Nunc in * Aristippi 'furtim praecepta relabor, Et mihi res, non me rebus, fubjungere conor. "Ut nox longa, quibus mentitur amica; diefque Lenta videtur opus debentibus: ut piger annus Pupillis, quos dura premit cuftodia matrum : Sic mihi tarda 'fluunt ingrataque tempora, quae fpem Confiliumque morantur agendi gnaviter 'id, quod Aeque pauperibus prodeft, locupletibus aeque, Aeque neglectum pueris, fenibufque nocebit. Omnis Ariftippum decuit color, et ftatus, et res. P. NOTES. fhew us therefore that he took no more from the Stoics than. their fincerity and warmth for the interests of Virtue, he compares himself to a Friend, in whom he obferved that warmth. And by joining St. Paul with Ariftippus he would infinuate, that he took no more from the Cyrenaic fect than a charitable compliance to occafions, for the benefit of his neighbour. Thus in ferving himself of his Friend, to temper the rigidity of one fect of Philofophy, while the Apostle is employed to rectify the loofeness of the other, he brings Mr. Lyttelton and St. Paul acquainted; for those who correct oppofite extremes must needs meet; and fo we see the Patriot in a new point of view; which is, in a virtuous accommodation of himself to feafins and circumftances. VER. 32. Indulge my candor-Back to my native Moderation flide.] An honeft and artful infinuation, that though Sometimes with Aristippus, or St. Paul, Indulge my candor, and grow all to all; And win my way by yielding to the tide. 34 "Long, as to him who works for debt, the day, Long as the Night to her whose Love's away, Long as the Year's dull circle seems to run, When the brisk Minor pants for Twenty-one : So flow th'' unprofitable moments roll, That lock up all the Functions of all the Functions of my foul; 40 That keep me from myfelf; and still delay Which done, the pooreft can no wants endure; 45 NOTES. Parties in the State profecute their ends on ever so true principles, and with ever fo good intentions, yet oppofition is apt to make the most scrupulous leaders of them fometimes violate both candor and moderation. However, by the expreffion of indulging his candor, he would infinuate too, that, when he allowed the leaft to it, he never violated truth; and, by fliding back to his native moderation, that he always kept within the Bounds of Reafon.-But the general fenfe of the whole paffage is, that when he went with the Stoics, who advise a public life, the character of his civil virtue was rigid; when he went with the Cyrenaics, who encourage a private, that the character of his focial was indulgent. VER. 45. can no wants endure ;] i. e. Can want nothing: badly expreffed. 'Reflat, ut his ego me ipfe regam " folerque ele mentis : Non poffis oculo quantum contendere Lynceus; Non tamen idcirco contemnas lippus inungi: Nec, quia defperes invicti membra Glyconis, Eft quadam prodire tenus, fi non datur ultra. y ' Fervet Avaritia, miferoque cupidine pectus ? Sunt verba et voces, quibus hunc lenire dolorem Poffis, et magnam morbi deponere partem. Laudis amore tumes? Sunt certa piacula, quae te Ter pure lecto poterunt recreare libello. b Invidus, iracundus, iners, vinofus, amator; d Nemo adeo ferus eft, ut non mitefcere poffit, Si modo culturae patientem commodet aurem. NOTES. VER. 51. I'll do what Mead-] Mr. Pope highly esteemed and loved this worthy man; whofe unaffected humanity and benevolence have ftifled much of that envy which his eminence in his profeffion would otherwife have drawn out. Speaking of his obligations to this great Physician and others of the Faculty, in a Letter to Mr. Allen, about a month before his death, he fays, "There is no end of my kind treatment "from the Faculty. They are in general the most amiable "companions, and the beft friends, as well as the most learn"ed men I know." Late as it is, I put myself to school, And feel fome " comfort, not to be a fool. W 50 eyes. Weak tho' I am of limb, and short of fight, Far from a Lynx, and not a Giant quite; I'll do what Mead and Chefelden advise, To keep these limbs, and to preserve these Not to go back, is somewhat to advance, And men must walk at least before they dance. Say, does thy' blood rebel, thy bofom move 55 With wretched Av'rice, or as wretched Love? Know, there are Words, and Spells, which can controll Between the Fits this Fever of the Soul: Know, there are Rhymes, which fresh and fresh apply'd Will cure the arrant'ft Puppy of his Pride. b Be furious, envious, flothful, mad, or drunk, C Slave to a Wife, or Vaffal to a Punk, 60 A Switz, a High-dutch, or a Low-dutch 'Bear; All that we ask is but a patient Ear. NOTES. VER. 58. Between the Fits-] The sense of "magnam morbi deponere partem," in here very happily expreffed. And "Ter pure lecto," etc. is the following line, as happily varied. But the whole paffage, which defcribes the ufe and efficacy of fatire, is admirably imitated. с Virtus eft, vitium fugere; et fapientia prima, Stultitia caruiffe. vides, quae 'maxima credis Effe mala, exiguum cenfum, turpemque repulfam, Quanto devites animi, capitisque labore. Impiger extremos curris mercator ad Indos, Per mare pauperiem fugiens, per faxa, per ignes: h Ne cures ea, quae ftulte miraris et optas, Difcere, et audire, et meliori credere non vis? Quis circum pagos et circum compita pugnax Magna coronari contemnat Olympia, cui fpes, Cui fit conditio dulcis fine pulvere palmae ? "Vilius eft auro argentum, virtutibus aurum. NOTE S. VER. 70. Scar'd at the spectre of pale Poverty !] Though this has all the fpirit, it has not all the imagery of the Original; where Horace makes Poverty pursue, and keep pace with, the Mifer in his flight. "Per mare Pauperiem fugiens, per faxa, per ignes.” But what follows, "Wilt thou do nothing," etc. far furpaffes the Original. VER. 77. Here, Wifdom calls, &c.] All from hence to Ver. 110, is a pretty clofe tranflation: but in general done with fo masterly a spirit, that the Original, though one of the most finished paffages in Horace, looks only like the imitation of it. VER. 78. As Gold to Silver, Virtue is to Gold.] This per |