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WHOEVER expects a Paraphrafe of Horace, or a faithful Copy of his genius, or manner of writing, in thefe IMITATION's, will be much difappointed. Our Author ufes the Roman Poet for little more than his canvas: And if the old defign or colouring chance to fuit his purpofe, it is well; if not, he employs his own, without fcruple or ceremony. Hence it is, he is so frequently ferious where Horace is in jeft; and at ease where Horace is difturbed. In a word, he regulates his movements no further on his Original, than was neceffary for his concurrence in promoting their common plan of Reformation of manners.

Had it been his purpose merely to paraphrafe an ancient Satirift, he had hardly made choice of Horace: with whom, as a Poet, he held little in common, befides a comprehenfive knowledge of life and manners, and a certain curious felicity of expreffion, which confifts in ufing the fimpleft language with dignity, and the most ornamented with ease. For the reft, his harmony and ftrength of numbers, his force and fplendor of colouring, his gravity and fublimity of fentiment, would have rather led him to another model. Nor was his temper

lefs unlike that of Horace, than his talents. What Horace would only fmile at, Mr. Pope would treat with the grave feverity of Perfius: and what Mr. Pope would ftrike with the cauftic 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 fort of Imitations, which are of the nature of Parodies, adds reflected grace and fplendor on original wit. Befides, he deemed it more modeft to give the name of Imitations to his Satires, than, like Defpreaux, to give the name of Satires to Imitations.

SATIRE I.

To Mr. FORTESCUE.

HERE are (I scarce can think it, but am told

P. There are, to whom my Satire feems to bold;

Scarce to wife Peter complaifant enough,
And fomething faid of Chartres much to rough.
b The lines are weak, another's pleas'd to say,
Lord Fanny fpins a thousand fuch 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 fage and free,
Advice; and (as you use) without a Fee.

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HORATIUS.

TREBATIUS.

HORATIUS.

*SUNT quibus in Satira videar nimis acer, et ultra

b

Legem tendere opus; fine nervis altera, quidquid Compofui, pars effe putat, fimilefque meorum. Mille die verfus deduci poffe. Trebati,,

Quid faciam præfcribe..

NOTE S.

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VER. 3. Scarce to wife Peter-Chartres] It has been commonly obferved of the English, that a Rogue never goes to the Gallows without the pity of the Spectators, and their parting curfes 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 is a mistake. The true caufe is their hatred and envy of power. Their compaffion for Dunces and Scoundrels (when expofed by great writers to public contempt, either in juftice to the age, or in vindication of their own Characters) has the fame fource. They cover their envy to a fuperior Genius, in lamenting the feverity of his Pen..

Plate VIIL

Tol.II. facing p.206,

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

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