First Epistle of the Second Book

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HE Reflections of Horace, and the Judgments paft in his Epistle to Auguftus, feem'd fo feafonable to the prefent Times, that I could not help applying them to the ufe of my own Country. The Author thought them confiderable enough to addrefs them to his Prince; whom he paints with all the great and good qualities of a Monarch, upon whom the Romans depended for the Encrease of an abfolute Empire. But to make the Poem entirely En glish, I was willing to add one or two of those which contribute to the Happiness of a Free People, and are more confiftent with the Welfare of our

Neighbours.

The Epiftle will fhew the learned World to have fallen into Two mistakes: one, that Auguftus was a Patron of Poets in general; whereas he not only prohibited all but the Best Writers to name him, but recommended that Care even to the Civil Magi. ftrate; Admonebat Praetores, ne paterentur Nomen fuum obfolefiere, &c. The other, that this Piece was

only a general Difcourfe of Poetry; wehreas it was an Apology of the Foets, in order to render Auguftus more their Patron. Horace here pleads the Caufe of his Cotemporaries, firft against the Tafte of the Town, whofe humour it was to magnify the Authors of the preceeding Age; fecondly, against the Court and Nobility, who encouraged only the Writers for the Theatre; and lastly against the Emperor himself, who had conceived them of little Ufe to the Government. He fhews (by a View of the Progrefs of Learning, and the Change of Taste among the Romans) that the Introduction of the Polite Arts of Greece had given the Writers of his Time great advantages over their Predeceffors; that their Murals were much improved, and the licence of those ancient Poets reftrained: that Satire and Comedy were become more juft and useful; that whatever extravagance were left on the Stage were owing to the Ill Tafe of the Nobility; that Poets, under due Regulations, were in many refpects useful to the State; and concludes, that it was upon them the Emperor himself muft depend for his Fame with Pofterity.

We may farther learn from this Epistle, that Horace made his Court to this Great Prince by writing with a decent Freedom toward him, with a juft Contempt of his low Flatterers, and with a manly Regard to his own Character.

EPISTLE I.

To AUGUSTUS.

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Hile you, great Patron of Mankind! a fustain The balanc'd World, and open all the Main; Your Country, chief in Arms, abroad defend, At Home, with Morals, Arts, and Laws amend; How fhall the Mufe, from fuch a Monarch, fteal 5 An hour, and not defraud the Public Weal? <Edward and Henry, now the Boaft of Fame, And virtuous Alfred, a more facred Name, After a Life of gen'rous toils endur'd, The Gaul fubdu'd, or Property secur'd, Ambition humbled, nighty cities ftorm'd,

Or Laws establish'd, and the world reform'd;

Cum tot a fuftineas et tanta negotia folus, Res Italas armis tuteris, moribus ornes,

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Legibus emendes; in publica commoda peccem,
Si longa fermone morer tua tempora, Caefar.

Romulus, et Liber pater, et cum Castore Pollux,
Poft ingentia facta, & Deorum in templa recepti,

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Clos'd their long Glories with a sigh, to find Th'unwilling Gratitude of bafe mankind!

All human Virtue, to its latest breath,

f Finds Envy never conquer'd, but by Death.
The great Alcides, ev'ry Labour paft,
Had ftill this Monster to fubdue at last.
Sure fate of all, beneath whofe ifing ray
Each ftar of meaner merit fades away!
Opprefs'd we feel the beam dire&ly beat,
Thofe Suns of Glory pleafe not till they fet.
To thee, the World its prefent homage pays,
The Harveft early, h but mature the praise :
Great friend of LIBERTY! in Kings a Name
Above all Greek, above all Roman Fame * :
Whofe Word is Truth, as facred and rever'd,
As Heaven's own Oracles from Altars heard.
Wonder of King! like whom, to mortal eyes
* None e'er has rifen, and none e'er fhall rife.

Dum terras hominumque colunt genus, afpera bella
Componunt, agros adfignant, oppida condunt;
e Ploravere fuis non refpondere favorem
Speratum meritis. diram qui contudit Hydram,
Notaque fatali portenta labore fubegit,
Comperit f invidiam fupremo fine domari.
* Urit enim fulgore fuo, qui praegravat artes
Infra fe pofitas: extinctus amabitor idem.

h Præfenti tibi matures largimur honores, Jurandafque tuum per numen ponimus aras, * Nil oriturum alias, nil ortum tale fatentes. Sed tuus hoc populus fapiens et juftus in uno. *Te noftris ducibus, te Graiis anteferendo,

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Juft in one inftance, be yet confest

Your People, Sir, are partial in the rest:

Foes to all living worth except your own,
And Advocates for folly dead and gone.

Authors, like coins, grow dear as they grow old; 35 It is the ruft we value, not the gold.

Chaucer's worst ribaldry is learn'd by rote,
And beafly Skelton Heads of houfes quote:
One likes no language but the Fairy Queen;

A Scot will fight for Chrift's Kirk o' the Green:
And each true Briton is to Ben fo civil,

He fwears the Mufes met him at the Devil.

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Tho' justly Greece her eldest fons admires, Why should not We be wifer than our fires?

Caetera nequaquam fimili ratione modoque
Aeftimat; et, nifi quae terris femota fuifque
Temporibus defuncta videt, faftidit et odit:
1 Sic fautor veterum, ut tabulas peccare vetantes
Quas bis quinque viri fanxerunt, foedera regum,
Vel Gabiis vel cum ridigis aequata Sabinis,
Pontificum libros, annofa volumina Vatum,
m Dictitet Albano Mufas in monte locutas.

Si, quian Graecarum funt antiquiffima quaeque
Scripta vel optima, Romani penfintur eadem
Scriptores trutina: non eft quod multa loquamur:

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VER. 38. And beafily Skelton, &c.] Skelton, Poet Laureat to Henry v111. a volume of whofe verfes has been lately reprinted, confifting almoft wholly of ribaldry, obscenity, and

fcurrilous language.

VER. 40. Chrift's Kirk o'the Green;] A Ballad made by a King of Scotland.

VER. 42. met him at the Devil] The Devil Tavern, where Ben Johnfon held his Poetical Club.