JOHN BROWN, A.M., afterwards D.D., and author of the following Essay on Satire, is also advantageously known to the literary public by several other works, and particularly by his Essays on the Characteristics of Lord Shaftesbury, of which there have been many editions. Another work of his, which obtained still greater popularity, was his " Estimate of the Manners and Principles of the Times," where he endeavoured, by the severity of his invective against the indolence and selfishness of his countrymen, to rouse them to useful and honourable exertion, in which noble and patriotic attempt he is supposed to have had considerable His Tragedy of Barbarossa was brought forwards with great advantage by Garrick, and for some time kept possession of the stage. He also wrote a poem, intitled "Honour," addressed to Lord Lonsdale, and an ode, intitled "The Cure of Saul," which was set to music and performed as an oratorio. The former of these may be found in the third volume of Dodsley's Collection of Poems, and the latter in the second volume of the supplemental collection of Pearch. Many other pieces of his are enumerated in the Biographia Britannica, where a further account of the circumstances of his life, and of its unhappy termination, may be found.

success.

To the character of Dr. Brown, both moral and intellectual, the following piece does great credit; and in the situation where it is now placed, it may serve as no unsuitable introduction to the Satires of Pope, as it contains sound principles and correct critical opinions, and is upon the whole one of the best imitations of the style and manner of Pope that have hitherto appeared.

CONTENTS.

PART I.

Or the End and Efficacy of Satire. The Love of Glory and Fear of Shame universal, Ver. 29. This Passion, implanted in Man as a Spur to Virtue, is generally perverted, Ver. 41. And thus becomes the Occasion of the greatest Follies, Vices, and Miseries, Ver 61. It is the Work of Satire to rectify this Passion, to reduce it to its proper Channel, and to convert it into an Incentive to Wisdom and Virtue, Ver. 89. Hence it appears, that Satire may influence those who defy all Laws, Human and Divine, Ver. 99. An Objection answered, Ver. 131.

PART II.

Rules for the Conduct of Satire. Justice and Truth its chief and essential Property, Ver. 169. Prudence in the Application of Wit and Ridicule, whose Province is, not to explore unknown, but to enforce known Truths, Ver. 191. Proper Subjects of Satire are the Manners of present Times, Ver. 239. Decency of expression Recommended, Ver. 255. The different Methods in which Folly and Vice ought to be Chastised, Ver. 269. The Variety of Style and Manner which these two Subjects require, Ver. 277. The Praise of Virtue may be admitted with Propriety, Ver. 315. Caution with regard to Panegyric, Ver. 329. The Dignity of true Satire, Ver. 341.

PART III.

The History of true Satire. Roman Satirists, Lucilius, Horace, Persius, Juvenal, Ver. 357, &c. Causes of the Decay of Literature, particularly of Satire, Ver. 389. Revival of Satire, Ver 401. Erasmus one of its principal Restorers, Ver. 405. Donne, Ver. 411. The Abuse of Satire in England, during the licentious Reign of Charles II., Ver. 415. Dryden, 429. The true Ends of Satire pursued by Boileau in France, Ver. 439; and by Mr. Pope in England, Ver. 445.

PART I.

FATE gave the word; the cruel arrow sped;
And POPE lies number'd with the mighty dead!
Resign'd he fell; superior to the dart,

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That quench'd its rage in YOURS and BRITAIN's heart:
You mourn; but BRITAIN, lull'd in rest profound,
(Unconscious BRITAIN !) slumbers o'er her wound.
Exulting Dulness eyed the setting light,
And flapp'd her wing, impatient for the night;
Roused at the signal, Guilt collects her train,
And counts the triumphs of her growing reign;
With inextinguishable rage they burn,
And snake-hung ENVY hisses o'er his urn;
Th' envenom'd monsters spit their deadly foam,
To blast the laurel that surrounds his tomb.

But you, O WARBURTON! whose eye refined
Can see the greatness of an honest mind;
Can see each virtue and each grace unite,
And taste the raptures of a pure delight;

You visit oft his awful page with care,

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And view that bright assemblage treasured there; 20

You trace the chain that links his deep design,

And pour new lustre on the glowing line.

Yet deign to hear the efforts of a Muse,

Whose eye, not wing, his ardent flight pursues:

Intent from this great archetype to draw

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SATIRE'S bright form, and fix her equal law;

Pleased if from hence th' unlearn'd may comprehend,
And reverence HIS and SATIRE's generous end.
In every breast there burns an active flame,
The love of glory, or the dread of shame:

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The passion ONE, though various it appear,
As brighten'd into hope, or dimm'd by fear.
The lisping infant, and the hoary sire,

And youth and manhood feel the heart-born fire:
The charms of praise the coy, the modest, woo,
And only fly that glory may pursue:

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She, power resistless, rules the wise and great;
Bends even reluctant hermits at her feet;
Haunts the proud city, and the lowly shade,
And sways alike the sceptre and the spade.

Thus Heaven in pity wakes the friendly flame,
To urge mankind on deeds that merit fame:
But man, vain man, in folly only wise,
Rejects the manna sent him from the skies;
With rapture hears corrupted Passion's call,
Still proudly prone to mingle with the stall.
As each deceitful shadow tempts his view,
He for the imaged substance quits the true;
Eager to catch the visionary prize,
In quest of glory, plunges deep in vice;
Till madly zealous, impotently vain,
He forfeits every praise he pants to gain.

Thus still imperious NATURE plies her part,
And still her dictates work in every heart.
Each power that sovereign Nature bids enjoy,
Man may corrupt, but man can ne'er destroy.
Like mighty rivers, with resistless force
The passions rage, obstructed in their course;
Swell to new heights, forbidden paths explore,
And drown those virtues which they fed before.
And sure, the deadliest foe to virtue's flame,
Our worst of evils, is perverted shame.
Beneath this load what abject numbers groan,
Th' entangled slaves to folly not their own!
Meanly by fashionable fear oppress'd

We seek our virtues in each other's breast;

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45

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55

60

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Blind to ourselves, adopt each foreign vice,
Another's weakness, interest, or caprice.

Each fool to low ambition, poorly great,
That pines in splendid wretchedness of state,
Tired in the treacherous chase, would nobly yield,
And, but for shame, like SYLLA, quit the field :
The demon Shame paints strong the ridicule,
And whispers close, "The world will call

you fool."
Behold yon wretch, by impious fashion driven,
Believes and trembles while he scoffs at Heaven.
By weakness strong, and bold through fear alone,
He dreads the sneer by shallow coxcombs thrown;
Dauntless pursues the path Spinoza trod;
To man a coward, and a brave to God.

Faith, Justice, Heaven itself now quit their hold
When to false fame the captived heart is sold :
Hence, blind to truth, relentless Cato died;
Nought could subdue his virtue, but his pride.
Hence chaste Lucretia's innocence betray'd
Fell by that honour which was meant its aid.
Thus Virtue sinks beneath unnumber'd woes,
When Passions, born her friends, revolt her foes.

Hence SATIRE's power: 'tis her corrective part,
To calm the wild disorders of the heart.

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She points the arduous height where Glory lies,
And teaches mad Ambition to be wise;
In the dark bosom wakes the fair desire,

Draws good from ill, a brighter flame from fire;
Strips black Oppression of her gay disguise,

And bids the hag in native horror rise;

IMITATIONS.

Ver. 80. To man a coward, &c.]

Vois-tu ce Libertin en public intrépide,

Qui prêche contre un Dieu que dans son ame il croit ?
Il iroit embrasser la vérité qu'il voit ;

Mais de ses faux amis il craint la raillerie,

Et ne brave ainsi Dieu que par poltronnerie.

Boileau, Ep. iii.

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