Jam Saliare Numæ carmen qui laudat, & illud Quod mecum ignorat, folus vult scire videri: Ingeniis non ille favet plauditque fepultis,

Noftra fed impugnat, nos noftraque lividus odit.
f Quod fi tam Græcis novitas invifa fuiffet

Quam nobis, quid nunc effet vetus? aut quid haberet
Quod legeret, tereretque viritim publicus ufus?
* Ut primum pofitis nugari Græcia bellis
Cœpit, & in vitium fortunâ labier æqua,

Nunc athletarum ftudiis, nunc arfit equorum ;
i Marmoris, ut eboris fabros, ut æris amavit;
Sufpendit picta vultum mentemque tabella:
* Nunc tibicinibus, nunc eft gavifa tragedis:
1 Sub nutrice puella velut fi luderet infans,
Quod cupidè petiit, mature plena reliquit.

Quid placet aut odio eft, quod non mutabile credas? m Hoc paces habuere bonæ, ventique fecundi.

n Romæ dulce diu fuit & folenne reclufa

Mane domo vigilare, clienti promere jura,

Cautos

• When angry patriots, or in profe or rhymes, Extol the virtuous deeds of former times,

They only mean the present to disgrace,

And look with envious hate on all in place :
f But had the patriots of those ancient days
Play'd the fame game for profit, or for praise,
The trade, tho' now so flourishing and new,
Had long been ruin'd and the nation too.

100

105

8 ENGLAND, when once of peace and wealth poffeft, Began to think frugality a jest,

So grew polite; hence all her well-bred heirs

h Gamefters and jockies turn'd, and cricket-play'rs;

i Pictures and bufts in ev'ry house were seen;

III

115

What should have paid the butcher, bought PouSSIN; * Now operas, now plays were all the fashion, Then whift became the bus'ness of the nation, 1 That, like a froward child, in wanton play Now cries for toys, then toffes them away; Each hour we chang'd our pleasures, dress, and diet; These were the bleft effects of being quiet.

n Not thus behav'd the true old English 'fquire, He fmok'd his pipe each morn by his own fire,

120

There

Cautos nominibus rectis expendere nummos,

Majores audire, minores dicere per quæ

Crefcere res poffet, minui damnofa libido.

P Mutavit mentem populus levis ; & calet uno Scribendi ftudio: pueri, patresque severi

¶ Fronde comas vincti cœnant, & carmina dictant.

Ipfe ego, qui nullus me affirmo fcribere verfus,

Invenior Parthis mendacior; & prius orto

Sole, vigil calamum & chartas & scrinia posco.

Navem agere ignarus navis timet; abrotonum

ægro

Non audet nifi qui didicit, dare; quod medicorum eft,

Promittunt

There justice to dispense was ever willing,
And for his warrants pick'd up many a fhilling
• To teach his younger neighbours always glad,
Where for their corn beft markets might be had,
And from experienc'd age as glad to learn,
How to defraud unfeen the parfon's barn.

P But now the world's quite alter'd, all are bent

To leave their feats, and fly to parliament':

Old men and boys in this alone agree,

And, vainly courting popularity,

Ply their obftrep❜rous voters all night long

1 With bumpers, toafts, and now and then a song;
* Ev'n I, who fwear these follies I despise,
Than statesmen, or their porters, tell more lies;
And, for the fashion-fake, in spite of nature,
Commence fometimes a most important creature,

Bufy as CAR-w rave for ink and quills,
And stuff my head and pockets full of bills.

• Few land-men go to fea unless they're preft,

And quacks in all profeffions are a jest;

None dare to kill, except most learn'd physicians :
Learn'd, or unlearn'd, we all are politicians,
5

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130

135

140

There's

Promittunt medici,: tractant fabrilia fabri:
Scribimus indocti doctique poemata paffim.

* Hic error tamen, & levis hæc infania quantas Virtutes habeat, fic collige: Vatis avarus

W

Non temere eft animus; verfus amat, hoc ftudet

unum;

Detrimenta, fugas fervorum, incendia ridet;

* Non fraudem focio, puerove incogitat ullum
Pupillo, vivit filiquis, & pane fecundo.
y

* Militiæ quanquam piger & malus, utilis urbi;
a Si das hoc parvis quoque rebus magna juvari
Os tenerum pueri balbumque poeta figurat;

с

Torquet ab obfcœnis jam nunc fermonibus aurem ; Mox etiam pectus præceptis format amicis,

Afperitatis & invidiæ corrector, & iræ ;

• Recte