With laughter fure Democritus had dy'd,

320 Had he beheld an Audience gape so wide. Let Bear or & Elephant be e'er so white, The people, sure, the people are the fight! Ah luckless b Poet! stretch thy lungs and roar, That Bear or Elephant shall heed thee more ; 325 While all its i throats the gallery extends, And all the Thunder of the Pit ascends! Loud as the Wolves, on k Orcas' stormy steep, Howl to the roarings of the Northern deep. Such is the shout, the long-applauding note,

330 At Quin's high plume, or Oldfield's petticoat; Or when from Court a birth-day suit bestow'd, Sinks the lost Actor in the tawdry load. Booth enters-hark! the Universal peal! " But has he spoken?” Not a syllable, 335 What shook the stage, and made the people stare? * 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 presume t'instruct the times,

345 To know the Poet from the man of rhymes : 'Tis he, ° who gives my breast a thousand pains, Can make me feel each Passion that he feigns ;

Irritat, mulcet, falfis terroribus implet,

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

P Verum age, et his, qui se le&ori credere malunt,

Quam spectatoris faftidia ferre superbi,

Curam impende brever : fi'munus Apolline dignum

Vis complere libris; et vatibus addere calcar,

Ut studio majore petant Helicona virentem.

'Multa quidem nobis facimus mala saepe poetae,

(Ut vineta egomet caedam mea) cum tibi librum

* Solicito damus, aut felo: cum laedimur, 'unum

Si quis amicorum eft aufus reprendere versum :

Cum loca jam 'recitata revolvimus irrevocati:

Cum" lamentamur non apparere labores

Noftros, et tenui deducta poemata filo ;

VER. 354. a

Library] Munus Apolline dignum. The Palatin? Library then building by Augustus,

Inrage, compose, with more than magic Art,
With Pity, and with Terror, tear my heart; 345
And snatch mc, o'er the earth, or thro' the air,
To Thebes, to Athens, when he will, and where,

But not this part of the Poetic state
Alone, deserves the favour of the Great:
Think of those Authors, Sir, who would rely 350
More on a Reader's sense, than Gazer's eye.
Or who shall wander where the Muses sing?
Who climb their mountain, or who taste their spring?
How shall 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 guess; and, with their leave, will tell the fault:
We' Poets are (upon a Poet's word)
Of all mankind, the creatures most absurd :
The S season, when to come, and when to go, 360
To fing, or cease to sing, 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
A' fingle verse, we quarrel with a friend; 365
Repeat "unask'd; lament, the W 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 Epistles to the King ;

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

Cum * speramus eo rem venturam, ut, fimul atque
Carmina refcieris nos fingere, commodus ultro
Arcesas, et egere vetes, et scribere cogas.
Sed tamen est operae precium cognoscere, quales
Aedituos habeat belli spectata domique
Virtus, ? indigno non committenda poetae.

a Gratus Alexandro regi Magno fuit ille
Choerilus, incultis qui versibus & male natis
Rettulit acceptos, regale numisma, Philippos.
Sed veluti tractata notam labemque remittunt
Atramenta, fere scriptores 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
Fortis Alexandri vultum fimulantia, quod fi
Judicium fubtile videndis artibus illud
Ad libros et ad haec Musarum dona vocares ;
Boeotum in crasso jurares aere natum.

(At neque dedecorant tua de fe judicia, atque Munera,

quar

multa dantis cum laude tulerunt, Dile&ti tibi Virgilius Variufque poetae ;]

Nec magis expreffi vultus per ahenea figna, Quam per vatis opus mores animique virorum Clarorum apparent. nec sermones ego mallem Repentes per humum, quam res componere geftas, Terrarumque * fitus er flumina dicere, et arces

2

And from the moment we oblige the town, 370
Expect a place, or pension f.om the Crown;
Or dubb'd Historians by express command,
T'enroll your triumphs o'er the seas and land,
Be call'd to Court to plan some work divine,
As once for Louis, Boileau and Racine.

375
Yet'think, great Sir! (so many Virtues shown)
Ah think, what Poet best may make them known?
Or chuse at least some Minister of Grace,
Fit to bestow the ? Laureat's weighty place,

Charles, to late times to be transmitted fair, Aflign'd his figure to Bernini's care;

381 And great Nassau to Kneller's hand decreed To fix him graceful on the bounding Steed; So well in paint and stone they judg'd of merit:

1 But Kings in Wit may want discerning Spirit, 385 The Hero William, and the Martyr Charles, One knighted Blackmore, and one pension d Quarles ; Which made old Ben, and surly Dennis swear, 6 No Lord's anointed, but ao Russian Bear."

Not with such majesty, such bold relief, 390 The Forms august, of King, or 'conqu’ring Chief, E’er swellid on marble; as in verse have thin'd (In polish'd verse) the Manners and the Mind. Oh! could I mount on the Mæonian wing, 394 Your Arms, your A&tions, your Repose to fing! What' seas you travers'd, and what fields you fought! Your Country's Peace, how oft, how dearly bought ! Vol. IV.

L