t Who thinks that fortune cannot change her mind, Prepares a dreadful jeft for all mankind. And " who stands fafeft? tell me, is it he 130 ▾ Thus BETHEL fpoke, who always fpeaks his thought, And always thinks the very thing he ought: His equal mind I copy what I can, And as I love, would imitate the Man. In South-fea days not happier, when furmis'd 135 The Lord of Thoufands, than if now Excis'd; 140 In foreft planted by a Father's hand, Than in five acres now of rented land. Content with little, I can piddle here X On brocoli and mutton, round the year; But y ancient friends (tho' poor, or out of play) That touch my bell, I cannot turn away. Z 'Tis true, no Turbots dignify my boards, But gudgeons, flounders, what my Thames affords: NOTES. apology for this liberty, in the preceding line, where he pays a fine compliment to Auguftus: quare Templa ruunt antiqua Deûm ? which oblique Panegyric the Imitator has very properly turned into a just stroke of fatire. с O pueri, nituiftis, ut huc novus incola venit? NOTES. VER. 156. And, what's more rare, a Poet Shall fay Grace.] The pleasantry of this line confifts in the supposed rarity of a Poet's having a table of his own; or a sense of gratitude for the bleffings he receives. But it contains, To Hounslow-heath I point and Bansted-down, Thence comes your mutton, and these chicks my own: * From yon old walnut-tree a show'r fhall fall; 150 Then chearful healths (your Miftrefs fhall have place) And, what's more rare, a Poet shall fay Grace. 156 Fortune not much of humbling me can boaft; Tho' double tax'd, how little have I loft? C My Life's amufements have been just the same, 160 And yours, my friends? thro' whofe free-opening gate None comes too early, none departs too late; (For I, who hold fage Homer's rule the best, 165 Welcome the coming, fpeed the going guest.) Pray heav'n it laft! (cries SWIFT!) as you go on; "I wish to God this houfe had been your own: "Pity! to build, without a fon or wife: "Why, you'll enjoy it only all your life.” Well, if the use be mine, can it concern one, Whether the name belong to Pope or Vernon? NOTES. 170 too, a sober reproof of People of Condition, for their unmanly and brutal disuse of 10 natural a duty. d Nam & propriae telluris herum natura neque illum, Nec me, nec quemquam ftatuit. nos expulit ille; с Illum aut nequities aut f vafri infcitia juris, Poftremum expellet certe & vivacior heres. * Nunc ager Umbreni fub nomine, nuper Ofelli Dictus erat: nulli proprius; fed cedit in ufum i Nunc mihi, nunc alii, quocirca vivite fortes, Fortiaque adverfis opponite pectora rebus. NOTES. VER. 183. proud Buckingham's etc.] Villers Duke of Buckingham. P. VER. 185. Let lands and houses etc.] The turn of his e What's Property? dear Swift! you fee it alter The Chanc'ry takes your rents for twenty year : g 175 Who cries, "My father's damn'd, and all's my own. h Shades, that to BACON could retreat afford, And Hemsley, once proud Buckingham's delight, i Let lands and houses have what Lords they will, NOTES. 181 imitation, in the concluding part, obliged him to diverfify the fentiment. They are equally noble: but Horace's is expreffed with the greater force. |