Grandia cum parvis, non exorabilis auro? a Gemmas, marmor, ebur, Tyrrhena sigilla, ta bellas, Argentum, vestes Gætulo murice tinctas, Sunt qui non habeant; est qui non curat habere. NOTES. Ver. 264. Gold, Silver,] These four lines are fine examples of the close, energetic, comprehensive, style of which he was so perfect a master. Ver. 273. All Townshend's Turnips,] Lord Townshend, Secretary of State to George the First and Second.-When this great Statesman retired from business, he amused himself in Husbandry; and was particularly fond of that kind of rural improvement which arises from Turnips; it was the favourite subject of his conversation. W. He is said to have been slow in his parts, rough in his manners, and impatient of contradiction; but generous and humane at bottom; and of strong, good judgment. Ver. 274. Like Bu-] Bubb Doddington, afterward Lord Melcombe, whose curious Diary has discovered many despicable court-secrets and mean intrigues. Ver. 277. Fly, like Oglethorpe,] Employed in settling the Colony of Georgia. P. Here are lines that will justly confer immortality on a man who well deserved so magnificent a eulogium. He was at once a great hero and a great legislator. The vigour of his mind and body have seldom been equalled. The vivacity of his genius continued to a great old age. The variety of his adventures, and the very different scenes in which he had been engaged, make one regret that his life has never been written. Dr. John Inexorable Death shall level all, And trees, and stones, and farms, and farmer, fall. Gold, Silver, Iv'ry, Vases sculptur'd high, Paint, Marble, Gems, and robes of Persian die, There are who have not-and thank Heav'n there are, 266 Who, if they have not, think not worth their care. b Talk what you will of Taste, my friend, you'll find Two of a face, as soon as of a mind. Why, of two brothers, rich and restless one 270 Ploughs, burns, manures, and toils, from sun to sun; NOTES. 280 son 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 first persons that highly, in all companies, praised his London. His first campaign was made under Prince Eugene, against the Turks; and this great General always spoke of Oglethorpe in the highest terms. Neither he nor Eugene loved Marlborough. He once told me (for I had the pleasure of knowing him well), that Eugene, speaking of Marlborough, said, “There is a great difference in making war en maitre, or en avocat." But his set, tlement of the Colony in Georgia gave a greater lustre to his character than even his military exploits. Ver. 280, That God of Nature, &c.] Here our Poet had an Utar, et ex modico, quantum res poscet, acervo Tollam: nec metuam, quid de me judicet hæres, Quod non plura datis invenerit. et tamen idem Scire volam, quantum simplex hilarisque nepoti Discrepet, et quantum discordet parcus avaro. Distat enim, spargas tua prodigus, an neque sumptum Invitus facias, nec plura parare labores; Ac potius, puer ut festis Quinquatribus olim, Non es avarus: abi. quid! cætera jam simul isto Cum vitio fugere? caret tibi pectus inani NOTES. opportunity of illustrating his own Philosophy; and so giving a much better sense to his Original; and correcting both the Naturalism and the Fate of Horace, which are covertly conveyed in these words: "Scit Genius, natale comes qui temperat astrum, W. Ver. 302. In pow'r, wit,] The six words in the Original, "Viribus, ingenio, specie, virtute, loco, re," are wonderfully close, emphatical, and compact; but I think they could hardly be better expressed than by our Author. He has not, perhaps, succeeded so well in imitating another line below, Somnia, terrores magicos, miracula, sagas," Various of temper, as of face or frame, Glad, like a Boy, to snatch the first good day, 'What is't to me (a passenger God wot), "But why all this of Av'rice? I have none." I wish you joy, Sir, of a Tyrant gone: 285 290 295 300 305 NOTES. a line of admirable brevity. If I was to undertake to point out all the beauties of our Author, as I presume to do some of his blemishes, these notes would be almost nauseously confined to perpetual panegyric ;-it being the rare and singular talent of this Poet in general, rendre sans effort chaque idée, par le terme qui lui est propre. Ambitione? caret mortis formidine et ira? Somnia, terrores magicos, miracula, sagas, Lusisti satis, edisti satis, atque bibisti : NOTES. Ver. 312. Survey both worlds,] It is observable with what sobriety he has corrected the licentiousness of his Original, which made the expectation of another world a part of that superstition he would explode; whereas the Imitator is only for removing the false terrors from the world of spirits; such as the diablerie of witchcraft and purgatory. W. If this was the intention of the Imitator, he should not have inserted the words, devil and fire. Ver. 326. Leave such to trifle] It, perhaps, might have been better to have omitted these two last lines; the second of which has a quaint and modern turn; and the humour consists in being driven off the stage, potum largius æquo. The word lusisti in the Original, is used in a loose and naughty sense, says Upton. As also 1. 4. 13. Od. and in Propertius, |