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To help who want, to forward who excel;

This, all who know me, know; who love me, tell; And who unknown defame me, let them be Scriblers or Peers, alike are Mob to me.

This is my Plea, on this I reft my cause

* What faith my Council, learned in the laws?
F. Your Plea is good; but ftill I fay, beware!
Laws are explain'd by men-so have a care.
It stands on record, that in Richard's times
A man was hang'd for very honeft rhymes;
Confult the Statute, quart. I think, it is,
Edwardi fext. or prim. et quint. Eliz.

See Libels, Satires-here you have it-read.

140

145

P. n Libels and Satires! lawless things indeed! 150

Diffentis.

* nifi quid tu, docte Trebati

T. Equidem nihil hinc diffingere poffum. Sed tamen ut monitus caveas, ne forte negotî Incutiat tibi quid fanctarum infcitia legum :

"Si mala condiderit in quem qui carmina, jus eft "Judiciumque."

n

H. Efto, fiquis " mala, fed bona fi quis

NOTE S.

VER. 146. A man was hang`d, etc.] Si mala condiderit.-A great French Lawyer explains this matter very truly. "L'Ariftocratie "eft le Gouvernement qui profcrit les plus les Ouvrages fatiriques. "Les Magiftrats y font de petits Souverains, qui ne font pas allez "grands pour meprifer les injures. Si dans la Monarchie quelque "trait va contre le Monarque, il eft fi haut que le trait n'arrive

point jufqu'à lui; un Seigneur Ariftocratique en eft percé de 66 part en part. Auffi les Decemvirs, qui formoient une Arifto"cratie, punirent-ils de mort les Ecrits Satiriques." De L'Esprit des Loix, L. xii. c. 13.

VER. 150. Libels and Satires! lawless things indeed!—But grave Epiftles, etc.] The legal objection is here more justly and decently taken off than in the Original. Horace evades the force of it with a quibble,

Efto, fiquis mala; fed bona fi quis
L

VOL. II.

But grave Epiftles, bringing Vice to light,
Such as a King might read, a Bishop write,
Such as Sir ROBERT would approve―

F. Indeed?

The Cafe is alter'd-you may then proceed;
• In fuch a caufe the Plaintiff will be hifs'd,
My Lords the Judges laugh, and you're dismiss'd.

Judice condiderit laudatus CAESARE? fi quis
Opprobriis dignum laceraverit, integer ipfe?
T. Solventur rifu tabulae: tu miffus abibis.

155

NOTE S.

But the Imitator's grave Epiftles fhew the Satire to be a serious reproof, and therefore juftifiable; which the integer ipfe of the Ori ginal does not for however this might plead in mitigation of the offence, nothing but their being grave Epiftles could justify the attack.

VER. 153. F. Indeed ?] Hor.

Solventur rifu tabulae.

Some Critics tell us, it is want of tafte to put this line in the mouth of Trebatius. But our poet confutes this cenfure, by fhewing how well the fenfe of it agrees to his Friend's character. The Lawyer is cautious and fearful; .but as foon as SIR ROBERT, the Patron both of Law and Gofpel, is named as approving them, he changes his note, and, in the language of old Plouden, owns the Cafe is alter'd. Now was it not as natural, when Horace had given a hint that Auguftus himself supported him, for Trebatius, a Court Advocate, who had been long a Client to him and his Uncle, to confels the Cafe was alter'd, ?

THE

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HORA ĆE.

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II.

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To Mr. BE THE L.

HAT, and how great, the Virtue and the Art To live on little with a cheerful heart; (A doctrine fage, but truly none of mine) Let's talk, my friends, but talk c before we dine. • Not when a gilt Buffet's reflected pride Turns you from found Philofophy afide; Not when from plate to plate your eye-balls roll, And the brain dances to the mantling bowl.

5

Hear BETHEL'S Sermon, one not vers'd in schools, But strong in sense, and wife without the rules. 10 Go work, hunt, exercife! (he thus began) Then fcorn a homely dinner, if you can.

SATIRA

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II.

UAE virtus & quanta, boni, fit vivere parvo, (Nec meus hic fermo; fed quae praecepit Ofellus, Rufticus, abnormis Sapiens, crassaque Minerva) Difcite, non inter lances menfafque nitentes Cum ftupet infanis acies fulgoribus, et cum Acclinis falfis animus meliora recufat:

Verum hic impranfi mecum difquirite. Cur hoc? Dicam, fi potero. male verum examinat omnis Corruptus judex. h Leporem fectatus, equove Laffus ab indomito; vel (fi Romana fatigat

NOTE S.

VER. 5. a gilt Buffet's reflected pride-Turns you from found Phi lofophy afide;] More forcibly and happily expreffed than the original, acclinis falfis; though that be very degant.

VER. 9. BETHEL.] The fame to whom several of Mr. Pope's Letters are addressed.

i Your wine lock'd up, your Butler ftroll'd abroad, Or fish deny'd (the river yet unthaw'd)

If then plain bread and milk will do the feat, 15 The pleasure lies in you, and not the meat.

* Preach as I please, I doubt our curious men Will chufe a pheasant still before a hen ; Yet hens of Guinea full as good I hold, Except you eat the feathers green and gold. Of carps and mullets why prefer the great, (Tho' cut in pieces ere my Lord can eat)

Militia affuetum graecari) feu pila velox,
Molliter aufterum ftudio fallente laborem ;
Seu te difcus agit, pete cedentem aëra difcor
Cum labor extulerit faftidia; ficcus, inanis,
Sperne cibum vilem: nifi Hymettia mella Falerno,
Ne biberis, diluta. foris eft promus et atrum
Defendens pifces hiemat mare: cum fale panis
Latrantem ftomachum bene leniet. unde putas, aut
Qui partum ? non in caro nidore voluptas
Summa, fed in teipfo eft. tu pulmentaria quaere
Sudando. pinguem vitiis albumque neque oftrea,
Nec fcarus, aut poterit peregrina juvare lagoïs.

k Vix tamen eripiam, pofito pavone, velis quin
Hoc potius quam gallina tergere palatum ;
Corruptus vanis rerum: quia veneat auro
Rara avis, et picta pandat spectacula cauda ::

20

Tamquam ad rem attineat quidquam. Num vefceris ifta,
Quam laudas, pluma ? coctove num adeft honor idem ?
Carne tamen quamvis distat nihil hac, magis illa;
Imparibus formis deceptum te patet, efto..

Unde datum fentis, lupus hic, Tiberinus, an alto
Captus hiet? pontefne inter jactatus, an amnis,
Oftia fub Tufci Plaudas, infane, trilibrem

Mullum; in fingula quem minuas pulmenta neceffe eft.

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