SATIRA PRIMA.

HORATIUS. TREBATIUS.

HORATIUS.

*SUNT quibus in Satira videar nimis acer, et ultra Legem tendere opus; b fine nervis altera, quidquid Compofui, pars effe putat, fimilefque meorum

Mille die verfus deduci poffe.

C

Trebati,

H. Peream male, fi non

Optimum erat: verum nequeo dormire.

NOTES.

VER. 3. Scarce to wife Peter-Chartres] It has been commonly obferved of the English, that a Rogue never goes to the Gallows without the pity of the Spectators, and their parting curfes on the rigour of the Laws that brought him thither: and this has been as commonly afcribed to the good nature of the people. But it is a mistake. The true caufe is their hatred and envy of power. Their compaffion for Dunces and Scoundrels (when expofed by great writers to public contempt, either in juftice to the age, or in vindication of their own Characters) has the fame fource. They cover their envy to a fuperior genius, in lamenting the feverity of his Pen.

Plate XVII.

Vol. IV.
faang p.39-

HORA

ONNE

་་་་་་་་་་་་་་;

F. Hayman inv. et del,

C.Grignion faulp

Safe from the Bar, the Pulpit and the Throne, Yet touchd and shamd by Ridicule alone.

Epito Satires, Parta.

P.

SATIRE I.

To Mr. FORTESCUE.

THE

HERE are (I scarce can think it, but am
told)

a There are, to whom my Satire seems too bold:
Scarce to wife Peter complaifant enough,
And something said of Chartres much too rough.
The lines are weak, another's pleas'd to say,
Lord Fanny spins a thousand such a day.
Tim'rous by nature, of the Rich in awe,

I come to Council learned in the Law:
You'll give me, like a friend both fage and free,
Advice; and (as you use) without a Fee.

F. I'd write no more.

P. Not write? but then I think,

And for my foul I cannot fleep a wink.

NOTES.

5

10

VER. 7. Tim'rous by nature, of the Rich in awe,] The delicacy of this does not fo much lie in the ironical application of it to himself, as in its feriously characterising the Perfon for whofe advice he applies.

VER. 12. Not write? &c.] He has omitted the most humourous part of the answer,

Peream male, fi non

Optimum erat,

and has loft the grace, by not imitating the concifenefs, of verum nequeo dormire.

T. f Ter uncti

Tranfnanto Tiberim, fomno quibus eft opus alto;
Irriguumve mero fub noctem corpus habento.

h

* Aut, fi tantus amor fcribendi te rapit, aude CAESARIS invicti res dicere, multa laborum Praemia laturus.

H. Cupidum, pater optime, vires Deficiunt: neque enim quivis horrentia pilis Agmina, nec fratta pereuntes cufpide Gallos, Aut labentis equo defcribat vulnera Parthi.

T. Attamen et juftum poteras et fcribere fortem, Scipiadam ut fapiens Lucilius.

H. Haud mihi deero,

Cum res ipfa feret:nifi dextro tempore, Flacci

NOTES.

For concifenefs, when it is clear (as in this place) gives the highest grace to elegance of expreffion. But what follows is as much above the Original, as this falls fhort of it.

VER. 20. Hartshorn] This was intended as a pleafantry. on the novelty of the prescription.

VER. 28. falling Horfe?] The horse on which his Majefty charged at the battle of Oudenard; when the Pre