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, 399 Your arms, your actions, your repose, to sing! 395 400 "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 Epist. I. IMITATIONS OF HORACE. But verse, alas! your majesty disdains; The zeal of 2fools offends at any time, And, most of all, the zeal of fools in rhyme. That when I aim at praise, they say 31 bite. A vile 4encomium doubly ridicules: There's nothing blackens like the ink of fools. 415 419 Si, quantum cuperem, possem quoque; sed neque par- IMITATED. DEAR Col'nel, Cobham's and your country's friend! You love a verse; take such as I can send. 6 '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; " (Could you o'erlook but that) it is, to steal." 2Consider then, and judge me in this light; 15 20 25 30 "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! 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! 66 Si tamen attentas? quæreris super hoc etiam, quod 'Luculli miles collecta viatica, mulis Ærumnis lassus dum noctu stertit, ad assem Præsidium regale loco dejecit, ut aiunt, 35 40 45 |