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NOTE S.

Eupolis, &c.] Eupolis, Cratinus, and Aristophanes, were three contemporary Poets of the old Comedy, who lived about 400 Years before Jefus Chrift. It was usual with them in their Plays to call Perfons by their Names, and to expofe their Failings to the Laughter of the People. Ariftophanes had the Boldness to ridicule Socrates. He was alfo very free with the Conduct of Cleon, Nicias, Alcibiades, and other Governors of Athens. In a word, that which we call the old Comedy was full of fatirical Reflections and fcandalous Slanders. We have nothing now left of Eupolis and Cratinus. Ariftophanes is faid to have written. fifty-four Comedies, of which there remain but eleven.. He excells in the Force, Purity, Sweetness, and Harmony of his Style.

2 Lucilius.] A Poet of the Equestrian Order. He wrote Satires after the Manner of Ennius and Pacuvius, but gave them a more graceful Turn. He clofely imitated the old Grecian Comedy. He lived A. U. C. 650.

3 Quod funt quos genus boc minimè juvat.] Horace says, that People did not take Pleasure in reading Satires, left they fhould find their own Pictures drawn there. 1 hus Juvenal:. Rubet auditor, cui frigida mens eft

Criminibus; tacitâ fudant præcordia culpa. Sat. I. v. 166..
When confcious Guilt appalls the wicked Heart,
Cold Sweat falls down in Drops from every Part,

4 Ingenium cui fit. ] This is a juft Definition of an Heroic, Tragic, or Lyric Poet; but he who has not fo great an Elevation may ftill be a roet, if the Verfes he writes are adapted to his Subject. As toere are different species of Eloquence, fo are there also of Poetry; and though fome of thefe are much inferior to others, the Aucher who treats, them skilfully, certainly deserves the Name of a Poet,.

5

Poftquam Difcordia tetra

Belli ferratos pfes portafque refregit.] Thefe Lines are taken from the Annals of Ennius. Virgil has imitated them in his Eneid:

-morantes

Impulit ipfa manu portas, & cardine very

Belli ferratos rupit Saturnia pofies. Book vii, ver. 6′25%.

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Then Heaven's dread Emprefs, while the Prince delay'd, Shot down, and both the bursting Gates difplay'd: The Bolts fly back, with every brazen Bar,

And, like aStorm,broke forth th' imprison'd War. PITT.

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Ambulat, Caprius.] Sulcius and Caprius were two famous Informers, who used to walk the Streets carrying under their Arms the Libels they had written against Delinquents.

7 Similis Byrrhi.] Byrrhus was a young Man, whofe Luxury had prompted him to commit all Manner of Crimes.

8 Paftillos Rufillus olet, Gorgonius bircum.] This Line is taken from Satire II. which confequently must have been written before this. The laft Part of this Line, no doubt, gave the greatest Offence, and, as I imagine, particularly to the Stoics, who were great Patrons of Filthiness, or at least would not fuffer it to be ridiculed. But I cannot help thinking, that if these good Philofophers had been more neat themfelves, they would not have been fo zealous to prejudice others in Favour of Nastiness. Surely it is no Breach of Charity to railly Men on a Fault, which it is in their own Power to correct. However, we mult here except Epictetus, who fays, That the Cleanlinefs of the Body is an Emblem of the Purity of the Soul; that Nature has furnished us with Baths, Effences, Linnen Cloths, Brufhes, Vitriol, and other Drugs, to cleanfe us from Filth and Sweat; and that he who does not make Ufe of them fhould not be looked upon as a Man but a Hog, and should renounce all Commerce 'with Mankind, and not go into the Temples to poison others.' DACIER.

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9 Infuevit pater optimus, &c.] In the fame manner Demea in Terence inftructs his Son :

Nibil prætermitto, confuefacio; denique

Infpicere tanquam in fpeculum in vitas omnium
Jubeo, atque ex aliis fumere exemplum fibi ;

Hoc facito, et boc fugito, &c. ADELPH. A& III. Sc. 3. 10 Cum le&ulus, &c.] Horace here follows the Precept of the Pythagoreans, who advise us never to go to Sleep without thinking three times on whatever has paffed in the Day.

Nec prius in dulcem declinent lumina, omnum,
Omnia quam longi reputaveris acta diei.

SATIRE

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By WILLIAM CowPER, Efq;

A humorous Defcription of the Author's Journey from Rome to Brundufium.

"TWAS a long Journey lay before us,
When I and honeft Heliodorus,

(Who far in Point of Rhetoric
Surpaffes every living Greek,)
Each leaving our refpective Home,
Together fally'd forth from Rome.
First at Aricia we alight,

And there refresh, and pass the Night..
Our Entertainment? rather coarfe

Than fumptuous, but I've met with worse.
Thence o'er the Causeway, foft and fair,
To 2 Appii-forum we repair.

But as this Road is well supply'd
(Temptation ftrong!) on either Side
With Inns commodious, fnug and warm,
We split the Journey, and perform
In two Days time, what's often done
By brifker Travellers in one.

Here rather chufing not to fup
Than with bad Water mix my Cup,

After a warm Debate, in fpite

Of a provoking Appetite,

I fturdily

I fturdily refolve at last

To balk it, and pronounce a Faft:
And, in a moody Humour, wait
While my lefs dainty Comrades bait.
Now o'er the fpangled Hemifphere
Diffus'd, the ftarry Train appear,
When there arofe a defperate Brawl;
The Slaves and Bargemen, one and all,
Rending their Throats (have Mercy on us!)
As if they were refolv'd to ftun us.
Steer the Barge this Way to the Shore!
• I tell you, we'll admit no more---
Plague! will you never be content!"
Thus a whole Hour at leaft is spent,
While they receive the feveral Fares,
And kick the Mule into his Gears.
Happy! thefe Difficulties paft,
Could we have fall'n asleep at last

But, what with humming, croaking, biting,
Gnats, Frogs, and all their Plagues uniting,
Thefe tuneful Natives of the Lake
Confpir'd to keep us broad awake.
Befides, to make the Concert full,
Two maudlin Wights, exceeding dull,
The Bargeman and a Passenger,
Each in his Turn effay'd an Air
In Honour of his abfent Fair.
At length, the Paffenger, oppreft

With Wine, left off, and fnor'd the reft.

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The weary Bargeman too gave o'er,
And, hearing his Companion fnore,
Seiz'd the Occafion, fix'd the Barge,
Turn'd out his Mule to graze at large,
And flept, forgetful of his Charge.

And now the Sun, o'er Eastern Hill,
Discover'd that our Barge stood still;
When one, whofe Anger vex'd him fore,
With Malice fraught, leaps quick on Shore;
Plucks up a Stake; with many a Thwack
Affails the Mule and Driver's Back.
Then, flowly moving on, with Pain,
At ten, 3 Feronia's Stream we gain,
And in her pure and glassy Wave
Our Hands and Faces gladly lave.
Climbing three Miles, fair 4 Anxur's Height
We reach, with ftony Quarries white.
While here, as was agreed, we wait,
"Till, charg'd with Business of the State,
Maecenas and Cocceius come,

(The Meflengers of Peace) from Rome;
My Eyes, by watry Humours blear
And fore, I with black Balfam fmear..
At length they join us, and with them
Our worthy Friend Fonteius came;
A Man of fuch complete Desert,
Antony lov'd him at his Heart.

At 5 Fundi we refus'd to bait,

And laugh'd at vain Aufidius' State;

}

A 6 Præter

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