The Speaker calls indeed to mind what paffes,

But might as well read orders to deaf affes.

But now see honest V.

rife to joke!

255

The house all laugh; "What fays he? has he spoke? No not a word. Then whence this fudden mirth

His phyz foretels fome jeft's approaching birth.

But left I seem these orators to wrong,

h;

Envious because I share no gift of tongue,

260

* Is there a MAN whofe eloquence has pow'r

To clear the fulleft houfe in half an hour,

Who now appears to rave and now to weep,

! Who fometimes makes us fwear, and fometimes fleep, Now fills our heads with falfe alarms from FRANCE,

a Then conjurer like to INDIA bids us dance?

All eulogies on him we own are true,

For furely he does all that man can do.

But whilft, my lord, these makers of our laws, Thus speak themselves into the world's applaufe, Let bards, for fuch attempts too modeft, share What more they prize, your patronage and

If you would fpur them up the muse's hill,

Or afk their aid your library to fill.

I

care,

266

270

We

k

Multa quidem nobis facimus mala fæpe poetæ,
(Ut vineta egomet cædam mea) quum tibi librum
Sollicito damus, aut feffo; quum lædimur, unum

Siquis amicorum eft aufus reprendere versum:

* Quum loca, jam recitata revolvimus inrevocati, 1 Quum lamentamur, non apparere labores

Noftros, & tenui deducta poemata filo :

Quum fperamus eo rem venturam, ut fimul atque Carmina refcieris nos fingere, commodus ultro Arceffas, & egere vetes, & fcribere cogas.

n Sed tamen eft operæ pretium cognofcere, quales Edituos habeat belli, fpectata domique

Virtus, indigno non committenda poetæ.
⚫Gratus Alexandro regi Magno fuit ille
Chœrilus, incultis qui verfibus & male natis.
Rettulit acceptos, regale numifma, Philippos.
Sed veluti tractata notam labemque remittunt
Atramenta, fere fcriptores carmine fœdo
Splendida facta linunt. idem rex ille, poema
Qui tam ridiculum tam care prodigus emit,
Edicto vetuit, nequis fe præter Apellem
Pingeret, aut alius Lyfippo duceret æra

* Fortis

f We poets are, in ev'ry age and nation,
A most abfurd, wrong-headed generation;
This in a thousand inftances is shown,
(Myself as guilty as the reft I own)

As when on you our nonsense we impose,

275

285

Tir'd with the nonsense you have heard in profe; 280 1 When we're offended, if fome honeft friend Prefumes one unharmonious verfe to mend ; * When undefir'd our labours we repeat, 'Grieve they're no more regarded by the Great, "And fancy, fhould You once but see our faces, You'd bid us write, and pay us all with places. 'Tis your's, my lord, to form my foul to verse, Who have fuch num'rous virtues to rehearse; • Great ALEXANDER once, in ancient days, Paid CHOERILUS for daubing him with praise;

And yet the fame fam'd hero made a law,
None but APELLES fhould his picture draw;

290

P. None

▸ Fortis Alexandri vultum fimulantia, quod fi
Judicium fubtile videndis artibus illud

Ad libros, & ad hæc Mufarum dona vocares,
Bæôtum in craffo jurares aere natum.

· At neque dedecorant tua de fe judicia, atque Munera, quæ multa dantis cum laude tulerunt, Delecti tibi Virgilius, Variufque poetæ :

Nec magis expreffi vultus per aënea figna
Quam per vatis opus mores animique virorum.
Clarorum apparent. Nec fermones ego mallem
Repentes per humum, quam res componere geftas 3
Terrarumque fitus, & flumina dicere, & arces
Montibus impofitas, & barbara regna, tuifque

* Aufpiciis

P None but LYSIPPUS caft his royal head
In brafs it had been treason if in lead;
A prince he was in valour ne'er furpafs'd,
And had in painting too perhaps some taste;
But as to verse, undoubted is the matter,
• He must be dull, as a Dutch commentator.

295

' But you, my lord, a fav'rite of the muse, Would chufe good poets, were there good to chufe ; 300 • You know they paint the great man's foul as like, As can his features KNELLER, or VANDYKE.

* Had I fuch pow'r, I never would compofe

Such creeping lines as thefe, nor verse, nor profe;
But rather try to celebrate your praise,

305

"And with your juft encomiums fwell my lays:

Had I a genius equal to my will,

Gladly would I exert my utmost skill

To confecrate to fame BRITANNIA's land

Receiving law from your impartial hand;

310

By your wife counfels once more pow'rful made,
Her feets rever'd, and flourishing her trade;

* Exhaufted