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and Nobility, who encouraged only the Writers for the Theatre; and lastly against the Emperor himself, who had conceived them of little Use to the Government. He shews (by a View of the Progress of Learning, and the Change of Taste among the Romans) that the Introduction of the Polite Arts of Greece had given the Writers of his Time great advantages over their Predecessors; that their Morals were much improved, and the licence of those ancient Poets restrained: that Satire and Comedy were become more just and useful; that whatever extravagancies were left on the Stage, were owing to the Ill Taste of the Nobility; that Poets, under due Regulations, were in many respects useful to the State, and concludes, that it was upon them the Emperor himself must depend, for his Fame with Posterity.

We may farther learn from this Epistle, that Horace made his Court to this Great Prince by writing with a decent Freedom toward him, with a just Contempt of his low Flatterers, and with a manly Regard to his own Character,

EPISTOLA I.

Ad AUGUSTUM.

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UM tot fuftineas et tanta negotia solus, Res Italas armis tuteris, moribus ornes, Legibus emendes; in publica commoda peccem, Si longo fermone morer tua tempora, Caefar. • Romulus, et Liber pater, et um Castore Pollux, Post ingentia facta, Deorum in templa recepti, Dum terras hominumque colunt genus, aspera bella Componunt, agros adfignant, oppida condunt; * Ploravere suis non respondere favorem Speratum meritis. diram qui contudit Hydram, Notaque fatali portenta labore subegit, Comperit invidiam fupremo fine domari.

Book ii. Epift. 1.] The Poet always rises with his original; and very often without. This whole Imitation is extremely noble and fublime.

VER. 7. Edward and Henry, etc.] Romulus, et Liber Pater, etc. Horace very judiciously praises Augustus for the colonies he

EPISTLE I.

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To AUGUSTUS.

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Hile you, great Patron of Mankind! * sustain
The balanc'd World, and open all the Main;

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Your Country, chief, in Arms abroad defend,
At Home, with Morals, Arts, and Laws amend;
How shall the Muse, from such a Monarch, steal 5
An hour, and not defraud the Public Weal?

Edward and Henry, now the Boast of Fame,
And virtuous Alfred, a more dsacred Name,
After a Life of gen'rous toils endur'd, 12.
The Gaul fubdu'd, or Property secur'd,
Ambition humbled, mighty Cities storm'd,
Or Laws establish'd, and the world reform'd;
* Clos'd their long Glories with a figh, to find
Th' unwilling Gratitude of base mankind!
All human Virtue, to its latest breath,

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Finds Envy never conquer'd, but by Death.

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founded, not for the victories he had won; and therefore compares him, not to those who desolated, but to those who civilized mankind. The imitation wants this grace: and, for a very ob. vious reason, should not have aimed at it, as he has done in the mention of Alfred..

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Urit enim fulgore fuo, qui praegravat artes Infra se positas: extinctus amabitur idem.

Præfenti tibi maturos largimur honores, Jurandasque tuum per numen ponimus aras, * Nil oriturum alias, nil ortum tale fatentes. Sed tuus hoc populus sapiens et justus in uno. * Te noftris ducibus, te Graiis anteferendo, Cactera nequaquam fimili ratione modoque Aestimat; et, nifi quae terris semota suisque Temporibus defuncta videt, faftidit et odit:

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Sic fautor veterum, ut tabulas peccare vetantes

Quas bis quinque viri sanxerunt, foedera regum,
Vel Gabiis vel cum rigidis aequata Sabinis,
Pontificum libros, annosa volumina Vatum,

VER. 17. The great Alcides,] This instance has not the fame grace here as in the original, where it comes in well after those of Romulus, Bacchus, Castor, and Pollux, tho' aukwardly after Edward and Henry. But it was for the fake of the beautiful thought in the next line; which, yet, does not equal the force of his original.

•VER. 38. And beaftly Skelton, etc.] Skelton, Peet Laureat to Henry VIII, a volume of whose verses has been lately reprinted,

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The great Alcides, ev'ry Labour past,
Had still this Monster to subdue at last.
* Sure fate of all, beneath whose rising ray
Each star of meaner merit fades away !
Oppress'd we feel the beam directly beat,
Those Suns of Glory please not till they set.
To thee, the World its present homage pays,
The Harvest early, but mature the praise:
Great Friend of LIBERTY! in Kings a Name
Above all Greek, above all Roman Fame *:
Whose Word is Truth, as sacred and rever'd,
As Heav'n's own Oracles from Altars heard.
Wonder of King! like whom, to mortal eyes
* None e'er has risen, and none e'er shall rise. 30
Just in one instance, be it yet confest
Your People, Sir, are partial in the rest!
Foes to all living worth except your own,
And Advocates for folly dead and gone.
Authors, like coins, grow dear as they grow old; 35
It is the rust we value, not the gold.

Chaucer's worst ribaldry is learn'd by rote,
And beastly Skelton Heads of houses quote:
One likes no language but the Faery Queen;
A Scot will fight for Christ's Kirk o' the Green: 40

confifting almost wholly of ribaldry, obscenity, and scrrilous language.

VER. 40. Chrift's Kirk the Green;] A Ballad made by a King of Scotland,

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