With laughter fure Democritus had dy'd,
Had he beheld an Audience gape fo wide..
Let Bear or Elephant be e'er fo white,
The people, fure, the people are the fight!
Ah luckless Poet! ftretch thy lungs and roar,
That Bear or Elephant shall heed thee more;
While all its throats the gallery extends,

h

And all the Thunder of the Pit afcends!

k

Loud as the Wolves, on Orcas' ftormy steep,
Howl to the roarings of the Northern deep.
Such is the shout, the long-applauding note,
At Quin's high plume, or Oldfield's 'petticoat;
Or when from Court a birth-day fuit bestow'd,

m

Sinks the loft Actor in the tawdry load.

320

325

330

Booth enters-hark! the Universal peal!

"But has he spoken ?" Not a syllable.

335

What shook the stage, and made the people ftare? "Cato's long wig, flow'r'd gown, and lacquer'd chair. Yet left you think I railly more than teach, Or praise malignly Arts I cannot reach, Let me for once prefume t'inftru&t the times, To know the Poet from the man of rhymes: "Tis he, who gives my breaft a thousand pains,

349

Irritat, mulcet, falfis terroribus implet,

Ut magus; et modo me Thebis, modo ponit Athenis.

P Verum age, et his, qui fe lectori credere malunt,

Quam Spectatoris faftidia ferre fuperbi,

Curam impende brevem: fi munus Apolline dignum Vis complere libris; et vatibus addere calcar,

Ut ftudio majore petant Helicona virentem.

$

'Multa quidem nobis facimus mala faepe poetae,

(Ut vineta egomet caedam mea) cum tibi librum

* Solicito damus, aut fesso: cum laedimur, * unum

VER. 354. a Library] Munus Apolline dignum. The Palatin: Library then building by Auguftus.

345

Inrage, compose, with more than magic Art,
With Pity, and with Terror, tear my heart;
And fnatch me, o'er the earth, or thro' the air,
To Thebes, to Athens, when he will, and where.
P But not this part of the Poetic ftate
Alone, deferves the favour of the Great:
Think of thofe Authors, Sir, who would rely 350
More on a Reader's sense, than Gazer's eye.
Or who shall wander where the Muses fing?
Who climb their mountain, or who taste their spring?
How fhall we fill 9 a Library with Wit,
When Merlin's Cave is half unfurnish'd yet?

355

My Liege! why Writers little claim your thought, I guefs; and, with their leave, will tell the fault: We' Poets are (upon a Poet's word)

Of all mankind, the creatures moft abfurd:

S

The feason, when to come, and when to go, 360
To fing, or cease to fing, we never know;
And if we will recite nine hours in ten,
You lose your patience, just like other men.
Then too we hurt ourselves when to defend

V

W

A 'fingle verfe, we quarrel with a friend;
Repeat unafk'd; lament, the " Wit's too fine
For vulgar eyes, and point out ev'ry line.
But most, when straining with too weak a wing,
We needs will write Epiftles to the King;

365

VER. 355. Merlin's Cave] A Building in the Royal Gardens of Richmond, where is a finall, but choice Collection of Books.

Cum fperamus eo rem venturam, ut, fimul atque Carmina refcieris nos fingere, commodus ultro Arceffas, et egere vetes, et fcribere cogas.

Sed tamen eft operae precium cognofcere, quales Aedituos habeat belli fpectata domique

Virtus, indigno non committenda poetae.

* Gratus Alexandro regi Magno fuit ille Choerilus, incultis qui verfibus & male natis Rettulit acceptos, regale numifma, Philippos. Sed veluti tractata notam labemque remittunt Atramenta, fere fcriptores carmine foedo Splendida facta linunt. idem rex ille, poema Qui tam ridiculum tam care prodigus emit, Edicto vetuit, ne quis fe praeter Apellem Pingeret, aut alius Lyfippo duceret aera

b

Fortis Alexandri vultum fimulantia, quod fi

Judicium fubtile videndis artibus illud

Ad libros et ad haec Mufarum dona vocares ;
Boeotum in craffo jurares aere natum.

[At neque dedecorant tua de fe judicia, atque
multa dantis cum laude tulerunt,

Munera, quae

Diledi tibi Virgilius Variufque poetae ;]

d

Nec magis expreffi vultus per ahenea figna, Quam per vatis opus mores animique virorum Clarorum apparent. nec fermones ego mallem

e

Repentes per humum, quam res componere geftas, Terrarumque fitus et flumina dicere, et arces

X

And from the moment we oblige the town,
Expect a place, or penfion f.om the Crown;
Or dubb'd Hiftorians by exprefs command,
T'enroll your triumphs o'er the feas and land,
Be call'd to Court to plan fome work divine,
As once for Louis, Boileau and Racine.

370

375

Yet think, great Sir! (fo many Virtues shown) Ah think, what Poet beft may make them known? Or chufe at least some Minister of Grace,

Fit to bestow the Laureat's weighty place.

a

Charles, to late times to be tranfmitted fair, Affign'd his figure to Bernini's care;

381

And great Naffau to Kneller's hand decreed
To fix him graceful on the bounding Steed;
So well in paint and stone they judg'd of merit:
But Kings in Wit may want difcerning Spirit. 385
The Hero William, and the Martyr Charles,
One knighted Blackmore, and one penfion'd Quarles;
Which made old Ben, and furly Dennis swear,
"No Lord's anointed, but a‘Ruffian Bear."

d

Not with fuch majefty, fuch bold relief, 399 The Forms auguft, of King, or conqu'ring Chief, E'er fwell'd on marble; as in verfe have fhin'd (In polish'd verfe) the Manners and the Mind.. Oh! could I mount on the Mæonian wing, Your Arms, your Actions, your Repofe to fing! What' feas you travers'd, and what fields you fought! Your Country's Peace, how oft, how dearly bought!

394