A Reply to a Copy of Verfes made in Imitation of Ode II. Book III. of HORACE.

Angustam amice pauperiem pati, &c.

And fent by Mr. TITLEY to Dr. BENTLEY.

WHO

By Dr. BENTLEY.

HO ftrives to mount Parnaffus' hill,
And thence poetick laurels bring,
Must first acquire due force, and skill,

Muft fly with fwans, or eagle's wing.

Who nature's treasures wou'd explore,
Her myfteries and arcana know,

Muft high, as lofty Newton foar,
Muft ftoop, as delving Woodward low.

Who ftudies ancient laws and rites,
Tongues, arts, and arms, and history,
Muft drudge like Selden days and nights,
And in the endless labour die.

Who travels in religious jars,

(Truth mixt with error, fhade with rays,)

Like Whiston wanting pyx or stars,

In ocean wide or finks or ftrays,

But

But grant our heroe's hope long toil
And comprehenfive genius crown,
All sciences, all arts his spoil,

Yet what reward, or what renown!

Envy, innate in vulgar fouls,

Envy steps in and stops his rise;
Envy, with poifon'd tarnifh fouls

His luftre, and his worth decries.

He lives inglorious, or in want,

To college and old books confin'd;
Inftead of learn'd he's call'd pedant,

Dunces advanc'd, he's left behind:

Yet left content, a genuine ftoic he,

Great without patron, rich without South-fea.

$

Infcription on a GROTTO of Shells at CRUXEASTON, the Work of Nine young Ladies.

By Mr. P O P E.

TERE fhunning idleness at once and praise,

H

This radiant pile nine rural fifters raise; The glitt'ring emblem of each spotless dame, Clear as her foul, and fhining as her frame;

VOL. VI.

L

Beauty

Beauty which Nature only can impart,
And fuch a polifh as difgraces Art;
But Fate difpos'd them in this humble fort,
And hid in defarts what wou'd charm a court,

********************

VERSES occafioned by feeing a GROTTO built by Nine Sifters,

O much this building entertains my fight,
Nought but the builders can give more delight
In them the mafter-piece of Nature's shown,
In this I fee Art's mafter-piece in stone.

O! Nature, Nature, thou haft conquer'd Art ;

She charms the fight alone, but you the heart.

N. H.

米米

An Excuse for INCONSTANCY, 1737.

By the Rev. Dr. LISLE.

'HEN Phoebus's beams are withdrawn from our fight,

WHEN

We admire his fair fifter, the regent of night;

Tho' languid her beauty, tho' feeble her ray,

Yet ftill fhe's akin to the God of the day.

When

When Sufan, like Cynthia, has finish'd her reign,
Then Charlotte, like Phœbus, shall shine out again.
As Catholic bigots fall humble before

The pictures of those whom in heart they adore,
Which tho' known to be nothing but canvas and paint,
Yet are faid to enliven their zeal to the faint;
So to Sufan I bow, charming Charlotte, for fhe
Has juft beauty enough to remind me of thee.
Inconftant and faithlefs in love's the pretence

On which you arraign me: pray hear my defence.
Such cenfures as thefe to my credit redound d;
I acknowledge, and thank a good appetite for't,
When ven'son and claret are not to be found,

I can make a good meal upon mutton and port.
Tho' Highclear's fo fine that a prince would not fcorn it,
Tho' nature and tafte have combin❜d to adorn it,
Yet the artist that owns it wou'd think it fevere,

b

Were a law made to keep him there all round the year.
How enrag'd wou'd the rector of Bofcoville look,
If the king fhould enjoin him to read but one book!
And how would his audience their fortune bemoan,
If he gave them no fermons but what were his own!
'Tis variety only makes appetite last,
And by changing our dishes we quicken our tafte.

a The feat of the honourable R. Ht. Wotton, the author's parish in the isle of Wights

Goddess moft rever'd above,

Bright parent of almighty Love,
Whofe pow'r th' immortal Gods confefs,
Hear and approve my fond address:

In melting softness I thy doves outvie,
Then teach me like thy fwans to fing and fly;

So I thy vot'ry will for ever be ;

My fong, my life I'll confecrate to thee.

AIR.

Give me numbers ftrong and fweet,
Glowing language, pointed wit;
Words that might a Vestal move,
And melt a frozen heart to love.

Bid, bid thy blind boy
All his vigour employ ;

On