I nod in company, I wake at night,

Fools rufh into my head, and fo I write.

F. You could not do a worfe thing for your life. 15 Why, if the nights feem tedious-take a Wife:

f Or rather truly, if your point be reft,

Lettuce and cowflip-wine; Probatum eft.
But talk with Celfus, Celfus will advise

Hartfhorn, or something that shall close your eyes. 20
Or, if you needs must write, write CAESAR's Praife,
h You'll gain at least a Knighthood, or the Bays.
P. What? like Sir Richard, rumbling, rough,
and fierce,

With ARMS, and GEORGE, and BRUNSWICK Crowd the verse,

Rend with tremendous found your ears afunder, 25 With Gun, Drum, Trumpet, Blunderbufs, and Thunder?

Or nobly wild, with Budgel's fire and force,

Paint Angels trembling round his falling Horse?

k

F. Then all your Mufe's fofter art display,
Let CAROLINA smooth the tuneful lay,
Lull with AMELIA's liquid name the Nine,
And fweetly flow thro' all the Royal Line.

P. Alas! few verfes touch their nicer ear;

They scarce can bear their Laureate twice a year;

NOTES.

30

tender, and the Princes of the blood of France, fled before him.

Verba per attentam non ibunt Caefaris aurem :

Cui male fi palpere, recalcitrat undique tutus.

m

T. Quanto rectius hoc, quam trifti laedere verfu

Pantolabum fcurram, Nomentanumve nepotem?

Cum fibi quifque timet, quamquam eft intactus, et odit.

H. Quid faciam? faltat Milonius, ut femel icto

Acceffit fervor capiti, numerufque lucernis.

P Caftor gaudet equis; ovo prognatus eodem,
Pugnis. quot capitum vivunt, totidem ftudiorum

Millia. me pedibus delectat claudere verba,

NOTES.

VER. 41. What should ail them?] Horace hints at one reafon, that each fears his own turn may be next; his imitator gives another, and with more art, a reason which infinuates, that his very lenity, in ufing feigned names, increases the number of his Enemies.

VER. 50. Like in all elfe, as one Egg to another.] This has neither the justness nor elegance of

ovo prognatus eodem.

For tho' it may appear odd, that those who come from the Same Egg fhould have tempers and purfuits directly contrary; yet there is nothing ftrange, that two Brothers, alike in all things elfe, fhould have different amusements. VER. 52. As downright Shippen, or as old Montagne :]

And justly CAESAR fcorns the Poet's lays,
It is to Hiftory he trufts for Praise.

F. Better be Cibber, I'll maintain it still,
Than ridicule all Tafte, blafpheme Quadrille,
Abuse the City's beft good men in metre,
And laugh at Peers that put their truft in Peter.
" Ev'n those you touch not, hate you.

P. What should ail them? F. A hundred fmart in Timon and in Balaam : The fewer ftill you name, you wound the more; Bond is but one, but Harpax is a score.

35

40

P. • Each mortal has his pleasure: none deny 45
Scarfdale his bottle, Darty his Ham-pye;
Ridotta fips and dances, till fhe fee

The doubling Luftres dance as faft as fhe;
PF-loves the Senate, Hockley-hole his brother,
Like in all elfe, as one Egg to another.

I love to pour out all my felf, as plain
As downright SHIPPEN, or as old Montagne:

NOTES.

50

They had this, indeed, in common, to use great liberties of fpeech, and to profefs faying what they thought. Montagne had many qualities, that have gained him the love and efteem of his Readers: The other had one, which always gain'd him the favourable attention of his Hearers. For, as a celebrated Roman Orator observes, "Maledi"cit INERUDITUS apertius et faepius, cum periculo etiam fuo. Affert et ifta res OPINIONEM, quia libentif "fime homines audiunt ea quae dicere ipfi noluiffent."

Lucilî ritu, noftrum melioris utroque.

Ille velut fidis arcana fodalibus olim

Credebat libris; neque, fi male gefferat, ufquam
Decurrens alio, neque fi bene: quo fit, ut omnis
Votiva pateat veluti descripta tabella

Vita fenis. fequor hunc, Lucanus an Appulus, an

ceps:

[Nam venufinus arat finem fub utrumque colonus, Miffus ad hoc, pulfis (vetus eft ut fama) Sabellis, Quo ne per vacuum Romano incurreret hoftis ;

Sive quod Appula gens, feu quod Lucania bellum

S

Incuteret violenta.] s fed hic ftylus haud petet ultro Quemquam animantem, et me veluti cuftodiet enfis Vagina tectus, quem cur deftringere coner,

NOTES.

VER. 56. the medium must be clear.] Allufion to a fountain of limpid water, thro' which the contents of the bottom are discovered. This thought, tho' not very exact, affifted him in the eafy and happy change of the metaphor in the following line.

VER. 63. My head and beart thus flowing from my quill,] Inferior to the Original:

Ille velut fidis arcana fodalibus olim
Credebat libris, etc.

In them, as certain to be lov'd as feen,

The Soul ftood forth, nor kept a thought within;
In me what spots (for spots I have) appear,

55

Will prove at least the Medium must be clear.
In this impartial glass, my Muse intends
Fair to expose myself, my foes, my friends;
Publifh the present age; but where my text
Is Vice too high, reserve it for the next:
My foes fhall with my life a longer date,
And ev'ry friend the lefs lament my fate.

60

My head and heart thus flowing thro' my quill, • Verfe-man or Profe-man, term me which you will,

Papist or Proteftant, or both between,

Like good Erafmus in an honeft Mean,
In moderation placing all my glory,

While Tories call me Whig, and Whigs a Tory.

s Satire's my weapon, but I'm too discreet To run a muck, and tilt at all I meet;

NOTES.

Perfius alluded to this idea, when he said,

Vidi, vidi ipfe, Libelle! etc.

65

70

VER. 64. Verse-man or Profe-man, term me which you will, Papift er Proteftant, etc.] The original thought (which is very flat, and fo ill and aukwardly expreffed, as to be taken for a monkish Addition) is here admirably imitated, in a lively character of himself, and his Writings.

VER. 69. Satire's my weapon] In thefe Words, our Author has happily explained the true Character of Ho