m

410

Befides, a fate attends on all I write,
That when I aim at praise, they say " I bite.
A vile " Encomium doubly ridicules:
There's nothing blackens like the ink of fools.
If true, a° woful likeness; and if lyes,
"Praise undeferv'd is fcandal in difguife:"
Well may he blush, who gives it, or receives;
And when I flatter, let my dirty leaves 415
(Like Journals, Odes, and fuch forgotten things
As Eufden, Philips, Settle, writ of Kings)
Cloath fpice, line trunks, or flutt'ring in a row,
Befringe the rails of Bedlam and Soho.

THE

SECOND EPISTLE

OF THE

SECOND BOOK

O F

HORA CE.

Ludentis fpeciem dabit, et torquebitur. HOR.

EPISTOLA II.

LORE, bono claroque fidelis amice Neroni,

F

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 ministeriis ad nutus aptus heriles; "Litterulis Graecis imbutus, idoneus arti "Cuilibet: argilla quidvis imitaberis uda :

Quin etiam canet indoctum, fed dulce bibenti. "Multa fidem promiffa levant, ubi plenius aequo "Laudat venales, qui vult extrudere, merces.

"Res urget me nulla: meo fum pauper in aere,

NOTES.

VER. 4. This Lad, Sir, is of Blois :] A Town in Beauce, where the French tongue is spoken in great purity.

VER. 15. But, Sir, to you, with what would I not part?]

EPISTLE

II.

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

Friend!

DEA

You love a Verfe, take fuch as I can fend. 'A Frenchman comes, prefents 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: 6 "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, Upholft'rer,what you please : "A perfect genius at an Op'ra-fong --"To fay too much, might do my honour wrong.

II

"Take him with all his virtues, on my word;

"His whole ambition was to ferve a Lord;

"But, Sir, to you, with what would I not part ?15 "Tho' faith, I fear, 'twill break his Mother's heart. "Once (and but once) I caught him in a lye,

And then, unwhipp'd, he had the grace to cry:

NOTES.

The numbers well exprefs the unwillingness of parting with what one can ill fpare.