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Sed turpem putat in fcriptis, metuitque lituram. • Creditur ex medio quia res arceffit, habere

Sudoris minimum; fed habet Comœdia tanto

Plus oneris, quanto veniæ minus:

Afpice Plautus d Quo pacto partes tutetur amantis ephebi ! Ut patris attenti; lenonis ut infidiofi; Quantus fit Dorfennus edacibus in parasitis; Quam non adftricto percurrat pulpita focco!

i Gestit enim nummos in loculos demittere, poft hoc Securus cadat, an recto ftet fabula taló.

k

* Quem tulit ad fcenam ventofo gloria curru, Exanimat lentus fpectator, fedulus inflat;

No laws can now amend this venal land,

z That dreads the touch of a reforming hand.

Some think an int'reft may be form'd with ease, a Because the vulgar we must chiefly please;

b But for that reafon 'tis the harder task,

For fuch will neither pardon grant, nor ask.
See how Sir W, mafter of this art,
By different methods wins each Cn heart.

d He tells raw youths, that whoring is no harm,

e

And teaches their attentive fires to farm;

To his own table lovingly invites

f Infidious pimps, and 8 hungry parasites :

h Sometimes in flippers, and a morning gown,

He pays his early vifits round a town,

At ev'ry house relates his stories over,

210

215

220

Of place-bills, taxes, turnips, and HANOVER;
i If tales will money fave, and business do,
It matters little, are they falfe or true.

225.

k Whoe'er prefers a clam'rous mob's applause To his own conscience, or his country's cause, Is foon elated, and as foon caft down

By ev'ry drunken cobler's fmile, or frown;

H 4

230

1 So

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Sic leve, fic parvum eft, animum quod laudis avarum

Subruit aut reficit.

Valeat res ludicra, fi me

Palma negata macrum, donata reducit opimum.

Sæpe etiam audacem fugat hoc terretque poetam,
Quod numero plures, virtute & honore minores,
Indocti ftolidique, & depugnare parati

Si difcordet eques, media inter carmina pofcunt
• Aut urfum, aut pugiles; his nam plebecula gaudet,
P Verum equitis quoque jam migravit ab aure voluptas
Omnis ad incertos oculos, & gaudia vana.

Quatuor aut plures Aulæa premuntur in horas,

• Dum fugiunt equitum turmæ, peditumque catervæ ;
Mox trahitur manibus regum fortuna retortis,
Effeda feftinant, pilenta, petorrita, naves,
Captivum portatur ebur, captiva Corinthus.
Si foret in terris rideret Democritus, feu
Diverfum confufa genus panthera camelo;
Sive elephas albus vulgi converteret ora:
Spectaret populum ludis attentius ipfis,
Ut fibi præbentem mimo fpectacula plura,

Scriptores

So small a matter can deprefs or raise

A mind that's meanly covetous of praise :
But if my quiet muft dependent be

On the vain breath of popularity,

A wind each hour to diff'rent quarters veering,

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TM Adieu, say I, to all electioneering.

"The boldeft orator it difconcerts,

To find the many tho' of meaneft parts,
Illit'rate, fquabbling, discontented prigs,
Fitter t'attend a boxing-match at FIGG's,

To all good fenfe and reason fhut their ears,

Yet take delight in SD-M's bulls and bears.

240

P Young knights now fent from many a distant shire Are better pleas'd with what they see than hear; Their joy's to view his majesty approach, Drawn by eight milk-white fteeds in gilded coach, The pageant show and buftle to behold,

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The guards both horse and foot lac'd o'er with gold, The rich infignia from the Tower brought down, The iv'ry scepter and the radiant crown. The mob huzza, the thund'ring cannons roar,

250

And business is delay'd at least an hour;

The

Scriptores autem narrare putaret afello

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Fabellam furdo: nam quæ pervincere voces

Evaluere fonum, referent quem nostra theatra ?
Garganum mugire putes nemus, aut mare Tufcum:
Tanto cum ftrepitu ludi fpectantur, & artes,

t

Divitiæque peregrinæ ; quibus oblitus actor

Quum ftetit in scena, concurrit dextera lævæ.

" Dixit adhuc aliquid? Nil fane: quid placet ergo? Lana Tarentino violas imitata veneno.

w Ac ne forte putes me, quæ facere ipfe recufem, Quum recte tractent alii, laudare maligne ;

* Ille per extentum funem mihi poffe videtur Ire poeta, meum qui pectus inaniter angit.

Irritat, mulcet, falfis terroribus implet,

* Ut magus, & modo me Thebis, modo ponit Athenis. Verum age, & his, qui fe lectori credere malunt, Quam fpectatoris fastidia ferre superbi,

d

Curam redde brevem; fi munus Apolline dignum

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Vis complere libris, & vatibus addere calcar,

Ut ftudio majore petant Helicona virentem.

f Multa

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