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HORACE.

Inform me, then, what was his genuine Thought.

STOIC.

This is the Doctrine by our Father taught; Though the Wife Man nor Shoe nor Sandal frame, Yet him a fkilful Shoemaker we name.

Explain.

HORACE.

STOIC.

Though he nor fings nor plays, we say
Hermogenes can fweetly fing and play.
27 Alfenus too we still a Barber hold,

His Shop though fhut, and all his Razors fold.
So every Art the Wife Man knows alone,
Skilful in all, and yet profeffing none;
28 And thus he is a King.

HORACE.

Beware, beware!

Should
you this Doctrine in the Streets declare,
Great King of Kings, your Beard a hooting Train
Of Boys will pluck: Your Clamours will be vain,
Unless these noify Scoffers to chastise,
Your knotty Club its powerful Influence tries.

In short, while You, Great Monarch, for the Coft Of Four-pence bathe, and no Attendants boaft,

But

But vain Crifpinus, 29 in my Friends I find
No Faults, and they are to my Follies blind.
Thus greater Blifs my private State fhall know,
Than what on You your Kingship can bestow.

NOTE S.

1 M. Tigellius was a Native of Sardinia, and though his Character was infamous, yet on account of his Wit and Humour, but particularly for the Excellence of his Voice, he was highly favoured by Julius Cæfar, Auguftus, and Cleopatra. His Death was mentioned by our Poet in the preceding Satire, which, though here omitted on account of its Obfcenity, Mr. Pote fcrupled not to imitate, (as he did Chaucer's Prologue to the Wife of Bath's Tale, which even Dryden modeftly declined) in his Sober Advice to the Young Gentlemen about Town, fubftituting for Tigellius, Mrs. Oldfield. This Imitation, however, is not inferted in the laft Edition of his Works. Tigelius is alfo twice mentioned with Contempt in the last Satire of this Book. It is faid that he incurred Horace's Refentment by criticifing hisVerfes as rough and inharmonious. Mufical as he was himself, he could not bear the leaft Discord.

2 Julius Cæfar; Auguftus's Father by Adoption.

3

Velut qui

Junonis facra ferret.] Jung herself was peculiarly diftinguifhed by the Slowness and Majefty of her Gait. As fhe fays in Virgil, Æn. i. 50. Divum incedo regina. And hence the Virgins, who affifted at her Ceremonies, always walked in the fame flow and stately Manner.

4 Manius.] For the Character of this Buffoon and Spendthrift fee Ep. 15. Book 1. Novius is again mentioned as a Profligate in Sat. 6. of this Book.

5 Iracundior eft paulo.] The old Scholiaft communicates to us here a remarkable Tradition. He tells us, that

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1

1

this and the five following Lines defcribe Virgil, whom Horace defends against the Railleries of Auguftus's Court. What makes this Tradition very probable is, that the Picture he here draws of Virgil is extremely like him; for he was homely, and had an awkward Air. The Author of his Life fays of him, Corpore et ftaturâ fuit grandis, aquile colore, facie rufticanâ. He adds, that he was fo bashful, that, as he walked the Street, if he saw any one follow to look at him, he would turn into the next House to conceal himself. DACIER.

6

at ingenium ingens.] This Character also agrees perfectly well with Virgil, who was called by Cicero, Magna fpes altera Roma, on the bare hearing one of his Eclogues; and of whom Propertius fays, fpeaking of the Eneid,

Nefcio quid majus nafcitur Iliade.

Bentley imagines that Horace has given us his own Picture here; but it is highly improbable that he would have applied ingenium ingens to himself. The late Mr. Miller's Application of this Character to Horace's Namefake, the late Lord Walpole, of Woolterton, deferves to be inferted

here :

What though fage Horace is not quite a Beau,

What though his Shoes no Diamond Buckles fhow,
Though coated in a Tafte uncouth, and breech'd
With Trowsers often calling to be hitch'd,
Shall he for this on Satire's Wheel be broke,
Or made the Courtier's Gibe, and Coxcomb's Joke?
No; one, who wants the polish'd Trim and Grace,
The fupple Knee, and promiffory Face,

May yet be Master of a noble Heart,

Prepar'd to act the friendly, generous Part:
For many an outward Cafe, though rough or droll,
Contains an honeft, brave, and upright Soul.

7 Natura aut etiam confuetudo mala.] Our Vices, as well as our Virtues, fpring from thefe two Sources, viz. Nature, or Habit. In fact, the Vices of Habit are almost incorrigible, as Seneca rightly obferves in his 39th Epistle, Definit esse remedio locus, ubi quæ fuerant vitia, mores funt.

8 -ut

8- •ut abortivus fuit olim

Sifyphus.1 The Dwarf of Mark Antony. He was but two Feet high, and so witty and acute, that he was called Sifyphus-for Sifyphus was the most ingenious Man of his Time; whence arofe the Proverb, Sisyphi artes.

9 Qui, ne tuberibus propriis offendat amicum,

Poftulat, ignofcet verrucis illius.] This is a divine Precept, fince our Saviour has adopted and fanctified it, though in other Words, in the 7th Chapter of St. Matthew, ver. 3 and 4. Why beholdeft thou the Mote that is in thy Brother's Eye, but confidereft not the Beam that is in thine own Eye? Or how wilt thou fay to thy Brother, Let me pull the Mote out of thine Eye; and behold, a Beam is in thine own Eye?

10 M. Antiftius Labeo, a Lawyer, was fo abufive and infolent, that he frequently railed at Auguftus, and rafhly arraigned the Juftice of his Government. SUETONIUS.

11 Rufo, fays the old Scholiaft, being not only a notorious Ufurer, but also a dull Historian, used to oblige his Debtors, if they did not pay him, to hear him read his Works; but it feems more probable, that Hiftorias means the Writ, or Bill of Indictment.

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Evandri manibus tritum, dejecit.] The Stoics, who pardoned no Faults, would not have pardoned a Slave who had broken fo valuable a Dish. Epictetus, who well knew that this Sentiment was unworthy a Philofopher, afterwards corrected it. Evander was a celebrated Potter, whom Mark Antony brought from Athens to Rome.

13 Aut pofitum ante meâ quia pullum in parte catini

Suftulit efuriens.] According to the Doctrine of the Stoics it was an unpardonable Fault to take any thing at a Feaft belonging to another, or to help one's-felf to the largest or belt Part of any thing; because this fubverts that Equality which is the Foundation of Society. Epictetus, who corrected in many Things the Harshness of that Sect, foftens also these convivial Precepts.

14 Commissa

14 Commiffa fide.] Fide for fidei; as Virgil fays, die for diei.

Libra die fomnique pares ubi fecerit horas.

And Salluf, Vix decima parte die.

15

-Senfus morefque repugnant,

Atque ipfa utilitas.] This Opinion of the Stoics is contrary to Common Senfe; for no Man can believe, that he, who only steals a Cabbage, is guilty of as great a Crime, as he who has robbed a Temple. Manners alfo oppose it, as we fee by the Practice of all People; nor will public Utility allow it; for, if this were true, all Men being, in fome Degree, Offenders, they would all deferve to be capitally punished; the Confequence of which would be, that they would be plunged in Despair, and give themfelves up to all manner of Crimes. DACIER.

jufti prope mater & aqui.]

And public Good, which is the Parent of Justice and 'Equity.'

This Doctrine of the Epicuréans inverts the natural Order of Things. Public Good neither is, nor can poffibly be, the Source of Juftice and Equity; but, on the contrary, the general Practice of Virtue (which includes Justice and Equity) would certainly produce the Happiness of Society, or public Good.

But if he only means, that Laws were firft enacted to promote focial Happiness; in that Senfe the Propofition will, indeed, be true, but is inaccurately expreffed. D.

17 Prorepferunt.] This Word is very proper to express the Origin of Men according to the Notion of the Epicuréans; for they imagined that they fprung from the Bowels of the Earth. This alfo was the Opinion of the Phænicians and Ægyptians.

18 Mutum & turpe pecus.] According to the Epicuréans, Men, at the Beginning of the World, were no better than Beafts. They had not yet learned to express their Thoughts: Nature had only taught them to utter vague and harsh Sounds; their Language was nothing but obfcure Cries, 'till Neceffity had given them Words; as Lucretius fays,

Utilitas

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