Charm'd with the fplendour of this northern ftar, Shall here unlade him, and depart no more. 301. Our powerful navy fhall no longer meet, 1205 The wealth of France or Holland to invade: The beauty of this town without a fleet, From all the world fhall vindicate her trade. 302. 1210 And, while this fam'd emporium we prepare, The British ocean fhall fuch triumphs boast, That thofe, who now difdain our trade to fhare, Shall rob like pirates on our wealthy coast. 303. Already we have conquer'd half the war, 1215 And the lefs dangerous part is left behind: Our trouble now is but to make them dare, And not fo great to vanquish as to find. 304. Thus to the eastern wealth through storms we go, But now, the Cape once doubled, fear no more: 1220 Ver. 1219. Thus to the eastern] If he had never written any other poem than this Annus Mirabilis, he never could have been ranked among our greatest English poets. Dr. J. WARTON. Ver. 1220. the Cape once doubled, fear no more: A conftant trade-wind will fecurely blow.] Sailors generally imagine themfelves out of danger on an EastIndia voyage, when they double the Cape of Good Hope, becaufe A conftant trade-wind will fecurely blow, then they get into the trade winds, or monfoons, that always blow in a certain direction. DERRICK. Ver. 1221. A conftant] A frigid conceit drawn from the nature of the trade-wind. Dr. J. WARTON. Ver. 1222. And gently lay us &c.] From these lines Pope has formed one of his moft melodious couplets: "Ye gentle gales, beneath my body blow, Sappho to Phaon. JOHN WARTON. AN ESSAY UPON SATIRE*, BY MR. DRYDEN AND THE EARL OF MULGRAVE. HOW dull, and how insensible a beast This piece was written in 1679, and handed about in manufcript fome time before it made its appearance in print. It is fuppofed to have occafioned the beating Mr. Dryden received in Rofe-ftreet, Covent-Garden, of which notice is taken in his life. The earl of Mulgrave's name has been always joined with Dryden's, as concerned in the compofition; and that nobleman fomewhere takes notice, that Dryden Was prais'd and beaten for another's rhymes. It is not improbable, that Rochester's character was drawn by his lordship, who held him in high contempt, after his behaving in a very daftardly manner when he challenged him. How, indeed, Lord Mulgrave came to fubfcribe to so disagreeable a picture of himself, is hard to divine. DERRICK. Ver. 1. How dull,] This fatire is claimed by the Earl of Mulgrave, and perhaps ought not to have a place in our poet's works. But Quære? Dr. J. WARŢon. But those were pedants, when compar'd with thefe, Who know not only to inftruct but pleafe. In charming numbers; fo that as men grew too. 5 10 Satire has always fhone among the reft, In fatire too the wife took different ways, 15 Some did all folly with juft fharpness blame, Whilft others laugh'd and fcorn'd them into fhame. ; But of these two, the laft fucceeded beft, 25 Befides 'tis labor loft; for who would preach Ver. 30. Morals to Armstrong, or dull Afton teach ?] Sir Thomas Armitrong had been knighted by King Charles II. for fome fervices received from him during the protectorship, he having been fent over to his Majefty, when in Holland, with a fum of money, raised among fome of his faithful fubjects, for his royal ufe. He afterwards bore a lieutenant-colonel's commiffion in the first troop of horfe-guards, and was appointed gentleman of horse to the king. Being a man of a loose immoral character, and of no fixed principles, either in religion or politics, he joined in the Ryehoufe-Plot, and then efcaped into Holland. Five hundred pounds were offered as a reward for taking him. Lewis XIV. out of compliment to King Charles, offered five hundred pounds to any one who should fecure him in the dominions of France. He was at length feized at Leyden, brought over to England, and condemned to die by Judge Jefferies, who treated him in a very unbecoming manner. Bishop Burnet obferves, that he died with great meekness and refignation, expreffing a hearty repentance for his paft profligate life. King Charles, about the time of Sir Thomas's execution, told feveral people, that he had been lately affured Sir Thomas had been fuborned by Cromwell, to take away his life when he waited on him in Holland, but he found no opportunity of perpetrating his crime; for failing in which, the Protector imprifoned him on his return home. Though this ftory came from a royal mouth, few people believed it; yet it is certain, that Cromwell kept him a year in prifon. He was hanged at Tyburn on the 20th of June, 1684: his head was fixed upon Westminster-Hall, between thofe of Cromwell and Bradshaw, and his quarters upon Temple-Bar, Aldgate, Alderfgate, and the town-wall of Stafford. It is faid he was a native of Nimeguen, a city of Guelderland, and would have claimed from the states-general the protection of a native, if he had not been carried away as foon as he was arrested. I find in Wood's Fafti, mention made of one James Afton, a divine, of whom no more is faid than that he was a zealous loyalift, and about this time well beneficed. It is not unlikely, that it is the fame perfon whom we find here celebrated for dullnefs; for, had he excelled in any thing elfe, Wood would not have failed to remark it. DERRICK, |