Fr. Alas! alas! pray end what you began, And write next winter more Essays on Man. 255 NOTES. VER. 254. Pray end what] We must own that these Dialogues, excellent as they are, exhibit many and strong marks of our Author's petulance, party-fpirit, and felf-importance; and of affuming to himself the character of cenfor-general; who, alas! if he had poffeffed a thousand times more genius, integrity, and ability, than he actually enjoyed, could not have altered or amended the manners of a rich and commercial, and confequently of a luxurious and diffipated nation. But we make ourselves unhappy, by hoping to poffefs incompatible things; we want to have wealth without corruption, and liberty without virtue! VER. ult.] This was the laft Poem of the kind printed by our Author, with a resolution to publish no more; but to enter thus, in the most plain and folemn manner he could, a fort of PROTEST against that infuperable corruption and depravity of manners, which he had been fo unhappy as to live to fee. Could he have hoped to have amended any, he had continued those attacks; but bad men were grown so shameless and fo powerful, that Ridicule was become as unfafe as it was ineffectual. The Poem raised him, as he knew it would, fome enemies; but he had reason to be satisfied with the approbation of good men, and the teftimony of his own confcience. P. ON RECEIVING FROM THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE LADY FRANCES SHIRLEY A STANDISH AND TWO PENS. YES, I beheld th' Athenian Queen Defcend in all her fober charms; "And take (fhe said, and smil'd ferene) "Take at this hand celeftial arms; "Secure NOTES. The Lady Frances Shirley] A Lady whofe great Merit Mr. Pope took a real pleasure in celebrating. W. Yes, I beheld, &c.] To enter into the fpirit of this Address, it is neceffary to premise, that the Poet was threatened with a profecution in the Houfe of Lords, for the two foregoing poems, the Epilogue to the Satires. On which, with great resentment against his enemies, for not being willing to distinguish between Grave Epifles bringing Vice to light, and licentious Libels, he began a third Dialogue, more fevere and fublime than the first and fecond; which being no fecret, matters were foon compromised. His enemies agreed to drop the prosecution, and he promised to leave the third Dialogue unfinished and fuppreffed. This affair occafioned this little beautiful poem, to which it alludes throughout, but more especially in the four laft ftanzas. W. pre These stanzas are obfcure and hard, and below the usual cifion and elegance of our Author. See particularly the second, third, fifth, and eighth stanzas. "Secure the radiant weapons wield; "This golden lance fhall guard Defert, "And if a Vice dares keep the field, "This steel shall stab it to the heart." Aw'd, on my bended knees I fell, And dipt them in the fable Well, "What Well? what Weapon? (Flavia cries) 66 I gave it you to write again. "But, Friend, take heed whom you attack; "You'd write as fmooth again on glass, "And run, on ivory, fo glib, "As not to stick at fool or ass †, "Athenian Queen! and fober charms! "Come, if you'll be a quiet foul, "That dares tell neither Truth nor Lies ‡, "I'll lift you in the harmless roll "Of thofe that fing of these poor eyes." NOTES. * Such toys being the ufual presents from lovers to their miftreffes. W. + When she delivers Æneas a fuit of heavenly armour. W. i. e. If you have neither the courage to write Satire, nor the application to attempt an Epic Poem.-He was then meditating on fuch a work. W. |