LIB. III. CARMEN IX. DIALOGUS HORATII ET LYDIÆ HORAT. ONEC gratus eram tibi, Nec quifquam potior brachia candida Cervici juvenis dabat, Perfarum vigui Rege beatior. A DIALOGUE Between the Right Hon. HENRY PELHAM and Madam POPULARITY*. I. IN IMITATION OF HORACE, BOOK III, ODE İX. H. PELHAM. HILST I was pleasing in your eyes, WHIL And you was conftant, chaste, and wife; Ere yet you had your favours granted To ev'ry knave or fool who canted, Nor envy'd WALPOLE's wealth and pow'r. * From the commencement of the Spanish war in 1739, to the Treaty of Aix la Chapelle, figned October 7, 1748, the land-tax was raised from two fhillings to four fhillings. In 1749 it was lowered to three fhillings, at which rate it was continued till 1752, when Mr. Pelham, at that time the minister, reduced it to two fhillings, at which rate it continued till the time of his death in 1754. This was one, amongst others, of those popular measures which gilded the evening of this minifter's life, and rendered his death an object of public lamentation. To this event we owe this happy imitation, wrote foon after the Land-tax Act of that year paffed. VOL. I. E. MADAM LYDIA. Donec non aliâ magis Arfifti, neque erat Lydia post Chloën, Multi Lydia nominis Romanâ vigui clarior Iliâ. HORAT. Me tunc Threffa Chloë regit, Dulces docta modos, & citharæ fciens; Pro quâ non metuam mori, Si parcant animæ fata fuperftiti. LYDIA. Me torret face mutuâ Thurini Calaïs filius Ornithi; Pro MADAM POPULARITY. 2. While I poffefs'd your love alone, H. PELHA M. 3. My juft regard I can't deny Nor am afham'd it is fo great, I'd freely facrifice my life. MADAM POPULARITY. 4. To her your warmeft vows are plighted, For her I ev'ry day am flighted; Pro quo bis patiar mori, Si parcant puero fata fuperftiti. HORAT. Quod fi prifca redit Venus, Ejectæque patet janua Lydiæ ? LYDIA. Quanquam fidere pulchrior Ille eft; tu levior cortice, & improbo Iracundior Adria: Tecum vivere amem, tecum obeam libens. |