Well may he blush, who gives it, or receives;
And when I flatter, let my dirty leaves
(Like Journals, Odes, and such forgotten things
As Eusden, Philips, Settle, writ of Kings)
• Clothe spice, line trunks, or, fluttering in a row,
Befringe the rails of Bedlam and Soho.

Nec prave factis decorari verfibus opto:
Ne P rubeam pingui donatus munere, et una
Cum fcriptore meo capsa porrectus aperta,
Deferar in vicum vendentem thus et odores,
Et piper, et quicquid chartis amicitur ineptis.

415

BOOK EPISTLE II.

BOOK II.

"Ludentis speciem dabit, et torquebitur." Hor.

D

EAR Col'nel, Cobham's and your country's

Friend!

You love a Verse, take such as I can fend.

► A Frenchman comes, presents you with his Boy,

Bows, and begins-" This Lad, Sir, is of Blois:

"Obferve his shape how clean! his locks how curl'd!

My only fon; I'd have him fee the world:

"His French is pure; his Voice too-you shall hear. "Sir, he 's your flave, for twenty pound a year. "Mere wax as yet, you fashion him with ease, "Your Barber, Cook, Upholsterer, what you please: "A perfect genius at an Opera fong

"To say too much, might do my honour wrong.

" Take

FLOR

EPISTOLA II.

ALORE, bono claroque fidelis amice Neroni,
b Si quis forte velit puerum tibi vendere natum

Tibure vel Gabiis, et tecum fic agat: "Hic et
"Candidus, et talos a vertice pulcher ad imos,
" Fiet eritque tuus nummorum millibus octo;
" Verna minifteriis ad nutus aptus heriles;
"Litterulis Graecis imbutus, idoneus arti
"Cuilibet: argilla quidvis imitaberis uda:

"Take him with all his virtues, on my word; "His whole ambition was to serve a Lord:

15

" But, Sir, to you, with what would I not part? "Though faith, I fear, 'twill break his Mother's heart. "Once (and but once) I caught him in a lie, " And then, unwhipp'd, he had the grace to cry: "The fault he has I fairly shall reveal,

(Could you o'erlook but that), it is, to steal."

If, after this, you took the graceful lad,
Could you complain, my Friend, he prov'd so bad?
Faith, in such cafe, if you should prosecute,
I think Sir Godfrey should decide the suit;
Who fent the Thief that stole the Cash, away,
And punisn'd him that put it in his way.
d Consider then, and judge me in this light;
I told you when I went, I could not write;

:

20

25

You

"Quin etiam canet indoctum, fed dulce bibenti. " Multa fidem promissa levant, ubi plenius aequo " Laudat venales, qui vult extrudere, merces. "Res urget me nulla: meo fum pauper in aere. "Nemo hoc mangonum faceret tibi: non temere a me Quivis ferret idem: femel hic cessavit, et (ut fit) " In scalis latuit metuens pendentis habenae: "Des nummos, excepta nihil te fi fuga laedit."

• Ille ferat pretium, poenae fecurus, opinor. Prudens emifti vitiofum: dicta tibi est lex. Insequeris tamen hunc, et lite moraris iniqua. d Dixi me pigrum proficifcenti tibi, dixi. Talibus officiis prope mancum; ne mea saevus

You faid the fame; and are you discontent
With laws, to which you gave your own affent?

30

Nay worse, to afk for Verse at such a time!
D'ye think me good for nothing but to rhyme?

• In Anna's Wars, a Soldier poor and old

35

}

40

Had dearly earn'd a little purse of gold:
Tir'd with a tedious march, one luckless night,
He slept, poor dog! and lost it, to a doit.
This put the man in such a defperate mind,
Between revenge, and grief, and hunger join'd,
Against the foe, himself, and all mankind,
He leap'd the trenches, scal'd a Castle-wall,
Tore down a Standard, took the Fort and all.
" Prodigious well!" his great Commander cry'd,
Gave him much praise, and some reward beside.
Next, pleas'd his Excellence a town to batter
(Its name I know not, and 'tis no great matter); 45

Jurgares ad te quod epistola nulla veniret.

"Go

Quid tum profeci, mecum facientia jura
Si tamen attentas? quereris fuper hoc etiam, quod
Expectata tibi non mittam carmina mendax.

• Luculli miles collecta viatica multis
Aerumnis, lassus dum noctu stertit, ad afsem
Perdiderat: poft hoc vehemens lupus, et sibi et hofti
Iratus pariter, jejunis dentibus acer,
Praefidium regale loco dejecit, ut aiunt,
Summe munito, et multarum divite rerum.
Clarus ob id factum, donis ornatur honeftis,
Accipit et bis dena super sestertia nummum.

"Go on, my Friend, (he cry'd) see yonder walls!
"Advance and conquer! go where glory calls!
"More honours, more rewards, attend the brave."
Don't you remember what reply he gave?

"

D'ye think me, noble General, such a Sot? "Let him take caftles who has ne'er a groat. f Bred up at home, full early I begun To read in Greek the wrath of Peleus' fon. Befides, my Father taught me from a lad, The better art to know the good from bad: (And little sure imported to remove, 'To hunt for Truth in Maudlin's learned grove.) But knottier points, we knew not half so well,

Depriv'd us foon of our paternal Cell;

50

55

And

Forte fub hoc tempus castellum evertere praetor
Nefcio quod cupiens, hortari coepit eundem
Verbis, quae timido quoque possent addere mentem:
I, bone, quo virtus tua te vocat: i pede fausto,
Grandia laturus meritorum praemia: quid stas?
Poft haec ille catus, quantumvis rufticus, "Ibit,
" Ibit eo, quo vis, qui zonam perdidit, inquit."

f Romae nutriri mihi contigit, atque doceri,
Iratus Graiis quantum nocuiffet Achilles.
Adjecere bonae paulo plus artis Athenae:
Scilicet ut poffem curvo dignofcere rectum,
Atque inter fylvas Academi quaerere verum.
Dura fed emovere loco me tempora grato;
Civilifque rudem belli tulit aeftus in arma,
Caefaris Augufti non responsura lacertis,
VOL. XLVI.

R