It's proper pow'r to hurt, each creature feels;
Bulls aim their horns, and Affes lift their heels;
'Tis a Bear's talent not to kick, but hug;
And no man wonders he's not stung by Pug.
* So drink with Walters, or with Chartres eat,
They'll never poifon you, they'll only cheat.

Then, learned Sir! (to cut the matter short)
Whate'er my fate, or well or ill at Court,
Whether Old age, with faint but chearful ray,
Attends to gild the Ev'ning of my day,
Or Death's black wing already be display'd,
To wrap me in the univerfal fhade;

Whether the darken'd room to muse invite,
Or whiten'd wall provoke the skew'r to write:
In durance, exile, Bedlam, or the Mint,

Like Lee or Budgel, I will rhyme and print.

d

85

90

95

100

F. Alas young man! your days can ne'er be long,

In flow'r of age you perish for a fong!

Plums and Directors, Shylock and his Wife,

Will club their Tefters, now, to take your life!

NOTES.

verse-To wrap me in the univerfal fhade, has a languor and redundancy unusual with our author.

VER. 97. Whether the darken'd room

-Or whiten'd

wall-] This is only a wanton joke upon the terms of his Original

Quifquis erit vitae color.

* E*

Frigore te feriat.

e

H. Quid? cum eft Lucilius aufus

Primus in hunc operis componere carmina morem,
Detrabere et pellem, nitidus qua quifque per ora
Cederet, introrfum turpis; num Laelius, et qui
Duxit ab oppreffa meritum Carthagine nomen,
Ingenio offenfi? aut laefo doluere Metello,

Famofifque Lupo cooperto verfibus? atqui

Primores populi arripuit populumque tributim ;

g

Scilicet & UNI AEQUUS VIRTUTI ATQUE EJUS AMI

CIS.

NOTES.

VER. 105.1 20. What? arm'd for Virtue, etc.] This is not only fuperior to any thing in Horace, but equal to any thing in himself.

VER. 110. Lights of the Church, or Guardians of the Laws? Becaufe juft Satire is an useful fupplement to the fanctions of Law and Religion; and has, therefore, a claim to the protection of those who prefide in the adminiftration of both.

Ibid. Could penfion'd Boileau-Could Laureate Dryden] It was Horace's purpose to compliment the former times, and therefore he gives the virtuous examples of Scipio

106

P. What? arm'd for Virtue when I point the pen,
Brand the bold front of fhameless guilty men ;
Dash the proud Gamefter in his gilded Car;
Bare the mean Heart that lurks beneath a Star;
Can there be wanting, to defend her cause,

Lights of the Church, or Guardians of the Laws? 110
Could penfion'd Boileau lash in honest strain
Flatt'rers and Bigots ev'n in Louis' reign?
Could Laureate Dryden Pimp and Fry'r engage,
Yet neither Charles nor James be in a rage?
And I not f ftrip the gilding off a Knave,

Unplac'd, unpenfion'd, no man's heir, or flave?

I will, or perish in the gen'rous caufe:

115

Hear this, and tremble! you, who 'fcape the Laws. Yes, while I live, no rich or noble knave

Shall walk the World, in credit, to his grave.

120

8 TO VIRTUE ONLY and HER FRIENDS A FRIEND,

The World befide may murmur, or commend.
Know, all the distant din that world can keep,
Rolls o'er my Grotto, and but fooths my sleep.

NOTES.

and Laelius; it was Mr. Pope's, to fatirize the prefent, and therefore he gives the vicious examples of Louis, Charles, and James. Either way the instances are equally pertinent; but in the latter they have rather greater force. Only the line,

Uni aequus virtuti atque ejus amicis,

lofes fomething of its fpirit in the imitation; for the amici,

referred to, were Scipio and Laelius.

h

b Quin ubi fe a vulgo et scena in fecreta remorant

Virtus Scipiadae et mitis fapientia Laeli,

Nugari cum illo, et difcincti ludere, donec

Decoqueretur olus, foliti.

Quidquid fum ego, quamvis

Infra Lucili cenfum, ingeniumque; tamen me
i Cum magnis vixisse invita fatebitur usque
Invidia; et fragili quaerens illidere dentem,
Offendet folido:

* nifi quid tu, docte Trebati,

Diffentis.

T. Equidem nihil hinc diffingere poffum. Sed tamen ut monitus caveas, ne forte negoti

Incutiat tibi quid fanctarum inscitia legum :

m

"Si mala condiderit in quem quis carmina,

jus eft

NOTES.

VER. 129. And HE, whofe lightning, etc.] Charles Mordaunt Earl of Peterborow, who in the year 1705 took Barcelona, and in the winter following with only 208

There, my retreat the best Companions grace, 125
Chiefs out of war, and Statesmen out of place.
There ST. JOHN mingles with my friendly bowl
The Feaft of Reason and the Flow of foul:

And HE, whofe lightning pierc'd th' Iberian Lines,
Now forms my Quincunx, and now ranks my Vines,
Or tames the Genius of the ftubborn plain,
Almoft as quickly as he conquer'd Spain.

i Envy muft own, I live among the Great, No Pinp of pleasure, and no Spy of state,

131

With eyes
that pry not, tongue that ne'er repeats, 135
Fond to spread ftiendships, but to cover heats;
To help who want, to forward who excel;

This, all who know me, know; who love me, tell;
And who unknown defame me, let them be
Scriblers or Peers, alike are Mob to me.

This is my plea, on this I reft my cause

* What faith my Council, learned in the laws?

1

F. Your Plea is good; but ftill I fay, beware!
Laws are explain'd by Men-fo have a care.

It ftands on record, that in Richard's times
A man was hang❜d for very honest rhymes.
m Confult the Statute: quart. I think, it is,
Edwardi fext. or prim. et quint. Eliz.

NOTES.

140

145

horfe and 900 foot enterprized and accomplished the Con

queft of Valentia.

P.