COBHAM'S a Coward, POLWARTH is a Slave, 130
And LYTTLETON a dark, defigning Knave,
ST. JOHN has ever been a wealthy Fool---
But let me add, Sir ROBERT's mighty dull,
Has never made a Friend in private life,

And was, befides, a Tyrant to his Wife.

135

But pray, when others praise him, do I blame? Call Verres, Wolfey, any odious name? Why rail they then, if but a Wreath of mine, Oh AH-accomplish'd ST. JOHN ! deck thy fhrine? What? shall each spurgall'd Hackney of the day, When Paxton gives him double Pots and Pay, Or each new-penfion'd Sycophant, pretend To break my Windows if I treat a Friend? Then wifely plead, to me they meant no hurt, But 'twas my Guest at whom they threw the dirt?

NOTES.

141

VER. 130. Polwarth.] The Hon. Hugh Hume, Son of Alexander Earl of Marchmont, Grandfon of Patric Earl of Marchmont, and diftinguifhed, like them, in the cause of Liberty. P.

VER. 136. do I blame? Call Verres, Wolfey, any odious name?] The Leaders of Parties, be they as florid as they will, generally do their bufinefs by compendium: A fingle rule of Rhetoric, which they may have learnt of Quintilian, or perhaps of a much older Sophift, does their bufinefs, Si nihil, quod nos adjuvet, erit, quæramus quid Adverfarium lædat. SCRIB.

VER 141. When Paxton gives him double pots and pay,] If this band of Penfioners were fo offenfive while embodied

Sure, if I fpare the Minister, no rules

146

Of Honour bind me, not to maul his Tools;

Sure, if they cannot cut, it may be said

His Saws are toothless, and his Hatchets Lead.

150

It anger'd TURENNE, once upon a day,

To fee a Footman kick'd that took his pay:
But when he heard th' Affront the Fellow gave,
Knew one a Man of honour, one a Knave;

The prudent Genʼral turn'd it to a jest,

And begg'd, he'd take the pains to kick the reft: 155 Which not at present having time to do--

F. Hold Sir! for God's-fake where's th' Affront to you?

Against your worship when had S---k writ ?

Or P---ge pour'd forth the Torrent of his Wit?
Or grant the Bard whose distich all commend
[In Pow'r a Servant, out of Pow'r a friend]
To W---le guilty of fome venial fin ;

What's that to you who ne'er was out nor in?

NOTES.

160

and under difcipline, what muft we think of their diforders fince they were difbanded and become free-booters ? No virtue nor merit hath escaped them. They have made a great City in the South, too much refemble another in the North, where the products of night and darkness are difcharged from Garrets on every honest man that comes within their reach.

VER. 160. the Bard] A verse taken out of a poem to Sir R. W. P.

165

The Priest whose Flattery be-dropt the Crown, How hurt he you? he only ftain'd the Gown. And how did, pray, the florid Youth offend, Whofe Speech you took, and gave it to a Friend? P. Faith, it imports not much from whom it came ; Whoever borrow'd, could not be to blame, Since the whole House did afterwards the fame...* Let Courtly Wits to Wits afford supply, As Hog to Hog in huts of Weftphaly; If one, thro' Nature's Bounty or his Lord's, Has what the frugal, dirty foil affords,

171

As
pure a
The bleffed benefit, not there confin'd,

From him the next receives it, thick or thin, mefs almost as it came in ;

175

Drop's to the third, who nuzzles close behind;

From tail to mouth, they feed and they carouse:
The laft full fairly gives it to the House.

180

F. This filthy fimile, this beastly line

Quite turns my stomach

P. So does Flattʼry mine;

And all your courtly Civet-cats can vent,

Perfume to you, to me is Excrement.

NOTES.

VER. 164. The Prieft etc.] Spoken not of any particular priest, but of many priests.

P.

VER. 166. And how did, etc.] This feems to allude to a complaint made y 71. of the preceding Dialogue, P.

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