On wing proportion'd to your quarry rise, And stoop to earth, or foar among the skies. 280 Free the expreffion, fimple be the verse, 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, 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, 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: 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 hand delineates Paffion, pictures Man. 350 Now with a touch more facred and refin'd, 355 mind. Here fweet or strong may ev'ry Colour flow: 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 First on the Sons of Greece the prov'd her art, 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. |