All, all but Truth, drops dead-born from the Prefs,
Like the last Gazette, or the last Addrefs.
227

When black Ambition ftains a public Cause,
A Monarch's fword when mad Vain-glory draws,
Not Waller's Wreath can hide the Nation's Scar,
Nor Boileau turn the Feather to a Star.
231

Not fo, when diadem'd with rays divine,
Touch'd with the Flame that breaks from Virtue's

Shrine,

Her Priestess Muse forbids the Good to die,
And
opes the Temple of Eternity.

VARIATIONS.

After 227. in the MS.

Where's now the Star that lighted Charles to rife?
-With that which follow'd Julius to the skies.
Angels, that watch'd the Royal Oak fo well,
How chanc'd ye nod, when lucklefs Sorel fell?
Hence, lying miracles! reduc'd fo low
As to the regal-touch, and papal-toe;
Hence haughty Edgar's title to the Main,
Britain's to France, and thine to India, Spain!

NOTES.

VER. 228. When black Ambition etc.] The cafe of Cromwell in the civil war of England; and (229.) of Louis XIV. in his conqueft of the Low Countries. P.

VER. 231. Nor Boileau turn the Feather to a Star.] See his Ode on Namur; where (to ufe his own words) "il a fait un "Aftre de la Plume blanche que le Roy porte ordinairement "à fon Chapeau, et qui eft en effet une efpece de Comete, "fatale à nos ennemis." P.

There, other Trophies deck the truly brave,
Than fuch as Anftis cafts into the Grave;
Far other Stars than * and ** wear,

And may descend to Mordington from STAIR:
(Such as on HoUGH's unfully'd Mitre fhine, 240
Or beam, good DIGBY, from a heart like thine)
Let Envy howl, while Heav'n's whole Chorus fings,
And bark at Honour not confer'd by Kings;
Let Flatt'ry fick'ning fee the Incense rife,
Sweet to the World, and grateful to the Skies:
Truth guards the Poet, fanctifies the line,
And makes immortal, Verfe as mean as mine.

246

Yes, the last Pen for Freedom let me draw, When Truth stands trembling on the edge of Law; Here, Laft of Britons! let Names be read; your Are none, none living? let me praise the Dead,

NOTES.

VER. 237. Anfis] The chief Herald at Arms. It is the cuftom, at the funeral of great peers, to caft into the grave the broken ftaves and enfigns of honour. P.

VER. 239. Stair;] John Dalrymple Earl of Stair, Knight of the Thistle; ferved in all the wars under the Duke of Marlborough; and afterwards as Embassador in France.. P.

VER. 240, 241. Hough and Digby] Dr. John Hough Bishop of Worcester, and the Lord Digby. The one an affertor of the Church of England in oppofition to the false measures of King James II. The other as firmly attached to the cause of that King. Both acting out of principle, and equally men of honour and virtue.

P.

Vol. IV.

Z

Fathers fhine,

And for that Cause which made your
Fall by the Votes of their degen'rate Line.
Fr. Alas! alas! pray end what you began,
And write next winter more Essays on Man.
255

VARIATIONS.

Ver. 255, in the MS.

Quit, quit these themes, and write Effays on Man.

NOTES.

VER. ult.] This was the laft poem of the kind printed by our author, with a refolution to publish no more; but to enter thus, in the moft 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 fo fhameless and so 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.

ΟΝ

Receiving from the Right Hon. the Lady

FRANCES SHIRLEY

A STANDISH and Two PENS.

YE

ES, I beheld th'Athenian Queen Defcend in all her fober charms "And take (fhe faid, and fmil'd ferene) "Take at this hand celeftial arms:

"Secure the radiant weapons wield;
"This golden lance fhall guard Desert,
And if a Vice dares keep the field,
"This fteel fhall ftab it to the heart."

Aw'd, on my bended knees I fell,

Receiv'd the weapons of the sky; And dipt them in the fable Well, The fount of Fame or Infamy.

The Lady Frances Shirley] A Lady whofe great Merit Mr. Pope took a real pleafure in celebrating.

"What Well? what Weapon? (Flavia cries)
"A ftandish, steel and golden pen!
"It came from Bertrand's, not the skies;

"I gave it you to write again.

attack;

"But, Friend, take heed whom you "You'll bring a House (I mean of Peers) « Red, Blue, and Green, nay white and black, “ L------ and all about your ears.

"You'd write as smooth again on glass,
"And run, on ivory, so glib,
"As not to stick at fool or afs",
"Nor ftop at Flattery or Fib.

"Athenian Queen! and fober charms ! "I tell ye, fool, there's nothing in't "Tis Venus, Venus gives these arms; "In Dryden's Virgil see the print ®.

NOTES.

A famous toy-shop at Bath.

b The Dunciad.

The Epistle to Dr. Arbuthnot.

Such toys being the ufual prefents from lovers to their miftreffes.

When the delivers Eneas a fuit of heavenly armour.