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Careless how ill I with myself agree,

Kind to my drefs, my figure, not to Me.

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Is this my Guide, Philofopher, and Friend?

175

This he, who loves me, and who ought to mend;
Who ought to make me (what he can, or none)
That Man divine, whom Wisdom calls her own; 180
Great without Title, without Fortune blefs'd;

Z

Richy ev'n when plunder'd, honour'd while opprefs'd;
Lov'd without youth, and follow'd without power;
At home, though exil'd; free, though in the Tower;
In short, that reasoning, high, immortal Thing, 185
Juft clefs than Jove, and d much above a King,
Nay, half in heaven- except (what 's mighty odd)
A fit of Vapours clouds this Demy-god!

A praetore dati; rerum * tutela mearum
Cum fis, et prave fectum ftomacheris ob unguem,
De te pendentis, te refpicientis amici.

a

d

Ad fummam, fapiens uno minor eft Jove, y dives, b Liber, z honoratus, 2 pulcher, rex denique regum; Praecipue fanus, nifi cum pituita molefta eft.

e

ΒΟΟΚ

BOOK I.

EPISTLE VI.

то MR. MURRAY..

THIS Piece is the most finished of all his Imitations, and executed in the high manner the Italian Painters call Con Amore. By which they mean, the exertion of that principle, which puts the faculties on the ftretch, and produces the fupreme degree of excellence. For the Poet had all the warmth of affection for the great Lawyer to whom it is addreffed; and, indeed, no man ever more deferved to have a Poet for his Friend. In the obtaining of which, as neither Vanity, Party, nor Fear, had any fhare, fo he fupported his title to it by all the offices of true Friendfhip.

tr

"N To make men happy, and to keep them fo."

JOT to admire, is all the Art I know,

(Plain Truth, dear MURRAY, needs no flowers of fpeech, So take it in the very words of Creech.)

b This Vault of Air, this congregated Ball, Self-center'd Sun, and Stars that rise and fall,

There

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TIL admirari, prope res est una, Numici,

NT

Solaque quae poffit facere et fervare beatum. Hunc folem, et ftellas, et decedentia certis

There are, my Friend! whose philosophic eyes
Look through and trust the Ruler with his skies,
To him commit the hour, the day, the year,
And view this dreadful All without a fear.

Admire we then what Earth's low entrails hold,
Arabian fhores, or Indian feas infold;

All the mad trade of Fools and Slaves for Gold?
Orf Popularity? or Stars and Strings?

The Mob's applaufes, or the gifts of Kings?

g

Say, with what & eyes we ought at Courts to gaze,
And pay the Great our homage of Amaze?

If weak the pleasure that from thefe can fpring,
The fear to want them is as weak a thing:
Whether we dread, or whether we defire,
In either cafe, believe me, we admire ;
Whether we i joy or grieve, the fame the curfe,
Surpriz'd at better, or furpriz'd at worse.
Thus good or bad, to one extreme betray
Th' unbalanc'd Mind, and fnatch the Man away;

ΤΟ

15.

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25:

For

d

Tempora momentis, funt qui formidine nulla
Imbuti fpectent. & quid cenfes, munera terrae?
Quid, maris extremos Arabas ditantis et Indos?
Ludicra, quid, plaufus, et amici dona Quiritis?.
Quo fpectanda modo, & quo fenfu credis et ore?

f

Qui timet his adverfa, fere miratur eodem Quo cupiens pacto: pavor eft utrobique moleftus: Improvifa fimul fpecies exterret utrumque:

Gaudeat, an doleat; cupiat, metuatne; quid ad rem,

Fork Virtue's felf may too much zeal be had;
The worft of Madmen is a Saint run mad.
Go then, and if you can, admire the state
Of beaming diamonds, and reflected plate;
Procure a Tafte to double the furprize,

n

And gaze on m Parian Charms with learned eyes:
Be ftruck with bright " Brocade, or Tyrian Dye,
Our Birth-day Nobles' splendid Livery.
If not fo pleas'd, at Council-board rejoice,
To see their Judgments hang upon thy Voice;
From P morn to night, at Senate, Rolls, and Hall,
Plead much, read more, dine late, or not at all,
But wherefore all this labour, all this strife?
For Fame, for Riches, for a noble Wife?

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Shall One whom Nature, Learning, Birth confpir'd 40
To form, not to admire, but be admir'd,
Sigh, while his Chloe blind to Wit and Worth
Weds the rich Dulnefs of fome Son of earth?

Yet

Si, quidquid vidit melius pejufve fua fpe,
Defixis oculis animoque et corpore torpet?
* Infani fapiens nomen ferat, aequus iniqui;
Ultra quam fatis eft, virtutem fi petat ipfam.

1I nunc, argentum et marmor m vetus, aeraque ét artes Sufpice: cum gemmis Tyrios mirare colores:

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Gaude, quod fpectant oculi te mille loquentem:
Gnavus P mane forum, et vefpertinus pete tectum;
Ne plus frumenti dotalibus emetat agris
Mutus et (indignum; quod fit pejoribus ortus)
Hic tibi fit potius, quam tu mirabilis illi.

Yet time ennobles, or degrades each Line;
It brighten'd Craggs's, and may darken thine:
And what is Fame? the Meanest have their day,
The Greatest can but blaze, and pass away.

't

Grac'd as thou art, with all the Power of Words,
So known, fo honour'd, at the houfe of Lords:
Confpicuous Scene! another yet is nigh,
(More filent far) where Kings and Poets lie;

" Where Murray (long enough his Country's pride)
Shall be no more than Tully, or than Hyde!

w Rack'd with Sciatics, martyr'd with the Stone,
Will any
mortal let himself alone?

See Ward by batter'd Beaux invited over,
And defperate Mifery lays hold on Dover.
The cafe is easier in the Mind's disease;

There all Men may be cur'd, whene'er they please.
Would ye be bleft? defpife low Joys, low Gains;
Difdain whatever Cornbury difdains;

Be virtuous, and be happy for your pains.

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50

55

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But

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Quicquid fub terra eft, in apricum proferet aetas;
Defodiet condetque nitentia. cum bene notum
Porticus Agrippae, et via te confpexerit Appî;
Ire tamen reftat, Numa " quo devenit et Ancus.
w Si latus aut renes morbo tentantur acuto,
Quare fugam morbi. * vis recte vivere? quis non?
Si virtus hoc una poteft dare, fortis omiffis

Hoc age deliciis.

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