Non temere eft animus: verfus amat, hoc ftudet

Si das hoc, parvis quoque rebus magna juvari.

v Os tenerum pueri, balbumque poeta figurat :

NOTES.

VER. 201. Of little ufe, etc.] There is a poignancy in the following verfes, which the original did not aim at, nor affect.

VER. 204. And (tho' no Soldier)] Horace had not acquitted himself much to his credit in this capacity (non bene relicta parmula) in the battle of Philippi. It is manifeft he alludes to himself, in this whole account of a Poet's character; but with an intermixture of irony; Vi

Sometimes the Folly benefits mankind;
And rarely Av'rice taints the tuneful mind.
Allow him but his plaything of a Pen,

P

He ne'er rebels, or plots, like other men:

Flight of Cashiers, or Mobs, he'll never mind; 195 And knows no losses while the Muse is kind.

To cheat a Friend, or Ward, he leaves to Peter;
The good man heaps up nothing but mere metre,
Enjoys his Garden and his book in quiet;
And then-a perfect Hermit in his diet.

Of little use the Man you may suppose,
Who says in verfe what others fay in profe;
Yet let me fhow, a Poet's of fome weight,
And ( tho' no Soldier) useful to the State.
▾ What will a Child learn fooner than a fong?
What better teach a Foreigner the tongue ?
What's long or short, each accent where to place,
And speak in public with fome fort of grace.
I scarce can think him fuch a worthless thing,
Unless he praise fome Monster of a King;
NOTES.

200

205

210

vit filiquis et pane fecundo has a relation to his Epicurism ; Os tenerum pueri, is ridicule: The nobler office of a Poet follows, Torquet ab obfcoenis - Mox etiam pectus-Recte facta refert, etc. which the Imitator has apply'd where he thinks it more due than to himself. He hopes to be pardoned, if, as he is fincerely inclined to praise what deferves to be praised, he arraigns what deferves to be arraigned, in the 210, 211, and 212th Verses. P.

VER. 226. the Idiot and the Poor.] A foundation for the maintenance of Idiots, and a fund for affifting the Poor, by lending fmall fums of money on demand. P.

VER. 229. Not but there are, etc.] Nothing can be more truly humourous or witty than all that follows to 240. Yet the noble fobriety of the original, or, at leaft, the appearance of fobriety, which is the fame thing here, is of a tafte vaftly fuperior to it.

Or Virtue, or Religion turn to fport,
To please a lewd, or unbelieving Court.
Unhappy Dryden !—In all Charles's days,
Rofcommon only boasts unspotted bays;
And in our own (excuse fome Courtly stains)
No whiter page than Addison remains.

He, w from the taste obfcene reclaims our youth,
And sets the Paffions on the fide of Truth,
Forms the foft bofom with the gentleft art,
And pours each human Virtue in the heart.
Let Ireland tell, how Wit upheld her cause,
Her Trade fupported, and supplied her Laws;
And leave on SWIFT this grateful verfe ingrav'd,
The Rights a Court attack'd, a Poet fav'd.
Behold the hand that wrought a Nation's cure,
Stretch'd to relieve the Idiot and the Poor,
Proud Vice to brand, or injur'd Worth adorn,
And ftretch the Ray to Ages yet unborn.

Not but there are, who merit other palms;

a

215

220

225

Hopkins and Sternhold glad the heart with Pfalms: The Boys and Girls whom charity maintains, 231 Implore your help in these pathetic strains:

NOTES.

VER. 230. Sternhold] One of the verfifiers of the old finging pfalms. He was a Courtier, and Groom of the Robes to Hen. VIII. and of the Redchamber to Edward v1. Fuller, in his Church History, fays he was esteemed an excellent Poet.

b

Difceret unde preces, vatem ni Mufa dediffet?

Pofcit opem chorus, et praefentia numina sentit ;
Coeleftes implorat aquas, docta prece blandus;

с

Avertit morbos, metuenda pericula pellit;

Impetrat et pacem, et locupletem frugibus annum. d Carmine Dî fuperi placantur, carmine Manes.

с

Agricolae prifci, fortes, parvoque beati,

Condita poft frumenta, levantes tempore fefto

Corpus et ipfum animum fpe finis dura ferentem,
Cum fociis operum pueris et conjuge fida,
Tellurem porco, Silvanum lacte piabant,

Floribus et vino Genium memorem brevis aevi.
Fefcennina per hunc inventa licentia morem

* Verfibus alternis opprobria ruftica fudit;
Libertafque recurrentes accepta per annos

Lufit amabiliter:

donec jam faevus apertam

In rabiem coepit verti jocus, et per honeftas
Ire domos impune minax. doluere cruento

Dente laceffiti: fuit intactis quoque cura

NOTES.

VER. 241. Our rural Ancestors, etc.] This is almoft líteral; and fhews, that the beauty and spirit, fo much ad