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Ille cubans gaudet mutatâ sorte, bonisque
Rebus agit lætum convivam: cùm subitò ingens
Valvarum strepitus lectis excussit utrumque.
Currere per totum pavidi conclave; magisque
Exanimes trepidare, simul domus alta Molossis
Personuit canibus. Tum rusticus, Haud mihi vitâ
Est opus hâc, ait, et valeas: me sylva, cavusque
Tutus ab insidiis tenui solabitur ervo.

I have a thousand thanks to give→
My Lord alone knows how to live."
No sooner said, but from the hall
Rush chaplain, butler, dogs, and all:
"A rat! a rat! clap to the door"-
The cat comes bouncing on the floor.
O for the heart of Homer's mice,
Or Gods to save them in a trice!
(It was by Providence, they think,
For your damn'd stucco has no chink.)

210

215

"An't please your honour," quoth the peasant, "This same dessert is not so pleasant:

Give me again my hollow tree,
A crust of bread, and liberty!"

220

LIBER IV.

ODE I.

AD VENEREM.

INTERMISSA, Venus, diu,

Rursus bella moves? parce, precor, precor

Non sum qualis eram bonæ

Sub regno Cynara. Desine, dulcium

Mater sæva Cupidinum,

Circa lustra decem flectere mollibus

Jam durum imperiis. Abi

Quò blandæ juvenum te revocant preces. Tempestiviùs in domum

Pauli, purpureis ales oloribus, Commissabere Maximi,

Si torrere jecur quæris idoneum. Namque et nobilis, et decens,

Et pro solicitis non tacitus reis,

BOOK IV.*

ODE I.

TO VENUS.

AGAIN? new tumults in my breast?

Ah spare me, Venus! let me, let me rest! I am not now, alas! the man

As in the gentle reign of my Queen Anne. Ah sound no more thy soft alarms,

Nor circle sober fifty with thy charms.

Mother too fierce of dear desires!

Turn, turn to willing hearts your wanton fires; To Number five direct your doves,

5

There spread round MURRAY all your blooming

loves;

Noble and young, who strikes the heart

With every sprightly, every decent part;

Equal, the injured to defend,

To charm the mistress, or to fix the friend.

NOTES.

10

* This, and the unfinished imitation of the ninth Ode of the fourth Book which follows, shew as happy a vein for managing the Odes of Horace as the Epistles. Warburton.

It may be worth observing, that the measure Pope has here chosen, is precisely the same that Ben Jonson used in a translation of this very Ode; folio, p. 268.

Warton.

Ver. 9. Number five,] The number of Murray's lodgings in King's Bench Walks.

Bowles.

Et centum puer artium,

Latè signa feret militiæ tuæ.

Et quandoque potentior

Largis muneribus riserit æmuli,

Albanos prope te lacus

Ponet marmoream sub trabe citreâ. Illic plurima naribus

Duces thura; lyræque et Berecynthiæ Delectabere tibiæ

Mistis carminibus, non sine fistula. Illic bis pueri die

Numen cum teneris virginibus tuum Laudantes, pede candido

In morem Saliûm ter quatient humum. Me nec fœmina, nec puer

Jam, nec spes animi credula mutui,

Nec certare juvat mero,

Nec vincire novis tempora floribus. Sed cur, heu! Ligurine, cur

Manat rara meas lacryma per genas?

Cur facunda parum decoro

Inter verba cadit lingua silentio ?

NOTES.

Ver. 18. Make but his riches, &c.] Seward has an anecdote of Lord Mansfield, respecting the difficulties of his early life; I know not what foundation there is for it. He says, that Murray, acquainting Lord Foley, that he feared he must give up the law, and go into orders, on account of his slender income; Lord Foley generously requested his acceptance of two hundred pounds aBowles.

year.

Ver. 21. His house, &c.] This alludes to Mr. Murray's intention at one time of taking the lease of Pope's house and grounds at Twickenham, before he became so distinguished. Bowles.

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