By the Reverend Mr. BRAMSTON.'
F to an human face Sir James fhould draw
A horfe's mane, and feathers of maccaw, A lady's bofom, and a tail of cod,
Who could help laughing at a fight fo odd?
Just such a monster, Sirs, pray think before
When you behold one man both Whig and Tory.
Not more extravagant are drunkards dreams,
Than Low-church politics with High-church fchemes.
Humano capiti cervicem pictor equinam
Jungere fi velit, & varias inducere plumas
Undique collatis membris; ut turpiter atrum
Definat in pifcem mulier formofa fuperne:
Spectatum admiffi, rifum teneatis, amici ?
Credite, Pifones, ifti tabulæ fore librum
Perfimilem, cujus, velut ægri fomnia, vanæ
Fingentur fpecies.-Pictoribus atque Poetis
Painters, you'll fay, may their own fancies use, And free-born Britons may their party chufe: That's true, I own: but can one piece be drawn For dove and dragon, elephant and fawn?
Speakers profefs'd, who gravity pretend,
With motly fentiments their speeches blend;
Begin like patriots, and like courtiers end.
Some love to roar, the constitution's broke,
And others on the nation's debts to joke;
Some rail, (they hate a commonwealth fo much,)
Whate'er the subject be, against the Dutch;
While others, with more fashionable fury,
Begin with turnpikes, and conclude with Fleury.
Some, when th' affair was Blenheim's glorious battle,
Declaim'd against importing Irish cattle:
Quidlibet audendi femper fuit æqua poteftas ;
Scimus, & hanc veniam petimufque damusque viciffim ;
Sed non ut placidis coëant immitia, non ut
Serpentes avibus geminentur, tigribus agni.
Inceptis gravibus plerumque & magna profeffis
Purpureus, late qui fplendeat, unus & alter
Affuitur pannus ; cum lucus, & ara Dianæ,
Aut properantis aquæ per amonos ambitus agros,
Aut flumen Rhenum, aut pluvius defcribitur arcus.
Sed nunc non erat his locus: & fortaffe cupreffum
Scis fimulare: quid hoc, fi fractis enatat exfpes
Navibus, ære dato qui pingitur? amphora cœpit
Inftitui; currente rota cur urceus exit?
Denique fit quidvis, fimplex duntaxat & unum.
But you, from whate'er fide
Like Anna's motto, always be the fame.
Outfides deceive, 'tis hard the truth to know,
Parties from quaint denominations flow,
As Scotch and Irish antiquaries fhow.
The low are faid to take Fanatics parts,
The high are bloody Papists in their hearts.
Caution and fear to highest faults have run;
In pleasing both the parties, you please none.
Who in the houfe affects declaiming airs,
Whales in Change-alley paints; in Fish-street, bears.
Some metaphors, fome handkerchiefs display,
Thefe peep in hats, while those with buttons play,
And make me think it Repetition day;
There knights haranguing hug a neighb'ring post,
And are but quorum orators at most,
Decipimur fpecie recti; brevis effe laboro,
Obfcurus fio; fectantem levia nervi
Deficiunt animique; profeffus grandia, turget.
Qui variare cupit rem prodigialiter unam,
Delphinum fylvis appingit, fluctibus aprum.
In vitium ducit culpæ fuga, fi caret arte.
Æmilium circa ludum faber imus & ungues
Exprimet, & molles imitabitur ære capillos;
Infelix operis fumma, quia ponere totum
Nefciet; hunc ego me, fi quid componere curem,
Non magis effe velim, quam pravo vivere nafo,
Spectandum nigris oculis nigroque capillo.
Sooner than thus my want of fense expose,
I'll deck out bandy-legs with gold-clock'd hofe,
Or wear a toupet-wig without a nose.
Nay, I would fooner have thy phyz, I swear,
Surintendant des plaifirs d'Angleterre *.
d Ye weekly writers of feditious news,
Take care your fubjects artfully to chufe,
Write panegyric strong, or boldly rail,
You cannot mifs preferment, or a goal.
Wrap up your poison well, nor fear to fay
What was a lye last night is truth to-day.
Tell this, fink that, arrive at Ridpath's praise,
Let Abel Roper your ambition raise.
To lie fit opportunity observe,
Saving fome double meaning in reserve
* All Mr. Heydegger's letters come directed to him from abroad, A Monfieur, Monfieur Heydegger, furintendant des plaifirs d'Angleterre. a Sumite materiam veftris, qui fcribitis, æquam Viribus; & verfate diu, quid ferre recufent, Quid valeant humeri: cui lecta potenter erit res, Nec facundia deferet hunc, nec lucidus ordo. Ordinis hæc virtus erit & Venus, aut ego fallor, Ut jam nunc dicat, jam nunc debentia dici, Pleraque differat, & præfens in tempus omittat. Dixeris egregie, notum fi callida verbum Reddiderit junctura novum ; fi forte neceffe eft Indiciis monftrare recentibus abdita rerum, Fingere cinctutis non exaudita Cethegis Continget, dabiturque licentia fumpta pudenter. Et nova fictaque nuper habebunt verba fidem, fi Græco fonte cadant.
•But oh! you'll merit everlasting fame,
you can quibble on Sir Robert's name.
In ftate affairs ufe not the vulgar phrase,
Talk words fcarce known in good queen Beffe's days, New terms let war or traffic introduce,
And try to bring perfuading-fhips in use.
Coin words in coining ne'er mind common sense,
Provided the original be French.
* Like South-fea ftock, expreffions rife and fall:
King Edward's words are now no words at all.
Did aught our predeceffors genius cramp?
Sure every reign may have its proper stamp.
All fublunary things of death partake;
What alteration does a cent'ry make!
Kings and comedians are all mortal found,
Cæfar and Pinkethman are underground.
-Licuit, femperque licebit
Signatum præfente nota producere nomen.
Ut fylvæ foliis pronos mutantur in annos;
Prima cadunt: ita verborum vetus interit ætas.
Debemur morti nos noftraque; five receptus
Terra Neptunus, claffes aquilonibus arcet,
Regis opus; fterilifve diu palus aptaque remis
Vicinas urbes alit, & grave fentit aratrum;
Seu curfum mutavit iniquum frugibus amnis
Doctus iter melius; mortalia facta peribunt,
Nedum fermonum ftet honos, & gratia vivax :
Multa renafcentur quæ jam cecidere, cadentque
Quæ nunc funt in honoré vocabula, fi volet ufus,
Quem penes arbitrium eft & jus & norma loquendi.
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