Ο

EPIGRAM from the Greek.

N Stygian Banks, Diogenes the Wife

Bursts into Laughter when he Crafus spies;

And thus bespeaks, in threadbare Cloak and old,
The Monarch famous for his gather'd Gold:
I, nothing leaving, all to Charon bear;
Thou, Crafus, rich on Earth haft nothing here.

On the foregoing EPIGRAM.

HE Lydian Prince is blam'd for Wealth alone,

THE

Tho' greater in his Virtues than his Throne. The Cynick Churl is prais'd, of Fame fecure, Tho' void of ev'ry Grace, but being poor. Nor wonder whence this partial Judgment fprings, Such Crowds are envious, and fo few are Kings.

The

The

HORN-B O O K.

Magni magna patrant, nos non nifi ludicra

Podagra hæc otia fecit.

Ail! antient Book, most venerable Code,

HAL

Learning's first Cradle, and its laft Abode! The huge unnumber'd Volumes which we see, By lazy Plagiaries are stol'n from Thee: Yet future Times to thy fufficient Store Shall ne'er prefume to add one Letter more,

Thee will I fing, in comely Wainscot bound, And Golden Verge inclosing Thee around; The faithful Horn before, from Age to Age, Preferving thy invaluable Page;

Behind thy Patron Saint in Armour shines,
With Sword and Lance to guard thy facred Lines:
Beneath his Courfer's Feet the Dragon lies

Transfix'd, his Blood thy fcarlet Cover dyes;

Th' inftructive Handle's at the Bottom fixt,
Left wrangling Critics fhould pervert the Text.
Or ev❜n to Gingerbread if thou descend,
And liqu❜rish Learning to thy Babes extend ;
Or if a Plain, o'er-spread with beaten Gold,
The fugar'd Treasure of thy Letters hold;
Thou ftill fhalt be my Song-Apollo's Choir
Ifcorn; let Cadmus all my Verfe inspire:
'Twas Cadmus who the first Materials brought,
Of all the Learning which has fince been taught.
Soon made compleat; for Mortals ne'er shall know
More than contain'd of old the Christ-Cross-
[Row;

What Masters dictate, or grave Doctors preach,

Wife Matrons hence ev'n to our Children teach.

But as the Name of ev'ry Plant and Flow'r (So common that each Peasant knows its Pow'r) Physicians in myfterious Cant express,

T'amue their Patients and enhance their Fees;

ت

So

So from the Letters of our Native Tongue
Put in Greek Scrawls a Myst'ry too is sprung,
Schools are erected, puzzling Grammars made,
And artful Men ftrike out a gainful Trade;
Strange Characters adorn the learned Gate,
And heedlefs Youth catch at the shining Bait;
The pregnant Boys the noify Charms declare,
And Taus and Deltas make their Mothers ftare,
Th' uncommon Sounds amaze the vulgar Ear:
And what's uncommon never cofts too dear.
Yet in all Tongues the Hornbook is the fame
Taught by the Grecian Mafter, or the English Dame.

But how fhall I thy endless Virtues tell,

In which thou dost all other Books excel?

No greazy Thumbs thy fpotlefs Leaf can foil,

Nor crooked Dogs-ears thy smooth Corners spoil; In idle Pages no Errata stand,

To tell the Blunders of the Printer's Hand;

No

No fulfome Dedication here is writ,

Nor flatt'ring Verse to praise the Author's Wit.
The Margin with no tedious Notes is vext,
Nor various Readings to confound the Text:
All Parties in thy lit'ral Sense agree,

Thou perfect Centre of blest Unity !

Search we the Records of an antient Date, Or read what modern Hiftories relate, They all proclaim what Wonders have been done By the plain Letters taken as they run. Too high the Floods of Paffion us'd to rowl, And rend the Roman Youth's impatient Soul; His hafty Anger furnish'd Scenes of Blood, And frequent Deaths of worthy Men enfu'd : In vain were all the weaker Methods try'd, None could fuffice to ftem the furious Tide. Thy facred Lines he did but once repeat, And laid the Storm and cool'd the raging Heat.

Thy