網頁圖片
PDF
ePub 版

On wing proportion'd to your quarry rise,

And stoop to earth, or foar among the skies. 280
Thus when a modifh folly you rehearse,

Free the expreffion, fimple be the verse,
In artless numbers paint th' ambitious Peer
That mounts the box, and fhines a Charioteer :
In strains familiar fing the midnight toil 285
Of Camps and Senates difciplin'd by Hoyle;
Patriots and Chiefs, whofe deep defign invades
And carries off the captive King---of Spades!
Let SATIRE here in milder vigour fhine,
And gayly graceful fport along the line;
Bid courtly fashion quit her thin pretence,
And fmile each Affectation into fenfe.

290

Not fo when Virtue by her Guards betray'd, Spurn'd from her Throne, implores the Muse's aid:

296

When crimes, which erst in kindred darkness lay,
Rife frontless, and infult the eye of day;
Indignant Hymen veils his hallow'd fires,
And white-rob'd Chastity with tears retires;
When rank Adultery on the genial bed
Hot from Cocytus rears her baleful head :
When private Faith and public Trust are fold,
And Traitors barter Liberty for Gold;

300

When fell Corruption dark and deep, like fate, Saps the foundation of a finking State :

When Giant-Vice and Irreligion rife,

On mountain'd falfehoods to invade the skies:

305

Then warmer numbers glow thro' SATIRE's page, And all her fmiles are darken'd into rage:

On eagle-wing fhe gains Parnaffus' height,
Not lofty EPIC foars a nobler flight:
Then keener indignation fires her eye;

310

Then flash her lightnings, and her thunders fly; Wide and more wide her flaming bolts are hurl'd, Till all her wrath involves the guilty World.

320

Yet SATIRE oft affumes a gentler mien, 315 And beams on Virtue's friends a smile ferene :* She wounds reluctant; pours her balm with joy; Glad to commend where Worth attracts her eye. But chief, when Virtue, Learning, Arts decline, She joys to fee unconquer'd merit shine; Where bursting glorious, with departing ray, True Genius gilds the close of Britain's day : With joy fhe fees the stream of Roman art From MURRAY's tongue flow purer to the heart: Sees YORKE to Fame, e'er yet to Manhood known, And just to ev'ry Virtue but to his own:

326

Hears unftain'd CAM with gen'rous pride pro

claim

A SAGE'S, CRITIC's, and a POET's name: Beholds, where WIDCOMBE's happy hills afcend, Each orphan'd Art and Virtue find a friend: 330 TO HAGLEY'S honour'd Shade directs her view; And culls each flow'r, to form a Wreath for You.

But tread with cautious step this dangerous ground,

334

Beset with faithlefs precipices round:
Truth be your guide: difdain Ambition's call;
And if you fall with Truth, you greatly fall.
'Tis Virtue's native luftre that must shine ;
The Poet can but fet it in his line:

And who unmov'd with laughter can behold

A fordid pebble meanly grac'd with gold? 340

Let real Merit then adorn

your lays,

For Shame attends on proftituted praife:

And all your wit, your

moft diftinguish'd art,

But makes us grieve you want an honeft heart.

Nor think the Mufe by SATIRE's Law con

fin'd:

She yields defcription of the nobleft kind.

345

Inferior art the Landskip may defign,

And paint the purple ev'ning in the line:
Her daring thought effays a higher plan;

Her hand delineates Paffion, pictures Man. 350
And great the toil, the latent foul to trace,
To paint the heart, and catch internal grace;
By turns bid Vice or Virtue strike our eyes,
Now bid a Wolfey, or a Cromwell rise ;

Now with a touch more facred and refin'd, 355
Call forth a CHESTERFIELD's or LONSDALE'S

mind.

Here fweet or strong may ev'ry Colour flow:
Here let the pencil warm, the canvass glow:
Of light and shade provoke the noble strife,
And wake each striking feature into life.

360

C 3

T'

PART III.

HRO' Ages thus has SATIRE keenly shin'd,

T to to

The Friend to Truth, to Virtue, and Man

kind:

Yet the bright flame from Virtue ne'er had fprung, And Man was guilty ere the Poet fung.

This Mufe in filence joy'd each better Age, 365
Till glowing crimes had wak'd her into rage.
Truth faw her honeft fpleen with new delight,
And bade her wing her fhafts, and urge their
flight.

First on the Sons of Greece the prov'd her art,
And Sparta felt the fierce IAMBIC dart *. 370
TO LATIUM next, avenging SATIRE flew:
The flaming faulchion rough LUCILIUS † drew;
With dauntless warmth in Virtue's cause engag'd,

And confcious Villains trembled as he rag'd.

NOTES.

* Archilochum proprio rabies armavit Iambo.

Enfe velut ftricto quoties Lucilius ardens Infremuit, rubet auditor cui frigida mens eft Criminibus, tacita fudant præcordia culpa.

HOR.

Juv. S. i.

« 上一頁繼續 »