Scilicet UNI AEQUUS VIRTUTI ATQUE EJUS

8

AMICIS.

↳ Quin ubi fe a vulgo en fcena it fecreta remôrant

Virtus Scipiadae et mitis fapientia Lacli,

Nugari cum illo, et difcincti ludere, donec

Decoqueretur olus, foliti.

Quidquid fum ego, quamvis

Infra Lucili cenfum, ingeniumque; tamen me
Cum magnis vixiffe invita fatebitur ufque

Invidia; et fragili quaerens illidere dentem,

Offendet folido:

NOTES.

he had the management of the fecret-service money, and could pay him fuch a penfion, without its being known, or ever coming to account. But now Mr. Pope declined the offer without hesitation: only, in return for fo friendly a propofal, he told the Secretary, that if at any time he wanted money he would draw upon him for 100 or 200l. which liberty, notwithstanding, he never took. Mr. Craggs more than once preffed him. on this head; and urged the conveniency of a Chariot; which Mr. Pope was fenfible enough of: But the precarioufnefs of that fupply made him very prudently decline the thoughts of an equipage, which it was much better never to fet up, than not properly to fupport.

Yes, while I live, no rich or noble knave
Shall walk the World, in credit, to his grave. 120
TO VIRTUE ONLY and HER FRIENDS A FRIEND,
The World befide may murmur, or commend.
Know, all the diftant din that world can keep,
Rolls o'er my Grotto, and but fooths my fleep.

There, my retreat the best Companions grace, 125
Chiefs out of war, and Statesmen out of place.
There ST. JOHN mingles with my friendly bowl
The Feaft of Reason and the Flow of foul:
And HE, whofe lightning pierc'd th' Iberian Lines,
Now forms my Quincunx, and now ranks myVines,
Or tames the Genius of the ftubborn plain, 131
Almost as quickly as he conquer'd Spain.

i Envy must own, I live among the Great,
No Pimp of pleasure, and no Spy of state,

NOTES.

VER. 129. And HE, whofe lightning, etc.] Charles Mordaunt Earl of Peterborow, who in the year 1705 took Barcelona, and in the winter following with only 280 horfe and 900 foot. enterprized and accomplished the Conqueft of Valentia. P.

VER. 133. Envy must own, &c.] Horace makes the point of honour to confift fimply in his living familiarly with the Great,

Cum magnis vixiffe invita fatebitur ufque
Invidia.

Our poet, more nobly, in his living with them on the footing
of an honeft man.-He prided himself in this fuperiority, as ap-

Diffentis.

Judiciumque."

k 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 quis carmina,

jus eft

H. Efto, fiquis mala. fed bona fi quis

NOTES.

pears from the following words, in a letter to Dr. Swift. "To have pleafed great men, according to Horace, is a praise; but not to have flattered them, and yet not have displeased "them, is a greater." Let. vII. Jan. 12, 1723.

VER. 146. A man was hang'd &c.] Si mala condiderit -A great French Lawyer explains this matter very truly. "L'Ariftocratie eft le Gouvernement qui profcrit le plus les

Ouvrages fatiriques. Les Magiftrats y font de petits fouve"rains, qui ne font pas affez 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 Seig"neur Ariftocratique en eft percé de part en part. Auffi les

With eyes that pry not, tongue that ne'er repeats,
Fond to spread friendships, but to cover heats; 1 36
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 rest my caufe ---
* What faith my Council, learned in the laws?

F. 'Your Plea is good; but ftill I fay, beware!
Laws are explain'd by Men--- fo have a care.
It stands on record, that in Richard's times 145
A man was hang'd for
very honest rhymes;

Confult the Statute, quart. I think, it is, Edwardi fext. or prim. et quint. Eliz. See Libels, Satires --- here you have it --- read. 149 P." Libels and Satires! lawless things indeed!

140

NOTES.

"Decemvirs, qui formoient une Ariftocratie, punirent-ils de mort "les Ecrits Satiriques." De L'Efprit 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.

But the Imitator's grave Epiftles fhew the fatire to be a ferious reproof, and therefore juftifiable; which the integer ipfe of the Original does not: for however this might plead in mitigation of the offence, nothing but their being grave Epiftles coua justify the attack.

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

NOETS.

VER. 152. 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 fense 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