THE

SECOND EPISTLE

OF THE

SECOND BOOK

O F

HORACE.

Ludentis fpeciem dabit, et torquebitur. Hor.

EPISTOLA II.

LORE, bono claroque fidelis amice Neroni, b Si quis forte velit puerum tibi vendere natum Tibure vel Gabiis, et tecum fic agat: "Hic et "Candidus, et talos a vertice pulcher ad imos, "Fiet eritque tuus nummorum millibus octo; "Verna minifteriis ad nutus aptus heriles;

"Litterulis Graecis imbutus, idoneus arti

"Cuilibet: argilla quidvis imitaberis uda :

"Quin etiam canet indoctum, fed dulce bibenti. "Multa fidem promiffa levant, ubi plenius aequo "Laudat venales, qui vult extrudere, merces. "Res urget me nulla: meo fum paupere in aere. "Nemo hoc mangonum faceret tibi: non temere

VER. 4. This Lad, Sir, is of Blois :] A Town in Beauce, where the French tongue is fpoken in great purity.

VER. 15. But, Sir, to you, with what would I not part?]

EPIST

STLE

LE II.

EAR Col'nel, COBHAM's and your country's
Friend!

DE

You love a Verfe, take fuch as I can fend.

6

b A Frenchman comes, prefents you with his Boy, Bows and begins" This Lad, Sir, is of Blois : "Obferve his fhape how clean! his locks how curl'd! "My only fon, I'd have him fee the world: "His French is pure; his Voice too-you fhall hear. "Sir, he's your flave, for twenty pound a year. "Mere wax as yet, you fashion him with ease, "Your Barber, Cook, Upholft'rer, what you pleafe: "A perfect genius at an Opera-fong

"To fay too much, might do my honour wrong.
"Take him with all his virtues, on my word;
"His whole ambition was to ferve a Lord;

"But, Sir, to you, with what would I not part? 15
"Tho' faith, I fear, 'twill break his Mother's heart.
"Once (and but once) I caught him in a lye,
"And then, unwhipp'd, he had the grace to cry:
"The fault he has I fairly fhall reveal,

" (Cou'd you o'erlook but that) it is, to steal. 20

NOTES.

The numbers well exprefs the unwillingness of parting with what one can ill pare.

* M

7

"Quivis ferret idem: femel hic ceffavit, et (ut fit) "In fcalis latuit metuens pendentis habenae :

"Des nummos, excepta nihil te fi fuga laedit.

• Ille ferat pretium, poenae fecurus, opinor. Prudens emifti vitiofum: dicta tibi eft lex. Infequeris tamen hunc, et lite moraris iniqua. • Dixi me pigrum proficifenti tibi, dixi Talibus officiis prope mancum: ne mea faevus Jurgares ad te quod epistola nulla veniret.

Quid tum profeci, mecum facientia jura

Si tamen attentas? quereris fuper hoc etiam, quod
Exfpectata tibi non mittam carmina mendax.

• Luculli miles collecta viatica multis

Aerumnis, laffus dum noctu ftertit, ad affem Perdiderat poft hoc vehemens lupus, et fibi et hofti

Iratus pariter, jejunis dentibus acer,

Praefidium regale loco dejecit, ut aiunt,

NOTES.

VER. 24. I think Sir Godfrey] An eminent Justice of Peace, who decided much in the manner of Sancho Pancha. P. Sir Godfrey Kneller.

VER. 33. In Anna's Wars, etc.] Many parts of this ftory are well told; but, on the whole, it is much inferior to the original.

If, after this, you took the graceless lad,
Cou'd you complain, my Friend, he prov'd fo bad?
Faith, in fuch cafe, if you should profecute,

I think Sir Godfrey should decide the fuit;
Who fent the Thief that stole the Cash, away,
And punish'd him that put it in his way.

25

• Confider then, and judge me in this light;
I told you when I went, I could not write ;
You faid the fame; and are you discontent
With Laws, to which you gave your own affent? 30
Nay worse, to ask for Verse at such a time!
D'ye think me good for nothing but to rhime?

• In ANNA'S Wars, a Soldier poor and old
Had dearly earn'd a little purfe of gold:
Tir'd with a tedious march, one luckless night,
He flept, poor dog! and loft it, to a doit.
This put the man in such a despʼrate mind,
Between revenge, and grief, and hunger join'd
Against the foe, himself, and all mankind,
He leap'd the trenches, fcal'd a Caftle-wall,
Tore down a Standard, took the Fort and all.

NOTES.

35

}

40

VER. 37. This put the man, etc.] Greatly below the Original,

Poft hoc vehemens lupus, et fibi et hofti

Iratus pariter, jejunis dentibus acer.

The laft words are particularly elegant and humourous.