Which made old Ben, and surly Dennis swear, "No Lord's anointed, but a 'Russian bear." Not with such majesty, such bold relief, The forms august of king, or conqu'ring chief, E'er swell'd on marble, as in verse have shin'd (In polish'd verse) the manners and the mind. Oh! could I mount on the Mæonian wing,

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Your arms, your actions, your repose, to sing! 395
What 3seas you travers'd, and what fields you fought!
Your country's peace how oft, how dearly bought!
How5 barb'rous rage subsided at your word,
And nations wonder'd, while they dropp'd the sword!
How, when you nodded, o'er the land and deep

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"Peace stole her wing, and wrapp'd the world in sleep,

Till earth's extremes your mediation own,

And 7Asia's tyrants tremble at your throne--

Boeotum in crasso jurares aere natum.

[At neque dedecorant tua de se judicia, atque
Munera, quæ multa dantis cum laude tulerunt,
Dilecti tibi Virgilius Variusque poetæ ;]
Nec magis expressi 2vultus per ahenea signa,
Quam per vatis opus mores animique virorum
Clarorum apparent: nec sermones ego mallem
Repentes per humum, 3quam res componere gestas,
Terrarumque 4situs, et flumina discere, et arces
Montibus impositas, et 5barbara regna, tuisque
Auspiciis totum confecta duella per orbem;
Claustraque custodem pacis cohibentia Janum,
Et formidatam Parthis, te principe, Romam;

Epist. I.

IMITATIONS OF HORACE.

But verse, alas! your majesty disdains;
And I'm not us'd to panegyric strains.

The zeal of 2fools offends at any time,

And, most of all, the zeal of fools in rhyme.
Besides, a fate attends on all I write,

That when I aim at praise, they say 31 bite.

A vile 4encomium doubly ridicules:

There's nothing blackens like the ink of fools.
If true, a swoeful likeness; and if lies,
"Praise undeserv'd is scandal in disguise."
Well may he blush who gives it, or receives;
And when I flatter, let my dirty leaves
(Like 'journals, odes, and such forgotten things,
As Eusden, Philips, Settle, writ of kings)
Clothe spice, line trunks, or flutt'ring in a row,
Befringe the rails of Bedlam and Soho.

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Si, quantum cuperem, possem quoque; sed neque par-
Carmen majestas recipit tua, nec meus audet [vum
Rem tentare pudor, quam vires ferre recusent.
Sedulitas autem. 2stulte, quem diligit, urget;
Præcipue cum se numeris commendat et arte.
Discit enim citius, meminitque libentius illud
Quod quis 3deridet, quam quod probat et veneratur.
Nil moror 4officium quod me gravat; ac neque ficto
In Spejus vultu proponi cereus usquam,
Nec prave factis decorari versibus opto:
Ne crubeam pingui donatus munere, et una
Cum 7scriptore meo, capsa porrectus aperta,
Deferar in vicum vendentem thus et odores,
Et piper, et quidquid chartis amicitur ineptis.

IMITATED.

DEAR Col'nel, Cobham's and your country's friend! You love a verse; take such as I can send.

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'A Frenchman comes, presents you with his boy, Bows and begins---" This lad, sir, is of Blois : "Observe his shape how clean! his locks how curl'd! "My only son, I'd have him see the world: "His French is pure; his voice too---you shall hear: "Sir, he's your slave for twenty pound a-year. "Mere wax as yet, you fashion him with ease, "Your barber, cook, upholst'rer; what you please: "A perfect genius at an op'ra song--

"To say too much might do my honour wrong.

II

HOR. LIB. II. EPIST. II.

FLORE, bono claroque fidelis amice Neroni,

Si quis forte velit puerum tibi vendere natum Tibure vel Gabiis, et tecum sic agat: "Hic et "Candidus, et talos a vertice pulcher ad imos; "Fiet eritque tuus nummorum millibus octo; "Verna ministeriis ad nutus aptus heriles; "Literulis Græcis imbutus, idoneus arti "Cuilibet: argilla quidvis imitaberis uda : "Quin etiam canet indoctum, sed dulce bibenti. "Multa fidem promissa levant, ubi plenius aquo

"Take him with all his virtues, on my word;
"His whole ambition was to serve a lord.
"But, sir, to you with what would I not part?
"Tho' faith, I fear't will break his mother's heart.
"Once (and but once) I caught him in a lie,
"And then, unwhipp'd, he had the grace to cry:
"The fault he has I fairly shall reveal,

" (Could you o'erlook but that) it is, to steal."
'If, after this, you took the graceless lad,
Could you complain, my friend, he prov'd so bad?
Faith, in such case, if you should prosecute,
I think Sir Godfrey should decide the suit,
Who sent the thief that stole the cash away,
And punish'd him that put it in his way.

2Consider then, and judge me in this light;
I told you, when I went, I could not write;
You said the same; and are you discontent
With laws to which you gave your own assent ?

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"Laudat venales, qui vult extrudere, merces. "Res urget me nulla:---semel hic cessavit ; et (ut fit) "In scalis latuit metuens pendentis habenæ. "Des nummos, excepta nihil te si fuga lædat." Ille ferat pretium, pœnæ securus, opinor. Prudens emisti vitiosum; dicta tibi est lex; Insequeris tamen hunc, et lite moraris iniqua? 2Dixi me pigrum proficiscenti tibi ; dixi Talibus officiis prope mancum: ne mea sævus Jurgares ad te quod epistola nulla veniret. Quid tum profeci, mecum facientia jura

Nay, worse, to ask for verse at such a time!
D'ye think me good for nothing but to rhyme?

In Anna's wars, a soldier, poor, and old, Had dearly earn'd a little purse of gold; Tir'd with a tedious march, one luckless night He slept, (poor dog!) and lost it to a doit. This put the man in such a desp'rate mind, Between revenge, and grief, and hunger join'd, Against the foe, himself, and all mankind, He leap'd the trenches, scal'd a castle wall, Tore down a standard, took the fort and all. "Prodigious well!" his great commander cry'd, Gave him much praise, and some reward beside. Next pleas'd his Excellence a town to batter; (Its name I know not, and 'tis no great matter) "Go on, my friend," he cry'd, see yonder walls! "Advance and conquer! go where glory calls!

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Si tamen attentas? quæreris super hoc etiam, quod
Expectata tibi non mittam carmina mendax?

'Luculli miles collecta viatica, mulis

Ærumnis lassus dum noctu stertit, ad assem
Perdiderat post hoc vehemens lupus, et sibi et hosti
Iratus pariter, jejunis dentibus acer,

Præsidium regale loco dejecit, ut aiunt,
Summe munito, et multarum divite rerum.
Clarus ob id factum, donis ornatur honestis,
Accipit et bis dena super sesteria nummum.
Forte sub hoc tempus castellum evertere prætor
Nescio quod cupiens, hortari cœpit eundem

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