And pale Pirene, I refign;

Refign to those, whofe better Claim

Stands witness'd by approving Fame;

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By facred Statues, plac'd around,

With twining Wreaths of Ivy crown'd?

These rude, unpolish'd Strains of mine,

1, at Apollo's hallow'd Shrine,

Lay humbly, unprefuming, down;

I, half a Poet, half a Clown.

Who taught the Pie's or Parrot's Throat, To emulate the human Note?

Thofe Sounds which Nature had deny'd,

Ingenious Want, to both, fupply'd.

Ingenious Want, in Nature's Spite,

Taught them to speak-And me to write.

$5

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Nay, hang but Lure enough in View, And they fhall ftrait turn Poets, too: Ev'n Crows and Pies fhall chatter Verse,

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And like their Brother-Bards, rehearse.

THE

THE

ARGUMENT.

WE may suppose the Author to be just feated in his Study, and beginning to vent his Indignation in Satire. At this very functure, comes in an Acquaintance, who, upon hearing the firft Line, diffuades him, by all Means, from an Undertaking fo perilous; advifing him rather, if he needs muft write, to accommodate his Vein to the Tafte of the Times, and to write like other People.

PERSIUS acknowledges that this, indeed, were the readieft Method to gain Countenance and Applause; but then adds, that the Approbation of fuch Patrons as this Compliance would recommend him to, quas a Thing to be defired, on no Terms at all; much lefs, upon Terms fo fbameful.

AFTER this, he takes Occafion to expose the wretched Tafte that prevailed then at Rome, both in their Verfe and Profe; and informs us what abominable Stuff