E P IS TO L A VIJ.

:

UINQU'E dies tibi pollicitus me rure fu-
Q

turum,
Sextilem totum mendax desideror. atqui,
Si me vivere vis fanum recteque valentem;
Quam mihi das aegro, dabis aegrotare timenti,
Mazcenas veniam :. dum.ficus

, prima calorque
Delignatorem decorat lieteribus atris:
Dum pueris omnis pater, et matercula pallet ;
Officiofaque sedulitas, et opella forensis
Adducit febris, et teftamenta refignat.
Quod fi bruma nives Albanisillinet agris;
Ad mare descendet vates tuus, et fibi parcet,
Contra&usque leget; te, dulcis amice, reviset
Cum Zephyris, fi concedes, et hirundine prima.

Non, quo mare pyris vesci Calaber jubet hofpes,
Tu me fecisti looupletem. Vefcere fodes. .
Jam fatis eft. At tu quantumvis tolle. Benigne.
Non invisa feres pueris munuscula parvis.

Tan

E P I S T L E

VII:

Imitated in the Manner of Dr SWIFT,

3

'TI

IS true, my Lord, I gave my word,

I would be with you, June the third ;
Chang'd it to August, and (in short)
Have kept. it-as you do at Court.
You humour me when I am fick,

.::$
Why not when I am splenetick?
In town, what Objects. could-I-meet ?
The shops shut up in ev'ry street,
And Fun'rals black’ning all the Doors,
And yet more melancholy Whores :

1ο And what a dust in every place? And a thin Court that wants your Face, And Fevers raging up and down, And W* and H** both in town!

“ The Dog-days are no more the case.” 15 'Tis true, but Winter comes apace : Then southward let your Bard retire, Hold out some months 'twixt Sun and Fire, And you

shall see the first warm Weather, Me and the Butterflies together.

20 My Lord, your Favours well I know; 'Tis with Distinction you bestow; And not to ev'ry one that comes, Just as a Scotsman does his Plumbs.

Pray take them, Sir,-Enough's a Feast: 25 “ Eat fome and pocket up the rest IB 2

What

Tam teneor dono, quam fi dimittar onustus.
Ut libet :haec porcis hodie comedenda.relinques.
Prodigus et stultus donat quae fpernit et odit:
Haec feges ingratos tulit et feret omnibus annis.
Vir bonus et sapiens, dignis ait esse paratus ?
Nec tamen ignorat, quid distent aera-lupinis ?
Dignum praeftabo me, etiam

laude merèntic..

pro
Quod fi me noles usquam discedere ; reddes
Forte latus, nigros angusta fronte capillos :
Reddes dulce loqui : reddes ridere decorum, et
Inter vina fugam Cynarae moerere protervae.

Forte per anguftam tenuis vulpecula rimam
Repserat in cumeram frumenti; paftaque, rursus
Ire foras pleno tendebat corpore frustra.

What rob your Boys ? those pretty rogues
“ No, Sir, you'll leave them to the Hogs:
Thus Fools with Compliments besiege ye,
Contriving never to oblige ye.
Scatter your Favours on a Fop,
Ingratitude's the certain crop;
And 'tis but just, Ill tell ye wherefore,
You give the things you never care for.
A wise man always is or shou'd
Be mighty ready to do good;
But makes a diff'rence in his thought
Betwixt a Guinea and a Groat.

Now this I'll say, you'll find in me
A fafe Companion, and a free;
But if you'd have me always near-
A word, pray, in your Honour's ear,
I hope it is your Resolution
To give me back my Constitution!
The sprightly Wit, the lively Eye,
Th' engaging Smile, the Gaiety,
That laugh'd down many a Summer Sun,
And kept you up fo oft till one:
And all that voluntary Vein,
As when Belinda rais'd my Strain.

A Weasel once made shift to link
In at a Corn-loft thro' a Chink;

40

45

50

Notes.

VER. 57. As when Belinda1 A compliment he pays himself and the public on his Rape of the Look.