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Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mithode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 A 5 6 /m- ':^(S;- t ^i-'-; ■,.>■:•>.;■ ^ii'MSm. /.";?-■.••■■■ .■■ ■ ,'.;S?='^s*K ';(.■".•• . ■ , vVS; I fAd--.-'':'.''; .''v.;. :'■• j'.'; : ■ 1 -J t . \f ■-.■■:■...,. . S^i^lfetoi^kSiii^:--'-- /'///.A MISCELLANIES I It PROSE AND VERSE. n 4 • im\ I BY CAPTAIN THOMAS MORRIS. LONDON: PRINTED FOR JAMES RIDGWAY, NO. I, YORK-STREET, ST. JAMES'S-SC^JARE. I79I. II 1 PREAMBLE. 30ME reafon perhaps ought to be affigned for my troubling the public with the follow- ing narrative. I (hall fatisfy thofe who may be of that opinion both with refpedl to it and the other writings contained in this volume. The truth is this : the Journal had lain for many years in a cheft among other papers, un- feen either by myfelf or my friends. But on a late unfuccefsful event, I thought that, for the benefit of my children, I ought to attempt to repair the injury I had done them by my fpeculations, and as every one who knew the ilory iijl ' tii i IV PREAMBLE. ftory of my adventures in America, allowed that I had a claim on government, I deter- mined to make it. I therefore drew up a me- morial to his Majefty, fetting forth, that my grandfather, my father, and myfelf had all been captains in the 17th regiment of foot, and my uncle Lieutenant Colonel to that re- giment, &c. To this I annexed the follow- ing Journal. But having in vain fought a mediator between Majefty and me, I dropt all thoughts of the memorial. It happened foon after that I entreated a refpeftable gentleman, of my acquaintance, a man of letters in whofe judgment I place implicit faith, to criticife my tranllation of Racine*s Phaedra. This he very kindly undertook, and even fpoke to Mr. Harris concerning it, who, with great politcnefs, offered me his theatre, if a princi- pal performer, whom he named, would un- dertake the chief charadter. I read the play to that performer ; but the length of fomc of the fpeeches, though (hortened as far as my OWA PREAMBLE* own judgment would permit, its being a tranflatidn, though of the fined tragedy the French can boaft ; the extravagant encomi- ums which I lavifhed on Mademoifelle Du- menil, whofe manner of xdting I wilhed her to imitate, &c. &c. &c. made her lukewarm, when I wanted her to be an enthufiaft ; fo that defign was dropped. One day, however, pre- vious to this, when the gentleman, whom I have mentioned, had been employed in ex- amining the original, while I read the tranf- lation ; at the conclufion of the bufmcfs, I faid : " I have here an attempt at an ode; '* 'tis a new fancy of mine : *tis in honour of *' the national aflembly of France.'* He read it, and defired that it might be publiflied in a newfpaper : and he afterwards encouraged me to publifli three more, which, together with the firft, are in this v jlume, and alfo another, not publifhcd before. 1 then read to him fome remarks on the poetical elocution of the theatre, and on the manner of ading tra- gedy; I 1- ' II! I il ■l\ \t I I VI PREAMBLE, gedy : thefe he likcwife advifed mc to pub- li(h in a volume, together with the odes and other pieces of poetry. Some time after I fpoke by accident of my memorial and journal. He w«3 furprifed at my account of an adventure which, in the courfe of fifteen years acquaintance, he had never heard me mention. After taking it home and reading it, he advifed me to print the Journal with my odes, &c. to complete the volume; for though neither the volume nor the Journal, as he faid, might be of ufe to me, they might, poflibly, fome time or other, procure a friend or protedor to one of my children. I have followed his advice. This is a plain and Am- ple tale, accounting for my prefumption in offering to the public an old ftory relating to one whofe wifh ufed to be, to lie concealed in domeftic life ; a wifli, in which he has been amply gratified by the very obliging filence of fome of his nearefl connexions. JOURNAL JOURNAL OF CAPTAIN THOMAS MORRIS, OF Hh Majcjly's XVII Regiment of Infantry, I /GENERAL Bradftreet, who commanded an army fent againfl: thofe Indian nations who had cut oiF feveral Engliih garrifons, of which we had taken poffeflion after the furrender of Canada, having too haflily determined to fend an officer to take pofleffion alfo of the Ilinois country in his Britannic Majefty's name, fent his Aid de Camp to found me on the occafion. His Aid de Camp dc- fired me to recommend fome officer with qualities he defcribed. I named every one that I could recol- B lea; Wk Wl JOURNAL OF lc6l ; hut lie always anfwcrcd mc (l\ortly : <* No, *« no ; he won't do." I then hcgan to fufpedl that he might hare a dcfign on myfelf. Accordingly I faid : " If I thought my fervices would be accept- *< able" He interrupted me : " That is what is ** wanted." I replied : " Why did you not fay fo " at firft ?" He faid, with an oath : *' It is not a *' thing to he alked of any man." I anfwered : " If ** the General thinks me the propereli jierfon, I am ** ready." I was immediately condu£led to ti\c General ; and while I was at dinner with him, he laid, m his frank manner : " Morris, I have a ** French fellow here, my prifoner, who cxpe6ls to *' be hanged for treafon ; he fpeaks all the Indian' *' languages, and if you think he can he of ufe to *' you, I'll fend for him, pardon him, and fend him *' witii you." I anfwered : " I am glad you have " thought of it, Sir ; I wifli you would." The prifoner, whofe name was Godefroi, was according- ly fent for ; and, as foon as he entered the tent, he turned pale, and fell on his knees, begging for mercy* The General telling him that it was in his power to hang him, concluded with faying : " I give thee thy *' life ; take care of this gentleman." The man cxprefTcd CAPTAIN THOMAS MORRIS. cxprcflld a grateful fcnfc of tlie mercy Hicwn liiir, and protcflcd that he would be faithful : and indeed his behaviour afterwards proved that he was fincerc in his promife. As (icncral Bradftreet had pardon- ed him on my account, he confidered me as his di- livcrer. Little minds hate obligations ; and thence the tranfition is eafy to the hatred of their benefa^or : this man's foul was of another make, and, though in alowftation, a noble pride urged him to dirow a heavier weight of obligation on him to whom he thought he wa& indebted for his liberty, if not his life ; and I had the fingular fatisfadion of owing thofe bleffings to one who fancied he owed the fame to me. While I was preparing to fet out, llie boats being almoft loaden with our provifions and neceiTaries, the Aid de Camp told me, that if the Indian depu- ties, who were expeftcd to arrive at the camp that evening, did not come, the Uttawaw village, where I was to lie that night, would be attacked at three o'clock in the morning ; " but that," added he, *' will make no difference in your affairs." I was aftoniflicd that the General could think fo : but I made no reply to him, and we talked of other mat- ■B 2 ters» I If; I II' s I m f 1 JOURNAL OF :t : i ters. However, as I was ftepping into my boat, fome canoes appeared, and I came on Ihore again, and found they were the Indian deputies who were expelled. This I thought a very happy incident for me ; and having received proper powers and in- ftru^lions I fet out in good fpirits from Cedar Point, in Lake Erie, on the 26th of Auguft, 1764, about four o'clock in the afternoon, at the fame time that the army proceeded for Detroit. My efcort confifted of Godefroi, and another Canadian, two fervants, twelve Indians, our allies, and five Mohawks, with a boat in which were our provifions, who were to attend us to the fwifts of the Miamis river, about ten leagues diflant, and then return to the army. I had .with me likewife Warfong, the great Chippawaw chief, and Attawang, an Uttav/aw chief, with fome other Indians of their nat v>ns, who had come the fame day to our camp with prupofals of peace. We lay that night at the mouth of the Miamis river. I was greatly delighted on obferving the difference of temper betwixt thefe Indian fttangers and thofc of my old acquaintance of the five nations. Gode- froi was employed in interpreting to me all their pleafantrics ; 4 ii n ^ I 'b.. -t. CAPTAIN THOMAS MORRIS. pleafantries ; and I thought them the moft agreeable railiers I had ever met with. As all men love thofe who refemble themfelves, the fprightly manners of the French cannot fail to recommend them to thefe favages, as our grave deportment is an advantage to us among our Indian neighbours ; for it is certain that a referved Englifhmen differs not more from a lively Frenchman than does a ftern Mohawk from a laughing Chippawaw. The next day (27th) we arrived at the Swifts, fix leagues from the mouth of the river, and the Uttawaw chief fent to his village for horfes. Soon after a party of young Indians came to us on horfeback, and the two Canadians and myfelf having mounted, we proceeded, together with the twelve Indians my efcort, who were on foot, and marched in the front, the chief carrying Englifh colours, towards the village, which was two fliagues and a half diftant. On our approaching it, I wa> aftonifhed to fee a great number of white flags flying ; and, pafling by the encampment of the Miamis, while I was admiring the regularity and contrivance of it, I heard a yell, and found myfelf furrounded by Pondiac's army, confifl:ing of fix hundred favages, with tommahawks in their hands, who t: It 1 ! r ',1 JOURNAL OF who beat my horfe, and endeavoured to feparate me from my Indians, at the head of whom I had placed myfelf on our difcovering the village. By their malicious fmiles, it was eafy for mq. to guefs their intention of putting me to death. They led me up to a perfon, who ftood advanced before two flaves (prifoners of the Panis nation, taken in war and kept in flavery) who had arms, himfelf holding a fu- fee with the butt on the ground. By his drefs, and the air he aflumed, he appeared to be a French of- ficer : I afterwards found that he was a native of old France, had been long in the regular troops as a drummer, and that his war-name was St. Vincent. This fine drefTed half French, half Indian figure defired me to difmount ; a bear-lkin was fpread on the ground, and St. Vincent and I fat upon it, the whole Indian armvj circle within circle, {landing round us. Godefroi fat at a little diftance from us ; and prefently came Pondiac, and fquatted himfelf, after his fafhion, oppofite to me. This Indian has a m-ore extenfive power than ever was known among that people ; for every chief ufed to command his own tribe : but eighteen nations, by French in- trigue, had been brought to unite, andchufc this man for ><5 •» ><5 PTAIN THOMAS MORRIS. for their commander, after the Englilh had conquer- ed Canada ; having been taught to beUeve that, aided by France, they might make a vigorous pufli and drive us out of North America. Pondiac afked me in his language, which Godefroi interpreted, <* V(rhether 1 was come to tell lies, like the reft of *( my countrymen." He faid, " That Ononteeo <* (the French king) was not crufhed as the Englifh «< had reported, but had got upon his legs again," and prefented me a letter from New Orleans, dired:- ed to him, written in French, full of the moft im- probable falfehoods, though beginning with a truth. The writer mentioned the repulfe of the Engllfli troops in the Mifriffippi, who were going to take poffeflion of Fort Chartres, blamed the Natchez nation for their ill condudt in that affair, made our lofs in that attack to be very confiderable, and con- cluded with afluring him, that a French army was landed in Louifiana, and that his father (the Frencli king) would drive the Englifli out of the country. I began to reafon with him ; but St. Vincent hur- ried me away to his cabin ; where, when he talked to me of the French army, I afked him if he though me fool enough to give credit to that ac- count J 3 I ! .'r ; I I 8 JOURNAL or count ; and told him that none but the fimple In- dians could be fo credulous, Attawang, the Utta- waw chief, came to feek me, and carried me to his cabin. The next day (28th) I went to the grand council, and addreffed the chiefs. When I mention- ed that their father, the king of France, had ceded thofe countries to their brother the king of England, (for fo the two kings are called by the Indians) the great Miamis chief ftarted up and fpoke very loud, in his fingular language, and laughed. Godefroi whifpered me, that it was very lucky that he re- ceived my intelligence with contempt and not anger, and dcfired me to fay no more, but fit down, and let mv chief fpeak ; accordingly I fat down, and he produced his belts, and fpoke. I have called the Miamis tongue a fmgular language ; becaufe its has no affinity in its found with any other Indian lan- guage which I have heard. It is much wondered whence this nation came ; who differ as much from all the other nations in their fuperftitious pradices, as in their fpeech, and manner of encamping. As they left the Uttawaw villages before me on their way home, we traced their encampments, where we faw tlieir offerings of tobacco, made by every indi- YKl :lu3l CAPTAIN THOMAS MORRIS. vidual each morning, ranged in the niceft order, on long flips of bark both on the fhore, and on rocks in the river. They carry their God in a bag, which is hung in the front of their encampment, and is vifited by none but the pricft ; if any other perfon prefumes to advance between the front of the en- cafmpment and that fpirir in the bag, he is put to death : and I was told that a drunken French foldier, who had done fo, was with great diffi- culty faved. When the council was over, St. Vincent changed his note, and told me that if I could enfure to him his pardon, he would go to Detroit. I anfwered him, *' that it was not in my power to promife it." However, as I found that I could not well do without him, I contrived to make him my friend. Pondiac faid to my chief: " If '* you have made peace with the Englifh, we have " no bufniefs to make war on them. The war-belts " came from you." He afterwards faid to Gode- froi : " I will lead the nations to war no more ; " let'em be at peace, if they chufe it : but I my- " felf will never be a friend to the Englifh. 1 " fhall now become a wanderer in the woods ; and ** if i'^ . ■ come to fcek me there, while I have an ar- C *« row ji:! 11 m '1,1! ■ 10 JOURNAL OP " row left, I will fhoot at them." This I imagined he faid in defpair, and gave it as my opinion, that he might eaftly he won to our intercft ; and it after- wards proved fo. He made a fpeech to the chiefs, who wanted to put me to death, which does him honour ; and fliews that he was acquainted with the law of nations : " We mufl not," faid he, " kill " amhafladors : do we not fend them to the Flat- " heads, our greateft enemies, and they to us ? Yet " thefe are always treated with hofpitality." The following day (29th) the Mokawk, who command- ed the Indians in the provifion-boat, flole away, without taking my letter to General Bradftreet, as he had been ordered, having, the night before, rob- bed us of almoft every thing, and fold my rum (two barrels) to the Uttawaws. The greater part of the warriors got drunk ; and a young Indian drew his knife, and made a flroke at me ; but Godefroi feized his arm, threw him down, and took the knife from him. He certainly faved my life, for I was fitting, and could not have avoided the blow though I faw it comino-. I was now concealed under my matrefs, as all the young Indians were determined to murder me ; was afterwards obliged to put on Indian fhoes and cover CAPTAIN THOMAS MORRIS. II \ 1 i cover myfelf with a blanket to look like a favage, and efcape by fording the river into a field of Indian corn with St. Vincent, Godefroi, and the other Canadian. Pondiac afked Godefroi, who returned to the village to fee what was going on, " what he " had done with the Englifli man." And being told, he faid, " you have done well." Attawacg came to fee me, and made his two fons guard me. Two Kickapoo chiefs came to me, and fpoke kindly, telling me that they had not been at war with the Englifh for feven years. Two Miamis came like- wife, and told me that I need not be afraid to go to their village. A Huron woman however abufed me becaufe the Englifh had killed her fon. Late at night I returned to Attawang's cabin, where I found my fervant concealed under a blanket, the Indians having attempted to murder him ; but they had been prevented by St. Vincent. There was an alarm in the night, a drunken Indian having been feen at the ikirt of the wood. One of the Dela- ware nation, vfho happened to be with Pondiac's army, pafling by the cabin where I lay, called out in broken Englifh : " D d fon of a b ch." All this while I faw none of my own Indians : I be- C 2 lieve I i ■r li 1% JOURNAL OF lieve their fituatioii was almoft as perilous as my own. The following day (30th) the Miamis and Kickapoos fet out on their return home, as provi- fions were growing fcarce. An Indian, called the little chief, told Godefroi that he would fend his fon with me, and made me a prefent of a volume of Shakefpear's plays ; a fmgular gift from a favage. He however begged a little gun-powder in return, a commodity to him much more precious than dia- monds. The next day (31ft) I gave Attawang, who was going to Detroit, a letter for General Brad- ftreet, and to one of my fervants whom I fent along with this chief, I gave another for his Aid dc Camp. And now, having purchafed three horfes and hired two canoes to carry our little baggage, I fet out once more, having obtained Pondiac's confent, for the Ilinois country, with my twelve Indians, the two Canadians, one fervant, St. Vincent's two Haves, and the little chief's fon and nephew. There was fcarcely any water in the channel of the river, ow- ing to the great drought, fo that the canoes could hardly be dragged along empty in fome places. We pafled by the ifland where is Pondiac's village, and arrived at a little village confifting of only two pretty CAPTAIN THOMAS MORklS. '3 pretty large cabins, and three fmall ones , and here we encamped : that is, we lay on the ground; and as a diftinguiflied pcrfonage, I was honoured by having a few fmall branches under me, and a fort of balket- work made by bending boughs with their ends fixed in the earth, for me to thruft my head under to avoid the mufketoes or large gnats with which that country is infefted. The day following (Auguft ift) arrived St, Vincent and Pondiac. The latter gave the former the great belt, forty years old, on which were de- fcribed two hundred and ten villages. St. Vincent joined us, and we fet forward, and arrived at another village of the Uttawaws, the laft of their villages we had to pafs. One of the chiefs of this village gave me his hand, and led us into the cabin for ftrangers, where was Katapelleecy, a chief of very great note, who gave his hand to all my fellow- travellers, but not to me. This man was a famous dreamer, and told St. Vincent that he had talked with the great fpirit the preceding night ; and had he happened to dream any thing to my difadvantage the night I lay there, it had been over with me. The Indian who gave me his hand, went into the upper range of beds, and came down drefled in a laced fear- , u JOURNAL OF let coat with blue cuffs, and a laced hat. I wonder- ed more at the colour of the cloaths than at the fine- ry ; and was told that it was a prefent from the En- glifli, and that this Indian had condu6led Sir Willi- am Johnfon to Detroit. The next morning (2d) he told me the Englifh were liars ; that if I fpoke falfehoods he fliould know it, and alked why the General defired to fee the Indians at Detroit, and if he would cloathe them. I affured him that the General fought their friendfliip ; and gave him, at his own requeft, a letter of recommendation to him. We then continued our route towards the Miamis country, putting our baggage into the canoes, but the greater part of us went by land, as the water was fo mallow, that thofe who worked the canoes were frequently obliged to wade and drag them along. We met an Indian and his wife in a canoe returning from hunting ; and bought plenty of venifon ready dreffed, fome turkeys, and a greac deal of dried fifh for a fmall quantity of powder and fhot. The fol- lowing day (3d) we were over-taken by Pondiac's nephew and two other young Uttawaws, who, with the Chippawaws before-mentioned, made the party twenty.four. We met an Indian who, as we after- wards \ I CAPT/VIN THOMAS MORRIS. >s wards found, had been defpatched to Pondlac with beJts from the Shawanefc and Dclawarcs ; but he would not flop to talk to us. This day I faw made the moft extraordinary meal to which I ever was or ever can be witnefs. Till thefe laft named Indians joined us we had killed nothing but a very large wild cat, called a pichou, which indeed was very good eating : but this day we eat two deer, fomc wild turkeys, wild geefc, and wild ducks, bcfides a great quantity of Indian corn. Of the wild ducks and Indian corn we made broth; the Indians made fpoons of the bark of a tree in a few minutes, and, tor the firfl time, I eat of boiled wild duck. When we marched on after dinner, I could perceive no fragments left. What an Indian can eat is fcarcely credible to thofe who have not feen it. Indeed the Frenchmen, who had been ufed to favage life, ex- preffed their aftonifliment at the quantity which had been devoured. The next day (4th) we found plen- ty of game, having fufficient time to hunt for it, as the canoes were for the greatell part of the day drag- ged along, there not being water fufficient to float them. The day after (5th) we met an Indian on a handfome white horfe, which had been General Braddock*s. 'i|'j \»\ s ■ .1 I lit Ml i:'1 I. i8j: 1^ t6 JOURNAL OF Braddock's, and had been taken ten years before when that General was killed on his march to Fort du Qiiefne, afterwards called Fort Pitt, on the Ohio. The following day (6th) we arrived at a rocky ihoal, where the water was not more than two or three inches deep, and found a great number of young Indians fpearing fifh with fticks buiHt ut the end and fliarpened ; an art at which they are very dexterous ; for the chief, who fleered my canoe with a fetting-pole (no oars being ufed the whole way), whenever he faw a fifh, ufed to ftrike it through with his pole, though the end had been blunted and made as flat and broad as a fhilling, pin it to the ground, then lift it out of the water, and fhake it into the boat. I never faw him mifs a filh which he took aim at. The day after, on the feventh of Septem- ber, in the morning we got into eafy water, and ar- rived at the meadow near the Miamis fort, pretty- early in the day. We were met at the bottom of the meadow by almoft the v^ioi^ village , v.'^ho had brought fpears and tommahawks, in order to def- patch me ; even little children had bows and arrows to Ihoot at the Englifliman who was come among them ; but I had the good fortune to ftay in the canoe) CAPTAIN THOMAS MORRIS. »7 canoe, reading the tragedy of Anthony and Cleopa- tra, in the volume of Shakcfpcar whicli the little chief had given me, when the refl went on fhore, though perfeaiy ignorant of their intention, I pufh- ed the canoe over to the other lide of the river, where 1 faw a man cutting wood. I was furprifed to hear him fpeak Englilh. On qucfloning him I found he was a prifoner, had been one of Lieutenant Holmes's garrifon at the Miamis Fort, which officer the Indians had murdered, a young fquaw whom he kept having enticed him out of the gnrrifon under a pretext of her mother's wanting to be bled. They cut off his head, brought it to the fort, and threw it into the coi,oral's bed, and afterwards killed all the garrifon except five or fix whom they rcferved as viaims to be facrificed when they fhould lofe a man in their wars with the Englifli. They had all been killed except this one man whom an old fquaw had adopted as her fon. Some years afterwards, when I lay on board a tranfport in the harbour of New York, in order to return to Europe, Sir Henry Moore, then governor of that province, came to bid me adieu, and was rov/ed on board by this very man among others. The man immediately recolleded '^ me ; III -: vi\ ; ■! i 11 1 i\ \\ 18 JOURNAL OF me ; and we felt, on I'eeing each other, what thofe only can feel who have been in the like fituations. On our arrival at the fort, the chiefs aflcmbled, and pafled me by, when they prefcnted the pipe of friend- fhip ; on which I looked at Godefroi, and faid : " Mauvais augure pour moi." A bad omen for me. Nor was I miftaken ; for they led my Indians to the village, on the other fide of the'water, and told mc to Hay in the fort with the French inhabitants ; though care had been taken to forbid them to receive me into their houfes, and fomc firings of wampum, on which the French had fpoken to fpare my life, had been refufed. We wondered at this treatment, as we expedled that I fhould be civilly received ; but foon learned that this change of temper was ow- ing to the Shawanefe and Delawares, a deputation of fifteen of them having come there with fourteen belts and fix firings of wampum ; who, in the name of their nations, and of the Senecas, declared they would perilh to a man before they would make peace with the Englifli : feven of them had returned to their villages; five were gone to Wyaut; and three had fet out the morning I had arrived for St. Jofeph ; (a fortunate circumfiance for me, for they had CAPTAIN THOMAS MORRIS. 19 had determined to kill me). The Shawanefe and Delawares hegged of the Miamis either to put us to death (the Indians and myfelf) or to tie us and fend us prifoners to their villages, or at leaft to make us return. They loaded the Englifli with the heaviefl: reproaches ; and added, that while the fun flionethey would be at enmity with us. The Kiccapoos, Maf- coutins, and -Wiatanons, who happened to be at the Miamis village declared, that they would difpatch me at their villages, if the Miamis fhould let me pafs. The Shawanefe and Delawares concluded their fpeeches with faying : " This is the laft belt we fhall " fend you, till we fend the hatchet ; which will be " about the end of next month (Odtober)." Doubt- lefs their defign was to amufe General Eradftreet with fair language, to cut off his army at Sandulky, when leaft cxpeded, and then to fend the hatchet to the nations : a plan well laid ; but of which it was my good fortune to prevent them from attempting the execution. To return to myfelf: I remained in the fort, and two Indian warriors (one of whom was called Vifenlair) with tommahawks in their hands, fiezed me, one by each arm ; on which I turned to Godefroi, the only perfon who had not left me, and D cried •fl i n ' I- ii fi ■ t 111: 11 m 1 20 JOURNAL OF ^11 I II '!' 'i M cried out to him, feeing him ftand motionlefs and pale : " Eh bien ! Vous m' abandonnez done ?" Well then ! You gi^ mc up ? He anfwered : *' Non, mon capitaine, je ne vous abandonnerai *' jamais," No, my captain, Twill never give you up ; and followed the Indians, who pulled me along to the water-fide, where I imagined they intended to put me into a canoe ; but they dragged me into the water. I concluded their whim was to drown me, and then fcalp me ; but I foon found my miftake, the river being fordable. They led me on till we came near their village ; and there they flopped and flripped me. They could not get off my fliirt, which was held by the wrift bands, after they had pulled it over my head, and in rage and defpair I tore it ofFmyfelf. They then bound my arms with my fafli, and drove me before them to a cabin, where was a bench, on which they made me fit. The whole village was now in an uproar. Godctroi pre- vailed with St. Vincent, who had followed us to the water-fide, but had turned back, to come along with liim ; and encouraged Pondiac's nephew and the lit- tle chief's fon to take my part. St. Vincent brought the great belt, and Pondiac's nephew fpoke. Nana- mis, u CAPTAIN THOMAS MORRIS. 31 11 " I ■A'''\ mis, an Indian, bid Godefroi take courage, and not quit me. Godefroi told le Cygne, a Miamis chief, that his children where at Detroit ; and that, if they killed me, he could not tell what might befal them. He fpoke likewife to le Cygne's fon, who whifpered his father, and the father came and unbound my arms, and gave me his pipe to fmoke. Vifenlair upon my fpeaking, got up and tied mc by the neck to a poft. And now every one was preparing to aa his part in torturing me. The ufual modes of torturing prifoncrs are applying hot ftoncs to the foles of the feet, running hot needles into the eves which latter cruelty is generally performed by the women, and fliooting arrows and running and pull, ing them out of the fufFerer in order to ilioot them again and again : this is generally done by the chil, dren. The torture is often continued two or three days, if they can contrive to' keep the prifoner alive fo long. Thefe modes of torture I mould not have mentioned, if the gentleman who advifed me to pub- lish my journal, had not thought it ncceffary. It may eafily be conceived what I muft have felt at the thought of fuch horrors wliich I was to endure. I recollea perfedly what my apprehenllons were. I had fi CK i If' ii i h j H i Jl m 1 r !■ j H II 1 ^1!! \a . 'i i --i' ,1 22 JOURNAL OF had not the fmalleft hope of life ; and I remember that I conceived myfelf as it were going to plunge into a gulf, vaft, immeafurable ; and that, in a few- moments after, the thought of torture occafioned a fort of torpor and infenfibility ; and I looked at Godefroi, and feeing him exceedingly diflrefled, I faid what I could to encourage him : but he defired me not to fpeak. I fuppofcd that it gave offence to thefavages, and therefore was filent ; when Pacanne, king of the Miamis nation, and juft out of his mi- nority, having mounted ahorfeand crolTed the river, rode up to me. When I heard him calling out to thofe about me, and felt his hand behind my neck, I ,thought he was going to ftrangle me out of pity : but he untied me, faying (as it was afterwards inter- preted to me) I give that man his life. *' If you « want meat (for they fometimes eat their prifoners) « ao to Detroit, or vpon the lake (meaning go face " your enemies the Englilli) and you'll find enough. " What bufmefs have you with this man's flefh, <« who is come to fpeak to us ?" I fixed my eyes ftedfaftly on this young man, and endeavoured by looks to exprcfs my gratitude. An Indian then pre- fentcd me his pipe ; and I was difmiffed by being pulhed CAPTAIN TTIOMAS MORRIS. 23 MiJ ii! puflicd rudely away. I made what hade I could to a canoe, and pafTed over to the fort, having received on my way a fmart cut of a fwitch from an Indian on horfeback. Mr. Levi, a Jew trader, and fome foldiers, who were prifoners, came to fee me. Two very handfome young Indian women came likewife, feemed to companionate me extremely, and aiked (iodefroi a thoufand queftions. If I remember right, they were the young king's fiflers. Happy Don Quixote, attended by princeffes ! I was never left alone, as the wretches, who ftripped and tied me, were always lurking about to find an opportunity to ilab me. I lay in the houfe of one L'Efperance, a Frenchman. The next day my Indians fpoke on their belts. The two wretches ftill fought an op- portunity to kill me. The day following the Mia- mis returned their anfwer : " That we muft go " back ;" file wed the belts of the Senecas, Shawanefe, and Delawares ; gave my Indians a fmall firing of white .vampum ; and told them : " to go and in- " form their chiefs of what they had feen and heard." While the council fat I was concealed in L'Efpe- rance's garret, as Godefroi was obliged to attend it. Being determmcd at all events to get into the Ilinois country f «' 14 JOURNAL OF country if pofliblc, St. Vincent and I agreed, that he fliould endeavour to gain le Cygne and the young king to attend me to Wyaut : but, in the middle of the night, St. Vincent came and awoke me, told me tliat two Frenchmen were juft arrived from St. . Jofeph, and that the Delewares, who were there, were coming back to the Miamis village. He ad- vifed me to fend for my chief immediately, and tell him, for his own fafety as well as mine, to try to get leave to go away in the morning, (for the Miamis had appointed the next day but one for our depar- ture). This was accordingly done, and leave ob- tained. I went to vifit le Cygne, who told mc, *' that he would have been glad to have attended me *' to Wyaut ; but that he could not think of leading ** me to my death: for that there were fo many tomma- " hawks lifted up there, that he fhould have trembled *' to have gone himfelf." I gave notes to Pacanne and Pondiac's nephew, fetting forth that they had faved my life, and entreating all Engliflimen to ufe them kindly. (Pacanne fliewed his paper to Colo- nel Croghan, when he made his tour through the Indian country, and the Colonel was pleafed to bring him to Detroit, and, at a private meeting appointed for II Captain thomas morris. 25 111! for that purpofc, font for me, aiiJ gave me a very Jiaiulfoiru; prefent to lay at liis tcct). Wc gave all our hlankets and fliirts to thofe Indians who had lone us fervlce ; and hearing that the chiefs were in council, and talked of not allowing me to return with my party, but of detaining me prifoner ; and my Indians tliemfelves appearing uncafy, having left my money and baggage with one Capucin, a French- man, I hnrried away about noon, vexed at heart that I had not been able to execute the orders I had received. I gave General Bradllreet's letter for Monfieur St. Angc, the Frencli commandant at Fort Chartres, to St. Vincent, to deliver to that officer ; and figned a certificate which he was pleafed to put into my hands, fpecifying that, on many oc- cafions, he had faved my life. Fear lent wings to my Indians this day; and we continued our march till it was quite dark, being apprehenfive of an at- tack. We fet out very early the next morning; and as nothing wortliy of obfervation happened, my thoughts were taken up during this day's journey in admiring the fine policy of the French with refpeft to tlie Indian nations ; of which, from among a thoufand, I fliall fcled two remarkable inftances, •t' which ,'1 hi I Ill I ' !, \u 26 JOnRNAT, OF which I mention as not only worthy of imitation, but to wear out of the minds of fuch of my country- men as have good fcnfc and humanity the prejudices conceived againft an innocent, much-abufcd, and once happy people ; who have as deep a fenfe of the juflice and benevolence of the French, as of the wrongs and haughty treatment which they have re- ceived from their prefent mafters. The firfl- of thefe is the encouragement given by the French court to marriages betwixt its fubjetfls and Indian women ; by which means Lewis got admiPion into their councils, and all their dcfigns were known from their very birth. Add to this, that the Frencli fo entirely won their affedlioiis by this ftep, that to this hour the favages fay, that the French and they are one people. The next indance is, the prohibiting the l\\le of fpirituous liquors to Indians, under pain of not receiving abfolutiou : it is what the French call a cas refcrvc ; none but a biihop can abfolve a perfon guilty of it. This prevented many mifchiefs too frequent among the unfortunate tribes of favages, who are fallen to our lot. From drunkennefs arife quarrels, murders, and what not ? for there is no- thing, however lliocking and abominable, that the moft CAPTAIN THOMAS MORRIS. 27 innocent of that innocent people are not madly bent on whc, drunk. From impofing on the drunken Indian in trade, ahufmg his drunken wife, daughter, or other female relation, and other fuch fcandalous pradices arife flill greater evils. When fuch things are done (and they are done) can wc wonder that the Indians feek revenge ? The ill conduct of a few difTolutc pedlars has often coft the lives of thou- iands of his Majcfly's moft induflrious fubjeds, who were juft emerging from the gloom of toil and want, to the fair profped of eafe and contentment. The following day, while we were iliooting at foinc tur- keys, we difcovered the cabins of a hunting party on the oppofite fide of the Miamis river ; the men were in the woods ; but a fquaw came over to us, wJio proved to be the wife of the little chief. GodclToi told her that I was gone to the Iliaois country with her fon. She informed us tliat the Indians were not returned from Detroit ; and added that there were four hundred ].)cjaaarcs and three hun- dred Shawanefe (as flic had jjecn told) at the Utta- waw villages, who wanted to go and fet fire to that place. We were fure that this piece of news about the Shawanefe and Delawarcs was falfe, as the Ut- F -> ffl iij ( " ■': 1 .1 J i,4 1 if 1 \ I m M i ) h {: 28 JOURNAL or "if J I I > I if i' P i n i t i ^ II tawaws thcmfclvcs wanted provillons : but my In- dians believed it, and it fcrvcd to bring them over at once to my way of thinking, which was, to pals through tlic woods, and avoid tho villages of the Uttawaws. 'I'hcy were all much alarmed, but in particular the Huron of Loretto. This regenerate monfler of the churcli, this Chriliian favagc, who fpoke French fluently, had the cruelty and info- Icnce to tell me, that as 1 could not march as fall as the rell, I muft take an old man and a boy (both lame) and make the beil of my way : that the chief would go with me, and he would conduift the other, who were eleven in number, and all able men. I fpoke to him with gentlenefs, and begged that he would not tliink of feparating from us ; on which he laid Ibmething, that I did not underhand, in his language which refembles that of the five nations, andof courfe was underilood by my chief, and which vexed him fo much, that he told me, " 1 might go *' by myfcif ;" but I found means to paciiy him. I now told Godefroi, who was of himfclf lo determin- ed, that he would of courfe go with mc. Upon this the Huron gave us very grofs language ; and indeed fuch fiubborn impudence 1 never faw. He told the chief CAPTAIN THOMAS MORRIS. 89 cliict" that \i lie fuflcrcd me to take my horfes with me, we flioukl he difcovcrcd , but I obtained tho chief's confcnt to take them a little way. I then propofcd going into the wood to fettle the diftribu- tion of our provifions and ammuni'ion ; but the Huron would liften to nothing; fo leaving him and his party, confifling of ten, with my befl horfe, which he faid lie would turn loofe as foon as he fliould get a little way further, I ftruck into the wood with Godefroi, the chief, the old Indian, and the Indian boy ; Godefroi and myfcif on horfeback. We went North Kaft from twelve o'clock till two ; from two to five we went North ; and finding a pool of water, we took up our lodgings there. The next day we continued our route Nortli, North Eaft, being as nearly as we could guefs in the courfe of the Miamis river. We endured great thirft all this day. About three o'clock we reached the fwamps, which, by the drynefs of the feafon, might have palTed for meadows, and not finding any water, about five o'clock we made a hole, two feet deep, with our hands, (for we had no kind of tool fit for that ufe) where fome tall, broad grafs grew ; and getting good water, though very muddy, we made a fire. '■' I ' lill ni't it! so JOURNAL OF i. fire, and iktcrminccl to pafs the night hy the fide ot* our little well. Wt travelled in tlic fwamps the fol- lowing day till half an hour after one o'clock, at which time we came to open wood;;, having fomul water in two places on our way ; but we could find none when we wanted to rcpofe ourfclvcs at tlic clofc of day. We therefore fet to work, as the day before, and made a liole four feet deep in a place wliich mufl: he a fwamp in the wet feafon : but it was three hours before we got a draught of what I miglit rather call watery mud than muddy water. We were forced from want of water to flew a tur- key in the fat of a racoon ; and 1 thouglit I had never eaten any thing fo delieiou?, tliought fait was wanting : but perhaps it was hunger which made me think fo. We heard four iliots fired very near us jufl before dark ; we Iiad a little before difcovered the tracks of Indians, and they undoubtedly had dif- covered ours, and, fuppofing us friends, fired to let us know were they were. Tliefe fliots alarmed our chief, and he told me tliat I mufii leave my hurfes be- hind. I bid Godcfroi drive thein to fomc little cli- llance from us, aiul let tlicm ro : accordinply he went towards the place where we had left tliem, as if he intended CAPTAm THOMAS MORRI! 3« intcntlcd to Jofo ; but, unknown mc, to wifely defer- red it till morning, hoping our chief would change his mind. This night the ciiief, feeing mc writing by the light of the fire, grew jealous, and afl^ed if I was counting the trees. I'hc next morning the chief being a little intimidated, inilead of going Eaft North Eart, as agreed on the night before, in order to draw near the Miamis river, went due North ; by wliich means lie led us into the moft perplexed wood I ever faw. He had my compafs, which I a(kcd him' for, and wanted to carry about me, as he very feldom looked at it ; but this gave great offence, a,id he told me 1 might go by myfelf. In ihort, he was grown captious beyond nlcafure. In order to pleafe him, we had put his pack on one of our horfes ; but we were forced to take it off again, as a loaded horfc could not force its way through the thick wood we were in. 1 found fuch a difficulty in leading my horfe (for it was impoffiblc to ride) through this part of the foreft, tliat I called out to tlic party for (iod's fake to fiop till I could fee them, or I fhould never fee them more : at tJiat time I could not be more than riftcen yards behind them. They had hurried on iji purfuit of a rattlc-fnake. The chief now 'I 1 1' I '( "1 ¥i I I ,1 : i u 32 JOURNAL OF now told inc again, that I inuil; let my horfcs go ; but Goilofioi convinced me, that I could not reach Detroit without them. 1 therefore reiolvcd, if he perfdled, to quit him, to take (jodefioi with me, and to kill one of my horfes for a fupply of food, for we had very little ammunition left, and no pro- vifions. However the chief grew good-humoured by Godefroi's management ; and as he now thouglit himfelf out of danger, changed his courfe, going Eafi: North Eafl. We foon got into a fine open wood, where there was room to drive a coach and fix. Here we halted to refreih ourfelves by fmoaking our pipes, having nothing to eat, the old Indian, who always ranged as we travelled on, having found no game that morning. As I had not been ufcd to fmoakino:, 1 defircd to have fumach leaves only, without tobacco ; but, after a few whiiTs, I was fo giddy, that 1 was forced to defifl : probably an emp- ty flomach was tlie chief caufe of tliis unplcafant efll'd of fmoaking. Soon after we came into extcn- five meadows ; and I was afTured that thofe meadows continue for a hundred and fifty miles, being in the winter drow^ned lands and marflics. By the drynefs of the feafon they w^cre now beautiful padurcs : and here CAPTAIN THOMAS MORRTS. r i 33 here prefcntcd itfelf one of the mofl dcll-htful pro- fpcas f ever beheld , all the low grounds being mea- dow, and without wood, and all the higli grounds being covered with trees, and appearing like iflands ; the whole fccne Icemed an elyfium. Here we found good water, and fat down by it, and made a comfort- able meal of what the old Indian had killed, after we left our halting-place. We afterwards continued our route, and at five o'clock difcovering a fmall rivulet, which gave us all, and me in particular, in- expreffible plcafure, we made a fire by the fide of it, and lay there all night. The day following, we crofTed the tracks of a party of men running from the Uttawaw villages dire6tly up into the woods, which we imagined to be thofe of the Huron's party who might have loft their way ; as it proved. I laughed and joked a good deal with Godefroi on this occafion ; for when the Huron left us, I afked In a fneering manner, <« if he had any commands, in cafe ** I fhould get before him to Detroit :" and he an- fwered me in the fame tone, « if when you arrive, " you don't find me there, you may fafely fay that I " am gone to the devil." Soon after, to our great joy, we fcU into the path leading from the Uttawaw F villages i Mk w1| h.6 '. I'M fi;i ;1. I i 1 ! 1 ' 1 . 34 JOURNAL OP villages to Detroit, and flruck into a by-path to avoid meeting Indians ; but unluckily flumbled ou thatwiiich led from the great path to Attawang's village. We met three Hurons on horl'eback, who told us, that peace was concluded, that the Uttawaws had returned the day before to their villages, and that Cieneral Bradflreet was to be at Cedar-Point that night on his way to Sandulky. One of thefe Indians had been prcfent when 1 was prifoner at At- tawang's village ; and tbough I was drefled like a Canadian, and fpoke French to Godefroi to prevent difcovcry, recolle6led me to be the Englifhman he had fecn there. 1 gave him a letter from St. Vin- cent to Pondiac which I had promifod to deliver. They then took their leave of us ; and as foon as they were out of hght, we turned into the great path, and putting our Indians on our horfes, Gode- froi and 1 walked at a very great rate. We arrived at the Pootiwatamy village at a quarter paft three, where 1 had the pleafure of feeing Englilli colours flying. I wanted to avoid the village ; but the chief, being very hungry (for we had eat nothing that day) fell into a pafiion, and alked what we were afraid of. He knew he ran no rifk here. I was a little i .. r. CAPTAIN THOMAS MORRIS. 55 ilttle vexed, and mounting my horfe hid him follow. I went to tlie village, where 1 bought a little Indian corn and a piece of venifon ; and then Godefroi and I rode on till it was dark, in hopes of reaching De- troit the next day ; and finding water, made a fire near it, and palTcd the night there, having left our fellow-travellers to fleep with the Pootiwatamies ; who, as none of them knew me, were told by Gode- froi that I was gone to the country of the Ilinois, and that he growing tired of the journey, and want- ing to fee his children, was on his return home. The next morning we fet out at the dawn of day ; and, to fave ourfclves the trouble of making a raft,' took the upper road, though the journey was much longer tlu.t way, hoping to find the river fordable, in which we were not difappointed. We travelled this day a great way, and our horfes were fo much ^ntigued, that they were hardly able to carry us to- wards the clofe of the day. We found frefli horfe- dung on the road, which Godefroi having curioully examined, knew that fome Indians had juft pafTcd that way ; and by their tracks he was fare they were before us. He therefore made an excufe to halt for about an hour, endeavouring to conceal the truth F 2 froiu !ij ■m m Iff; 'li J:i 36 JOURNAL OF f I from mc ; but 1 was no ilranger to his real motive. However, about feven o'clock we arrived at Detroit ; whence I was fifty leagues dillant when I left the Miamis river and flruck into the woods : and by the circuit I was obliged to make to avoid purfuit, I made it at leaft fourfcore leagues, or two hundred and forty miles. The Huron and his people did not arrive till many days after, and iu three diflerent parties. They had loft their way ; were obliged to divide themfelves into fmall bodies in order to feek for game ; had fuffered extremely by fatigue and hunger ; one having died by the way, and all the reft being very ill when they reached Detroit. The Huron I imagined w^ould have died. I gave him, as well as all tlic others, all the afliftance in my power ; but could not help reproaching him witli his barbarity to me, and reminding him, " that the " Great Spirit had prote6led one whom he had *' abandoned, and puiiiflied him who had bafely de- <' ferted his fcllovv-w: rrior." Immediately after my arrival at Detroit, I fcnt an exprefs to General Brad- ftrect, with an account of my proceedings, and to warn him of the dangerous fituation he was in, being advanced feme miles up the Sanduflcy river, and fu! rounded CAPTAIN THOMAS MORRIS. 37 furrounded with treacherous Indians. The moment he received my letter, he removed, falling down the river, till he reached Lake Erie : by this means he difappointed their hopes of furprifmg his army. This army however fufFered extremely afterwards, and great numbers were loft in traverfing the defert, many of their boats having in the night been dafhed to pieces againft the fliore, while the foldiers were m their tents. The boats were unfortunately too large to be drawn out of the water. The centinels gave the alarm on finding the fudden fwell of the lake , but after infinite labour, from the lofs of boats, a large body of men were obliged to attempt to reach Fort Niagara by land, many of whom pcriflied. It is worthy of remark, that, during this violent fwell of the waters, foldiers flood on the Ihore with lighed candles, not a breath of wind be- ing perceived. This phenomenon often happens. Another curious fad refpeding the waters of thefe lakes is, that they rife for fcven years and fall for feven years ; or in other words, there is a feven years tide. I have read fomewhcre, that the Cafpian fea overflows its banks once in fifteen years. This, however, is denied eliewhere. But, if the former opinion fl I iiii'i ;!' m 3« JOURNAL OP 1-: I ; ! i l!i I' opinion be really the cafe, as the American lakes and the Cafpian fca are in parts of the earth almoft oppofite to each other, it might be worth while to enquire, •„? ..-.^ .r, when they arc at the loweft in one place, ■..^cy are at the highefl in that which is oppofite, or both rife and fall at the fame time ? The Natchez nation, mentioned in the letter to Pondiac, which he fliewed me, and who were blam- ed by the reft of the Indian army for having fired too foon on the PInglifh who were fent to take poffeffion of F'ort Charters by way of the MifTiffippi river, no doubt did it by defign, tlrat the troops might have an opportunity of retreating ; for the French had for- merly endeavoured to extirpate that nation, and had nearly fucceeded in the undertaking, a fmali number only having cfcaped the maflacrc. It is not proba- ble fuch an adlion could ever be forgiven ; efpecially by favages. This nation have a perpetual fire ; and two men are appointed to watch it. It has been conje6lured that their anceftors were deferters from the Mexicans who worfliip the fun. The Miamis nation, of whom I have fpoken fo much, and into whofe hands I fell after leaving Pon- diac's army at the Uttawaw villages, are the very people ■\\ CAPTAIN THOMAS MORRIS. 39 people who have lately defeated the Americans in three difFerent battles ; and when the laft accounts from that country reached us, they were encamped on the banks of the Ohio, near the falls or catarads of that river. It may not be improper to mention, that if I could have completed the tour intended, viz. from Detroit to New Orleans, thence to New York, and thence to Detroit again, whence I fet out, it would have been a circuit little fhort of five thoufand miles. Detroit, September 25, 1764, • I .) ! t: tfliii m LETTER TO A F R I E J^ D CN THE POETICAL ELOCUTION of the THEATRE AND THE MANNER OF ACTING TRAGEDY. j »;,! % I -I I I ■t. V (1 LETTER T A F R I E JV D. A G REE ABLY to your dofirc, I have thrown together a few thoughts on the Poetical E lo- cution of the Theatre, to which T have joined foine remarks on the Manner of Ading Tragedy. Our Englifh Rofcius, as he is called, is confidcred as tlie model of theatrical perfedion ; and of courfe is generally imitated hy thole of his profcffion. A lady, of whole literary talents I profefs myfclf a warm admirer, has, in an introdudion to her clTay on the writings and genius of Shakefpear, declared, that Mr. Garrick aded with the fame infpiration with which that author wrote. I take the liberty to diffent from this lady with all her genius, and af- G 2 iirm, I i I I :;iii I'm il I lijiii ii-i Il' n I: 44 LETTER TO A TRlENn. firm, that no two men ever ilificicd more than ShukcfpL-ar and (Jarrick : the one was all nature, tile other all art ; hut art of an exiiuihte kind : yet Aill it was art. Shakelpear wrote from his heart ; Garriek played from his head. Ciarrick had many tranfcendent qualities : his animation, though often introduced improperly ; his thorough conception of his charader ; his (lAU in managing his voice, which I think was his grealcll excellence, though frequently ahufed ; his graceful deportment ; and laflly, though hlemilhed with trick, his mute play. By the way, I would advife our a6lors to ufc great caution in this filent language : it is of a peculiarly delicate nature, and 1 never faw more tlum one player who was pcrfed in it; a ]''rench aarefs, whom I ihall foon have occafion to mention. While Garriek difplaved thefc fliining qualities, the work! were inclined to over-look his faults. They did not forcfee the confequence. The misfortune is, that while his fort is unattained, his foible is com- monly aggravated. May I hope to fee the day when fome heaven-taught tragedian fliall arife ; who, hreaking the trammels forced on genius hy public opinion, ihall dare to follow nature, and, a6ting from I.ETTKR TO A FRIEND. 45 -^1 from his own fcclin-,, difclaiii tlic fiuUlcn and luiiu- tural traiilltion of voice ; the fiudiccl, ami always pre- mature, Hart ; tlic nantominie-gcaure ; and all trick, calculated to produce what is called flagc-cHia : mifcrahle expedients, fit only for a hooth in a fair, not for the royal theatres of the metropolis. Such a performer I have (ccn ; but not in England : a wo- man, not young, not handfome ; hut endowed with fuch theatrical powers, as pleafed all who had eyes, delighted all who had ears, cliarmcd all who had un- derftanding, and tranfported all wlio had feelin- t> hearts. Every time I faw her, the aarcfs was loll to me: ihc was not Du Menil ; flic was the charn(^cr flic rcprcfentcd. Sbc, indeed, ae^cd as Shakcfpcar wrote ; and often I faid to myfelf with a figh : " O that tliou hadll been a man, and born In " England ! and that lionell Will Shakcfpcar could <« be alive again to ice thee In his tragical dramas !'* What a Machetli, what a Eear, what an Otlicllo, what a IlamJct, what a Richard, would ihe have made ! Angels might have iioopcd from their fkies, to behold tliQ Iccnc ; and .have flicd celeilial tears. I have already declared that I mean to fpeak of tra- gedy only. I am going to treat of poetical utter- ance ; I I'i I! , f 1 1 I .: M '1' ! Ml 46 LETTER TO A FRIEND. ance ; and there comedy is out of the queftioii : for it is our good fortune not to have our comedies ab- furdly written in rhyme, or even in blank verfe. The latter, however, is wonderfully calculated for the bulkin. It is not by any means fo well fuited to the epic poem, as to the drama. Milton's Paradifc Loft, when I have read a page or two, fecms quite monoto- nous, having neither the rhythmus of the ancients, nor its convenient, though pitiful fubftitute, the rhyme of the moderns. I never perceived this mo- notony when a61:ing or reading a tragedy. The rea- fon is obvious : blank verfe in the drama fliould be fpoken ; in epic poetry, recited. Yet they occa- fionally borrow from each other : but this requires great Ikill in the a6lor and reader. Du Menil, as an afirefs, polTefled that Ikill in perfe£l:ion<, All others whom I have feen, to borrow an exprefiion which Shakefpear had put into the mouth of Lear, " were fophifticated ; Ihe was the thing itfclf." I am ready to confefs that Garrick had a tinfture of this fkill in the dialogue ; but in foliloquy, in the delivering of which has was admired, and juftly too on other accounts, he recited when he fhould have fpoken : this was a double difadvantage ; for it was unnatural, LETTER TO A FRIEND. 47 '! I unnatural, and more expofed his falfe emphafis. Quia always recited ; it was the method of his fchool : it was prepolleroufly wrong ; but at the fame time plcafing to accurate readers of poetry, be- caufe the recitation was perfedl. But modern fpout- ing, as it is humouroufly called, burlefques the dra- ma ; for it has Garrick's auk ward hobble, joined with Quin's unnatural and pompous manner. I never can be angry at it : it always makes me laugh. Poems, whether in rhyme or blank verfe, fhould always be recited, except when, as I have faid, they borrow from the drama. Rhymes in the drama muft always be recited : but it would be much better to have them expunged. Garrick, at the conclufion of one of the ads of the tragedy of Jane Shore, had he known himfelf, would have curfed the author for putting rhymes into the fpcech of Haftings. I learnt to beat- Mrs. Yeates's rone ; but I never could bring myfelf to endure Mr. Garrick's hobble. He fpoke blank verfe very ill ; rhyme, defpicably : and every play- er, man and woman, now on the flage, has caught the infedion : though a few of them deliver rhyme better than he did. I have been told tliat Mr. Gar- lick faid of Mrs Siddons, that he wondered how ihe got rid of her ti-tum-ti. I know not how ilie got rid ii I .1 II 111 II i ', I 48 LETTER TO A FRIEND. rid of her ti-tum-ti, but I know liow, with all her excellence, ihe got lier hol)l)Ie-ti-trot : fhe got it, as all others got it, from Mr. (iarrick ; and he perhaps from Mr. (JifFard. This our actors might throw off, at Icafl: in feme degree ; though it is not perhaps one in a thoiifand who could fpeak pcrfetfilv, even if he poffeffed judgment fufficlent for it ; bccaufc both a poetical car and poetical tongue are equally ncccffary. Mr. Sheridan liad great judgment : the otlicr re- (juifites were fparingly given him. Mr. Quin poi- lefTed them all in a high degree. I rcmcmi)er him, thougli I was very young. His broad pronunciation might not plcafe tlie ladies and fine gentlemen of the age ; but me it pleafed : I liked the manly tones. He was what I call a perfe61; reciter of verfe : too pompous, I confefs, but that was the vice of the old flage. In his emphafis, which is the foul of oratory, he was ever correct : in his blank verfe, and in his rhyme, as corre6t as in I\is profe. In repeating verfe, he excelled, by infinite degrees, all I ever heard. 1 never could catch him trippir.g in his em- pliafis ; tliough 1 have detected in a fmall failure of the kind the divine Du Menil, and even in fpeak- ing thole four celebrated lines in Phccdra, which a great iVcnch critic lias declared her to repeat in a manner I i -ijj.: pol- LETTER TO A FRIEND. 49 manner never to be equalled by any other. Thcfe arc the four lines which cofl Ic Couvrcur her life. I remember to have fat near a gentleman who was a critic, when Gariick was playing Henry IV. The fick king was Icauring his wild fon Harry. This gentleman exclaimed to his friend, with rapture, that it was impomble to fpeak blank verfe better ; though Garrick's Mufe was at that moment on crutches, and I could not fit eafy on my feat to hear her. I never forgot that line ; and have often men- tioned it to m.y acquaintance, and repeated it a Ja Garrick. I remember to have heard long ago, that there had been a fcheme formed for Quin to read Mil- ton's Paradife Lofl to a certain number of fub- fcribers : but it was laid afide. I always have taken delight in reading paflages in Milton's poem ; but I never read much of it, as 1 have already faid, that my ear did not feel itfclf weary ; though that is not the cafe in adlng tragedy, or even in reading it. A fine Englifh poem in rhyme, fuch as fome of Pope's, I could read for a whole day : Virgil's fourth iEneid, in the original Latin verfe, for ever. This is me- doly divine. I knew a lady who would have becri a pcrfca reciter of Engliih poetry, if flic had not H been ffl ■' if I IM ■! .1 i < t s IIP n: f;il ! * t r ;i i !> 50 LETTER TO A FRIEND. been averfe from infl:ru(5lion. Mrs. Pope, in the chara^cr of Dcfclemona, is tlic moft pcrfcdl repeater of bl.-ink verfe I have heard fince Quin's time. Her performance Ol that part, about twelve years ago, gave me inexpreflible pleafure. Except one little error, her emphafis was faultlcfs. But this is not al- ways the cafe. The difficulty lies in impafTioned parts. Gar rick's fpeaking was ahnoft faultlefs in the character of Richard III. It was the firft part he appeared in at Goodman's fields, and probably he might have a better inftruftor tlian he had after- wards ; for he had the merit and advantage of being diffident, and confulted thofe who were able to teach him. Tliough capital tragedians, Mrs. Pope and Mrs. Siddons excepted, are no longer feen among us, the flage abounds with good ones of the fecond rate ; and it is a thoufand pities that they have not a perfedt fpeaker of poetry among them, like Quin, without his pomp. Mrs. Pope, I believe, might have been fuch ; and fome others probably would not have been far fliort of her : Mademoifelle Du Menil's rapidity of fpecch, joined with Qiiin's cor- rcdlnefs, would make perfecl poetic elocution in the tragic drama. At any rate our tragedians might ail be i4 LETTER TO A ERIE? ND. 51 be made better than they are ; they pofTefs not Oarrick's hobble oniy, but his wrong rules: for feme of his rules for fpcaking verfe were as falfe as >iis ear was unperfea. He facrificed fenfe to found ; and his found itfelf was difcord. It may be objeaed that all thefe obfervations are merely opinion. No fuch matter :--they are founded in trutli and nature, and may be made clear to perfons of an ordinary capacity. All may underftand what very few can execute. In the repeating of poetry, befules the continuity and the exquifite delicacy of cadence, every word muft have its proper tone, every word its due portion of breath ; for by the fmallcfl inac- curacy in any of thefe four things, all the fine elFea of the verfe is loft. I remember tliat I once turned a pafTage of Offian's poems into rhyme, by way of experiment, and iliewed the lines to a young clergy- man, wlio found great fault, and very juftly, with one of them, as a flrangdy unmuilcal one. ' I afked him to repeat tlie line. He did fo ; and made it dif- cord itfelf. I then defired him to liften to me : and he was forced to confefs, that, though J could not make it beautiful, I however contrived to hide its deformity. They wlio wifti to improve themfclves in li 2 ' tJvc "I I > I t:\ ,,111 IV,. ..<** '>f S' ' I A' 5* LETTER TO A FRIEND, the reading of poetry, (lioukl firll ftudy thcrliythmus, and afterwards rliymc, together with blank verfe : and I tliink that, to arrive at perfeilion, tliey Ihould accuflom themfelvcs to the recitiiig of unmelodious verfes ; as the Roman gladiators performed their ex- crcife with unwcildly arms, that tliofe ufed in the amphitheatre might feem light in their hands. Amopg the men, the bell ccijual repeater of blank vcrfc we have lately heard, was Mr. Henderfon ; cfpecially in level fpeaking : but, befides his having tfjmlly the liobble of C jarrick, he often fell into the moft odious whine 1 ever heard on the ftage. This was an incurable malady. Once, when Q^iin per- formed the part of Brutus in Shakefpear's Julius Cicfar, I remember to have heard a player, in the very infignificant charafter of Antony's meficnger, deliver a fpeech as well as ever Qvnn himfelf fpoke. I was amazed ; and, at tlie clofe of his fpeech, was deliglit- cd to find that there were a few among the audience who applauded. I never could difcover who he was. I imagined that Quin had taken great pains to teach him that fpeech : if fo, lie had been a mofl: apt fcholar. I heard an adlor too fevcral years ago, at the little theatre in the Hay-market, repeat blank verfe l:i LETTER TO A FRIEND, S3 «i-i^ vcrfe uncxccptloiiably well : I fat aftonifhed ; but iny aftoniflimcnt was much increafcd, when, after a few lines incomparably well delivered, and witli all the cafe of a veteran, he at once grew infuilerably flovenly in his manner of fpeaking, as if he had been mocking himfelf. This ador was to me a pheno- menon. I never before or fmce heard the like. I cannot but think, that, with proper inflrudion, he might have made a great poetical fpeaker. His name is BlilTet ; and I am told lie is now on the {[ago at Bath and in no great eftimation. Mr. Garrick's bad manner of fpeaking verfe, has univerfally ob- tained, fmce ]>.c rofc to fame, and Quin in fullen majefcy retired Jr. Garrlck was, however, the greateft performer I ever faw in England. Such were his imitative powers, tliat he could fometlmes rival even Du Mcnil, with all her feeling ; and, like her, unliinge the mind and burft the heart : but he has funk the ftage much by introducing trick to fafcinate the eyes and ears of perfons of weak judg- ment : and his want of poetic elocution has robbed the Britilh tragic Mufe of halfher dignity : a digni- ty raifl-d to the higheil pitch by the genius of Shake- pear, and the nature of the Englllh language, fo ad- mirabiy ' ■ 'mil ;'i l< I i • i ' \ ' 54 LETTER TO A FRIEND. mirably adapted to blank vcrfe, of which that writer fo thoroughly underftood the ufe. Mr. Garrick certainly was not fenfiblc of his want of poetic de- livery, though I think he might have been from his not been able to learn to repeat the chorus to Henry V. ; if he had been fenfible of it, he never would have recited liis ode in memory of Shakefpear before the public. With all the infl:ru6tion given him, and with all his pains, his recitation v/as very im- perfe6l. He was, Ijowever, as ufual, much applaud- ed ; " action to the generality being eloquence," as Shakefpear has faid, " and their eyes more learned •* than tlieir ears." Yet as I have known fome able critics, who, at times, feverely cenfured his a6lion, I mull fuppofe that there were others, who, in fpite of public prejudice, could difcover the dcfedls of his delivery. Raphael was a great painter, but a poor colourifi: : Garrick a great tragedian, but a poor fpeaker of verfe. What painter endeavours to co- lour like Rapheal ? Why then do all our a6lors ftrivc to fpeak verfc like Garrick ? Becaufe they "want a better guide : while painters have their Titian, Titian's colours flill glow : Quin's voice is heard no more. A natural reprefcntation of the pafiions certainly LIITTER TO A FRIEND. 55 certainly makes an nflor : but if that aaor fpeaks with impropriety, while my eyes arc delighted, my cars are pained ; while my heart approves, my mind condemns ; and I am pulled different ways like a criminal on the rack. As it is a great difadvantnge to the late Mr. Garrick to conftder himfelf ot.ly as a tragedian, ^vhere his poetical fpeaking was defedive - J think it is but juffice to declare, that in comedy he was as excellent as in tragedy, with the advantage of good profe-elocutlon. I muil further obfcrve that the great Du Menil, whom I have fet fo far above him, could not play comedy ; for fhe trufted to her feelings, and wanted his art. Indeed fhe al- mofl imagined herfclf the perfon whom flie repre- fented, which is all an ador can do, for to believe it quite, he muH be out of his fenfes and forget his leiTon : it followed of courfe, that her adion was al- ways a little flio-t of nature, and but a very little. Garrick generally went beyond nature ; and whatever is in the leafl over-afted, fliews the player, however artful, to be, at the time, utterly void of feeling. I am now going to inform you of what Ipropofe to do, in order, if poffible, to convince our tragedi- ans that they are wrong. Wl.u, Garrick is the mode!, ■ !1 -ti i S6 LETTER TO A FRIEND. 'Mi: r; I > ! i i 3! iJ model, they never can rife to any great degrc. of ex- cellence. Garrick's imitations of nature arc by others, 1 believe, fcarccly iniitablc ; nor, in my opi- nion, are they worth imitating, if they could be equalled. He played on a falfc principle : he played from his head, not from his heart, as I have faid al- ready. To drop him entirely, and to copy nature, would not bring us to perfe6\ion for ages. No pain- ter can go far, who ftudics nature only : he muft copy the antique ; and from them Icarn the work of ages in a few years. So a tragedian, unlefs hea- ven-born, like Du Menil, mufi have fome great mo- del before him , and then he may improve apace. Quin, in reciting ; Du Mcnll in a£ling tragedy ; were perfe(Sl, as far as I can judge of perfe6lion : I can- not -conceive the fmalleft degree of excellence beyond them. But they arc gone : true ; but I vaw ready to ftep forward as their humble fubllitute. As to Quin's manner of reciting, I did not learn what I know of it from him ; but received it, as he did, from nature ; though he might improve me, as Booth did him. As to Du Menil's manner of adlng tragedv, that I did receive from her, and inufl; ever be greatly her inferior : but I can imitate her man- ner ?i ^11 LETTER TO A FRIEND. 57 her at !ea/l, and that muft ferve. Phadra is the part in which J recolica her heft. I have therefore tranflatcd that tragedy, and mean, if I can any where find an opportunity, to attempt to teach fome traaahle adrefs to recite, in that charader, as corrc^ly as Qiiin ; joining to that recitation, : s well as I am able, the exquifitc fenfibility and rapidity of Du Mcnil. Thus may Garrick's imitative aaing and bad recitation he loft forever ; and tragedians learn to move the heart by true feelings, and delight the ear with poetic melody. In order the more eafily to introduce Mademoifclle Du Menil's manner of aaing tragedy, I have endeavoured in all thofc fcenes where Phsdra is prefent, to make my tranlla- tion correfpond with her ftyle of performing, I hope not altogether without fuccefs : I expea however a good deal of trouble in preventing my Englifli Phsdra from chattering, when ftie attempts Du Menil's rapidity, a fault to which the clafhing of confonants in our language makes aaors fubjea ; efpecially till they are cured of the Englifli habit of fpeaking with a little mouth. I ftiall the more rea- i! '1 ^ • ' 1 Jl M 1 \ fi LETTER TO A FRIEND. great dramatic poet, whofe tragedy 1 have tranflated : for Racine, as well as Virgil, could both recite and write poetry, and taught the famous Champmcfle the part of Phaedra line by line. To recite verfc, efpecially rhyme, in a perfeft manner, is, I believe, the rareft gift bellowed on man. England produces men excellent in every other art and fcicnce ; but an excellent reciter of verfe, public or private, I have not heard fince the days of Quin ; and I almoft defpair of ever hearing another. I confider it as a loft art ; and it would give me extreme fatisfa»5lion to be inftrumental in its recovery. From want of Ikill in this art. Gar- rick, In attempting to recite his ode in memory of Shakefpear, became an adlor in Head of a reciter, and befides ufing a falfe emphafis in an hundred inftances, put on the bulkin, when he fhould have worn the bay ; and, in fome parts, defcended even to that pan- tomime which he always introduced in reciting pro- logues. Garrick and verfc were not made to agree : continuity and cadence were all he knew of it. What then muft his imitators be ? I heard his ode in memory of Shakefpear recited at Bath in a manner which made Garrick's appear feraphic : yet the the- atre LETTER TO A FRIEND. 59 atrc rang witli api)laufc. A ftrangcr might be tempt- ed to think, that Englinimcniove nothing but noife, difTonancc, and abfurdity. But I have had proofs enow that there are attic ears and nice judgments to be found among us, efpeciaily among a London au- dience : the difficulty lies in Hnding performers with fuch ears and judgments, and tongues too, to gratify the difcerning few, and improve the talle of the many. In order to mend a bad habit, I would advifc our tragedians, efpeciaily thofe who have not a good poetical ear, not to confider that it is vcrfe which they are reciting ; or rather, after having repeat- ed a fpeech as verfe, and got it well bv heart, to run it over frequently as profe : thus Sir Jofliua Reynolds, after finifliing highly, undoes his work, and gives it that mafterly air, as if Ibuck out by a few dafhes of the pencil. Like Garrick, moll: of our tragedians play from the head more than from the heart, and like him too, afFea to value themfelves upon it, contrary to the opinion of all the able critics whom the world hath produced. If you w\Jh mc to weep, you muj} weep yourfelf. So faid Horace; and what man of judg- ment ever denied it ? Yet Garrick is reported to I 2 hate 'i« hi I ^'^ \ ! r 1 60 LETTER TO A FRIEND, have faiil, that no one could he an a6lor who was not able to make love to a pofl as well as to the nioft beautiful woman. Our female tiagediaiis have long excelled the male ; becaufe they have retained the manner of the feeling Cibbcr. I am fenllble what odium lie is likely to incur, who treats with difrefpetft an idol wiiich the people Jiavc fet up* But T neither mean to fatiri/,e JMr, (jarrick, nor the performers at the theatres. 1 love a player ; and, i^'lie is a man of decent inanners, 1 re- ipei^ him : if to that be added genius, 1 revere him, 1 admired Mr. Ciarrick ; and thought him a prodigy amongil tragedians of imitative genius : but if I [)re- ter a feeling akflor to an imitating one, 1 am fure 1 am right. We have had lately feveral capital ixiSi- refles, but not capital adlors ; becaufe Mrs. Cibbcr felt, and (larrick did not feel. To what elfe can it poffibly be attributed ? We have more genius now on the ftage among the male performers, than ever I remember: but I repeat, what I have often declared many years ago : " Our adors will never reach ex- " ccllenc-, till they drop Garrick, and take a feeling *' model, if they can find one." To fiudy nature only, as I have already laid, will not thoroughly anfwer I-ETTER TO A FRIEND. 61 anfwer the i)urpofc, though it may do a good deal towards it. As to (iarrick's recitation of hiank verfe ; if he has heen pronounced fuperior to all the worhl, and particuhuly to Quin, I will not whifpcr to the reeds, but proclaim to all mankind, that Midas had the cars of an afs. Otway in writing, Garrick in ading, and Sheri- dan in reciting, were p-omptcd by Melpomene : but flie Iierfelf wrote through Shakefpear, aded through Vu Mcnil, and recited through Quin, There is a tragic as well as comic caricature. How were our buffoons of low comedy put to the blufli, when the town faw, with aflonifliment, the naivety of Weiton ? 1 mean before he was intoxi- Gated with applaufe and with drink. There is a natural talle in man which, Iiowever vitiated, will break out when he fees a genuine rcprcfentation of manners which are familiar to him as in low come- dy. 'Tis a great mi Hake tliat they muft always be defcrihed on the tlieatre above the Handard of life. What Wcflon was in low comedy, Mademoifellc Du Menil was in the higlicr walk of tragedy ; and the tragic buffoons of Paris fhrunk before her. All admired : all faw tliat true tragedy was true nature. I had i li '■■ivKiJi n 5 ■. ' ! . ■! \ ll a M r n 62 LETTER TO A FRIEND. I had always been of that ophiion ; and, on feeing her, I knew that I was right. When I fay that true tragedy is true nature, I mean nature embelliflied, nature corre^led from herfelf : this was Du Menil's nature. Garrick's nature was nature adulterated with art. With forrow, however, I muft confefs, that ordinary minds, which are far the greater num- ber, cannot diicover nature, I mean in elevated cha- ra6ters, whether in genteel comedy or tragedy, un- lefs Ihe is Ihewn to them through a magnifying- glafs ; we cannot therefore wonder that players, who are ever covetous of popularity, often attend more to ftage effedl, than to chafte acting. The player moft refembling Garrick of all I have feen was Le Kain, of the Paris ftagc. He was of fmall ftature, like Garrick ; but inferior to him in voice, face, and fhape. He had much of his animation ; like him too he always went beyond nature : but his recitation was greatly fuperior to that of Garrick ; though in this he was excelled by a cotcmporary. La Noue. Du Menil, who appeared with him, eclipfcd him by her adling ; but by that only. You will pronounce me perhaps very extravagant when I declare to you that 1 think tragedy was born and died 3 ■ 1^ LETTER TO A FRIEND, died with Du Menil ; and you will no doubt be amazed when I acquaint you that I never faw her fince r was twenty-one years of age. I indeed con- ftantly attended the French theatre for fifteen months; but, from prejudice, was fodifgufled with what I faw for the three or four firft months, that nothing but the folemn vow I had made to a father, then in his grave, that I would make myfelf mailer of the French language could have made me perfift. O; unfortunate Englifli travellers ! who, vifiting Paris while Du Menil flouriflied, had not fo llrong a motive as I had to Simulate you to perfevcre in your attendance and attention. If the world ever afforded me a pleafure equal to that of reading Shake- fpear at the foot of a water- fall in an American de- fcrt ; it was Du Menil's performance of tragedy. If Garrick was able now and then to ''/natch a " grace beyond the reach of art;' as Pope has faid of writers : Du Menil had it in lier power to do it whenever flie pleafed. One ador, and one only, have I ever heard deliver a fpeech of length with any refemblancc of the man- ner of Du Menil ; I mean Mr. Pope, in the cha- rader of Callalio, when he curfes woman : there was W U\ 11 64 LETTER TO A FRIEND. was that torture of mind, that energy and rapidity which man, in the rage of difappointed love, muft ever experience and ufe. The houfe felt the truth and force of the reprefentation, and a great applaufe enfued. I was as much pleafed with the audience as witli the performer, being convinf'ed that, if trage- dians would lead the way, the public would follow them to the temple of tafte. But as the whole me- rit of the a6ling confided in a ftri6l adherence to truth and nature, diverted of ail afFedlation or trick, it was not deemed worthy of imitation. iiii!:' ' I |i.|H|>:^l ;i|! ^So.t ^ehe years ago I tranjlated Juvenal's Satires: hut the Tenth only ^aspublified. I ha.c no^fekaed t^^ from the remaining fifteen; the Fourth, ielng a fine piaure of the court of a luxurious defpot; and the Fourteenth, ^hlch treats of education: for I han,e long been of opinion, that th art of government and that of education are of more 'value than all the fclences. K SATIRE ;l if I^MpajglS'ia":! [ 68 ] S A T I R A IV. iiii Ml I III Jti«CCE iterum Crifpinus; & eft mihi faep^ vocandus Ad partes, monftrum nullil virtute redemptum A vitiis, aeger, folaque Jibidine fortis : Delicias vidu;i; tantum afpei'natur adulter. Quid refert igitur quantis jumenta fatiget Porticibus, quanta nemorum veftetiu- in umbra, Jugera quot vicina foro, quas emerit cedes ? Nemo mains felix, minimc corruptor, & idem Inceftus, rum quo nuper vittata jacebat Sanguine adhuc vivo terram fubitura facerdos. Sed nunc de faftis levioribus : & tamen alter Si fecifiet idem, caderet fub judice morum. si i ■ " li :«. Nam C 69 ] SATIRE IV Once more Crifpinus; and I here engage Often to bring the monfter on the ftage; To virtue dead, to lewd excefles prone, A fickly creature, flrong in iuft alone ; Tor puny vice of too debauch'd a mind, And to no charms but thofe of widows blind : What profits it, by (laves or mules conveyed, To haunt the portico, oi- court the fliade j Or domes and acres near the forum feize • The vicious heart is always ill at eafe. ^ That heart a veftal's ruin durfl contrive. Tho' unchafle veftals are interr'd alive. But now we treat of lighter faults, tho' vile; Yet him no bi;aftlinefs can e'er defile : Titius I 1 ' 70 JUVENALIS SATIRA TV, Nam quod turpe bonis, Titio, Seioque, decebat Crifpijumi. Quid agas, cum dira & foedior omni Crimine perfona eft r mullum fex millihus emit, JEquantem fane paribus feftertia libris, Ut perhibent, qui de magnis majora loquuiitur. Confilium laudo artificis, fi mu'' ^re tanto Praecipuam in tabulis ceram fenis abftulit orbi. Eft ratio ulterior, magns fi mifit arnicas, Quae vehitur claufo latis fpecularibus antro. Nil tale expedes : emit fibi. Multa videmus, Quas mifer & frugi non fecit Apicius. Hoc tu Succinftus patria quondam, Crifpine, papyro ? Hoc pretium fquamae ? potuit fortafle minoris Pifcator, quam pifcis, emi. Provincia tanti Vendit agros ; fed majores Apulia vendit. i i U' ■ : I H i 1 lil: 1:1. ! Qinles SATIRE IV. 7« iinles Titius or Seiiis might the cenfor dread; Such freaks would draw his vengeance on their head; But in Crifpinus they're becoming deeds; The fellow's charafter furh fcandal needs: What puniflmient for him can cenfors find. More foul in perfon than deprav'd in mind. He bougi.it a barbel at th' enormous rate Of fix fcflertia for juft fix pounds weight; Prodigious price ! So truly, among thofe Who know to mend a tale, the ftory goes : I could have laugh'd, and prais'd his roguifli Ikill, If he had had in view a glutton's will, And fomc old dotard, for a meal fo rare, Had made the giver of the fifli his heir ; Or had it to fome pamper'd punk been fent. Who in her window'd den rides clofely pent ; No fuch advantage this foul finner fought ; *Twas for himfelf the precious difii was bought ; Apicius is furpafs'd, and, beaftly wafte, Rais'd to a pitch beyond his reach and tafte ; One who trufs'd up in bark from Egypt came, His want and parfimony puts to fliame. IVas this a price for fcales ? one would have thought 'Twould both the fifli and fiflierman have bought ; Provincial farms are fold at cheaper rates, And, in Apulia, moderate eftates. When Hi! I' fi P.i ii M ;» JUVENALIS 8ATIRA tV. Qjiiales tunc epulas ipfiiin plutilir piitemus In(lii|)fratorem ? rum tot (Wlcrtin, partcnn Exigiiam, & nuulictt (ninptam de margine rorinif rinpiiiTiis ninjTiii nK^hiiTt fcurra Pal;ri, Jam piin ips iquuiim, magna qui voce folcbat Vcndcre municlpcs frafta de merrc filuros ? IiuijK- Calliope, lirct hi. ronfidcie : fion eft Caiuaiuiuin : res vera agittir. Narrate puclhc Picrides; piolit milii vos diy.dc puellas. Cum jam femianimiim laccraret Flavins orbcm Ultinuis, & cn\v6 fcrvirt-t Roma Neroni, Imidit Adriaci fpntium admirabile rhomhi, Ante doniiim Veneris, quam Dorica luftinet Anron, Implevitquc finns : neqtie cnim minor lipfcrat illis, Quos opcrit glacies Mscotica, ruptaquc tandem jolibus i\}r'' SATIRE IV. 13 Wlun princely coft infers a private board, How (liall tlie oaitton on the throne afford A luxury proportiojiM to fupport, And lurnilli out a banquet for the court: Of what fliall be cc,mix).'d th ■ fumptuous treat, Wiien a court of fycophant is grown fo great, And gives a Aim ext e/live for a fiHi, Th' imperial table deems a trifling difli ? This jefter of the palace, now become One of the pioudeft of the proud of Rome, This leader of the knights, hawk'd fliads before. Known from his rivals by his louder roar. ilegin Calliopt- ; deep, folcmn, How, Grand as the fubjeft let the numbers flow ; Begin Pierian maids, your aid I claim ; I who invoke you by fo fair a name. IVhcn^ao, hnhl.pate, honuU>eugeance burl\t\ Atuhivith inJWnalfury tore /'•r ^vo,U; Near Fenus\fn„c, on Ancon' O-^.c ,,^, ,^,,^,^, Atmbot n'a/1 ■ it/clfa,, a,„ph- thought : ItfiWd the „ct ■ vat le/s than thofc that Jlcep, Hi,i utuhr ice, in the M, otic deep ; hdnvhen appnaehin.juns dart keener bean. , S,d the mafs melting pour, in copious Jlrcams, Doi ■vn f I m m 76 JUVENALIS SATIRA IV, Solibus efFundit torpentis ad oftia Poiill Defuliu tardos, 8c longo frigore pingiies. Dcftinat hoc monftium cymb,i: Unique magifter Pontifici fummo : quis enim proponere talem, Aut emere audcret ? Cum plena & littora multo Delatore forent j difperfi protinus aigs Inquifitores agerent cum remige luido ; Non dubitaturi fugitivum dicere pifcem, Depaftumque diu vivaria Caefaris, inde Elapfum, veterem ad dominum debere reverti. Si quid Palphurio, fi credimtis Armillato, Quicquid confpicuum, pulchrumque eft aequore toto, Res fifci eft, ubicunque natat : donabitur ergo, Ne pereat, jam letifero cedente pruinis Antumno, jam quartanam fperantibus agris. Stridebat deformis hyems, prxdamque recentem Servabat : tamen hie poperat, velut urgeat Aufter, i * I u n ll 'i : ' f i "Utque SATIRE IV. 75 Donxjn to the lazy Pontic's outlets go, InJluggiJhJJjoah, mnjeftically Jlvw ; Tbro'Jloth grown dull and of uwweiUly mould. Ami fattened by the length of winter's cold. The maftcr of the boat refolv'd to keep This valuable njonftcr of the deep, For the chief pontiff; for by xvhom fo bold Durft Aich a fifli be either bought or fold ? When vile infoimers cover all the fliore, And eagerly in mud and fea-weed pore ; Thefe knaves would fend to court the welcome news. And fwear the fifli efcap'd from Cefar's ftews j " Who dares his emp'ror's property detain ? " The turbot to its lord mufl go again." The naked boatman, of his prize bereft, Would be himfelf fecur'd, and tried for theft. Since all is Cefar's, as thefe fpies maintain, Whatever rare and beauteous fwims the main. The fiflier vow'd to lay it at his feet, And hafte to court while yet the fifli was fweer, Tho' hoary froft thro' all the fields appear'd, And weakly frames returning agues fear'd : Cold blew the wind, and lively look'd the prey, Yet feem'd the down to dread the fultry day, Hurrying alone, to make the people think He almoft fmelt the fiHi already flink. Wl len !|i!l:! J mmm It : 76 JUVENALIS SATIRA IV. Pr' Utqiie lacus fubcraiit, ubi quni.qnam dirata fcrval Igiiem Trojamim, &r Vcftamcolit Alba niinorem, Obditit iutianti miiattix tiiiba parumpei*. Ut cfllir, facili patucruiit caftlinc valvar. Exclufi c.\|icrtant admifla obfonia patrct. Itur ail Atiiilcni : tiiai I'ircns, Arript-, dixit, Privatis majora focis : gcnialis agatur Illc dies ; propcra ftomachvun laxare (Iiginis, Et tua fervatum confume in feciila rhombum, Ipfc cnpi voluit. Quid apertius ? & tamen illl Jnirgcbaut irill:v. TSJibil eft, quod credere de fe Non poflit, cum laudatur diis ipqua potcftas. Sed dcerat pifci patiiuv menfura. Vocantur Ergo in concilium procercs, quos oderat ille; In SATIRE IV. 77 When now the glad Piccnian boor drew nigh, And vicwM the Jakes where Alba's ruins Jic ; Where (till the people adoration pay, To Trojan Vefta in a fimpler way ; Forth from the town the noify rabble ran, And gaping, ftaiing, flioving, ftopp'd the man : But preffing thro', he came where, by command, Excluded from the court, the fathers ftand : And now on tafy hinges movM the gate ; When, lo ! Ati-ides in his pride of Hate : Then thus the fawning clown : " Accept, dread lord, " This fifli, too fumptuous for a private board ; " This fifh before your facred feet I lay : " Indulgent to your genius crown the day ; " Take ftomach-c.kes, and feafts on that which grew *' To fuch enormous bulk to pleafure you : " It would be taken, proud for you to die. " Can aught be plainer ? Sire, I fcorn a He." And yet in ebbing life all eyes could fee The creature fwdl, and llruggle to be free : But flioit of vanity all fiatt'ries fall. He who affefts the god can fwallow all. Now as no difli could large enough be founo, He call'd his peers, the matter to propound ; A ghaftly palenefs cv'ry face o'er-fpread ; The tyrant's friendfhip was their greateft dread. ii ' I Hi illli! M' L a Hark, I It! i 1 H M ! t'i ' ! ;■ i!.: 78 JUVENALIS SATIRA IV. In quorum facie mifLM-aj, niagnceque ftdebat Pallor amiiitia?. Triraas, clamante Liburno, Curritc, jam fedit, rapta properabat abolla Pegafus, attonitcc podtiis modo villicus urbi. Anne aliiid tunc piiefefti ? Qiiorum optimus atque Interpres legum fancftiflimus ; omnia quanquam Temporibus diris tr.iftanda putabat inermi Juftitia. Venit & Criipi jucunda feneftus, Cnjus erant mores, qualis facimdia, mite Ingenium. Maria, ac terras, populofque regenti Quis comes utilitor, fi clade & pefte fub ilia Saevitiam damnare, & honeftum afFerre liceret Confilium ? fed quid violentius aure tyranni ? Cum quD de pliiviis, aut ccftibus, aut ninibofo Vera locuturi fatum pendebat amici ? Ilk igitur nunqnam direxit brachia contra Torrentem. Nee civis erat, qui libera polTet Verba animi proferre, & vitam impendcre vero. Sic nuiitas liyemcs, atque oc^ogefima vidit Solftitia, his armis, ilia quoque tutus in aula. Proximus ejufdcm properabat Acilius revi Cum ml SATIRE IV. 79 Hark, a Liburnian, taller than the crowd, " Away, away; he's fe:ited ;" cries aloud. Firft, in a hin-ry, tucking up his gown, Ran Pegafus, the bailiff of the town, (What more than bailiffs were the prefeds tiefi) This pious judge, and mofl efteem'd of men, Durft not, in fuch Hid times, the laws maintain, But blam'd his fate, and hw oppreffion reign. Next came old Crifpus, pleafant in his age, Smooth as his tongue, the manners of the fao-e • A tender-hearted man, and well inclined By mild advice to humanize the mind Of that fierce ruffian, whofe defpotic fway Seas, Iiiids, and men were deftin'd to obey ; If felfifh fouls could e'er be taught to feel. If aught had pow'r to foften hearts of fteel : But what more dangerous than a tyrant's ear ? His friends ev'n of the weather fpoke with fear. Againft the torrent Crifpui never drove ; Nor e'er revil'd the prince he could not love ; He was not one of thofe who pow'r defy. And in the caufe of virtue wifli to die : He thought e'en virtue might be bought too dear, And therefore lived to fee his eightieth year. Next him, of equal age, came tott'ring on Aciliiis, follow 'd by his haplefs fon ; r, ' m ■ li i^ II j ■' 1:1 A youth I f 8o JUVENALIS SATIRA IV. »h' IH! \\ Cum juvane indigno, quern mors tam ftcva maneret, Et domini gladiis tam feftinata : fed olim Pfodigio par eft in nobilitate feneclus. Undc fit, ut malim frateixulus efle gigantum. Profuit ergo nihil mifero, quod cominiis urfos Figebet Numidas, Albana nudus arena. Venator. Quis enim jam non inlelligat artes Patricias ? Quis prifcum illud miretur acumen, Brute tuum ? Facile eft barbato imponere regi. Nee melior vultu quamvis ignobilis ibat Rubriu?, ofFenfa; veteris reus, atque tacendse ; Et tamen improbior Satiram f' —ibenle cinaedo : Montinii quoque venter adeft abdomine tardus : Et matutino fudar^ Crifpinus amomo; Quantum vix redolent duo funera : faevior illo Pompeius tenui jugulos aperire fufurro: Et qui vulturibus fervabat vifcera Dacis Fufcus, mannorca medatitus praclia villa : f * Et i/t SATIRE IV. A youth who merited a better fate But 'twas that merit caus'd the tyrant's hate : Nought more portentous in thefe times appears, Thau one of noble blood advanc'd in years ; Whence I would rather be of humble birth, A dwarfifli brother of the fons of earth : Naked this defp'rate youth at Alba fought, But conqu'ring lions could avail him nought; Patrician arts are underftood too well And Brutus' flory every clown can tell : Old-fafliion'd cunning ! 'twas an eafy thing To cheat by mimic pow'rs a bearded king. Now follow'd Rubrius, of ignoble race ; His look was difmal, tho' his birth was bafe : Of an old crime the toul reproach he bore, Which decency muft draw the curtain o'er ; Yet durft with infolence the vicious note, Like that imoerial brute who latires wrote. Montanus next the council-table g^in'd, Slow with the load of fledi his fides fuftain'd. Cxifpinus came with ointment cover'd over; At two interments we fcarce lavifli more. ^ And Pompey, fiercer of the two, whofe /kill, Sutde as bloody, could with whifpers kill. He too, the man of might, who armies led, Fufcus, on whom the Dacian vultures fed ; 8j Who. IV. fill i\ ' f:':t i nm 'ill 82 JUVENALIS SATIRA IV. Et cum mortifero prudens Veiento Catullo, Qui nunquam vifae flagrabat amore puella?, Grande, & confpicuum noftro quoque tempore monftrum, Cacus adulator, ciirufque a ponte fatelles, Dignus Arcinos qui mendicaret ad axes, Biandaque devexas jailaret bafia rhedae. Nemo magis rhombum ftupuit : nam plurima dixit In IsBvum converfus : at illi dextra jacebat Bellua : fie pugnas Cilicis laudabat & iftus; Et pegma, & pueros inde ad velaria raptos, Non cedit Veiento, fed ut fanaticus oeftro Percuffus, Bcllona, tuo divinat ; et ingens Omen habes, inquit, magni, clarique triumphi : Regem aliquem capies, aut de temone Britanno Excidet Arviragus: peregrina eft bellua. Cernis Ereftas in terga fudes r Hoc defuit unum Fabricio, patriam ut rhombi memoraret, & annos. Quid nam SATIRE IV. Whc 83 10, m his mind, faw hoftiJe troops retreat, And conquer'd nations at his fumptuoiis feat. Then came the bafe Catullus, flain'd with blood ; Near whom no virgin e'er untempted flood : Blind as he was he grop'd his way to crimes, By vice diftinguifli'd, in the worft of times. A new court.fycophant, to honours led, Tho' once the murd'ring minion begg'd his bread; At fome bridge-foot, ftiil fit to keep his ftand, And, to excite compaffion, kifs his hand : None more admir'd the turbot's fize and make, Yet was he guilty of a ftrange miftake ; Stretch'd on the right the wondrous creature lay, He gravely turn'd his head a diff 'rent way : So would he often, at the fcenic fliews, Applaud the flying boys, and fencer's blows. Veiento came not ihort; with fury fir'd, Like fierce Bellona's pr^il he feem'd infpir'd, " This fiflV faid he, - by pou'r divine is fent, *' The happy omen of fome great event; *' Some fplendid triumph ftiall adorn your reign, " Some royal captive lead the mournful train^ ' " Nay, Britain's monarch, flying o'er his team, « Anriragus, may tumble from the beam : " That 'tis a foreign creature plain appears, '' Vou fee his fpacious back is /luck with fpears." ^^ Nonoht 11 i -i i' 1 'I ! • i i t 84 JUVKNALIS SATIRA IV. QuUlnam igitur cenfes ? Conciditur ? Ahfit ab illo Dedccus hoc, Montanus ait ; terta alta paretur, Qi^iic ttmii mmo fpatiofiim colligat orbem. Dcbetur mnginis patinac fubitufque rromethevis : Aigillam, atquc rotam citiiis propeiate : feci ex hoc Tempore jam, Cxfar, liguli tiia caflra fequantur. Vicit tligna viro fententia : noverat ille Luxuiiam imj>erii veterem, iioaefque Neroms Jam meciias, aliamque famem, cum pulmo Falenia Arderct. Nulli major fuit iifus edendi Tempeftate mea. Circais nata foreiu, an Lucrinum ad faxum, Rutupinove edita fimdo Oftrca, callcbat primo deprendere morfu : Et lemel afpefti littiis dicebat echini. Surgitur &c milFo proceres exire jubentur Concilio, quos Albanam dux magnus in avctm tl! Traxerat SATIRE IV, Nought by this fawning Have remai.i'd untold, Except whence ran:e the turbot, and how old. Ccdu at length the weighty queftion put, «' What fay yv, fathers ; flmlj the fifli be cut ?'» Far be that dire difgrare, Montanus cries. From a fca-monfter of fo vaft a fize ; 'Tis eafy to befpeak an earthen difli, IVhofe ample orb may J)oId tlie gorg.ous fifli : Send for a potte,-, ll^ilfu] at his trade, By whom the pan may out of hand be inade ; Qiuck bring tl)e day and wheel,- and l^MKeforth, fire, In all your camps keep potters in the rear. This fage advice applaufe from Ccfar drew, Imperial luxury its author knew; He had been train'd in Nero's beaftly cou.t. The Jewd compa.iion of his midnight fport;' Xiad iearn'd to make pall 'd appetite return, ' And with llrong wine o'er-loaden ftomachs bun, ; To eat by rule none better xmderftood. His tafte was fupereminently good ; Soon as an oyfter touch'd his lips, he'd name The very rock from which that oyftei- came ; And if a crab was olfer'd to his view. At the firft glimpfe its fliore the glutton knew. ^ They rife ; the bowing fenate throng the dooi- ; IVefs to begone, r.or feel the panic o'er : ^^^ The 85 1 1 Jl Mi mu^i hit V Nl I |B; III 86 JUVENaLIS SATIRA IV. i*! Traxerat attonitos, & fcftinaie coaftos. Tanquam He Cattis illiquid, torvifqiie Sirambris Diifturus ; tanquam diverfis partibus orbis Anxia pra*cipi vciiiflet f pifto! i pennA. Atquc utinam Ijis potiiis nui;!s tota ilia dedilfet Tempora fapvitiae, rlaras quibus abllulit urbi lUuftrafque animas 'mpunc, & viudire nullo. Scd periit, poftquam cerdouibus cHe timendus Coppcrat : hoc noaiit Lamiarum cjydc niadenti, ! ! I? 1 > 1 i . 1 I, ) i SATIRA iW SATIRE IV. 87 The -rear commander, by his fov'rcign pow'i, I' '' igg'd them lull of fears to All) I's tow'r : As when fome dang'roiis newb the ftate a] irms, The Catti or Sicambri up in arms; Or anxious letters, coming on the wmg, From diftant dimes unwelcome tidings bring. O! that Inch whims as thefe, abfurd and vain. Had ide the whole employment of his reign j In which fo many gallant rhiefs of Rome Me^ unreven-'d an ignon, nious doom! Yet he who long the daunted great withflood, And rioted unu.cck'd in Lamian blood, Sour to the vulgar, foon receiv'd the blow, TJiat fent him headlong to the ftiades below. SATIRS I ! " . !!! !'n !f ■I ■ M i '1 I iH •Q^:^ V^, V2 ol w w IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) 1.0 I.I 11.25 150 ™^™ ■ 10 __ 1.4 2.5 2.2 2.0 18 1.6 Photographic Sciences Corporation 0^ '4^- 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 i ! I \Mi i « M fit iililBll! f f i t 88 ] •-•• • a S A T I R A XIV. X LURIMA funt, Fufcine, et hrak digna fmiftrA Et nitidis maculam haefuram figentia rebus, Quae monftrant ipfi pueris traduntque parentes. Si damnofa fenem juvat alea, ludit & haeres Bullatus, parvoque eadem movet arma fritillo. Nee de fe melius cuiquam fperare propinquo Concedet juvenis, qui radere tubera terrae, Boletum condire, & eodem jure natantes Mergere ficedula: didicit, nebuJone parente, Et cana monftrante gi:!a. Cum feptimus annus Tranfierit puero, nondum omni dente renato Barbato« [ 89 ] SATIRE XIV* :i! xioW oft, Fufciniis, habits worthy blame, Habits that tarniJh an illuftrious name. By parents prone to vice, and vo'i of thought, To harmlefs childhood fhamefully are taught ! If dice, fad paftime, to the father yield. The fame vile arms his little fon (hall wield* So of I hat ill-train'd youth his friends defpair, Who peels champignons with peculiar care ; The floating beccafico Ikill'd to fteep, In precious mufhroom-Iiquor plunging deep ; His parents fav'ry mefTes fond to note, The baby mimic of a hoary throat : Ere yet fev*n years experience he has known, Before his fecond fet of teeth is grown, A thoufartd '! I ':; ■ ii ■» i ' < !|! Ill (; ir l/H i i in |i! $0 JUVEMAUS SATlkA XIV. Barbatos licet admoveas mille inde magiflros, Hinc totidem, cupiet lauto ccenare paratu Semper, et a magna non degenerare ciilina. Mitem animam, et mcx es modicis erroribus zequos Prascipit, atque animos fervorum, & corpora noftrS Materia conftare putat, paribufque elementls : Au faevire docet Rxitilus ? qui gaudet acerbo Plagarum ftrepitu, & nullam Sirena flagellis Comparat, Antiphates trepidi laris, ac Polyphemus ? Turn felix, quoties aliquis tortore vocato Uritur ardenti duo propter lintea ferro. Quid fuadet juveni lastus ftridore catenze, Quern mire afficiunt infcripta ergaftula, career Rufticus ? Exfpeftas ut non fit adultera Largse Filia, quae nunquam materno^ dicere moeehos Tarn cito, nee tanto poterit contexere cutfu, Ut non ter decies refpiret ? Confcia matri Virgo fuit: ceras nunc hue diftante pufillas Implet, et ad mcechum dat eifdem ferre cincedibv Sic natura jubet : velocius & citius nos I 1 r 1 'j, it : ;l ; 1 .: i 1 ; i Corrumpuut SATIRI XIV. A thotifand tutors on this hand provide, And place as many on the further fide ; He'll uever from his gluttoii tafte depart, But carry ftill the kitchen in his heart. Does Rutilus difplay a gentle mind, To pardon inadvertencies inclin'd; That flaves have bodies like our own believe. Or that from heav'n like us they fouls receive' ? No, Rutilus a favage temper fliews, And cheers his rancour with the found of blows ; No Siren's notes, like flagellation, pieafe This Polyphemus, this Antiphates, Supremely bleft, when flaves the torture feel. And for two clouts endure the burning fteel : How Ihall that youth be humaniz'd, whofe fire Aught but the rattling chain could ne'er admire ; Whofe eyes are gratified with horrid fights, Whofe heart the brand or country jail delights ? Can Larga's daughter ever modeft prove, And loath the trade impure of lawlefs love; Who, calling Larga's lift of lovers o'er, Muft draw her breath a hundred times or more ? The child had eyes, and now fhe fends abroad Soft notes, the dilates of the batter'd bawd ; And, as her trufty meflengers, employs Her execrable mother's filthy boys : ifh. 11^ N Parental li i, •J ■ I h i.i I, \l '§ w Mil it ii ' i . I si; ft 1 92 JUVENALI8 SATIRA XIV. Coirumpunt vitiorum exampla domeftica, magnis Ciim fubeunt animos auftoribiis. Umis, & alter Forfitan haec fparnant juvcnes, quibiis arte benign^ Et meliore Into finxit prcecordia Titan. Sed reliquos fugienda patrum veftigia ducunt j Et monftrata diu veteris trahit orbita culpae. Abflineas igitur damnandis ; luijus enim vel Una potens ratio eft, ne crimina noftra fequantur Ex nobis geniti ; quoniam deciles imitandis Turpibus ac pravis omnes fumus } & Catilinam Quocunque in populo videas, quocunque fub axe Sed non Brutus erit. Bruti nee avunculus ufquam. Nil diftu fcedum, vifuque haec limina tangat, Intra quae pyer eft. Procul hinc, procul inde puellsc Lenonum, & cantus pernoftantis parafiti* Maxima debetur puero reverentia. Si quid Turpe paras, nee tu pueri contempferis annos : Sed peccaturo obfiftat tibi filius infans. Nam fi quid dignum cenforis fecerit ira. (Quando quidem fmiilem tibi fe non corpore tantiim, Nee vultu dederit, morum quoque filius) & cum Omnia deterius tua per veftigia peccet, Corripie* SATIRE XIV. Parental vices foon our hearts infeft, Becaufe they flow from thofe we moft refpecl. Yet here and there a youth of folly born, His father's vices will rejedl with fcorn ; But fuch are fent heav'n's bounty to difplay, And Titan foims their hearts of fineft clay : The reft from vile example vice acquire, Drawn by the vortex that ingulph'd the fire. Then let the parent blameful adions fliun, 'Tis caufe fufficient that they fpoil the fon ; Prone is the nature of the human race To imitate whate'er is foul and bafe ; And tho' no clime from Catilines is free, We fcarce a Brutus or a Cato fee. Let nought improper to be feen or faid Approach the threfhold where a boy is bred : Away, begone, ye wanton brothel-throng; Begone, ye parafites, with midnight fong ; The greateft rev'rence is to cfaiWhood due ; Let not its ruin rife from copying you : If ill you purpofe, to the boy give heed, And let his prefence flop the vitious deed. Now, if the cenfor fhouW the youth rebuke, (Not like his fire in nought but fliape and look. But in his turpitude of life the fame) Doubtlefs againft his morals you'll exclaim ; N A 9$ And if'M Hii tl'j II i 1 [ ( :J. 1 in . |i i! It" 94 JUVENALIS SATIRA XIV, Corripies nimiium, et cnftigabis acerbo Clamore, ac port ha?c abulas mutare parabis, Unde tibi frontem libertatemqiic parentis, Cum facias pejora fent-x ? vacuumque cerebro Jampridem caput hoc ventofa cucuibita qiiaerat ? Hofpite venturo cefiabit nemo tuoriim : VeiTC pavimentum ; nitidas oftende colun.nas ; Arida cum tota defcendat aranea tela : Hie laeve argentem ; vafa afpera tergeat alter : Vox domini fremit inftantis, virgamque tenentis. Ergo mifer trepidas, ne ftercore foeda canino Atria difpliceant oculis venientis amici, Ne perfufa luto fit porticus : et tamen uno Semodio fcobis hsec emaudet fervulus unus. Illud non agitas, ut fanftam filius omni Afpiciat fine labe domum, vitioque carentem ? Gratum eft, quod patriae civem popuJoque dedifti, Si facis ut patriae fit idoneus, utilis agris, Utilis et bellorum, et pacis rebus agendis. Plurimum enim intererit quibus artibus & quibus hunc tu Moribus mftituas. Serpente ciconia puUos Nutrit, & inventa per devia rura lacerta : IIH eadem fumptis quaerunt animalia pennis. 1 1 I 1 W A Vultw • ATIRE XIV, 95 And if that vow, It that loofe courfe he folJow You'll fpurii the profligate, and change your will. Say, with what front can you thofe threats employ. And claim a parent's right to chide the boy; While you, with all your years, are far Icfs wife, And for the cupping-horn your noddle cries ? Gods ! what a rout, when you a gueft expeft ! Arm'd with a fapling, you the work direft ; Scrub all the floors, and make the pillars clean, And let no fpiders, or their webs, be feen ; You fcour the figur'd plate, and you the plain ; Loud cries the mafter in a threat'ning ftrain. O, wretched mortal ! are you then diftrels'd Left your neglefted hall offend your gueft; Left foul with dirt your portico be feen, Which half a peck of fcatter'd duft would clean; And watch not that your houfe be undefil'd, And vices banifli'd that corrupt your child ? Thanks to that fire a grateful people owes, Who fome ntw citizen on Rome beftows ; If ufeful arts the gen'rous youth endow, Form'd for the camp, the forum, and the plough, Much it imports what precepts wt^ inflil ; The ftork the ferpent carries in her bill, Warm in their neft, to feed her callow brood ; And ever after fervants are their food : Br tl ^KJiwt a iHtii M^wjl HB» Iff if imi <- 1, irirl rr |j| mm !h m ! ii 'I I i i I ! :' 96 JUVEMALIS 8ATIRA XIV. Vuitur jiimento & canibiis cruclbufqiie reliftis, Ad foetus properat, partemque cadaveris afFeit. Hinc eft ergo cibus magni quoque vulturis, & fe Pafccntis, propr ia cum jam facit arbore nidos. Sed leporem, aut caprcam, famiiKi Jovis, 8c generofai In faitu venantur aves : hinc prasda cubili Ponitur : inde autem, cum fe matura levarit Pi-ogenies ftimulante fame, feftinat ad illam, Quam primum rupto praedam guftaverat ovo. xEdificator erat Centronius, et modo ciirvo Littore Caietae, fumma nunc Tiburis arce, Nunc Pricneftinis in montibus, alta parabat Culmina villarum, Graecis longeque petitis Mormoribus, vincens Fortunae atque Herculis aedem ; Ut fpado vincebat Capitolia noftra Pofides. Dum fie ergo habitat Centronius, immimiit rem, Fregit opes, nee parva tamen menfura reli6tas Partis erat : totam hanc turbavit filius amens, Dum meliore novas attoUit marmore villast* I m l!f ' Quidam if. SATIRE X!V. By the keen vulture to her young are brought The flefli of dogs, and that on crofTes fough Such carcafTes fuppjy the vultu When nefts they build for The birds of Jove, and thofe of res grown, younglings of theiro ".vn noble breed. On hares and roes that range the foreft feed • Hence to their home the talon'd race convey The fav'ry morfels of the mangled prey; The brood when fledg'd feek that they t'afted fi, ft When with their beaks the brittle ft.ell they burft. Centronius, eager to acquire a name, BuiJt many an edifice of flately frame ; • One while Cajeta's winding fliore he chofe, One while on Tiburs' fummit ftruftures rofe ; Now on Preneftes' hills, uprearM fublime, Stood domes of marble from fomc diftant clime .• The fane of Hercules was far out-done, To Fortune's temple they fuperior ftione ; As thofe Pofides, that rich eunuch, rais'd,' More than our capitols the fight amaz'd : To footh his pride in this difplay of tafte, Centronius' wealth was running faft to wafte; But, ftopt in his career by ruling fate, He died, and left his heir a large eftate : The fame deftruftive paflion feiz'd the fon; And he by fplendid villas was undone. Some, ill m mW^i I 111 till , to I f <■: w 'h IP ill b i '< )\\ I: 98 JUVENALIS SATIRA XIV. Qiiidam fortiti mttiicntc-n Sabbota patrcm, Nil prater nubes, & cocli numen adorant : Nee diftare putant luimanA carnc fiiillam, Qufl pater abftimiit ; mox & pnrputia ponunt: Romanas a litem foliti contemncie leges, Judaicum edircunt, &c fcrvanr, ac nietiiunt jus, Tradidit arcaiio qiioilcunque vol limine Mofes, Noil monftraie vias, cadem nifi ficra colenti ; Qii:;jritum ad fontcm folos deducere verpos. Sed pater in caulil, cui feptima qu.tqiie fuit lux Ignava, et partem vitre non attigit ullani. Spon^e tamen juvenis imitantur cictera ; folam Iiiviti quoque avaritiam exercere jubentur, Falllt eiiim vitium fpecie virtutis et umbra, Ciim fit trifle habitu, vuJtuque et vefte feverum. Nee dubic tanquam frugi laudatur avarus, Tanquam parens homo, et rerum tuttla fuarum Certa magis, quam fi fortunas fervct eafdem Heiperidum Terpens, aut Fonticus. Adde quod hunc, de Qiio loquor, egregium popuhis putat atque verendum Artificem : quippc his crefcunt patrimonia fabris, iSed crefcunt qnocuftque modo, majoraque fiunt Incude aflidua, femperque ardeute caiiiino. £t So.e fpn,„g fr„„ t^hors, who „i.,, ,,„.„„, ^^^ Obferv-dehefabbathsofehcjewirhla., Their adoneion to ,|,e god, deny. All b,«,l,c clouds and ruler of .hefty. Swine, flefl., like as .an-s. hey dare „«e,,. Wei, never was their pa„„,,„„, The,rfore-ftins are cue off, „he„„ewiy born. And roon , hey , earn. he Ro„a„,aws,o from. rheje„ift ri.es .heyftndy. keep, and dread. And all n,Mo,es'myfticvolume read. Aidlefs ,hey leave .he ..^veller .„ ftray' Who worftips Providence a diff Vent Jav Nor will .hey .o.lefpring. „e.h,.fl^, ,;; Unlefs a brother of the a,r.ailb,eed • Their fa.hers are .he caufcvho idle lav And of .heir lives ioftev'ryrevc„.h day/' To copy vice, by nature, youth is given • Led to all others, but to av'rice driv'n • For this can feign, and virtue's look expreA, Grave ,„ its carriage, countenance, and drefs, The ™,fer for his prudence lives ador'd. I"trep,d guardian of his facred hoard. Nor Pontic nor Hefperianfnake of old asrichdepofitewatch'd.ashehisgold. On fuch a ™an the crowd with rapture gl.e. And as a wondrou, artift loudly praife • h! o Thefe If) n I li il 1!. if ,;] m ; I i '1 ■SI j 1 i K. !^^B ) i9t J m ' ^^■■^Kt 1 i 1 HHi i' if : 1 1 i; ; 1' I ( ■^B I^H. ^ |:| . ^^^BN j 11 *^ IP : 100 JUVENALIS SATIRA XIV, Et pater ergo animi felices credit avaros, Qui miratur opes, qui nulla exempla beati Pauperis efle putat, juvenes hortatur, ut illam Ire viam pergant, & eidem incumbere fefta;. Sunt quasdam vitiorum elementa : his protinus illos Imbuit, & cogit minimas edifcere fordes. Mox acquirendi docet infatiabije votum. Servorum ventres modio cafligat iniquo, Ipfe quo-^jiie efuriens : neque enim omnia fuflinet unquam Mucida ccerulei panis confumere frufta, Heftenuim folitus medio fervare rainutal Septembri ; nee non differre in tempora cccnre Alterius, conchem aeftivi cum parte lacerti Signatam, vel dimidio putrique filuro, f ilaque feftivi numerata includere pcrri. Invitatus ad haec aliquis de ponte negarit. Sed quo divitias haec per tormenta coaAas ? Cum furor haud dubius, cum fit manifefta ^^hrenefis, Ut locuples moriaris, egenti vivcre fate ? I S I Intere^ 'J,^ ^ SATIRE XIV. Thefe are the dri.dges who eftates acquire, Still founds their anvil, and ftill glows the fire; By unremitting toil each fortune grows, But how the work is done, heav'nonly'knows. That wealth alone felicity can give. And who is poor in wretchednefs muft Jive, Is the mean father's creed, who urges on To ufury and craft th' ingenuous fon. Vice has its elements, firft thefe are taught, And foon to fordid arts the boy is brought'; Then, in the filth oflucre plunging deep, He iearns the mifer's trade to rob and heap. The fire his miferable morfel faves, And by falfe meafure ftarves his wretched fla.es • Nor fuffers all his crufts,tho' hard and four'd Ofvileftbreadtobeatoncedevour'd; £'en in September's putrifying heat, ' He locks up half his medley mefs of meat; He, for another fupper, feals the difii That holds the poor remains of beans and fift,. For ftinking fliads a private corner feeks Mix'd with the counted firings of forry 'leeks. Should he invite the wretch who begs his bread, He'd fcorn with fuch rank offals to be fed. What end is anfwer'd by this golden hoard, iTient, Witl by t o mifer flor'd ? & 101 IS hi IP ii 11 ' I: h I J 1 'i h 1 li I . .! M \U i' loa JUVENALIS SATIRA XIV, Interea pleno cum turget facculus ore, Crefcit amor nummi, quantum ipfa pecunia crefcit : Et minus banc optat, qui non habet. Ergo paratur Altera villa tibi, ciam rus non fufficit ununi, Et proferre libet fines j majorque videtur, Et melior viciha feges, Mercaris, & hunc, & Arbufta, & densa montem qui canet oliva : Quorum fi pretio dominus non vincitur ullo, No6le boves macri, laflbque famelica collo Armenta ad virides hujus mittentur ariftas ; Nee prius inde domum, quam tota novalia fsevos In ventres abeant, ut credas falcibus aftum. Dicere vix poffis, quam multi talia ploi ent, Et quot venales injuria fecerit agros. SeJ qui fermones ? Quae lagg'd, and flioulders broad difphy And Lelius' felf with wonder fl,all furvey ; I i^' P ^rigantian ftn io8 JUVKNALIS SATIRA XIV. ! I ' ;' ^ ! !: ' '! ! (■ Annotct, et or.ruies mittnir L.xliiis alas. Dime Mauionim attegias, caildla LrigaiUuni, Vt locupletcm a(]i;ilnm tibi fcxagefiimis annus Afitrat : aiit longas caftronnn fcire labores Si pi|^ct, et ticpido folvunt tibi coriuia vcntrem, Cum litiiis audita, pares, quod vciidcre pollis Plurisdiinidio, mr tcfaftidia mcicis UJIius fubcant ablegaiuioi Tibei im ultra : Nee credas ponendum aliquid difcriminis inter Unguenta, et coriuni. Lucii bonus eft odor ex re Qiialiber. Ilia tuo fententia femper in ore Verfetur, dis atque ipfo Jove digna, poeta? : Unde habeas qiiairit nemo ; fed oportet habere. Hoc monftrant vetulas pueris pofcentibus afiem ; Hoc difcunt omnes ante Alpha et Beta puella'. Talibus inftantem monitis quemcunque parenter» Sic poflem aTari : die, 6 vaniffime, quis te Feftinare jubet ? meliorem piafto magiftro Difripulum. Securus abi : vinceris, iit Ajax PrEetenit Telamonem, ut Pelca vicit Achilles. Parcendum eft teneris : nondum implevcre medullas ■ ( Nativae I f ir; ^ATIRE XIV. 109 Brigantian hnts and Moorifli cots deftoy, And a rich eagle at threcfcore enjoy. JJ^'t if the duties of the camp you fear, Jfthe loud trumpet terrify your ear, Tl^e profitable line of commerce try, And what will feli for twice its value buy; L^t not foul wares excite you,- difcontcnt, ' Tho' fit beyond the Tiber to be fcnt , • ^Vhere profit is concern'd,'ti,fooIim pride 'To think perfumes are fweeter than a hide; The fmell of lucre i. a gratefid thing, Tho' fiom abominable filth it fpring : ii-^icly the poet's maxim all may truft, " None .ueflion whence you have, but have you mufi." A fouence worthy of the pow'rs above, Nay fit to be the words of fov'reign Jove : 'Tis this the tattling nurfe repents with jov, ^^' hen jingling afes pleafe the craving boy • And little girls are taught this modem creed Before the chits their alphabet can read. To fomebafe father, teaching thus his fo„, I'^ry aloud.. Vain wretch, why ..e him o„P " Too faft he hurries, nor has need of you; " ^^'"^ ^'''^"^^'- '^^on the mafter will out do ■ " "^^ '"V''^^ Telamon excel] 'd in might ; " A. Peleus yielded to his fan in fip-ht." I ; i' 2 Ah: i.;:x! 1 I i 1 1 J, r "Ml '1 i Itil ii m i\\ M .( Hi • liii no JUVr.NAI-TS RATIRA XIV. Nativ.T mala negiiiti;c : riiin peftorc harbam Ca'perit, et long! imirioncin adniittcre niltii, Talfus eiit tclHs, vciukt pcrjui ia fiimmu KxiguA, Ccrcris taiigtas arainqiu' palemque. Elatani jam crede luirum, fi limina vcftra Mortifira cum dote fiibit. Quilnis ilia prcmelur Per fommim digitis ? Nam quuc tcnaqiie marique Arqviircnda putes, brevior via conferet illi. Nulhis enim magni fcelerls kbor. Haec ego nunquam Maiidavi, dices olim, nee talia fuafi: Et Ucvo monitu pueros prodiicit avaros; Mentis caufa mala; tamen eft et origo penes te. Nam quifquis magni census prajcepit amorem, Et qui per fraudes patrimonia conduplicare Dat libcrtatem, totas effundit habenas Curriculo ; qiiem fi revoces, fubfiftere ncfcit, Et te contempto rapitur, metifque relidis. Nemo fatis ciedit tantum delinquerc, quantum Permittas : adeo indulgent fd^i latius ipfi. Cum dicis juveni, ftultum, qui donet amico, Qui paupertatem levet, attoilatque propinqui ; £t i \'\n SATIRE XIV, III Abfiird your praaice villany to teacli, Doubt not the parent's vice his foul will reach : Soon as the manly down his chock fliali grace And tlie keen razor /kim his tender face ; At Ceres' nu'ine the perjur'd knave flmll (land, And on the goddefs' foot extend his hand : Should fome rich virgin mount his genial bed. Believe the haplefs fair already dead ; The black attempt is certain to fucceed, A finger's touch achieves the monftrous deed: Traffirk by fta and land you recommend, He learns a fliorter way to gain his end ; Small pains fuffice to make the finifli'd knave. You'll fay, fuch principles you never gave; Yet you firft bent the genius of your fon, ' The fource of all his heart and hand hav'e d nc ; For parents who to guile their children train, Who taint their tender minds with luft of gain, Who fliew them how by cheating fortunes grow, The reins at random on the chariot throw ; The driver's voice the fteeds refufe to hear, And rufli impetuous in their wild career • ' None will fo far his liberty refign, To drop the rafcal where you draw the line. % calling blockhead him who helps his friends, Or to lus poor relations prefents fends, i h I i' If I ..> Of js' gliti 117 1 . : 'If, ■ nfii ■ 'i\'\\ m m ! ■'' ' 'k ,. 1 4 ^ii A lamentable II If ill 1:1 lih-', i «'i1 zi8 JUVENALIS SATIRA XIV. Frigida fufficient velantes inguina pahni, Exiguufque cibus, mej-sfi rate naufragus aflem Dum petit, et pifta fe tempeftate tuetur. Tantis parta mails, ciira majore metuque Servantur. Mifera eft magni cuftodia censiis. Difpofitis praedives hamis vigilare cohortem Servorum iioftu Licinus jubet, attonitus pro Eleftro, fignifque fuis, Phrygiaque columna, Atque ebore, et lata teftudine. Dolia nudi Non ardent Cynici : fi fregeris, altera fiet Cras domus j kut eadem plumbo commifla manebit. Senilt Alexander, tefta cum vidit in ilia Magnum habitatorem, quanto felicior hie, qui Nil cuperet, quam qui totum fibi pofceret orbem, PaflTurus geftis aequanda pericula rebus. Nullum numen abeft, fi fit prudentia : nos te, Nos facimus, Fortuna, deam. Menfura tamen quae Sufficiat census, fi quis me confulat, edam. In quantum fitis atque fames & mgora pofcunt : Quantum, Epicure, tibi parvis fufFecit in hortis ; vn A m (Quantum I I' I 'i SATIRE XIV, A lamentable figure, rags may'ft wear, And all the pains of cold and hunger bear ; 'TV fliip^wreck'd beggar's charafter perform, And fue for ajjhs with a painted ftorm. When ills bring wealth, we fear its lofs the more ; And 'tis a wretched life to watch our ftore. His buckets plac'd in order in his hall, And guards of fervants ready at the call, Rich Licinus with pain retires to bed, His amber and his ftatues fill his head ; He pines amidft his iv'ry and his fhells, While in his pan content the cynic dwells j Break it, to-morrow he'll a ftronger find ; Or his old velTel's cracks with folder bind. When Alexander in amazement found So great a being in fo fmall a round. He felt how happier he who nought defires, Than he who for his empire worlds requires ; Who 'midft his conquefts mufr great ills fuftain ; And fliares no glory equal to his pain. All heav'n would ; vour man, if man were wife ; And thou, fool fortune, tumble from the /kies. Should I be a/k'd my judgment to relate, And iliew what makes a competent eftate ; I*ci fay ; «« As much as will from hunger fave ; ^* What Epicurus' little garden gave ; 119 % i I ' \ :',T: i 's m ii w % v\ (l (£ What Iri i- 120 JUVENALIS SATIRA XIV. Quantum Socratici cxperunt ante Penates. Nunquam aliud natura, aliud fapientia elicit. Acribus exemplis videor te claudere ; niifce Ergo aliquid noftris de moribus ; effice fummam, Bis feptem ordinibus qiiani lex dignatur Othonis. Hyec quoque fi rugam tiahit extenditque labellum, Sume duos equitcs, fac tertia quadringenta : Si nondum iniplevi gremium, fi panditur ultra; Nee Crocfi fortuna unquam, nee Perfica regna Sufficient animo, nee divitiae Narcilfi, Indulfit Caefar cui Claudius omna, cujus PajTuit imperii;? uxorem occidere juflus. h I- r i 1 i i|MI 'III m t n h SATIRE JCIV. « What made great Socrates rich, gay, and free : " Nature and wifdom never difagree." Thefe may be thought examples too fevere, Of our own mode Jet fomething then appear : Take what the Rofcian laws prefcribe for thofc, For whom are fet apart the cufliion'd rows; But if your wifhes have not reach'd their height, Take twice the value of a knight's elhte; If yet you hang your Jip, and knit your brow, Thrice that equeftrian fortune I'll allow; If fliJI you fpread your lap, and gape for more, Not all the fliining heaps of Crefus' ftore, Not the vaft Perfian empire, would you find Enough to fatisfy your boundlefs mind : Endlefs 'twould be to grant the fums you crave ; Too fmalJ the wealth of that enfranchifli'd Have,' The proud Narciflus, who his prince reprov'd. And made fond Claudius flay the wife he lov'd. 121 ODE "T" 1 ' ^ !' ^1 ) ' if : <<' ■ r\ i C 122 3 ODE r 'H- i 1 : A ^ 1 t 1 ' ^i' ] li ; 1 i, 1 1 ■i j i ' i i| Im 1 { 1 1 Ui Addrejfee a VAJfemblee Nationale de France^ I. l\\i dedans des murs de cette cit6 la gloire de la France, ou la Seine roule fes flots argentds, les amis de I'homme s'inveftifTent de leur dignity, tandifque les tyransy^ difperfent fuyant un fort ignominieux. Ces fages que la veneration entoure s'afleyent, femblablesauxdemi-dieuxde I'antiquite, Mais ces demi-dieux furent des Guerriers illuftres par leur taille & leur audace. Ceux ci font des heros pacifiques, leurs amesfont d'une trempeplus qu' humaine. I'Efclave dupou- voir fans homes voit deja s'avancer I'heure heureufe ou des niillions d'etres vont jouir d'un meilleur deftiu ^ les; nations de Tunivers attendent cette heure avec unc ardeur tremblante. Ce n'eft pas dans une plaine immenfe, parmi des cadavres dcchircs, au milieu d'un fracas efFroyable, c'eft dans Paris devenu les delices du monde, c'eft dans cette Athenes de la France polie, que la vraie gloire etablit fon fejour, deja elle a lance la verge de fer loin des borres Francaifes, pour or- ner d'un fceptre d'or la main monarque. L'hvDOcrifie f »23 ] ODE Mdrejfed to the National AJfcmbly of France. w I. ITHIN that city's walJs, of Gaul the Where Sequana devolves her fil The friends of i pride ver tide. ^man their ftate afTume, While tyrants fly a fhameful doom. Aweful the fages fit, like demi-gods of old ; But demi-gods were warriors big and bold'; Pacific heroes thefe, with minds of giant mould. The flave of law-lefs pow'r Foretells that happy hour, When millions flmll enjoy a better fate : The nations of th^ world with trembling a-dour wait. It IS not in a fpacious plain, H( 'ific with the mangled flain, But in Lutetia, fought by all, That Athens of the polifli'd Gaul, That honefi Glory takes her fland, The rod of iron hurls from Gallic land. And with a golden fceptre decks the monarch's hand. R Hy|: [Jocrifv ■1 ! i,' % a' 4 ill lli; ( ,1 i •ii ^ I -i'l *i .■ 124 QUE. Pi, I, II. L'hypocrifie aiix yeux louclies qui fe dciobc fous le dc- guifement du fage, maintcnant cpoiivantce s'cnfuit loin de fa cellule en vomilTant des imprecations. Lcs trcfors qu'ellc entafla vont rcjouVr le pauvre, et foulager une dctrefle non m<;ritce. Loin d'ici loin d'ici Fielons qui ne naliTez que pour les titles. Qui ofez infolemment mcprifer ceux qui valent mieux que vous, Race Gothique, qui ne connoifTez d'autre bonheur que celui dejouer, de yous paier, dedanfer, de folatrer. Qui ue redoutez que le travail utile, et qui affamcs chez vous, excitez des guenes pour gagner votre pain. Ho ! la noblefle Britannique eft riche et peu nom- breufe j elle n'a pasbefoin de s'abreuver de fang. Opulente et genereufe, fes trcfors aident I'etat, et foulagent la vieilleflc et I'infortune. n III. Sages pouiTuivez vos defleins et reformez lenionde. Puide le ciel ecartant tout orage confoudre Torgueil des pretres des nobles et des rois et les ccrafer eux-mcmes contre la terre. Mon imagination enflammce scmble encore s'em- brafer davantage. Emportc loin de moi au grand jour de la Confederation je vis le champ de Mars, et tout le fpefta- cle divin. Je vis 1 'ombre d' Alfred portce fur le fein de I'air orageux, monte fur un char aerien il voloit. Son char etoit ODE. »25 II. Hypocrify, with leering eyes, That hirks beneath the faint's difguife, Scar'd from her ceJI, with curfes flies: Her hidden ftores tl And eafe iii le poor fliall blefs. inmerited difti Down, down, ye drones, Wh efs. to titles born, proudly dare your betters fcor •n Ye Gothic tribe, whofe greateft joy Is but to game, to drefs, to dance, to toy ; Who nought but ufeful labour dread, And, flarving when at home, raife wars to gain your bread. Lo ! Britain's nobles, rich and few. Need not in blood their hands imbrue : Largely they give, as largely they receive; Their treafures aid the Hate, and age and want relieve. III. Pioceed ye fages, and the world reform. May heav'n avert the threaten 'd ftorm j The pride of monarchs, nobles, priefts, confound, And dafh them to the ground. Still my tranfported fancy feems to glow ; For, on the great confederation-day, In trance ecftatic as I lay, I faw the field of Mars, and all the god-like fliew : I faw the fhade of Alfred there, Borne on the bofom of the ftormy air ; R * Mounted 'I ill! ■iUl ll ■ ■ ia6 ODE. !l '■ etoit trainc par deux aigles blancs, il contcmploit avec ravilTement rAflcmblee augufte exalt^e dans la plaine i jamais ctlcbre. It voyoit millc Alfreds unis pour la mcme caiife, pour hrifer le-J chaincs de TcCprit luimain, pour aflranchir, inftruire, et relevcr rhumaaiitc avilie. '!il< 'i IV. Que rori dccore d'une couronne civique le front de chacun de ces grandb hommes. Jeunc Anion ou font main- tenant tes lauriers? Qu'on oubJie dCformals tou$ tes ex- ploits, ton paflage du Granique, les campagnes de Syrie que tu abreuvas de fang pour enfuite vivre en infenfe . t mourir en ivrogne. Loin d'ici Tyran trop fuluifant de la race Julienne, dont Tame jaloufe ne put foufFrir les regards Altiers d'un rival, et qui craignis par dt-fTus tout de voir briiler la pourpre imp6riale fur un citoyen dont les facultes ctoient infcrieures aux tiennes : Oh ! ks heros patriotes que Rome produifit dans des terns reculcs ne furent pas tels que toi. lis ne connurent point la fatale ambition, on ne les vit point comme des betes f^roces hifiv leur patrie g6- mifTante et en dcchirer le Sein. Mais malgre tout ton art' feduifant, le poignard atteignit le cccur du traitre, et Ic chauve aprcs s'etre ennivre d'un orgueil infenfe, tinit par xiager dans fon fang, Achevcz ODE, Mounted on his aerial car he ffew ; His car two milk-white eagles drew j With rapture he iurvey'd the venerable train, £xalted in the fplendid plain ; A thoufand Alfreds in one caufe combin'd, To break the fl.ncklcs of the human mind,' To fuccour, blefs, inform, and dignily mankiiid. IV. Orace with the civic crown each worthy's brow. Young Amnion, where are all thy laurels now ? Be thy glories hence forgot; The pafTage of the Granic flood, The fields of Syria drench 'd in blood. To live a madman, and to die a fot. Hence, fpecious tyrant of the Julian line, Whofe jealous fpirit could not brook A rival's lofty look ; But fear'd to fee imperial purple fhinc, On one whofe pow'rs were flioit of thine ; Not fuch the patriot chiefs that Rome once bo,-e : To damn'd ambition ftrangers they ; They feized not, like fell bcafls of prey, Their groaning counti-y, nor her bowels toi-e : But, fpite of all thy pleafmg art, The dagger reach 'd the traitor's heart, And the bald fool of pride 1 127 :1 ! f : m III I:' lay welt'rjng in his gor< '11 if f 1 1; 'll{; m^ 128 ODF. V. Achevez votre ouvrage, immortels phiJantropes. Le foible ne commandra plus aux forts. Je vois revivre les tribunaux domeftiques, des femmes artificieufes n'afpireiont plus h I'empire, rhomme qui s'etoit oublie va rentrer dans fes droits long-terns perdus, car lafemme avoit ufurpe la domi- nation fur lui par la futilite de fa parure, par un langage enchanteur que fes yeux exprimerent, die I'avoit plonge dans la folic, et enchaine a fon obeiHance. Un amour deregle avoit infefte le pays. La [politefle Fran^aife ne confiftoit plus qu*a flatteries femmes. Celles-ci facrifioient leur vertu a la paflion de dominer. Cette mode funejie s'etoit repandue par toute I'Europe, et la lubricite elevant fa tete de hydre avoit fouffle fon poifon mortel fur toutes les nations d'alentour. i^ : ■ m m 'a WM- VI. Mais les jours de Saturne reviennent, les fages amis de la patrie s'aflemblent. Brulant de la fainte flamme de la gloire pacifique ils preflent tout ce qui eft jufte tout ce qui eft grand. Oui, la fimplicite va renaitrc, la modefte Venus tiendra en- core une foi? fa cour. On n'abufera plus du mariage. I'hommc devcnu lui mcmc dcdaignera des fpedacles digues tout ODE. 129 Ye great philanthropies, go on, Till all the work be clone. . The weak fliall rule the ftrong no more; I fee domeftic tribunals revive ; Induftrious wives no more for empire ftrive, But to emafculated man his long-lofl rights reftore : For woman bad ufurp'd his fway. And by the mummery of drefs, And language which bright eyes exprefs, Could facinate the fool and bring him to obey : Promifcuous love infefted all the land ; To flatter females was politnefs deem'd, Adult'rous commerce gallantry efleem'd, And woman gave up virtue to obtain command : The Gallic mode thro' Europe fpread, Lewdnefs rear'd its hydra head, And on the nations round its deadly poifon flied. I I VI. But now Saturnian days return ; The patriotic fages meet ; They urge whate'er is good, whate'er is great, And with the gentle flame of peaceful ^lory burn. Again fimplicity fliall rife, ag^in The modeft Venus hold her reign. No i'" li 1 n;i!;' 130 ODE. tout au plus d'amufer Tenfance. La jeune fiUe que la flat- terie entouroit n'entendra plus la douce abfurditc foufflee a fon oreille. Mais les deux fexes ch(\ lac Ions of Gaul, ODE, I lit 1 M* ' i: 1:1 j; :>' > i ■I [ »32 ] lifi.l p (il ^ii I'l ODE Aih-cJJec a Vautttir inconnu des Lemons a un Jeune Prince. I. T -«• OI, que Ton diftlngue panni les chefs de cette ;i»m^e intrcpide qui commeiKja la guerre de la raifon, je te falue, puilTant Herculc de la philofophie, le ciel te fit naitre pour dompter a Icuf tour Ics tyrans foulant aux pieds les droits de rhonime; et ton ame revoltce des maux de I'epcce humaine doit avoir re9u une empreinte divine. Sans doute il dtoit glorieux de voir jadis des princes pompeufement dccorcs fuyant ii travers la pouffiere Olympique. Mais le regard du fage dcdaignant la magnificence des Rois, fe d($tourne pour fe repofer fur Ariftide noblement jufte. Oui tu es auffi jufte auffi grand (^u' Ariftide. Et Thunianite couronne ta vertuu Mais n'as tu pascraint de fouiller ta plume, en tracjant les foiblefles des hommes du pouvoir ? Ton g^nie n'a fait que f '32 ] ODE ! i que Mreje^ to the unknon^n Author of Lejfons to a You. »g Prince. I. AiAIL, mighty leader of the van Of that brave hoft, who reafon's war began ; Herculean fage, whom Providence decreed ' To quell the tyrant breed, That trample on the rights of man : To feel for all thy race is godlike M'orth indeed. Glorious was the fight of old, Splendid princes to behold, Flying through Olympic dul! ; But the philofophic eye Splendid princes pafles by. To gaze on Ariftides nobly juft; Yet thou art nobly juft as he. And crown'il thy juflice with humanity. II. But why did 'ft thou defile thy pen, To trace the weaknefles of powerful men ? S a Tl \t WM i5i::i^. !! lii I \ I If; 1 i ; ii ( , ill 1,1 '<; ! nil !'»! !' 1! 134 ODE. que les clTaroucher ; peut-ctre en cpargnant les grands on eut pu les changer. Oh ! que tu as bien plus utilement em- ploye tes heures, lorfque, cvitant desdifcufiions ennuyeufes, tu deploi'es ii nosyeux for: i' , -mhlcriic:, intereflans la route facile qui mdne ii Tart de • .ner les hommes ! C'en eft fait. Les reflbrts frauduleux de la politique font devoilcs, et nous ne voyons plus qu' avec mepris ces hommes qui voudroient encore intimider et aiTervir les ames foibles. Monarques, que des courtifans impies adoi-ent plus que Dieu meme, et vous puiflans de I'etat h qui les roisprodiguent les titres de trcs-honorables rougiffez enfin. RougilTez aufli vous pretres qui vous etes charges d'interpreter les volorites celeftes ; I'cclat de la gloire d'AU fred vous aneantit tous. III. A ce nom d'Alfrcd nion ame me femble tout en feu, rcx?il demon imagination voit fa figure augufte, fonfccptre, fa couronne, fa robe Breton .. de couleui- d'azur, tandifque tout fon peuple fe range au tour de lui, comme des enfans au tour de leur pere. Quoique regnant dans un ficcle bar- bare, il fut faire fa cour aux doftes foeurs. It devint un iegiflateur divin, et par lui la fcrocite Gothique fut changce en douceur Athenienne. Monarques, d'ou cient votre demence ? Quel vice a pu corrompre vos ames ? Ah n'emportez plus au tombeau I'cxecration des humains. Honorez I'homme jufte, recompenfez le brave, et concevez tju'un homme veriueux ne peut jamais dcvenir efclavcw Bretons, ODE. ^35 Thy wit ierves only to offend ; Better to fpare the great, and hope the great will mend : More profitably far thy hours are fpent, When thou, without a tedious clew, By diagrams iay'ft open to our view, An eafy way, that leads to government : Each fraudful art is now explain'd j With fcorn we fee weak minds to fear and flavery train'd. Blufli kings, whom courtiers more than God adore, Blufli lords, whom kings right honourable call, Blufli prieft., impow'r'd heav'n's myftVies to explore, The bia^e of Alfred's fame annihilates you all. 1; )l!l I ■ i'lf If 'jillilj mi ! ! ill, III III. At Alfred ?s name my fpiiits feem on fire. With fancy's eye his princely form I view, The fceptre, crown, and Britifh robe of blue. While all his people hang, like children, round their fire- Though reigning in a barb'rous age, He woo'd the tuneful nine ; And, grown a law-giver divine, Turn'd to Athenian mildnefs Gothic rage. Ye monarchs, whence the lliipor in your fouls > What vice your intelka controls ? Sink not with curfes to the grave; lifteem the good, reward the bi-ave, And learn, a virtuous mnn rnn never make a flave. Glow ill i ' ' ii t' I ' iii m t I: ill -5 136 ODE. IV. Bretons, vos coeurs ne s'embrafent-ils pasquand vous lifez le livre dece grand homme ? Contemplez le plan admirable d*Alfred, et fachez que le pouvoir des Rois vient des hom- mes, et non de Dieu. Les Bretons divifcs par dizaines nommoient leur chefs, Ceux-ci en nommoient d'autres pour gouverner les centaines ; ces derniers cr^oient des cberifj pour gouverner les comtes. *Le Michle-Ghemot dominoit fur tout. Ce Michle-Ghemot couronnoit le plan d'Alfred, et le yeoman quoique fansarmoirie n'oublioit pas qu'il 6toit homme. Si le Payfan futcompte pour rien, il n'en put accufer que la tyrannic de ion Baron. Les pretres il eft vrai furent independans du trone. Mais quel mortel eut ofe entreprendre d'abaifler le Sacerdoce dont la coupe empoifonnoit les Rois, et dont les anathemes damnoient le yulgaire. l!;l il m 3 ; if ■ I' r '. ' 1 i'' !! V. Brave mortel, tu ne peux voir fans raviifement une nation rivale s'agitant pour devenir libre. Qiie les tyrans et leurs cfclaves empl.oyent toute leur puiflance pour ecrafer les bourgeons naiflans de la liberte et du bonheur public, de veritables philofophes rougiroientd'attaquer meme un enne- Xni s'il tft opprime ; ils font ardens, ils font humains, au dela • Terme Saxon ^ui fignifie Grande Aflemblee, ou fi Ton veut Af- femblee Nationals. mcme ODE. w IV. Glow not your hearts, ye Britons, when you look In this great fage's book ? - Contemplate Alfred's admirable plan, And know, the pow'r of kings is not from God, but man : The tythings yearly rulers chofe, From many tythings hundreds rofe, Rieves were eledled counties to control. The mickle-ghemot tow'r'd above the whole ; The mickle-ghemot crown'd great Alfred's plan, And ev'ry creftlefs yeoman felt himfcif a man : If the poor peafant pafs'd for nought, Twas the tyrannic baron's fault ; If priefts claim'd independence on the crown, Who could attempt to pull the priefthood down, Whofe cup could kill the king, whofe fentence damn th. clown ? if* u V. Brave man, thou can'ft with rapture fee A rival nation ftruggling to be free : Let tyrants and their flaves their pow'rs employ, To kill the buds of liberty and joy ; To wound a foe opprefs'd, the truly great difdain, Beyond the patriot fervent and humane ; He I fl! 11}' HI 'S8 ODE. mcme du ' iiiotc. Cclui-ci boinc tons fcs vaiix a voir ill patrie heureufe. Mais ton amc magnanime ne pent ctre satisfaite d'aiicun fentiment s'il n'a pour objet Ic boiiheur du genre humaincnticr. Oh ! fi ton corps ainfiqiie ta penfco poiivoit prendre un cfl'ort, et aller chercher d'aiitres mondes, fi portc fur I'aile rapidc des vens tu pouvois t'clancci' au travers de I'ether, a la fuite dcscomctes, parcourirle Zodi- aque et la vole lac^ec, fi dans ta courfe tu voyois quelqiie trace de i'aftiicc et du defpotifme des rois, oui ton voeu feroit de prccipiter Ics tyrans du haut de leurs trones ctoilcn et de laifler le bonheur dans tons Ics mondes habitcs. ! t^ VI. Oh I fi mon cceur pouvoit fentlr comme le ticn, fi men ame pouvoit s'embrafer des mcmes tranfports, ravi du vafte dcfiein de fixer ici-bas le bonheur et la libertc, de faire croitre des baunies ct des fleurs, dans des lieux ou naiflentles poifons et les herbcs maiignes, combien je dcdaigncrois ces liommes laches et has, toujours friftieux, jamais fitlcles, foit qu'ilsparoiflentles partifans des Rois, foitqu'ils fe difent les amis des peuples ! Ces hommes qui, femblablcs aux nimphes errantes pendant la nuit, s'en vont vendant leurs faveurs, ct Hlfetftent le langage desanges pour mieux parveair h leur but. ODE. '39 He to his country's int'ieft is confin'd ; But nought befits thy mighty mind, That teems not with delight to all the human kind O! if thy body, like thy foul, could foar. And other worlds explore; Could'ft thou beftride the bJuft'ring gale, Or flioot through either in the comet's tail, And, in the zodiac, or the milky-way, Find king -craft and defpotic fvvay. Tyrants would from their flarry thrones be hurl'd. And ev'ry race be blefl, that dwell in ev'ry worJd.^ V. O ! could my bofom feel like thine, My foul with equal tranfport glow, Enraptur'd with the vaft dcfian Of fixing liberty and peace beJow ; Of planting balms and iiow'rs, where weeds and poifons grow ; How would I fcorn the narrow-minded crew, Ever factious, never true, Whether the monarch's or the people's friends; Who, like the nymphs that nightly rove, Proflitute for hire their love, And fpeak wi,I, angek' ,o„gucs, to fc.-ve thei.- private en*. '^ But If lill 140 ODE. but. Une libertc egoifte eft une illufion. Non, jamais la liberty ne nous rendra heurtux, fi Tamour de I'humanitd neremplit nos ames. Ciel Propice, avec la libcrtc Angloifc accorde moi le plus pr^cieux de tes dons, donne-moi la plus aimable dcs vertus, la fenfibilit^. Oh ! attendris, humanifc mon caur. Fais quil faigne h I'afpeft de linfoi tune d'au- trui, et qu'il la vue de la France devenue libre, il s'abimc dans un torrent dc Joie. 1 1 1 1 1 1 ii f -1 'i 11 1" i " ' -h ODE M', ODE. 141 But felfifli freedom is a jeft ; Freedom cannot make us bleft, Unlefs the love of man poOefs the breaft. With Britifh liberty, indulgent heav'n, To me thy better grace be giv'n, That lovelieft virtue, Charity bcftow ; O ! humanize my heart, to bleed at others' woe, And for emancipated Gaul witii floods of joy o'er-flow. ODE H' f i'"' il' i'l £ 142 ] ODE AdreJJee a Louis Seize Roi des Fran^ais. I. vJRAND Louis, I'objeft particulier des foins celeftes, toi qui reunis les plus douces veitus qui font le charme d'un fiecle eclaire et poli, mortel le plus heureux de tous ceux qui portent le fceptre, la loyaute de ton coeur eft pour toi une fource intariflable de gloire, et les peuples te procla • ment leur monarque et leur pere. Qu'a gagnc la France, ou qu'ont gagne fes Rois, en foutenant leur puiflance par la force des armes ? La guerre et la famine defolerent le peuple, et le prince regna au fein de la triftefle et du deuil. Le monde eft une vafte republique, le zele du patriote lui eft fbuvent funefte. Mais qu' entens-je ? La trompette d'airain retentit, quelle eftcette foule d'hommes quivontet viennent tout couverts d'un acier brillant ? Mars s'eft re- veille, les drapeaux font dcploycs — aux armes, aux armes— exterminons les nations — le patriole alTaffine pour faire le bien de fa patrie. Vidoire, trioniphe. Qu'on apporte la rccompenfc I H3 ] ODE m : iiiiii Addrejfedto Lewis the Sixteenth, Kivg of the French. h VJREAT Lewis, heav'n's peculiar care, Born with the mildeft virtues, which engage A polilh'd and enlighten'd age, Happieft of all who fceptres bear, Thy meeknefs fliall increafe of honour bring, And all thy people hail their father and their king. What hath Gaul or Gaul's kings gain'd, ^y pow'r with arms maintain'd ? The people ftarv'd and bled, the monarch mourn'd and reign'd. The world is one great commonweal, And bainful of the patriot's zeal : Hark ! the brazen trumpets blow; Glitt'ring in fleel, what numbers come and go • Mars is rous'd, Rome's eagles fly; To arms, and let the nations die ; The m Ji n m lii 1 ! I ! I I ' a : I !| I 144 ODE. rc'compcnfe du vainqueur — des cadavres ennemis fervent de pature aux vautouis — et le marinier plonge fes ramcs dans des flots de fang humain. II. Mais a prcfent tout eft change. L'airain martial fera dc- formais inutile ; Louis tu gouvernerasen paix, Grand Prince puifll' Ton rcgne ctie de longue durce, et puifle ta gloire aller toujourscroiflant. Le commerce et le credit renaitront, les manufactures et les beaux arts profpcreront. Que les tyrans s'exercent ii exceller dans I'art de la guerre. Alfred penfa et gonverna bien ; ctudie fon fyftcme que peu de morttls jufqu'ici ont compris, cefyfi^mc qui refpire wnthgt^s vraiment royale. Un art divin qui dompte la volonte, et corrige le coeur — im art qui rend les peuples heureux par- ccqu'il los rend bons. Le patricien regencre, et qui n'ctoit plus que I'efclave fier et fuperbe des rois et de la beaute, quittera le baibare metier du foldat, et transformera fon fer aflaffin en foe de charue. Alors tandifque le vigneron taillera la vigne, aflis fousdespampresentrelafsesilcareflera fur fes genoux fon fils encore enfant, il lui racontera les vidloires fanglantes que gagnerent les Bretons; il lui dira comment ODE. HS The patriot murders for his country's good : Jo triumphe ! bring the viftoi'ii meed; Barbarian carcaires the vultures feed, And feamen dip their oars in tides of human blood. ::n * ,., 1 II. But now the martiai brafs fliall ceafe, Lewis, thou flialt rule in peace ; Long be thy reign, great prince, and ftiU thy fame encreafe : Commerce and credit {hall revive, The finer arts improve, and manufactures thrive. The tyrant may in war ex-el; But Alfred thought, and govern 'd well : His fyftem iearn, which few have underftood : A princely /kill, a godlike art. Which tames the will, and mends the heart ; An art, which makes us blefl, becaufe it makes us good. The fall'n patrician, proud and brave, Royalty's and beauty's Have, Shall quit the foldier's barb'rous trade. And to a plough-fiiaie turn the murd'iing blade; Then, while the dreffer prunes the vine, Carefling on his knee his little fon, There the wide-fpreading branches twine, Shall \ ,1.' ii 13 ; i Ih.l \ i: : , ! I 5 II 111 I 146 ODF. comment Jes Rois ambitieux de la France furent humiJics, ct comment la France elle mcme vit le moment de fa ruine, III. Les femmes dont la franchife et la rcferve ctoient des vertus faftlces, qui employoient mille artifices perfides pour captiver les cceurs inconftens les femmes, qui, toujours en- nivrees d'amour et de volupt6, uniquement orcupces de etude des modes et des graces— ne charmoient que par les couleurs empruntces de leur vifage, et par I'afFec- tation d'une demarche femillante delicate et lcg(a la feule penf6e de verfer le fang de vos freres. Soldat, dans quelque pays que tu foit ne, abhore de forger des fers a ta patrie ; fois I'ami de la paix et de la liberte; mais quand une fois la trompette martiale aura retenti, vole et defens avec zele la caufe pa- triotique ; a des adions heroiques oppofe des adions plus heroiques encore, furpafletoi toi meme, difperfe tes ennemis, alors maitre de la viftoire, que ton chant de triomphe foit celui-ci. J'ai vaincu j j'ai obei a la nation, a la loi, et au roi. Le ODE. What woe-worn fpeftres I furvey ! Rais d from the dungeons of defpair, » They faint, on breathing purer air, And grope, confounded at the flafli of day, Like faiJors in a florm, when forked light'nings play. II. To you, brave men, the praife is due ; Gaul her freedom owes to you : A great, a glorious change I fee ; Warriors can ferve, and yet be free ; The rugged fons of Mars have Jearnt philanthrophy : FaJfe honour's call your noble hearts withftood, And fhudder'd at the thought of fliedding' kindred blood. Thou, man of war, wherever born, To forge thy country's fetters fcorn ; Of peace and freedom be the friend ; But when the martial trumpet blows. With zeal the patriot caufe defend ; Bold deeds with bolder deeds oppofe ; Then, then be more than man, and terrify thy foes : The battle won, this fong of triumph fing ; « lconquer\li I obefd the nation, la^v,, and king r X 2 j.jg ^S7 m I H :■ m wx\ I5S ODE. B ! -v! III. Le mortel qui combat pour un tyran eft a la fois un infenfc et un fcelerat ; quand fcs compatriotes auront perdu tous leurs droits, quel bras pourra le defendre lui meme de I'ignoiTiinie ; le malheureux, il deviendra bientAt a fon tour !a vidime de ce meme tyran. En vain il s'affligera, il ira fe perdre dans la tombe fans emporter les regrets de perfonne. Les tigres ne font point la guerre aux tigres, les ours vi- vent en paix avec les ours. Mais les rois fuperbes defhon- orent leur nailfance, ils voudroient baflement retrecir jufqu'a !a penfce dc rhomme, et deviennent furieux fi leurs femblables font libres. Le bon roi des Fran^ais eft digne de regner ; humain, loyal, et genereux il cherira fon peuple, et fontiendra la caufe de fon pays. Oh ! fi les dieux cedant aux voeux audacieux d'un mortel tel q\ie moi, m*ac- cordoient un eiupire a mon choix, la couronne Fran^aife pourroit feule flatter mon ambition, elle feule vaudroit a mes yeux la couronne du monde. .,) ii: I IV. Vertueufe France, dont le foldat meme eft piiilofophe, aujonrd'hui <;chappi'e si tous les dangers, quel exemple fu- blime M'i ODE, »59 III. He, who for a tyrant fights, A6ls the fool as well as knave : When his com-patriots lofe their rights, What arm from fliame himfelf can fave ? His delegated pow'r Is loft in one unlucky hour ; Unpitied he repines, and finks into the grave. Tigers war not with their race ; Bears with brother bears agree : But haughty kings their birth difgrace. Meanly human minds debafe And rage to find their fellow-men are free : Gaul's good king is fit to reign, Eafy, gentle, and humane : He fliall his people love, his country's laws maintain. O ! fhould the Gods a realm decree, To one of daring hopes like me. And bid me on my choice decide ; The Gallic crown alone could footh my pride ; The Gallic crown would balance thofe of all the world befide. lilt u ll .' ■ I M iin iljS, 3i!: if IV. Wife Gaul, efcip'd from mis'ry's brink, Whofe very foldiers think. A great 4|ii i i w Ilii 1 60 ODE. blime t;: donnes a quelques fibres nations d'anlentour, dont les arnues fcroces, plongccs dans Ja plus profonde ignor- ance, indigncs nume de la paye qu'elles recjoivent, ne coa- ^ noiflent que dcs plaifirs dignes des barbares ? Qu'on leur ordonne d'aller txrafer leur patiie dcja opprimce, on les vena rourir tcte haWce fans raifonner : et fi le pretre fe joint au monaiquc, il n'y aura pas de forfait que ces bar- barcsaVent horreur de comniettre. Qu'on leur rommande d'afTaHiner leur femmes, d'an-acher la vie aux auteurs de Jeursjouis, animcs d'une entrcpiditc infenfue, cgarcs par line phrcncfie religieufe ils croiront que le chemin des en- fcrs eft la route la plus fure qui mcne au ciel. < \ 'i t V. Oh, fi de tels foldats, indignes de marcher fur le fol Fran^nis, ofoient jamais en franchir les bornes, puifll-nt-ils a travers les lueurs des brafiers cternels voir foudain les ombres de leurs peres; ou plutot, O France, enfcigne leur comment des efclaves peuvent devenir libres; et fi les mal- heureux refufcnt de voir la iunn'ere, O France, ne crains p:is do les icrafer, car Ifs laches tcnteroicnt de t'airaffiner toi meme. Nations infortuntes qui vous laillcz couduire com- me de vils troupeaux par des rois orgueilleux, ou par des prctres plus orgueilleux encore. Vous ne connoiOez plus d'autre maxime que I'obciirance paffive ; pour eux vous en- durea ODE. i6i A great example thou haft fet, To fome proud nations round ; WJiofe armies wafte the mite they get, In brutal pleafures drown 'd ; UnhumanizM, and funk in ignorance profound : Bid them their injur'd country crufli, They reafon not, but on they rufli : And if the prieft the monarch aid, At horrors they are undifmay'd ; Bid them afraffinate their wives, Or rob their parents of their lives, The dauntlefs fools, by holy frenzy driv'n, Would think the road to hell the fureft ^vay to heav'n." V. If fuch an army Gaul invades. Too vile to tread on Gallic grouiitl, Soon may they fee their fathers' (hades, In the dim glare of light profound : Shew them how flaves may foon be free ; But if the blockheads will not fee, Crudi them, intrepid Gaul, or they will murder th.e. O, wretched nations ! led, like henih, By haughty kings, or haughtier prieHs, Pallive obedience is your creed ; For them you flarve, for them you bleed ; n If ^. I: J ' If f'Mi I And, l62 ODE. :7 1) > »' ht ■ ' Hi ijiii I- durez la famine, vous verfez votre fang pour eux, ainii, malgre la raifon divine qui vous infpiroit, 6touflant dans leur naiflance les fentimens les plus gcncreux, vous vous ^tes a la fin etourdies vous m£mes, jufqu'au point de ne plus fentir qu'on vous opprime. VI. Floriflante Bretagne, rivages heureux, ou les rois et le» pretres ne peuvent plus tromper, ou les efprits 6clair6s ne prenent plus le menfonge pour la verit6, ne refpefteront plus que re qui eft digne d'etre refpefte, et n'honoreront les rois et les pretres, qu'autant que ceux-ci ne s'ecarteront pas du fentier de la vertu, O Bretagne, dans tes plaines, dans tes campagnes fertiJes, fouverain maitre de lui meme le laboureur eft roi ; tandis-qu'ailleurs il gemit vaflal af- fugetti fous un defpote avide qui lui accorde a peine les premiers moyens de I'exiftence, et I'enchaine h la terre, comme il renferme dans un pare le troupeau que Ton tond pour enrichir ce tyran qui calcule ainfi fon opulence fur la multitude des betes qu'il engraifle, et lur le nombre des hommes qu"il afFame. O France ! trois fois heureufe, fais revivrc non ce fiecle fabuleux des poetes, mais le vrai fiecle d'or. C*eft de la c^lebre Albion que tu re^us le plan divin que tu pourfuis : avant que le vice fut venu ternir I'^clat de fa conftit-Jtion, elle etoit floriflante fous k rcgne d' Alfred et de la verUi. Et fa grandeur eut a jamais effac6 la gloire et Ode. 163 And, tho' with godlike reafon bleft, Each gen'rous thought is flifled in the breaft, Till brutaliz'd you fink, nor know you are opprefl. VI. DiftinguiHi'd Britain ! happy fliore! XVhere kings and priefls can cheat no more ; Where open'd minds miflake not faJfe for true ; But fhew refpea where raoft refpeft is due ; And honour kings and priefts alone who virtue»spaths purfuej In thy rich fields and flow'ry plains, Lord of himfelf the peafant reigns; While fomethe vaflals of proud maflers live, Whofe av'rice fcarce the means of life will give ; Nay fome, like flieep within their pen. To lands are fix'd, for lords to fleece ; Who profper by the vaft increafe Of pamper'd hogs, and famifli'd men. Thrice happy Gaul ! the golden age renew; Not the poetic, but the true ; From Albion's honourM ifle the heav'nly plan you drew j Ere yet her Hate corruption ftain*d. When virtue bloom'd, and Alfred reign'd : X Glorioup 1 m ■ V hi; 1^4 ODE. m M % V '. I ' n I I \\ lij ■ill ^1 et de Rome et d'Athenes, fi Tenfant *batard d'Arlette eut ete fuffoquie dans le Sein de fa mere. VII. Magnanimes foldats, fages et vertueux Fran9ais, qui che- riflez le roi, mais qui deteftez le tyran, qui avez • pr6fcrer Ja felicite des peuples, a la pompe du monarque, oh ne met- tez pas toutes les vifions an rang des chofes vaines, — ecoutez le fonge de votre poete ; j'ai vu lesportes de I'enfer s'ouvrir, j'ai vu une foule de, furies s*clancer de fon fein, les chefs portoient les fymboles de la fpiendeur royale, tandifque des iimulacres de nobles fe difperfoieni an milieu d'elles ; mais rien n'egaloit la fureui' d'une certaine cohorte que je crus etre la cohorte dis pretres, dans les tranfports de leur rage ils rouloient des yeux pleins de feu, couroient 9a et la en fecouant leurs torches ardentes, pouiTant des hurlemens, et faifant des contorfions effroyables, ils aanoncoint ies in- cendies, la defolation, la deftruftion, et la mort, aux mor- tels audacieux qui embraflant la doftrine de la libert6, n'afpirent a rien moins en reformant le monde, qu'a faire oublier qu'il y eut jamais eu un enfer. Tout ce-ci ne fut qu'un fonge. Mais n'a-t'on pas vu des fongs fe verifier ? Les rois, les pretres, et les nobles font vos ennemis naturels: mais la Bretagne jamais ne concourraa reforger vos chaines, • GuilL-;ume le conq[uerant» h "ft ODE. 165 Glorious ftill had been her doom, Beyond the fame of Greece or Rome, Had ArJette's fpurious child been ftrangled in the womb. VII. Ye gallant foldiers, fage, enlighten'd Gauls, IVho love the king, the tyrant hate ; Prompt to prefer, when pity calls, The blifs of millions to the monarch's flate ; Attend ; nor vifions idle deem ; Hear, O hear ! your poet's dream : Methought the gates of hell were open 'd wide, And out a thoufand Furies flew ; Their leaders wore the marks of legal pride, IVhile fome like nobles ilruck my view ; But, fierce above the reft, appear'd a prieft-like crew. With their rolling eye-balls glaring, With their brandifli'd torches flaring, Prancing to their horrid yell. Loud they menac'd conflagration. Death, deftruftion, extripation, To that execrable race. Who, freedom's doftrines durft embrace. And by reforming man, afpir'd to ruin hell. This was a dream ; but may not dreams prove true ? Kings, priefts, and nobles muft be foes to you : i;l I I it' ' 9' 11 ii 1 66 ODE. la Br»5tagne abhore le ('efpotifmc. George retrarr a nos yeux le tableau dts pius donees vertiis, et la race gcncreufe des Chatams doit ch6rir le genre hiimnin : maisfi jamais un ininiftre t^m^raire, quelle que foit fa naiflancc, ofoit ron- cevoir un fi infiimc projet. il r;:> itcroit contrc lui la ven- geance de la nation, ct fcroit plongd dans fa difgrace. ODE I I ODE. 167 Yet Britain will not forge you>- chains ; Britain defpotifm difdains ; In George we all the gentlcfl virtues trace ; And Chatham's gen'rous blood miift love the human race : Should feme rafh minifter, whate'er his ii;ie, Harbour fuch a bafe defign, •Twould roufe the nation's wrath, and plunge him in difgrace. 'I, • ODE I Jhd [ i68 ] 114 mt ODE POUR LE 14ME DE JUILLET, 1791, m 1 ■ ■ i^ '■': r i ! \r 1 :i ■■■[ W it Jour Annlvcrj aire dc la Te deration Franfaifc en ijgo,ctdela Prife de la Bajlilk en 1 789. X- -i Z 2 O (hame I "74 ^■i: ODE. IV. O honte ! O douletn! Pouiquoi faut-il que la terre pro- duife des moiiftres d<;naturcs ! Dans ce moment meme s'^levent, a mes yeux, les fpedcres horribles des tyraiis—le ftirieux Cortez, I'alFieux Pizzare, le cruel Almagre, ces tigres, alt^r6s de fang humain, immolent hoiiteufement & fans piti6, des millions de viaimes. Ma.s qui pent fou tenir la vv.e de I'execrable Di Luc, ce pontife infatiable, cet abfurde thtiophage, qui juroit fur fon dieu de nager dans For & dans le fang! Ah! dctournous les yeux de ces horreurs, & contemplons plutot ces regions fortun<;es, o\i, juftes appreciateurs des vrais biens, des mortels g6- nereux ne foupirent qu'aprcsla liberie, & laiflent aux ames oi-dinaires, le delir inimoderd des richeflls. H V. C'eft aujourd' hui le grand, I'heureux jour, dans lequel la France a brife fes fers, &c affurc fa felicitc. Exalte par cet eifort fublime, le Genie prend Teflbr, il s'claiice, il fe tranfporte dans ces terns fortunes, ou les myriades qui peu- plent toutes les parties du monde habitable, viendiont of- frir leurs encens a I'autel de la liberie ; ou Paris fera re- gards r ill ODE. *7S M2 IV. O (hamc! O j^iiof! that earth Should jrive inliumaii iiionfltTS birth ! E'en now, I)cf"ore my wakiiiir fves The iorins of tyrants rife ; Cortcz, whofc- heart the furies fearM, Pizzaro, with a fiend-Uke frown, AlmagroaJI with hJood befnicarM, Their naked vitftims mowiiijr ijown : But O ! what eye the fiirht i an brook Of that infernal priert Di Luc, Who eat his God, and, eating, fwore, To roil in gold, and wade in goic ? Fancy, (ioni hoi-rors turn away. All Gallia's happy fliores beh >ld ; Her gen'rous fons for freedom ]>ray, And leave to vulgar fouls the thirft of gold. V. This is the great, aufpicious morn, When Gaul performed her work divine : How many nations, yet unborn, Shall inccn , demi gods wlio dwelt in GauJ ! Hi m ■ EVi) I, tp m 176 ODE. garde, avec raifon, comme le berceau de la vertu j et ou on s'entretiendra des demi-dieux, qui vecurent jadis dans cctte heureufe contr^fi. Aiijourd'hui meme, fes illiiftres habitants ont q'lelque rhofe de divin ; car certainement, ils ont vne puiflTance plus qu' humaine, ces Etres favorifes, que Jupiter a choifis dans fa fagefle, pour montrer aux hommes le chemin de la Hberte, dont il veut qu'ils jouifTent touts un jour. Elle eft defcendue du ciel cette flamme glorieufe : ce rayon divin illuniinera touts les efprits ; un enthoufiafme facre Ciiibrafera toutes les ames, & la lumi^re la plus vive fe rcpandra rapidement d'un bout du rnonde jufqu' a I'autre. $ ^j.'-i VI. Les hommes refTemblent aux dieux, quand un efprit de paix & de fraternite en raflemble des millions : animes de cet efprit, des millions fe font raflembles fur les rives deli- cicufes de la Seine : un fentiment divin les a rcunis, & ce meme fentiment leur a fait jurer : de ne cefler jamais, de fe difputer le prix de la vertu ; de vivre libres, ou de mourir de meme. Heureufe France ! le demon de I'ambition ne tourmentera plus tes paifibles habitants: il ne ravagera plus ces plaines fuperbes on la nature &c I'induftrie concour- ent a I'envi a augmenter leurs jouiflances, ce demon cruel, qui a dcpeuple tant de nations, & devafti tant de royaumes ; qui ODE. 177 E'en now her fons like gods appear; For more than human pow'rs have they, Whom Jove, decreeing fieedom here, Hath fingled out to lead the way. From heav'n it came, The glorious flame ; The ray divine On all fliall fliine ; Enthufiaftic ardour fire the foul. And one vaft blaze of light extend from pole to pole. VI. We emulate :he pow'rs above. When millions meet in peace and love; And millions met on Seine's fair fliore ; In love they met, in love they iVore In virtue's facred caufe to vie, To live in freecfom, or in freedom die. Thrice happy Gaul ! in thy fweet plains No more the fiend Ambition reigns; That fiend, who nations has undone, Who fancies millions made for one. And dreams he hoaours man, whene'er he gilds his chains. For I! 'HI! iiMli 'I qui ofe pcnfer, dans fii fureur infenfce, que des millions d'Etres fenfibles ont pu etre crt6s, pour ctre aflervis anx caprices d'un feul homme ; & qui croit honoier fes trifles viftimcs, en les chargeant de chaYnes dorces. La flamme ^purce de la libcrtc ne pent pas s'cteindre dans les cocurs magnaninies, qu' elle a une fois embrafcs. Affranciiis ;\ jamais de toute fervitude, aucun Francois ne peut violer fon ferment ; aucim Fra n<;ois ne peut renonrer a la libeitc ac- quifc. Le nicme efprit animera touts les habitants de ce vaftc empire ; & la paix & I'nbondance'qu'on y verra rcg- ner, annonceront ;i toute la tcrre, qu'il eft I'azile de la libertc. ■ vn. Anglois ! cclcbrez le jour augufte, qui a rendu la libertc a la Fiance. Ecartez toute idee indigne des grands .oeurs. Ceux qui le font vcritablement, ne peuvent qu' aimer ceux qui leur refemblent. Les Francois fe font atfranchis par leur valeur ; car la valeur a accompli ce que la philofophie avoit commence, Et, pulfque la libertc eft en danger, fans doute le moment hcureux nVft pas 61oigne, ou la Grande Bretagne fortira auffi de fon aflbupiflement, et chaflera de fon fein la corruption ; avant que les calamites les plus funeftes vicnnent I'accabler ; & que la guerre civile, & toutes fes horreurs eclatent de toutes parts. Songeons done, pendant qu'il en eft encore tems, Songeons aux moyens de detourner ODE. 179 For ever in the gallant heart A patriotic flame muft burn ; No Frank can from his oath depart ; No P'lank to fervitiule return: One generous fpirit fliall give life to all, And peace and plenty prove that Freedom dwells in Gaul. VII. Let Britons celebrate the day, Which liberty to Gallia gave ; Away, ye jealous thoughts, away ; The brave fhould ever love the brave : Gallia her freedom has by valour won; For valour finifli'd that which wifdom had be^un. And fure, fince freedom is at flake, That happy hour is near at hand, When Britain fliall from flumber wake. And drive corruption from the land : Ere dire calamities her ifle befal. And civil broil and horror burft on all. ,\ a hi Think ii 180 ODE. f I w dctourner raffreufe tonipctc qui nous menarc. Soxigcons que tout dclai tlevient iin crime; & hAtons nous de 00m- mcnrer uvv rcforme falutaire. Pendant que dans Ics champs cloignes de la Pologne, le payfan ctonn6 voit tom- ber fes thaines, enfeigrons h un j)cuple outrao;^ h re- prendre fcs droits ; i remonter A la fourre dc la corruption, & a arreter fou corns deftru(?leur. L'aHlmblcc nationale ^tahlie par le giand Alfred r6me dicroit il touts les maux, & feroit renaUre le patriotil'mc dans touts Ics raurs. \m '' t F I N. H -.Ml |H{;i ^■1 » Wv il' ODE. ■8r Think then, yc wo hies, think in time, How to avfit thf thr"nr'„in,r (h)iin • Think that di I uiik:s a ( I inie. And O ! bc;;iii the great reform: VV'hi ill Poloiiia's diftanr jjlains, Th' aftonidi'd jnafant drops his chains, Teach a wroni;M peoj)U- to n fume control ; To trace corruption to its fonrce, And flop its defo! ,wii,^ courfe ; Great Alfred's folk-niote would recia iie whole, And into every breall inlufe a pa.iot loul. FINIS, '$1 . ^>. IMAGE EVAUJATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I ■-121 ■ 30 ""^ 1^ 1^ 2.5 22 1.8 !.25 1.4 1.6 — = ^ 6" - ».