"Quivis ferret idem: femel hic ceffavit, et (ut fit) "In fcalis latuit metuens pendentis habenae: "Des nummos, excepta nihil te fi fuga laedit. • Ille ferat pretium, poenae fecurus, opinor. Prudens emifti vitiofum: dicta tibi eft lex. Infequeris tamen hunc, et lite moraris iniqua.

с

"Dixi me pigrum proficifenti tibi, dixi Talibus officiis prope mancum: ne mea faevus Jurgares ad te quod epiftola nulla veniret.

Quid tum profeci, mecum facientia jura
Si tamen attentas? quereris fuper hoc etiam, quod
Exfpectata tibi non mittam carmina mendax.

• Luculli miles collecta viatica multis Aerumnis, laffus dum noctu ftertit, ad affem Perdiderat poft hoc vehemens lupus, et fibi et hofti Iratus pariter, jejunis dentibus acer,

Praefidium regale loco dejecit, ut aiunt,

NOTES.

VER. 24. I think Sir Godfrey] An eminent Justice of Peace, who decided much in the manner of Sancho Pancha. P. Sir Godfrey Kneller.

VER. 33. In Anna's Wars, etc.] Many parts of this ftory are well told; but, on the whole, it is much inferior to the original.

If, after this, you took the graceless lad, Cou'd you complain, my Friend, he prov'd fo bad? Faith, in fuch cafe, if you should prosecute, I think Sir Godfrey should decide the fuit; Who fent the Thief that stole the Cafh, away, And punish'd him that put it in his way.

Confider then, and judge me in this light; I told you when I went, I could not write ; You faid the fame; and are you discontent With Laws, to which you gave your own affent? 30 Nay worse, to ask for Verfe at fuch a time! D'ye think me good for nothing but to rhime?

• In ANNA'S Wars, a Soldier poor and old Had dearly earn'd a little purse of gold: Tir'd with a tedious march, one luckless night, 35 He flept, poor dog! and loft it, to a doit. This put the man in such a despʼrate mind, Between revenge, and grief, and hunger join'd Against the foe, himself, and all mankind, He leap'd the trenches, scal'd a Caftle-wall, Tore down a Standard, took the Fort and all.

25

Poft hoc vehemens lupus, et fibi et hofti
Iratus pariter, jejunis dentibus acer.

}

40

NOTES.

VER. 37. This put the man, etc.] Greatly below the Original,

The laft words are particularly elegant and humourous.

Summe munito, et multarum divite rerum.
Clarus ob id factum, donis ornatur honeftis,
Accipit et bis dena fuper feftertia nummûm.
Forte fub hoc tempus caftellum evertere praetor
Nefcio quid cupiens, hortari coepit eundem
Verbis, quae timido quoque poffent addere mentem:
I, bone, quo virtus tua te vocat: i pede faufto,
Grandia laturus meritorum praemia: quid ftas?
Poft haec ille catus, quantumvis rufticus, "Ibit,
"Ibit eo, quo vis, qui zonam perdidit, inquit.
f Romae nutriri mihi contigit, atque doceri,
Iratus Graiis quantum nocuiffet Achilles.
Adjecere bonae paulo plus artis Athenae:
Scilicet ut poffem curvo dignofcere rectum,
Atque inter filvas Academi quaerere verum.

NOTES.

VER. 43. Gave him much praise, and fome reward befide.] For the fake of a ftroke of fatire, he has here weakened that circumitance, on which the turn of the ftory depends. Horace avoided it, tho' the avaricious character of Lucullus was a tempting occafion to indulge his raillery.

VER. 51. Let him take castles who bas ne'er a groat.] This has neither the force nor the juftnefs of the original. Horace makes his Soldier fay,

Ibit,
Ibit eo, quo vis, qui zonam perdidit.

for it was not his poverty, but his lofs, that pushed him upon danger; many being equal to the first, who cannot

"Prodigious well;" his great Commander cry'd, Gave him much praise, and some reward befide. Next pleas'd his Excellence a town to batter; (Its name I know not, and it's no great matter) 45 "Go on, my Friend (he cry'd) see yonder walls! "Advance and conquer! go where glory calls! "More honours, more rewards, attend the brave." Don't you remember what reply he gave? "D'ye think me, noble Gen'ral, fuch a Sot? "Let him take castles who has ne'er a groat." f Bred up at home, full early I begun To read in Greek the wrath of Peleus' fon. Befides, my Father taught me from a lad, The better art to know the good from bad: (And little fure imported to remove, To hunt for Truth in Maudlin's learned grove.) But knottier points we knew not half fo well, Depriv'd us foon of our paternal Cell;

NOTES

50

55

bear the other. What betray'd our poet into this inaccuracy of expreffion was it's fuiting better with the appli cation. But in a great writer we pardon nothing. And fuch an one should never forget, that the expreffion is not perfect, but when the ideas it conveys fit both the tale and the application: for fo, they reflect a mutual light upon one another.

VER. 53. To read in Greek the wrath of Peleus' fon.] This circumftance has a happier application in the imitation than in the original; and properly introduces the 68th verse.

Dura fed emovere loco me tempora grato;
Civilifque rudem belli tulit aeftus in arma,
Caefaris Augufti non refponfura lacertis.
Unde fimul primum me dimifere Philippi,
Decifis humilem pennis, inopemque paterni
Et laris et fundi, paupertas impulit audax
Ut verfus facerem: fed, quod non defit, habentem,
Quae poterunt unquam fatis expurgare cicutae,
Ni melius dormire putem, quam fcribere verfus ?

* Singula de nobis anni praedantur euntes; Eripuere jocos, venerem, convivia, ludum; Tendunt extorquere poemata. quid faciam vis?

h Denique non omnes eadem mirantur amantque.

NOTES.

VER. 69. Indebted to no Prince or Peer alive,] For it would be very hard upon Authors, if the fubfcribing for a Book, which does honour to one's Age and Country, and confequently reflects back part of it on the Subfcribers, fhould be esteemed a debt or obligation.