Verba per attentam non ibunt Caefaris aurem :

Cui male fi palpere, recalcitrat undique tutus.

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, numerusque 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 juftness nor elegance of

ovo prognatus eodem.

For tho' it may appear odd, that those who come from the Jame 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 juftly 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,
Abufe 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 smart in Timon and in Balaam :
The fewer ftill you name, you wound the more;
Bond is but one, but Harpax is a score.

P. Each mortal has his pleasure: none deny 45
Scarfdale his bottle, Darty his Ham-pye;
Ridotta fips and dances, till she see
The doubling Luftres dance as faft as fhe;
PF-loves the Senate, Hockley-hole his brother,
Like in all else, as one Egg to another.

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

NOTES.

66

35

40

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 esteem of his Readers: The other had one, which always gain'd him the favourable attention of his Hearers. For, as a celebrated Roman Orator obferves, "Maledi"cit INERUDITUS apertius et faepius, cum periculo etiam fuo. Affert et ifta res OPINIONEM, quia libentisfime homines audiunt ea quae dicere ipfi noluiffent."

66

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 defcripta 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
Incuteret violenta.] 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 difcovered. 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 heart 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 stood forth, nor kept a thought within;
In me what fpots (for spots I have) appear,
Will prove at least the Medium must be clear.
In this impartial glass, my Muse intends
Fair to expose myself, my foes, my friends;
Publish 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.
My head and heart thus flowing thro' my quill,
Verfe-man or Profe-man, term me which you will,
Papift or Proteftant, or both between,

65

Like good Erasmus in an honest 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;

55

60

70

NOTES.

Perfius alluded to this idea, when he faid,
Vidi, vidi ipfe, Libelle! etc.

VER. 64. Verfe-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 Writ ings. VER. 69. Satire's my weapon] In thefe Words, our Author has happily explained the true Character of Ho

* Tutus ab infeftis latronibus? O pater et rex

Jupiter, ut pereat pofitum rubigine telum,

Nec quifquam noceat cupido mihi pacis! at ille,

Qui me commorit, (melius non tangere, clamo) * Flebit, et infignis tota cantabitur urbe.

Cervius iratus leges minitatur et urnam; Canidia Albuti, quibus eft inimica, venenum; Grande malum Turius, fi quid fe judice certes:

W

NOTES.

race's ironical Apology, which is to this purpose: Nature, fays he, has given all Creatures the means of offence and defence: The wolf has teeth, the bull has horns, and my weapon is fatire. And, at the fame time that he vindicates the claim to his natural talent, he fhews the moral use of it, by the inftances of the like natural talents of Cervius to inform, of Canidia to poison, and of Turius to pass fentence. The turn of this ludicrous argumentation is fine and delicate; and we find his Imitator faw the whole force of it.

VER. 71. I only wear it in a land of Hectors, etc.] Superior to, tutus ab infeftis latronibus, which only carries on the metaphor in

enfis

Vagina tectus,