Befides, a fate attends on all I write, " Praise undeserv'd is scandal in difguise:" 410 415 Well may hep blush, who gives it, or receives; Cloath spice, line trunks, or flutt'ring in a row, Befringe the rails of Bedlam and Soho. EPISTOLA II. F LORE, bono claroque fidelis amice Neroni, 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, "Fict 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, sed dulce bibenti. "Multa fidem promissa 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. would I VER. 15. But, Sir, to you, with what not part?] EPISTLE II. DEAR Col'nel, COBHAM's and your country's Friend! You love a Verse, take such as I can fend. A Frenchman comes, presents you with his Boy, Bows and begins---" This Lad, Sir, is of Blois : "Observe 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, Upholst'rer, what you please : "A perfect genius at an Opra-song --"To say too much, might do my honour wrong. "Take him with all his virtues, on my word; "His whole ambition was to serve 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. II The numbers well express the unwillingness of parting with what one can ill spare. |