Quam puer et validus præfumis, mollitiem; feu *Rancidum aprum antiqui laudabant: non quia nafus Illis nullus erat; fed, credo, hac mente, quod hofpes Tardius adveniens vitiatum commodius, quam Integrum edax dominus confumeret. inter Heroas natum tellus me prima tuliffet. hos utinam "Das aliquid famæ, quæ carmine gratior aurem Occupet humanam ? grandes rhombi, patinæque Grande ferunt una cum damno dedecus, adde Iratum patruum, vicinos, te tibi iniquum, Et fruftra mortis cupidum, cum deerit egenti Jure, inquit, Traufius iftis Jurgatur verbis: ego vectigalia magna, Divitiafque habeo tribus amplas regibus. Ergo, Quod fuperat, non eft melius quo infumere poffis? Templa ruunt antiqua Deûm? cur, improbe, caræ Non aliquid patriæ tanto emetiris acervo? Uni nimirum tibi recte femper erunt res? NOTES. O magnus VER. 118. How dar'ft thou] Very spirited, and fuperior to the original; for dar'ft is far beyond the mere eget. Two lines on this fubject in Armstrong are exquifitely tender, efpecially the fecond: "E'cn modeft want may blefs your hand unfeèn, WARTON. * Our fathers prais'd rank Ven'son. You fuppofe Perhaps, young men! our fathers had no nose. Not fo: a Buck was then a week's repast, And 'twas their point, I ween, to make it last; Why had not I in those good times my birth, m 96 100 (For 'faith, Lord Fanny! you are in the wrong, The world's good word is better than a fong,) Who has not learn'd, " fresh sturgeon and ham-pie Are no rewards for want, and infamy! When Luxury has lick'd up all thy pelf, Curs'd by thy neighbours, thy trustees, thyfelf, 105 ΙΙΟ "Right," cries his Lordship, " for a rogue in need "To have a Tafte, is infolence indeed : "In me 'tis noble, fuits my birth and ftate, My wealth unwieldy, and my heap too great." Then, like the Sun, let Bounty fpread her ray, 115 And shine that fuperfluity away. Oh Impudence of wealth! with all thy ftore, How dar'ft thou let one worthy man be poor? S Shall half the new-built churches round thee fall? Make Keys, build Bridges, or repair Whitehall: Or O magnus pofthac inimicis rifus! uterne In pace, ut fapiens, aptarit idonea bello? Quo magis his credas: puer hunc ego parvus Integris opibus novi non latius ufum, W Quam nunc accifis. Videas, metato in agello, NOTES. Cum VER. 122. As M**o's was, &c.] I think this light stroke of fatire ill placed; and that it hurts the dignity of the preceding morality. Horace was very ferious, and properly fo, when he faid, Non aliquid patriæ tanto emetiris acervo ?" He remembered, and hints with juft indignation at, thofe luxurious Patricians of his old party; who, when they had agreed to establish a fund in the caufe of Freedom, under the conduct of Brutus, could never be perfuaded to withdraw from their expenfive pleasures what was fufficient for the fupport of fo great a caufe. He had prepared his apology for this liberty, in the preceding line, where he pays a fine compliment to Auguftus! 66 quare "Templa ruunt antiqua Deûm ?" which oblique Panegyric the Imitator has very properly turned into a direct ftroke of fatire. WARBURTON. VER. 122. not at five per cent.] He could not forbear this ftroke against a nobleman, whom he had been for many years accuftomed to hear abused by his most intimate friends. A certain parafite, who thought to please Lord Bolingbroke by ridiculing the avarice of the Duke of M. was stopt fhort by that Lord, who faid, "He was so very great a man, that I forgot he had that vice." Or to thy Country let that heap be lent, As M**o's was, but not at five per cent. t 121 Who thinks that Fortune cannot change her mind, Prepares a dreadful jeft for all mankind. And " who ftands fafeft? tell me, is it he 125 Thus BETHEL fpoke, who always fpeaks his And always thinks the very thing he ought: And as I love, would imitate the Man. W In South-Sea days not happier, when furmis'd Than in five acres now of rented land. vice."- WARTON. NOTES. 130 135 Content VER. 122. five per cent.] Among the papers of the Orford collection, is a curious note to Sir. Robert Walpole, when Secretary at War, from the Duke of Marlborough, in which he fays, he has a hundred thoufand pounds he does not know how to dispose of, and defires Walpole to put it out for him. From Mr. Coxe. VER. 129. Thus BETHEL spoke,] This speech of Ofellus continues in the original to the end of this Satire. Pope has taken all that follows out of the mouth of Bethel, and speaks entirely in his own perfon. It is impoffible not to be pleased with the picture of his way of life, and the account he gives of his own table, in lines that exprefs common and familiar objects with dignity and elegance. WARTON. VER. 133 In South-Sea days not happier, &c.] Mr. Pope had South-Sea ftock, which he did not fell out. It was valued at between twenty and thirty thousand pounds when it fell. Cum pecore et gnatis, fortem mercede colonum, Explicuit vino contracte feria frontis. b Sæviat atque novos moveat Fortuna tumultus! Quantum hinc imminuet? quanto aut ego parcius, aut vos, с O pueri, nituiftis, ut huc novus incola venit? NOTES. Nam VER. 134 than if now Excis'd;] Pope naturally joined the violent cry against the Excife, with the Party in oppofition to Sir R Walpole. Pulteney exclaimed upon another occafion : "There is another thing impending! a monftrous project! fuch a project as has ftruck terror into the minds of most gentle. men of this House, and into the minds of all men without doors, who have any regard to the happiness, or to the conflitution, of their country. I mean THAT MONSTER, THE EXCISE! that PLAN OF ARBITRARY POWER, which is expected to be laid before the House in the prefent Parliament." Coxe's Memoirs, chap. 41. VER. 136. Than in five acres] He had a lease of his house and gardens at Twickenham for his life. The leafe was purchased of a Mrs. Vernon; hence the expreffions, -Does it concern one, Whether the House belong to Pope, or Vernon? VER. 152. double tax'd,] An additional tax was laid on the eftates of Papifts and Nonjurors. |