SATIRES, EPISTLES, AND ODES OF HORACE. IMITATED. Ludentis speciem dabit, et torquebitur.—HOR. ADVERTISEMENT. The occasion of publishing these imitations was the clamour raised on some of my epistles. An answer from Horace was both more full and of more dignity than any I could have made in my own person; and the example of much greater freedom in so eminent a divine as Dr. Donne, seemed a proof with what indignation and contempt a Christian may treat vice or folly, in ever so low or ever so high a station. Both these authors were acceptable to the princes and ministers under whom they lived. The satires of Dr. Donne I versified at the desire of the Earl of Oxford, while he was lord treasurer, and of the Duke of Shrewsbury, who had been secretary of state; neither of whom looked upon a satire on vicious courts as any reflection on those they served in. And indeed there is not in the world a greater error than that which fools are so apt to fall into, and knaves with good reason to encourage, -the mistaking a satirist for a libeller; whereas to a true satirist nothing is so odious as a libeller, for the same reason as to a man truly virtuous nothing is so hateful as a hypocrite. THE FIRST SATIRE OF THE SECOND BOOK OF HORACE. TO MR. FORTESCUE.1 P. THERE are (I scarce can think it, but am told), I come to counsel learned in the law: You'll give me, like a friend both sage and free, Advice; and (as you use) without a fee. F. I'd write no more. P. Not write? but then I think, And for my soul I cannot sleep 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. Why, if the night seem tedious-take a wife: Or rather, truly, if your point be rest, Lettuce and cowslip wine: probatum est. But talk with Celsus, Celsus will advise 1 Baron of the Exchequer, and afterwards Master of the Rolls. * See note 2 vol. ii. p. 121. 3 See note vol. ii. p.75. 4 Lord Hervey. Hartshorn, or something that shall close your eyes. With arms, and George, and Brunswick, crowd the verse; Rend with tremendous sound your ears asunder, With gun, drum, trumpet, blunderbuss, and thunder? Or nobly wild, with Budgell's fire and force, P. Alas! few verses touch their nicer ear; F. Better be Cibber, I'll maintain it still, Than ridicule all taste, blaspheme quadrille, Abuse the city's best good men in metre, And laugh at peers that put their trust in Peter. E'en those you touch not, hate you. P. What should ail 'em? F. A hundred smart in Timon and in Balaam: The fewer still you name, you wound the more; Bond is but one, but Harpax is a score. Sir Richard Blackmore. • At the battle of Oudenard. P. Each mortal has his pleasure: none deny Scarsdale his bottle, Darty7 his ham-pie: Ridotta sips and dances till she see The doubling lustres dance as fast as she : will, While Tories call me Whig, and Whigs a Tory. Satire's my weapon, but I'm too discreet To run a muck, and tilt at all I meet ; 7 Dartineuf, a great epicure, with whom Pope appears to have lived on good terms. 8 Of this distinguished Member of Parliament, Sir Robert Walpole repeatedly said, that "he was not corruptible." I only wear it in a land of Hectors, Thieves, supercargoes, sharpers, and directors. Slander or poison dread from Delia's rage; Then, learned sir! (to cut the matter short) ' Judge Page is said to have treated delinquents rather too roughly. 1 See Memoir prefixed to these volumes, p. xcii. |