But would you ferve your Friends and joyous waste For with the fnarling Cynic well he play'd, "For Things of Vilenefs You fubmiffive bend; But that a Man, whom Patience taught to wear · A Change of Life, with Decency and Ease, Yet Vilia rerum.] A Manufcript-Reading of Lambinus and Cruquius, received by Dr. Bentley, Mr. Cuningham and Sanadon. 23. Omnis Ariftippum decuit color.] Mr. Sanadon understands color for Drefs, or Habit. You are the only Perfon, fays Plato to Ariftippus, who can appear equally well dreffed in a coarse Cloth, as in Purple. 25. Duplici panno.] A Greek Poet calls Diogenes Ὁ βακτροφόρας, διπλαίματος, αιθοροβόσκας. A Man, who carries a Cudgel, wears a double Coat, and feeds upon Air. This laft Expreffion means a Sophift, who, according to Aristo phanes, Alter purpureum non expectabit amicum : 30 35 Vitabit chlamydem; morietur frigore, fi non 40 Hic phanes, lives upon the Clouds. However, Horace probably meant only a double Mantle, or one as thick as two ; a coarse, heavy Coat in Oppofition to purpureum amic&tum. Servius explains duplicem ex bumeris rejecit ami&tum, in Virgil, in the fame Manner. 30. Cane pejus & angui.] Mr. Baxter arraigns all the Commentators he hath ever read upon this Paffage. They are all impertinently foolish. He pretends, that Horace means the Punishment by Law decreed against Parricides; that they should be fhut up in a leathern Sack, with a Dog, a Serpent, and an Ape. But the polite Mr. Baxter may be asked, in the Name of the Commentators, whom he condemns in fuch an outrageouus Manner, whether this Law was in being, when Diogenes was alive? Solon left no fuch Law among the Greeks, nor is there any Proof of it among the Romans until fome little Time before their Emperors. Might not Mr. Baxter be with Reafon apprehenfive of having that foolish Impertinence thrown back upon him, with which he hath unjustly charged the Commen tators ? SAN. 31. Morietur frigore.] Ariftippus engaged Diogenes to go with him into the Bath, and coming firft out of the Water took the Cynic's Mantle, and left him his purple Robe. But Diogenes declared he would rather go naked out of the Bath than put it on. DAC. 33. Res gerere & captos.] Thefe two Verfes are of an Heroic Tone, and the Poet, as if he propofed to prejudice Scæva in favour of Yet Ariftippus, though but meanly dreft, Faft by the Throne of Jove; nor mean the Praise "But, midft the Storms and Tempests of a Court, "Not every one shall reach the wish'd-for Port; "And fure the Man, who doubts of his Success, Wifely declines th' Attempt"- Then you confefs, That who fucceeds, thus difficult his Part, Gives the best Proof of Courage, as of Art. Then, here, or no-where, we the Truth fhall find; Confcious how weak in Body or in Mind, When of a Courtier's Life, opens a Defcription of it with whatever is most pleafing and ftriking in it. Princes are the Gods of this World; then what can be more glorious and honourable than their Favour and Esteem? SAN. 36. Non cuivis bomini.] Suidas informs us, that the Danger and Difficulty of going into the Ports of Corinth gave Rife to a Proverb. Horace makes use of it to fhew, that all People have not Talents proper for fucceeding in a Court, and to raise the Glory of thofe, who have Courage to attempt and Addrefs to conquer the Difficulties there. Others apply, the Proverb to Lais, a famous Corinthian Courtezan, but fuch an Application is too light and trivial for the Solemnity of these Lines, nor is it just to the Poet's Thought. If Money could purchase her Favours, it required no greater Degree of Courage to attempt them. SAN, Hic fubit ac perfert. Aut virtus nomen inane eft, Aut decus & pretium rectè petit experiens vir. Succinit alter : Plus pofcente ferunt. Distat, fumafne pudenter, Nota 41. Aut virtus nomen inane eft.] This is the Decifion which neceffarily refults from the Proofs. The Poet introduces a Perfon, who may be fuppofed to object, that if it be fo difficult to fucceed at Court, a wife Man had better not attempt it. Sedit, qui timuit. Horace acknowledges the Force of this Objection, efto, but draws from it a very different Conclufion; that, if there be Difficulty or Danger, he certainly deserves the highest Praise, who tries to fucceed, experiens vir; and if Virtue be any thing more than a chimerical Name, he may with Juftice claim a Reward proportionable to his Merit, recte petit. 43. Sua de paupertate.] Horace does not forbid a Courtier ever to mention the Word Poverty before the Great. The Precept hath more good Sense in it. He would have him avoid talking in such a Manner, as to make them suspect that Intereft is the Principle of his Affiduity and Service. This excellent Precept might be better obferved, if the Indolence and Inattention of the Great would fuffer them to difcern the Neceffities, and distinguish the Merit of thofe, who approach them. In general, to be punctual in our Duty, and modeft in afking, is a certain Method of ruining our Fortunes, and leaving our Families in Want. SAN. 45. An rapias.] To take with Modefty what they give with Chearfulness, fumere pudenter, and to take by Force, rapere, what When we behold the Burden with Despair, Is is given to our Importunity. Horace had a Right to inftruct us on this Subject, as he was of moft difinterefted Modefty. 49. Findetur munere quadra.] This Importunate not only teizes his Patron with perpetual Requests, but provokes others to make the fame Demands. The Poet compares them to Beggars in the Street, and gives them the fame Language, for Quadra fignifies the Plate, upon which they received their Bread at public Diftribution. 51. Minus & minus.] An Edition in 1480 has this Reading, which must have certainly been taken from fome Manufcript, for the Copyifts would never have read minus & minus, if they had found multo minus in their Copies. CUN, SAN. |