Plate XVIII.

Vol. IV. facing p. 231,

Hayman inv.et del.

O Sacred Weapon, left for Truth's Defence,
Sole Dread of Folly, Vice and Insolence!;
To all but Heaven-directed Hands denied,

CGrignion Sculp

The Muse m may give thee, but the Gods must guide.

Bp:a to Satire

EPILOGUE

FR.

TO THE

SATIRE S

Written in MDCCXXXVIII.

DIALOGUE 1,

TOT twice a twelve-month you appear in

NOT

Print,

And when it comes, the Court fee nothing in't.

VARIATLON S.1

After 2. in the MS.

You don't, I hope, pretend to quit the trade,
Because you think your reputation made :
Like good ** of whom so much was faid,
That when his name was up, he lay a-bed.
Come, come, refresh us with a livelier song,
Or like ** you'll lie a-bed too long.

NOTES.

VER. 1. Not twice a twelve-month etc.] These two lines are from Horace; and the only lines that are so in the whole Poem; being meant to give a handle to that which follows in the character of an impertinent Cenfurer,

'Tis all from Horace; etc. P.

VER. 2. the Court fee nothing in't.] He chofe this expreffion for the fake of its elegant and fatiric ambiguity. His writings abound in them.

ye

You grow correct, that once, with Rapture writ,
And are, befides, too moral for a Wit.
Decay of Parts, alas! we all muft feel ---
Why now, this moment, don't I fee you fteal?
'Tis all from Horace; Horace long before
Said, "Tories call'd him Whig, and Whigs a Tory;"
And taught his Romans, in much better-metre,
"To laugh at Fools who put their truft in Peter." 10
But Horace, Sir, was delicate, was nice;
Bubo obferves, he lash'd no fort of Vice:
Horace would fay, Sir Billy ferv'd the Crown,
Blunt could do Bus'nefs, H-ggins knew the Town;
In Sappho touch the Failing of the Sex,
In rev'rend Bishops note some small Neglects,
And own, the Spaniard did a waggish thing,
Who cropt our Ears, and fent them to the King.

VARIATIONS.

P. Sir, what I write, fhould be correctly writ.
F. Correct! 'tis what no genius can admit.
Befides, you grow too moral for a Wit.

5

NOTES.

VER. 12. Bubo obferves,] Some guilty perfon very fond of making fuch an obfervation. P.

VER. 14. Hggins] Formerly Jaylar of the Fleet prifon, enriched himself by many exactions, for which he was tried and expelled. P.

VER. 18. Who cropt our Ears,] Said to be executed by the Captain of a Spanish ship on one Jenkins a Captain of

His fly, polite, infinuating style

Could pleafe at Court, and make AUGUSTUS smile:
An artful Manager, that crept between
His Friend and Shame, and was a kind of Screen.
But 'faith your very Friends will foon be fore;
Patriots there are, who with you'd jeft no more ---
And where's the Glory; 'twill be only thought
The Great man never offer'd you a groat.
Go fee Sir ROBERT

25.

101

And never laugh for all my life to come?
Seen him I have, but in his happier hour
Of Social Pleasure, ill-exchang'd for Pow'r;
Seen him, uncumber'd with the Venal tribe,
Smile without Art, and win without a Bribe.

21

906

P. See Sir ROBERT !--- hum --

30

NOTES.

an English one. He cut off his ears, and bid him carry them to the King his master. P. VER. 22. Screen.]

Omne vafer vitium ridenti Flaccus amico

Tangit, et admiffus circum præcordia ludit. Perf. P. Ibid. Screen.] A metaphor peculiarly appropriated to a certain perfon in power. P.

VER. 24. Patriots there are, &c.] This appellation was generally given to thofe in oppofition to the Court. Though fome of them (which our author hints at) had views too mean and interested to deserve that name. P.

VER. 26. The Great man] A phrafe, by common use, appropriated to the first minifter. P.

VIR. 31. Seen him, uncumber'd] These two verses were

Would he oblige me? let me only find,

He does not think me what he thinks mankind.
Come, come, at all I laugh he laughs, no doubt; 35
The only diff'rence is, I dare laugh out.

F. Why yes: with Scripture ftill you may be free;
A Horse-laugh, if you please, at Honesty;
A Joke on JEKYL, or fome odd Old Whig
Who never chang'd his Principle, or Wig:
A Patriot is a Fool in ev'ry age,
Whom all Lord Chamberlains allow the Stage:
These nothing hurts; they keep their Fashion ftill,
And wear their ftrange old Virtue, as they will.

If any ask you, "Who's the Man, so near 45 "His Prince, that writes in Verfe, and has his ear?” Why, anfwer, LYTTLETON, and I'll engage The worthy Youth shall ne'er be in a rage:

NOTES.

40

originally in the poem, though omitted in all the firft edi

tions. P.

VER. 37. Why yes: with Scripture fill you may be free ;] Thus the Man commonly called Mather Oborn, who was in the Minifter's pay, and wrote Journals; for one Paper in behalf of Sir Robert, had frequently two against J. C.

VER. 39. A Joke on Jekyl] Sir Jofeph Jekyl, Mafter of the Rolls, a true Whig in his principles, and a man of the utmost probity. He fometimes voted against the Court, which drew upon him the laugh here described of ONE who bestowed it equally upon Religion and Honesty. He died a few months after the publication of this poem. P、

VER. 43. Thefe nothing burts ;] i. e. offends.
VER. 47. Why, anfwer, Lyttleton,] George Lyttelton,