With flaughter fure Democritus had dy'd,
Had he beheld an Audience gape fo wide.
Let Bear or Elephant be e'er fo white,
The people, fure, the people are the fight!
Ah lucklefsh Poet! ftretch thy lungs and roar,
That Bear or Elephant shall heed thee more;
While all its throats the gallery extends,
And all the Thunder of the Pit afcends!
Loud as the Wolves, on * Orcas' ftormy steep,
Howl to the roarings of the Northern deep.
Such is the shout, the long-applauding note,
At Quin's high plume, or Oldfield's 'petticoat;
Or when from Court a birth-day fuit beftow'd,
Sinks the loft Actor in the tawdry load.
Booth enters-hark! the Univerfal peal!
"But has he spoken ?" Not a fyllable.
What shook the stage, and made the people ftare?
"Cato's long wig, flow'r'd gown, and lacquer'd chair.
Yet left you think I railly more than teach,
Or praise malignly Arts I cannot reach,
Let me for once prefume t'instruct the times,
To know the Poet from the man of rhymes:
'Tis he, who gives my breast a thousand pains,
Can make me feel each Paffion that he feigns;
Irritat, mulcet, falfis terroribus implet,
Ut magus ; et modo me Thebis, modo ponit Athenis.
P Verum age, et his, qui fe lectori credere malunt,
Quam Spectatoris faftidia ferre fuperbi,
Curam impende brevem: fi 9 munus Apolline dignum
Vis complere libris; et vatibus addere calcar,
Ut ftudio majore petant Helicona virentem.
Multa quidem nobis facimus mala faepe poetae, (Ut vineta egomet caedam mea) cum tibi librum • Solicito damus, aut fefo: cum laedimur, t
VER. 354. a Library] Munus Apolline dignum. The Palatine Library then building by Auguftus.
Inrage, compofe, with more than magic Art,
With Pity, and with Terror, tear my heart;
And fnatch me, o'er the earth, or thro' the air,
To Thebes, to Athens, when he will, and where.
P But not this part of the Poetic state
Alone, deferves the favour of the Great :
Think of those Authors, Sir, who would rely
More on a Reader's fenfe, than Gazer's eye.
Or who fhall wander where the Muses fing?
Who climb their mountain, or who taste their spring?
How fhall we fill 9 a Library with Wit,
When Merlin's Cave is half unfurnish'd yet?
My Liege! why Writers little claim your thought,
I guess; and, with their leave, will tell the fault :
We Poets are (upon a Poet's word)
Of all mankind, the creatures most abfurd:
The season, when to come, and when to go, 360
To fing, or cease to fing, we never know;
And if we will recite nine hours in ten,
You lose your patience, just like other men.
Then too we hurt ourfelves when to defend
A fingle verfe, we quarrel with a friend ;
Repeat" unask'd; lament, the w Wit's too fine
For vulgar eyes, and point out ev'ry line.
But moft, when straining with too weak a wing,
We needs will write Epiftles to the King;
VER.355. Merlin's Cave] A Building in the RoyalGardens of Richmond, where is a fmall, but choice Collection of Books,
Cum fperamus eo rem venturam, ut, fimul atque Carmina refcieris nos fingere, commodus ultro Arceffas, et egere vetes, et fcribere cogas.
Sed tamen eft y operae precium cognofcere, quales Aedituos habeat belli fpectata domique
Virtus, indigno non committenda poetae.
a Gratus Alexandro regi Magno fuit ille
Choerilus, incultis qui verfibus & male natis
Rettulit acceptos, regale numifma, Philippos.
Sed veluti tractata notam labemque remittunt
Atramenta, fere fcriptores carmine foedo
Splendida facta linunt. idem rex ille, poema
Qui tam ridiculum tam care prodigus emit,
Edicto vetuit, ne quis fe praeter Apellem
Pingeret, aut alius Lyfippo duceret aera
Fortis Alexandri vu'tum fimulantia, quod fi
Judicium fubtile videndis artibus illud
Ad libros et ad haec Mufarum dona vocares ;
c Boeotum in craffo jurares aere natum.
[At neque dedecorant tua de fe judicia, atque Muncra, quae multa dantis cum laude tulerunt, Dilecti tibi Virgilius Variufque poetae ;]
Nec magis expreffi & vultus per ahenea figna, Quam per vatis opus mores animique virorum Clarorum apparent. nec fermones ego mallem Repentes per humum, quam res componere gefas Terrarumque fitus et flumina dicere, et arces
And from the moment we oblige the town,
Expect a place, or penfion from the Crown;
Or dubb'd Hiftorians by express command,
T'enroll your triumphs o'er the feas and land,
Be call'd to Court to plan fome work divine,
As once for Louis, Boileau and Racine.
Yet think, great Sir! (fo many Virtues shown) Ah think, what Poet beft may make them known? Or chufe at least fome Minister of Grace, Fit to bestow the Laureat's weighty place.
a Charles, to late times to be transmitted fair, Affign'd his figure to Bernini's care;
And great Naffau to Kneller's hand decreed
To fix him graceful on the bounding Steed;
So well in paint and stone they judg'd of merit :
But Kings in Wit may want difcerning Spirit. 385
The Hero William, and the Martyr Charles,
One knighted Blackmore, and one penfion'd Quarles;
Which made old Ben, and furly Dennis fwear,
"No Lord's anointed, but a Ruffian Bear."
Not with fuch majefty, fuch bold relief, The Forms auguft, of King, or conqu❜ring Chief, E'er fwell'd on marble; as in verfe have fhin'd (In polish'd verfe) the Manners and the Mind. Oh! could I mount on the Mæonian wing, Your Arms, your Actions, your Repofe to fing! What f feas you travers'd, and what fields you fought! Your Country's Peace, how oft, how dearly bought ! VOL. IV.
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