a Hear her black Trumpet thro' the Land proclaim, 176 Yet may this Verse (if such a Verse remain) Show, there was one who held it in disdain. E P I L OG U E E. TO THE S A T I RE S. Α Τ I Written in MDCCXXXVIII. DIALOGUE II. 'T FR. IS all a Libel - Paxton (Sir) will say it may ; 5 F. Yet none but you by Name the guilty lash; 10 Notes. * R 3 e a 20 Spare then the Person, and expose the Vice. P. How, Sir! not damn the Sharper, but the Dice? Come on then, Satire ! gen'ral, unconfin’d, Spread thy broad wing, and fouce on all the kind. 15 Ye Statesmen, Priests, of one Religion all ! Ye Tradesmen, vile, in Army, Court, or Hall ! Ye Rev'rend Atheists. F. Scandal! name them, Who? P. Why that's the thing you bid me not to do. Who starv'd a Sister, who forswore a Debt, I never nam'd; the Town's enquiring yet. The pois'ning Dame - F. You mean - P. I don't. F. You do. P. See, now I keep the Secret, and not you! The bribing Statesman-F. Hold, too high you go. 24 P. The brib'd Elector--F. There you stoop too low. P. I fain would please you, if I knew with what ; Tell me, which Knave is lawful Game, which not? Muft great Offenders, once escap'd the Crown, Like Royal Harts be never more run down? Admit your Law to spare the Knight requires, 30 As Beasts of Nature may we hunt the Squires ? Suppose I censure-you know what I mean To fave a Bishop, may I name a Dean? Notes. who publishes the memoirs of the Malefactors, and is often prevailed upon to be lo tender of their reputation, as to set down no more than the initials of their name. P. F. A Dean, Sir? no: his Fortune is not made, You hurt a man that's rising in the Trade. 35 P. If not the Tradesman who set up to day, Much less the 'Prentice who to morrow may. Down, down, proud Satire ! tho’a Realm be spoil de Arraign no mightier Thief than wretched Wild; Or, if a Court or Country's made a job, 40 Go drench a Pick-pocket, and join the Mob. But, Sir, I beg you (for the Love of Vice ! The matter's weighty, pray consider twice; Have you lefs pity for the needy Cheat, The poor and friendless Villain, than the Great? 45 Alas! the small Discredit of a Bribe Scarce hurts the Lawyer, but undoes the Scribe. Then better fure it Charity becomes To'tax Directors, who (thank God) have Plums; Still better, Ministers; or, if the thing May pinch ev'n there--why lay it on a King. a 50 Notes. a VER. 35. You hurt a man that's rising in the Trade.] For, as the reasonable De la Bruyere observes, Qui ne “ fáit être un Erasme, doit penser à être Evéque." SCRIBL. VER. 39. Wretched Wild] Jonathan Wild, à famous Thief, and Thief-Impeacher, who was at last caught in his own train and hanged. P. VER. 42. for the love of Vice] We must consider the Poet as here directing his discourse to a follower of the new syftem of Politics, That private vices are public benefits SCRIBL. 56 F. Stop ! ftop ! P. Must Satire, then, nor rise nor fall? Speak out, and bid me blame no Rogues at all. F. Yes, strike that Wild, I'll justify the blow. P. Strike? why the man was hang'd ten years ago : Who now that obsolete Example fears? Ev'n Peter trembles only for his Ears. F. What always Peter ? Peter thinks you mad, P. As S---k, if he lives, will love the PRINCE. P. Do I wrong the Man? Nores. VER. 57. Ev’n Peter trembles only for his ears,] Peter had, the year before this, narrowly escaped the Pillory for forgery: and got off with a severe rebuke only from the bench. P. Ver. 65. Scarb'row] Earl of; and Knight of the Garter, whose personal attachments to the King appeared from his fteddy adherence to the royal intereit, after his resignation of his great employment of Master of the Horse ; and whose known honour and virtue made him esteemed by all parties. P. Ver. 66. Ejber's peaceful grove,] The house and gar |