Sub noctem gelidam lignis calefactat ahenum. * Sit proprium quidquam, puncto quod mobilis horæ, Nunc prece, nunc pretio, nunc vi, nunc morte fuprema, Permutet dominos, et cedat in altera jura. Sic, quia perpetuus nulli datur ufus, at hæres a * Gemmas, marmor, ebur, Tyrrhena figilla, tabellas, Argentum, veftes Gætulo murice tinctas, Sunt qui non habeant; eft qui non curat habere. NOTES. Cur VER. 248. hang in Fortune's pow'r-Loofe on the point of ev'ry wav'ring hour.] A modern idea (the magnetic needle) here fupplied the Imitator with expreffion much fuperior to his Original, WARBURTON. VER. 254. All vaft poffeffions,] The next ten lines are far fuperior to the Original, both for their poetry and philofophy; and for the artful introduction of the name of his excellent and amiable friend, Lord Bathurst. WARTON. VER. 257. Join Cotfwood hills to Saperton's fair dale,] Saperton. His feat is near the Cotswold hills: and his favourite paffion is well alluded to in ver. 260. Link towns to towns with avenues of oak: for the avenues of oaks at Saperton are very magnificent. Bennet. WAKEFIELD. The Laws of God, as well as of the land, Eftates have wings, and hang in Fortune's pow'r 246 250 Heir urges heir, like wave impelling wave. Join Cotfwood hills to Saperton's fair dale, a * Gold, Silver, Iv'ry, Vases sculptur'd high, Paint, Marble, Gems, and robes of Persian dye, There are who have not,-and thank Heav'n there are, 266 Who, if they have not, think not worth their care. Talk 260 NOTES. VER. 264. Gold, Silver,] These four lines are fine examples of the close, energetic, comprehenfive, style of which he was so perfect a mafter. WARTON. Cur alter fratrum ceffare, et ludere, et ungi Præferat Herodis palmetis pinguibus; alter Dives et importunus, ad umbram lucis ab ortu Silveftrem flammis et ferro mitiget agrum : Scit Genius, natale comes qui temperat aftrum: NATURE DEUS HUMANÆ, mortalis in unumQuodque caput, vultu mutabilis, albus, et ater. Utar, et ex modico, quantum res pofcet, acervo Tollam: nec metuam, quid de me judicet hæres, Quod NOTES. VER 2-3. All Townshend's Turnips,] Lord Townshend, Secretary of State to George the First and Second-When this great Statefman retired from bulinefs, he amufed limfelf in Husbandry; and was particularly fond of that kind of rural improvement which arifes from Turnips; it was the favourite subject of his conversation. WARBURTON. с He is faid to have been flow in his parts, rough in his manners, and impatient of contradiction, but generous and humane at bottom; and of strong, good judgment. WARTON. VER. 274 like Bu-] Bubb Doddington, afterward Lord Melcombe, whofe curious Diary has difcovered many defpicable court-fecrets and mean intrigues. WARTON. VER. 277. fly, like Oglethorpe,] Employed in festling the Colony of Georgia. POPE. Here are lines that will justly confer immortality on a man who well deferved fo magnificent an eulogium. He was at once a great hero and a great legiflator. The vigor of his mind and body have feldom been equalled. The vivacity of his genius continued to a great old age. The variety of his adventures, and the very different fcenes in which he had been engaged, makes one regret that his life has never been written. Dr. Johnfon once offered to do it, if the General would furnish the materials. Johnson had a great regard for him, for he was one of the firft perfons that highly, in all companies, praised his London. His firft campaign was made under Prince Eugene, against the Turks; and this great General always fpoke of Oglethorpe in the highest terms,, Neither Talk what you will of Tafte, my friend, you'll find Two of a face, as foon as of a mind. 270 Why, of two brothers, rich and refless one Who forms the Genius in the natal hour; C NOTES. 280 285 My Neither he nor Eugene loved Marlborough. He once told me, (for I had the pleasure of knowing him well,) that Eugene, speaking of Marlborough, faid, "There is a great difference in making war en maitre, or en avocat " But his fettlement of the Colony in Georgia gave a greater luftre to his character than even his military exploits. WARTON. "Scit Genius, natale comes qui temperat aftrum, VER. 280. That God of Nature, & ] Here our Poet had an opportunity of illuftrating his own Philofophy; and so giving a much better fenfe to his Original; and correcting both the Naturalism and the Fate of Horace, which are covertly conveyed in thefe words: WARBURTON. Quod non plura datis invenerit. et tamen idem Ac potius, puer ut feftis Quinquatribus olim, ' Pauperies immunda procul procul abfit: ego, utrum * Non es avarus: abi. quid? cætera jam fimul ifto Lenior NOTES. VER. 02. In pow'r, wit,] The fix words in the Original, "Viribus, ingenio, fpecie, virtute, loco, re," are wonderfully clofe, emphatical, and compact; but I think they could hardly be better expreffed than by our Author. He has not, perhaps, fucceeded fo well in imitating another line. below, "Somnia, terrores magicos, miracula, fagas," a line of admirable brevity. WARTON. VER. 312. Survey both worlds,] It is obfervable with what fobriety he has corrected the licentioufnefs of his Original, which made the expectation of another world a part of that fuperftition, he would explode; whereas the Imitator is only for removing the falfe terors from the world of spirits; fuch as the diablerie of witchcraft and purgatory. WARBURTON. |