Page images
PDF
EPUB

P,

BOOK II. SATIRE I.

T

[blocks in formation]

'HERE are (I fcarce can think it, but am told)

a There are, to whom my Satire seems too bold : Scarce to wife Peter complaifant enough,

And fomething faid of Chartres much too rough.
The lines are weak, another's pleas'd to say,
Lord Fanny spins a thousand fuch a day.
Timorous by nature, of the Rich in awe,

I come to Council learned in the Law:
You'll give me, like a friend both fage and free,
Advice; and (as you use) without a Fee.

F. d I'd write no more.

5

ΙΟ

HORATIUS.

P. Not

TREBATIUS.

HORATIUS.

SUNT quibus in Satira videar nimis acer, et ultra Legem tendere opus; b fine nervis altera, quidquid Compofui, pars effe putat, fimilefque meorum

Mille die verfus deduci poffe.

Quid faciam? praescribe.

TdQuiefcas.

Trebati,

H. Ne faciam, inquis,

Omnino verfus ?

T. Aio.

P. Not write? but then I think,

e And for my foul I cannot fleep a wink.

I nod in company, I wake at night,
Fools rush into my head, and so I write.

F. You could not do a worse thing for your life. rs 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 Hartshorn, or fomething that shall clofe your eyes. g Or, if you needs must write, write Cæfar's Praise, You'll gain at least a Knighthood, or the Bays. P. What? like Sir i Richard, rumbling, rough, and

fierce,

20

With Arms and George and Brunswick crowd the

verfe,

Rend with tremendous found your ears afunder,

25

With Gun, Drum, Trumpet, Blunderbuss, and Thun

der?

Or

H. Peream male, fi non

Optimum erat: e verum nequeo dormire.

T. f Ter uncti

Tranfnanto Tiberim, fomno quibus eft opus alto;
Irriguumve mero fub noctem corpus habento.
8 Aut fi tantus amor fcribendi te rapit, aude
Cæfaris invicti res dicere, h multa laborum
Praemia laturus.

H. Cupidum, Pater optime, vires
Deficiunt: i neque enim quivis horrentia pilis

Or nobly wild, with Budgell's fire and force,
Paint Angels trembling round his falling Horse?
F. k Then all your Mufe's fofter art display,
Let Carolina fmooth the tuneful lay,
Lull with Amelia's liquid name the Nine,

And sweetly flow through all the Royal Line.
P. Alas! few verfes touch their nicer ear;
They scarce can bear their Laureate twice a year;
And justly Cæfar fcorns the Poet's lays,
It is to History he trufts for Praffe.

F. m 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 trust in Peter. n Ev'n thofe you touch not, hate you.

P. What fhould ail them?

F. A hundred fmart in Timon and in Balaam :

30

55

40

The

Agmina, nec fracta pereuntes cufpide Gallos,
Aut labentis equo defcribat vulnera Parthi.

T. Attamen et juftum poteras et fcribere fortem, Scipiadam ut fapiens Lucilius.

H. Haud mihi deero,

Cum res ipfa feret: nifi dextro tempore, Flacci
Verba per attentam non ibunt Cæfaris aurem :
Cui male fi palpere, recalcitrat undique tutus.
T. m Quanto rectius hoc, quam trifti lædere verfu
Pantolabum fcurram, Nomentanumve nepotem ?

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

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
Scarfdale his Bottle, Darty his Ham-pye;
Ridotta fips and dances, till fhe fee

The doubling Luftres dance as fast as she;
PF- loves the Senate, Hockleyhole his brother,
Like in all elfe, as one Egg to another.

I love to pour out all myself, as plain
As downright Shippen, or as old Montagne :
In them, as certain to be lov'd as seen,

The Soul food forth, nor kept a thought within;
In me what spots (for fpots I have) appear,
Will prove at least the Medium must be clear.
In this impartial glass, my Mufc 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 every friend the less lament my fate.

H. Quid faciam? faltat Milonius, ut femel ico
Acceffit fervor capiti, numerusque lucernis.

P Caftor gaudet equis; ovo prognatus eodem,
Pugnis. quot capitum vivunt, totidem studiorum
Millia. q me pedibus delectat claudere verba,
Lucili ritu, noftrûm melioris utroque.

Ille velut fidis arcana fodalibus olim

Credebat libris; neque, fi male gefferat, ufquam,

Decurrens alio, neque fi bene; quo fit, ut omnis

[merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small]

My head and heart thus flowing through my quill,

r Verfeman or Proseman, term me which you will, Papift 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.

Satire's my weapon, but I'm too difcreet
To run a-muck, and tilt at all I meet;
I only wear it in a land of Hectors,
Thieves, Supercargoes, Sharpers, and Directors.
u Save but our army! and let Jove incrust
Swords, pikes, and guns, with everlasting rust!
Peace is my dear delight-not Fleury's more:
But touch me, and no minifter fo fore.
Whoe'er offends, at fome unlucky time
* Slides into verse, and hitches-in a rhyme,

Votiva pateat veluti defcripta tabella

[ocr errors]

65.

70

75

Sacred

Vita fenis. fequor hunc, Lucanus an Appulus, anceps:
[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,

S

Tutus ab infeftis latronibus? " O pater et rex
Jupiter, ut pereat pofitum rubigine telum,

Nec quifquam noceat w cupido mihi pacis at ille,
Qui me commôrit, (melius non tangere, clamo)

X

Flebit, et infignis-tota cantabitur urbe.

« PreviousContinue »