All his Grace preaches, all his Lordship fings, 224
All that makes Saints of Queens, and Gods of Kings.
All, all but Truth, drops dead-born from the Prefs,
Like the laft Gazette, or the last Address.

When black Ambition ftains a public Caufe,
A Monarch's fword when mad Vain-glory draws,
Not Waller's Wreath can hide the Nation's Scar,
Nor Boileau turn the Feather to a Star.

231

Not fo, when diadem'd with rays divine, Touch'd with the Flame that breaks from Virtue's

Shrine,

VARIATIONS.

After 227. in the MS.

Where's now the Star that lighted Charles to rife
-With that which follow'd Julius to the fkies.
Angels, that watch'd the Royal Oak fo well,
How chanc'd ye nod, when luckless Sorel fell?-
Hence, lying miracles! reduc'd fo low
As to the regal-touch, and papal-toe;
Hence haughty Edgar's title to the Main,
Britain's to France, and thine to India, Spain !

NOTES.

VIR. 228. When black Ambition etc.] The cafe of Cromwell in the civil war of England; and (✯ 229.) of Louis XIV. in his conqueft of the Low Countries. P.

"ill a

VER. 231. Nor Boileau turn the Feather to a Star.] See his Ode on Namur; where (to ufe his own words) "fait un Aftre de la Plume blanche que le Roy porte or"dinairement à fon Chapeau, et qui eft en effet une espece "de Comete, fatale à nos ennemis. P.

Her Prieftefs Mufe forbids the Good to die,
And opes the Temple of Eternity.
There, other Trophies deck the truly brave,
Than fuch as Anftis cafts into the Grave;
Far other Stars than * and **

wear,

235

And may defcend to Mordington from STAIR:
(Such as on HOUGH's unfully'd Mitre shine,
Or beam, good DIGBY, from a heart like thine)
Let Envy howl, while Heav'n's whole Chorus fings,
And bark at Honour not confer'd by Kings;

240

Let Flatt'ry fickening fee the Incense rise,

Sweet to the World, and grateful to the Skies: 245
Truth guards the Poet, fanctifies the line,
And makes immortal, Verfe as mean as mine,

Yes, the laft Pen for Freedom let me draw,
When Truth stands trembling on the edge of Law;

NOTES.

VER. 237. Anftis] The chief Herald at Arms. It is the cuftom, at the funeral of great peers, to caft into the grave the broken staves and enfigns of honour. P.

VER. 239. Stair;] John Dalrymple Earl of Stair, Knight the Thiftle; ferved in all the wars under the Duke Marlborough; and afterwards as Embaffador in France.

VER. 240, 241. Hough and Digby] Dr. John Hough Bishop of Worcester, and the Lord Digby. The one an ffertor of the Church of England in oppofition to the falfe meafures of King James II. The other as firmly attached to the cause of that King. Both acting out of principle, and equally men of honour and virtue.

P.

TER 249. on the edge of Law :1 From the fummit of

Here, Laft of Britons! let your Names be read; 250
Are none, none living? let me praise the Dead,
And for that Cause which made your Fathers fhine,
Fall by the Votes of their degenʼrate Line.

Fr. Alas! alas! pray end what you began,
And write next winter more Effays on Man.
VARIATIONS.

255

Ver. 255. in the MS.

Quit, quit thefe themes, and write Essays on Man.

NOTES.

law is a dreadful precipice, which may well make Truth kerfelf tremble. And from thence came the common proverb, Summum jus, fumma injuria. SCRIBL.

VER. ult.] This was the laft poem of the kind printed by our author, with a refolution to publifh no more; but to enter thus, in the most plain and folemn manner he could, a fort of PROTEST against that infuperable corruption and depravity of manners, which he had been fo unhappy as to live to fee. Could he have hoped to have amended any, he had continued thofe attacks; but bad men were grown fo fhameless and fo powerful, that Ridicule was be come as unfafe as it was ineffectual. The Poem raised him, as he knew it would, fome enemies; but he had reafon: to be fatisfied with the approbation of good men, and the testimony of his own confcience. P

ΟΝ

Receiving from the Right Hon. the Lady FRANCES SHIRLEY

A STANDISH and Two PENS.

Y

ES, I beheld the Athenian Queen Defcend in all her fober charms "And take (she said, and smil'd serene) "Take at this hand celeftial arms :

Secure the radiant weapons wield; "The golden lance shall guard Desert, "And if a Vice dares keep the field,

"This fteel fhall ftab it to the heart."

Aw'd, on my bended knees I fell,

Receiv'd the weapons of the sky; And dipt them in the fable Well, The fount of Fame or Infamy.

What well? what weapon? (Flavia cries) "A ftandifh, fteel and golden pen; "It came from Bertrand's, not the skies:

I gave it you to write again.

NOTES.

The Lady Frances Shirley] a Lady whofe great Merit Mr. Pope took a real pleasure in celebrating.

A famous toy-shop at Bath.

But, Friend, take heed whom you attack; "You'll bring a House (I mean of Peers) "Red, Blue, and Green, nay white and black, "Land all about

your ears.

b

"You'd write as fmooth again on glafs,
"And run, on ivory, fo glib,
As not to ftick at fool or afs ",
"Nor ftop at Flattery or Fib .
"Athenian Queen! and fober charms!

"I tell ye, fool, there's nothing in't: "'Tis Venus, Venus gives these arms; "In Dryden's Virgil fee the print ".

"Come, if you'll be a quiet foul,

"That dares tell neither Truth nor Lies",

"I'll lift you in the harmless roll

Of those that fing of these poor eyes."

NOTES.

The Dunciad.

The Epistle to Dr. Arbuthnot.

Such toys being the ufual prefents from lovers to their miftreffes.

• When the delivers Æneas a fuit of heavenly armour. fi. e. If you have neither the courage to write Satire, nor the application to attempt an Epic poem.-He was then meditating on fuch a work."