On wing proportion'd to your quarry rise, And stoop to earth, or foar among the fkies. 280 285 Of Camps and Senates disciplin'd by Hoyle; Not fo when Virtue by her Guards betray'd, Spurn'd from her Throne, implores the Mufe's aid: When crimes, which erft in kindred darkness lay, Rife frontless, and infult the eye of day; 296 Indignant Hymen veils his hallow'd fires, When rank Adultery on the genial bed Hot from Cocytus rears her baleful head : 300 When private Faith and publick Trust are fold, And Traitors barter Liberty for gold; When fell Corruption dark and deep, like fate, When Giant-Vice and Irreligion rise, rage: 305 On mountain'd falfehoods to invade the Skies: 310 315 Yet SATIRE oft affumes a gentler mien, And beams on Virtue's friends a fmile ferene : She wounds reluctant; pours her balm with joy; Glad to commend where Worth attracts her eye. But chief, when Virtue, Learning, Arts decline, She joys to fee unconquer'd Merit fhine; 320 Where bursting glorious, with departing ray, True Genius gilds the close of Britain's Day : With joy the fees the stream of Roman art From MURRAY's tongue flow purer to the heart: Sees YORKE to Fame, e'er yet to Manhood known, And just to ev'ry virtue, but his own: Hears unftain'd CAM with generous pride proclaim A SAGE'S, CRITIC's, and a POET's name : Eeholds, where WIDCOMBE's happy hills ascend, Lach orphan'd Art and Virtue find a friend : 326 To HAGLEY's honour'd Shade directs her view; And culls each flow'r, to form a Wreath for You. But tread with cautious step this dang'rous ground, Befet with faithlefs precipices round : 330 Truth be your guide: difdain Ambition's call; And if you fall with Truth, you greatly fall. 'Tis Virtue's native luftre that must shine ; The Poet can but fet it in his line: And who unmov'd with laughter can behold 335 A fordid pebble meanly grac'd with gold? Let real Merit then adorn your lays, For Shame attends on prostituted praise : And all your wit, your most distinguish'd art 339 But makes us grieve you want an honest heart. Nor think the Mufe by SATIRE's Law confin'd; She yields defcription of the noblest kind, Inferior art the Landskip may design, And paint the purple ev'ning in the line: Her daring thought effays a higher plan; Her hand delineates Paffion, pictures Man. 345 And great the toil, the latent foul to trace, 350 Now with a touch more facred and refin'd, TH PART III. HRO' Ages thus hath SATIRE keenly shin'd, kind : Yet the bright flame from Virtue ne'er had sprung, And Man was guilty ere the Poet sung. 360 This Mufe in filence joy'd each better Age, NOTES. a Archilocum proprio rabies armavit Lambo. b Enfe velut ftricto quoties Lucilius ardens b HOR. Criminibus, tacita fudant præcordia culpa. Juv. S. i. |