EPISTOLA II F LORE, bono claroque fidelis amice Neroni, b Si quis forte velit puerum tibi vendere natum Tibure vel Gabiis, et tecum fic agat: "Hic et "Candidus, et talos a vertice pulcher ad imos, "Fiet eritque tuus nummorum millibus octo; "Verna minifteriis ad nutus aptus heriles; "Litterulis Græcis imbutus, idoneus arti "Cuilibet: argilla quidvis imitaberis uda: "Quin etiam canet indoctum, fed dulce bibenti. "Multa fidem promiffa levant, ubi plenius aequo "Laudat venales, qui vult extrudere, merces. "Res urget me nulla meo fum pauper in aere. "Nemo hoc mangonum faceret tibi: non temere a me "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. VER. 4. This Lad, Sir, is of Blois :] A Town in Beauce, where the French tongue is spoken in great purity. EPISTLE II. EAR Col'nel, COBHAM's and your country's DEA Friend! You love a Verfe, take fuch as I can fend. b A Frenchman comes, prefents you with his Boy, "To fay too much, might do my honour wrong. II "But, Sir, to you, with what I would not part? 15 "Tho 'faith, I fear, 'twill break his Mother's heart. "Once (and but once) I caught him in a lye, "And then, unwhipp'd, he had the grace to cry: "The fault he has I fairly shall reveal, 20 " (Could you o'erlook but that) it is to steal. If, after this, you took the graceless lad Could you complain, my Friend, he prov'd fo bad? d Dixi me pigrum proficifcenti tibi, dixi Talibus officiis prope mancum : ne mea faevus Jurgares ad te quod epiftola nulla veniret. Quid tum profeci, mecum facientia jura I, bone, quo virtus tua te vocat; i pede faufto, VER. 24. I think Sir Godfrey] An eminent Justice of Peace, who decided much in the manner of Sancho Pancha. ---Sir Godfrey Kneller. VER. 33. In Anna's Wars, etc.] Many parts of this story are well told; but, on the whole, it is much inferior to the original. VER. 37. This put the man, etc.] Greatly below the Original, Poft hoc vehemens lupus, et fibi et hosti Iratus pariter, jejunis dentibus acer. The last words are particularly elegant and humorous. Faith, in fuch cafe, if you should profecute, I think Sir Godfrey should decide the fuit; 25 d 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 assent? 30 Nay worse, to ask for Verfe at fuch a time! D'ye think me good for nothing but to rhyme? e In ANNA's Wars, a Soldier poor and old Had dearly earn'd a little purfe of gold: Tir'd with a tedious march, one luckless night, 35 40 VER. 43. Gave him much praife, and some reward befide.] For the fake of a stroke of fatire, he has here weakened that circumstance on which the turn of the story depends. Ho-, race avoided it, tho' the avaricious character of Lucullus was a tempting occafion to indulge his raillery. |