In artless numbers paint th' ambitious Peer
That mounts the box, and fhines a Charioteer :
In ftrains familiar fing the midnight toil
Of Camps and Senates disciplin'd by Hoyle;
Patriots and Chiefs, whofe deep design invades
And carries off the captive King of Spades!
Let SATIRE here in milder vigour shine,
And gayly graceful sport along the line;
Bid courtly Fashion quit her thin pretence,
And fmile each Affectation into fenfe.

285

290

Not fo when Virtue by her Guards betray'd, Spurn'd from her Throne, implores the Mufe's aid: When crimes, which erst in kindred darkness lay, Rife frontlefs, and infult the eye of day;

Indignant Hymen veils his hallow'd fires,
And white-rob'd Chastity with tears retires;
When rank Adultery on the genial bed

296

Hot from Cocytus rears her baleful head':

300

When private Faith and publick Truft are fold,
And Traitors barter Liberty for gold:

When fell Corruption dark and deep, like fate,
Saps the Foundation of a sinking State :
When Giant-Vice and Irreligion rife,

305

On mountain'd falfe-hoods to invade the Skies: Then warmer numbers glow thro' SATIRE's page, And all her fmiles are darken'd into rage:

On eagle-wing the gains Parnaffus' height,
Not lofty EPIC foars a nobler flight:

Then keener indignation fires her eye;

310

Then flash her lightnings, and her thunders fly; Wide and more wide her flaming bolts are hurl'd, Till all her wrath involves the guilty World.

315

320

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 shine; Where bursting glorious, with departing ray, True Genius gilds the clofe of Britain's Day: With joy fhe fees the ftream 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: 326 Hears unftain'd CAM with generous pride proclaim A SAGE'S, CRITIC's, and a POET's name: Beholds, where WIDCOMBE's happy hills afcend, Each orphan'd Art and Virtue find a friend: To HAGLEY's honour'd Shade directs her view; And culls each flow'r, to form a Wreath for You.

330

But tread with cautious ftep this dang❜rous ground, Befet with faithlefs precipices round :

Truth be your guide: difdain Ambition's call; 335

And if you fall with Truth, you greatly fall.
'Tis Virtue's native luftre that must shine;
"The Poet can but set it in his line:

And who unmov'd with laughter can behold
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
But makes us grieve you want an honest heart.

340

Nor think the Mufe by SATIRE's Law confin'd:
She yields defcription of the nobleft 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.
And great the toil, the latent foul to trace,
To paint the heart, and catch internal grace;
By turns bid Vice or Virtue strike our eyes,
Now bid a Wolfey or a Cromwel rise ;

346

350

Now with a touch more facred and refin'd,

355

Call forth aCHESTERFIELD's orLONSDALE's mind.

Here sweet or strong may ev'ry Colour flow:

Here let the pencil warm, the canvass glow :

Of light and shade provoke the noble strife,
And wake each striking feature into life.

360

T

HRO' Ages thus hath SATIRE keenly fhin'd, The Friend to Truth, to Virtue, and Mankind: Yet the bright flame from Virtue ne'er had fprung, And Man was guilty ere the Poet sung.

This Mufe in filence joy'd each better Age,

365

Till glowing crimes had wak'd her into rage.

370

Truth faw her honeft fpleen with new delight,
And bade her wing her fhafts, and urge their flight.
First on the Sons of Greece the prov'd her art,
And Sparta felt the fierce IAMBICK darta.
TO LATIUM next, avenging SATIRE flew:
The flaming faulchion rough LUCILIUS drew;
With dauntless warmth in Virtue's cause engag'd,
And conscious Villains trembled as he rag'd.

NOTES.

HOR.

a Archilocum proprio rabies armavit Iambo. b Enfe velut ftricto quoties Lucilius ardens Infremuit, rubet auditor cui frigida mens eft Criminibus, tacita fudant præcordia culpa. Juv. S. i.

Then fportive HORACE caught the gen'rous fire; For SATIRE's bow refign'd the founding lyre: 376 Each arrow polifh'd în his hand was feen,

And, as it grew more polish'd, grew more keen.
His art, conceal'd in ftudy'd negligence,

Politely fly, cajol'd the foes of fense:

He feem'd to sport and trifle with the dart,
But while he sported, drove it to the heart.

380

In graver ftrains majestick PERSIUS wrote, Big with a ripe exuberance of thought: Greatly fedate, contemn'd a Tyrant's reign, 385 And lafh'd corruption with a calm difdain.

More ardent eloquence, and boundless rage,
Inflame bold JUVENAL's exalted page,
His mighty numbers aw'd corrupted Rome,
And fwept audacious Greatness to its doom;
The headlong torrent thund'ring from on high,
Reht the proud rock that lately brav'd the sky.

NOTES.

e Omne vafer vitium ridenti Flaccus amico Tangit, et admiffus circum præcordia ludit,

Callidus excuffo populum fufpendere nafo. PERS. S. i.