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THE

FIRST EPISTLE

O F THE

SECOND BOOK

HORAGE.

ADVERTISEMENT.

T

HE Reflections of Horace, and the Judgments paft in his Epistle to Auguftus, feem'd fo feafonable to the present Times, that I could not help applying them to the ufe of my own Country. The Author thought them confiderable enough to addrefs them to his Prince; whom he paints with all the great and good qualities of a Monarch, upon whom the Romans depended for the Increase of an abfolute Empire. But to make the Poem entirely English, 1 was willing to add one or two of thofe which contribute to the Happinefs of a Free People, and are most confiftent with the Welfare of our Neighbours.

This Epifle will fhow the learned World to have fallen into Two mistakes: one, that Auguftus was a Patron of Poets in general; whereas he not only prohibited all but the Beft Writers to name him, but recommended that Care even to the Civil Magistrate: Admonebat Praetores, ne paterentur Nomen fuum obfolefieri, etc. The other, that this Piece was only a general Difcourfe of Poetry; whereas it was an Apology for the Poets, in order to render Auguftus more their Patron. Horace here pleads the Caufe of his Cotemporaries, firft against the Tafte of the Town, whofe humour it was to magnify the Authors of the preceding Age; fecondly against the Court and Nobility, who encouraged only the Writers for the Theatre; and laftly against the Emperor himself, who had conceived them of little Use to the Government. He fhews (by a View of the Progress of Learning, and the Change of Tafte among the Romans) that the Introduction of the polite Arts of Greece

1

had given the Writers of his Time great advantages over their Predeceffors; that their Morals were much improved, and the licence of those ancient Poets reftrained that Satire and Comedy were become more juft and useful; that whatever extravagancies were left on the Stage, were owing to the Ill Taste of the Nobility; that Poets, under due Regulations, were in many refpects useful to the State; and concludes, that it was upon them the Emperor himself muft depend, for his Fame with Pofterity.

We may farther learn from this Epiftle, that Horace made his Court to this Great Prince by writing with a decent Freedom toward him, with a juft Contempt of his low Flatterers, and with a manly Regard to his own Character.

I.

EPISTLE

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To AUGUSTUS.

;

HILE you, great Patron of Mankind! a fuftain
The balanc'd World, and open all the Main
Your Country, chief, in Arms abroad defend,
At Home, with Morals, Arts, and Laws amend;
How shall the Muse, from fuch a Monarch, steal 5
An hour, and not defraud the Public Weal?

• Edward and Henry, now the boast of Fame,
And virtuous Alfred, a more d facred Name,
After a Life of gen'rous toils endur'd,
The Gaul fubdu'd, or Property fecur'd,

EPISTOLA

CUM

Ad AUGUSTUM.

I.

Um tot fuftineas et tanta negotia folus, Res Italas armis tuteris, moribus ornes, Legibus emendes; in publica commoda, peccem, Si longo fermone morer tua tempora, Caefar.

b

• Romulus, et Liber pater, et cum Caftore Pollux, Poft ingentia facta, Deorum in templa recepti,

d

NOTE S.

Book ii. Epift. 1.] The poet always rifes with his Original; and very often without. This whole imitation is extremely noble and fublime.

VER. 7. Edward and Henry, etc.] Romulus, et Liber pater, etc. Horace very judiciously praises Auguftus for the colonies he founded, not for the victories he had won; and therefore compares him, not to those who defolated, but to those who civilized mankind. The imitation wants this grace; and, for a very obvious reason, should not have aimed at it, as he has done in the mention of Alfred.

Ambition humbled, mighty Cities ftorm'd,
Or Laws establish'd, and the world reform'd:
e Clos'd their long Glories with a figh, to find
Th' unwilling Gratitude of bafe mankind!
All human Virtue, to its latest breath,

f Finds Envy never conquer'd, but by Death.
The great Alcides, ev'ry labour past,
Had ftill this Montter to fubdue at last.

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• Sure fate of all, beneath whose rising ray
Each ftar of meaner merit fades away!
Opprefs'd we feel the beam directly beat,
Thofe Suns of Glory please not till they fet.
To thee, the World its present homage pays,
The Harveft early, h but mature the praise:
Great Friend of LIBERTY! in Kings a Name, 25
Above all Greek, above all Roman Fame *

Whofe Word is Truth, as facred and rever'd,
i As Heav'n's own Oracles from Altars heard.

Dum terras hominumque colunt genus, afpera bella
Componunt, agros adfignant, oppida condunt;
e Ploravere fuis non refpondere favorem
Speratum meritis. diram qui contudit Hydram,
Notaque fatali portenta labore fubegit,
Comperit f invidiam fupremo fine domari.
8 Urit enim fulgore fuo, qui praegravat artes
Infra fe pofitas: extinctus amabitur idem.

h Praefenti tibi maturos largimur honores,
1 Jurandafque tuum per numen ponimus aras,

NOTES.

VER. 17. The great Alcides,] This inftance has not the fame grace here as in the Original, where it comes in well after thofe of Romulus, Bacchus, Caftor, and Pollux, though awkwardly after Edward and Henry. But it was for the fake of the beautiful thought in the next line; which, yet, does not equal the force of his Original.

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