& Urit enim fulgore fuo, qui praegravat artes Infra fe pofitas: extinctus amabitur idem. h Praefenti tibi maturos largimur honores, i Jurandafque tuum per numen ponimus aras, k Nil oriturum alias, nil ortum tale fatentes. Sed tuus hoc populus fapiens et justus in uno, Te noftris ducibus, te Graiis anteferendo, NOTES. common practice of those amongst us, who have diftinguished themselves in the learned world, to ascribe the ill treatment they have met with, from thofe they endeavoured to oblige, to fo bad a caufe as envy. But furely without reason; for we find our Countrymen of the fame candid disposition with the Athenians, as Socrates describes it, in the Euthyphro of Plato, They are well content (fays he) to allow the Pretenfions of reputed eminence; it is only when a man will write, and prefume to give a proof of it, that they begin to grow angry. We, too, are as ready to allow the reputation of eminence, to those whose modefty has made them decline giving us a specimen of it. A temper furely very diftant from envy. We ought not then to afcribe that violent ferment good men are apt to work themfelves into, and the struggle they make to fupprefs the reputation of him who pretends to give a proof of what they are fo willing to take for granted, to any thing but an eager concern The great Alcides, ev'ry Labour paft, h 20 NOTES. for the public welfare. Which, nothing better secures than the speedy damping Popularity; fo dangerous to the community when joined to great Talents. SCRIBL. VER. 17. The great Alcides,] This inftance has not the fame grace here as in the original, where it comes in well after those of Romulus, Bacchus, Castor, and Pollux, tho' aukwardly 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. VER. 21. Oppress'd we feel, etc.] " Les hommes, nez ingrats "et jaloux (fays an ingenious French Writer with becoming "indignation) ne pardonnent pas ceux qui prétend à leur admi"ration: de la mériter ils en font un crime, qu'ils puniffent par "des calomnies, des critiques ameres, et des mépris affectez. La "Poftérité le vengera de fes oppreffeurs, en le comblant de lou Caetera nequaquam fimili ratione modoque Dictitet Albano Mufas in monte locutas. Si, quia" Graiorum funt antiquiffima quaeque Scripta vel optima, Romani penfantur eadem Scriptores trutina; non eft quod multa loquamur : Nil intra eft oleam, nil extra eft in nuce duri. Venimus ad fummum fortunae: pingimus, atque • Pfallimus, et luctamur Achivis doctius unetis. m NOTES. anges, tandis que fes imbécilles detracteurs, ces hommes vils, qui pour être oubliez, n'ont pas befoin de ceffer d'être, "refteront pour jamais plongez dans l'oubli." VER. 38. And beaftly Skelton, etc.] Skelton, Poet Laureat to Hen. VIII. a volume of whofe verfes has been lately reprinted, confifting almost wholly of ribaldry, obfcenity, and fcurrilous anguage. 3 P. 66 .. 34 Just in one instance, be it yet confest Your People, Sir, are partial in the rest: Foes to all living worth except your own, And Advocates for folly dead and gone. Authors, like coins, grow dear as they grow old; It is the ruft we value, not the gold. 'Chaucer's worft ribaldry is learn'd by rote, And beastly Skelton Heads of houses quote: One likes no language but the Faery Queen; 39 A Scot will fight for Chrift's Kirk o' the Green; And each true Briton is to Ben fo civil, m He fwears the Muses met him at the Devil. Tho' justly" Greece her eldest sons admires, Why should not We be wiser than our fires? In ev'ry Public virtue we excell; 45 O We build, we paint, we fing, we dance as well, And learned Athens to our art must stoop, Could the behold us tumbling thro' a hoop. NOTES. VER. 40. Chrift's Kirk o' the Green ;] A Ballad made by a King of Scotland. P. VER. 42. The Mufes met him] This inftance of the People's ill tafte was both well chofen and happily expreffed. Johnfon's talents were learning, judgment, and induftry, rather than wit, or natural genius. VER. 42. met him at the Devil] The Devil Tavern, where Ben Johnfon held his Poetical Club. P. Si meliora dies, ut vina, poemata reddit ; Scire velim, chartis pretium quotus arroget annus. Inter Utor permiffo, caudaeque pilos ut" equinae Paulatim vello: et demo unum, demo et item unum; Dum cadat elufus ratione "ruentis acervi, X Qui redit in faftos, et virtutem aeftimat annis, NOTES. VER. 68. Bestow a Garland only on a Bier.] The thought is beautiful, and alludes to the old practice of our Ancestors, of covering the Bier (on which the dead were carried to their in |
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