Well may he p blush, who gives it, or receives;
And when I flatter, let my dirty leaves

(Like Journals, Odes, and fuch forgotten things
As Eufden, Philips, Settle, writ of Kings)
Clothe fpice, line trunks, or, fluttering in a row,
Befringe the rails of Bedlam and Soho.

Nec prave factis decorari verfibus opto:
Ne p rubeam pingui donatus munere, et una
Cum fcriptore meo capfa porrectus aperta,
9 Deferar in vicum vendentem thus et odores,
Et piper, et quicquid chartis amicitur ineptis.

415

BOOK

BOOK II.

EPISTLE II.

"Ludentis fpeciem dabit, & torquebitur." HoR.

DE

EAR Col'nel, Cobham's and your country's
Friend!

You love a Verfe, take fuch as I can fend.

b A Frenchman comes, prefents you with his Boy, Bows, and begins-" This Lad, Sir, is of Blois : "Obferve his shape how clean! his locks how curl'd! "My only fon, I'd have hina fee the world: "His French is pure; his Voice too-you shall hear. "Sir, he's your flave, for twenty pound a year. "Mere wax as yet, you fashion him with ease, "Your Barber, Cook, Upholsterer, what you please: "A perfect genius at an Opera song

"To fay too much, might do my honour wrong.

"Take

EPISTOLA II.

LORE, bono claroque fidelis amice Neroni, b Si quis forte velit puerum tibi vendere natum Tibure vel Gabiis, et tecum fic agat: "Hic et "Candidus, et talos a vertice pulcher ad imos, "Fiet eritque tuus nummorum millibus octo; "Verna minifteriis ad nutus aptus heriles; "Litterulis Graecis imbutus, idoneus arti "Cuilibet argilla quidvis imitaberis uda:

:

1-5

"Take him with all his virtues, on my word;
"His whole ambition was to ferve a Lord:
"But, Sir, to you, with what would I not part?
“Though faith, I fear, 'twill break his Mother's heart.
"Once (and but once) I caught him in a lie,
“And then, unwhipp'd, he had the grace to
"The fault he has I fairly fhall reveal,
"(Could you o'erlook but that) it is, to fteal."
c If, after this, you took the graceful lad,
Could you complain, my Friend, he prov'd fo bad?
Faith, in fuch cafe, if you fhould profecute,

I think Sir Godfrey should decide the fuit;
Who fent the Thief that stole the Cash, away,
And punish'd him that put it in his way.

d Confider then, and judge me in this light; I told you when I went, I could not write;

cry:

20

25

You

"Quin etiam canet indoctum, fed dulce bibenti. "Multa fidem promiffa levant, ubi plenius aeque "Laudat venales, qui vult extrudere, merces. "Res urget me nulla: meo fum pauper in aere. "Nemo hoc mangonum faceret tibi: non temere a me Quivis ferret idem: femel hic ceffavit, et (ut fit) "In fcalis latuit metuens pendentis habenae : "Des nummos, excepta nihil te fi fuga laedit."

c Ille ferat pretium, poenae fecurus, opinor. Prudens emifti vitiofum: dicta tibi eft lex. Infequeris tamen hunc, et lite moraris iniqua. d Dixi me pigrum proficifcenti tibi, dixi Talibus officiis propę mancum; ne mea faevus

You faid the fame; and are you discontent
With laws, to which you gave your own affent?
Nay worse, to ask for Verse at fuch a time!
D'ye think me good for nothing but to rhyme?

e 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 flept, poor dog! and loft it, to a doit.
This put the man in fuch a defperate 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 fome reward beside.
Next, pleas'd his Excellence a town to batter
(Its name I know not, and 'tis no great matter);

30

35

40

45

"Go

Jurgares ad te quod epiftola nulla veniret.
Quid tum profeci, mecum facientia jura
Si tamen attentas? quereris fuper hoc etiam, quod
Expectata tibi non mittam carmina mendax.

e Luculli miles collecta viatica multis

Aerumnis, laffus dum noctu ftertit, ad affem

:

Perdiderat poft hoc vehemens lupus, et fibi et hofti
Iratus pariter, jejunis dentibus acer,

Praefidium regale loco dejecit, ut aiunt,
Summe munito, et multarum divite rerum.
Clarus ob id factum, donis ornatur honeftis,
Accipit et bis dena fuper feftertia nummûm.

"Go on, my Friend, (he cry'd) fee yonder walls!
"Advance and conquer! go where glory calls!
"More honours, more rewards, attend the brave."
Don't you remember what reply he gave?

"D'ye think me, noble General, fuch a Sot?
"Let him take caftles who has ne'er a groat."
f Bred up at home, full early I begün
To read in Greek the wrath of Peleus' fon.
Befides, my Father taught me from a lad,
The better art to know the good from bad:

50

55

(And little fure imported to remove,

To hunt for Truth in Maudlin's learned grove.)

But knottier points we knew not half so well,

Depriv'd us foon of our paternal Cell;

And

Forte fub hoc tempus caftellum evertere praetor
Nefcio quod cupiens, hortari coepit eundem
Verbis, quae timido quoque poffent addere mentem:
I, bone, quo virtus tua te vocat: i pede faufto,
Grandia laturus meritorum praemia: quid stas ?
Poft haec ille catus, quantumvis rufticus, “Ibit,
"Ibit eo, quo vis, qui zonam perdidit, inquit."
f Romae nutriri mihi contigit, atque doceri,
Iratus Graiis quantum nocuiffet Achilles,
Adjecere bonae paulo plus artis Athenae:
Scilicet ut poffem curvo dignofcere rectum,
Atque inter fylvas Academi quaerere verum.
Dura fed emovere loco me tempora grato;
Civilifque rudem belli tulit aeftus in arma,
Caefaris Augufti non refponfura lacertis.