If high exalted on the Throne of Wit, 55 60 65 Of thee more worthy were the task to raise A lafting Column to thy Country's Praise, To fing the Land, which yet alone can boast That Liberty corrupted Rome has loft; Where Science in the arms of Peace is laid; And plants her Palm beneath the Olive's fhade. Such was the Theme for which my lyre I ftrung, Such was the People whofe exploits I fung; Brave, yet refin'd, for Arms and Arts renown'd, With diff'rent bays by Mars and Phoebus crown'd, Dauntless oppofers of Tyrannic Sway, But pleas'd, a mild AUGUSTUS to obey." If these commands fubmiffive thou receive, Immortal and unblam'd thy name fhall live; 7፤ VER. 60. Addrefs the leaft] It is to be wished that Pope had attended to this advice, and employed his great genius in the higher fpecies of poetry. The noble and ingenious author of this ufeful admonition, who honoured me with his friendship, told me, that he frequently, in many converfations, preft it on Pope. He that could write thefe excellent lines, deferved more praise than Dr. Johnson thought proper to give him in the Lives of the Poets. Envy to black Cocytus fhall retire, 75 GEORGE LYTTELTON. "T TO MR. POPE, ON HIS TRANSLATION OF HOMER's ILIAD. Is true, what fam'd Pythagoras maintain❜d, That fouls departed in new bodies reign'd: We must approve the doctrine, fince we fee The foul of god-like Homer breathe in thee. Old Ennius firft, then Virgil felt her fires; But now a British Poet fhe inspires. To To you, O Pope, the lineal right extends, th' hereditary mufe defcends. you At a vast distance we of Homer heard, Till you brought in, and natʼraliz'd the Bard; 5 ΙΟ 15 To thank his Succeffor, who fets him free Than his ungrateful Greece, the living Bard before. While Homer's thoughts in thy bold lines are fhown, Tho' worlds contend, we claim him for our own; By turns the Chief and Bard their fouls inflame, In every hand we fee the glorious fong, 21 25 30 And Whig and Tory fide with Greece and Troy; Neglect their feuds and feem more zealous grown To pufh thofe countries Interests, than their own. 36 Our bufieft Politicians have forgot How Sommers counfel'd, and how Marlbro' fought; But o'er their fettling coffee gravely tell, What Neftor fpoke, and how brave Hector fell. 40 Our fofteft Beaux and Coxcombs you infpire, With Glacus' courage, and Achilles' fire. 1 Now they refent affronts which once they bore, And draw thofe fwords that ne'er were drawn before; Nay Nay ev❜n our Belles inform'd how Homer writ, 45 Learn thence to criticize on modern Wit. Let the mad Critics to their fide engage The envy, pride, and dulnefs of the age: And lo! his fecond labour claims thy care, Haste to the work; the ladies long to fee 50 55 Helen they long have seen, whofe guilty charms Some future Bard fhall thus record thy Praise; "In those bleft times when fmiling Heav'n and Fate, 65 Had rais'd Britannia to her happiest state, D 3 69 And And Greece no more was Homer's native earth, On her fev'n cities, he look'd down with fcorn, 75 CHRISTOPHER PITT. VOLTAIRE AU ROI DE PRUSSE. -Horace avec Boileau: Vous y cherchiez le vrai, vous y goutez le beau; 5 |