thus flowing thro' my quill,] Inferior to the Original:

Ille velut fidis arcana fodalibus olim
Credebat libris, etc,