Mr. HUME'S ESSAYS, page 265. 
 
 Thofe compofitions, which we read the ofteneft, and 
 which every man of tafte has got by heart, have the re- 
 commendation of fimplicity, and have nothing furprifing 
 in the thought, when diverted of that elegance of expref- 
 fion, and harmony of numbers, with which it is cloathed. 
 If the merit of the compofition lies in a point of wit, it 
 may ftrike at firft ; but the mind anticipates the thought in 
 the fecond perufal, and is no longer affected by it. When 
 I read an epigram of MARTIAL, the firft line recalls the 
 whole; and I have no pleafurc in repeating to myfelf what 
 I know already. But each line, each word in CATULLUS 
 has its merit ; and I am never tired with the perufal of 
 him. It is fufficient to run over COWLEY once; but 
 PAR NELL, after the fiftieth reading, is as frefh as at the 
 firft. 
 
 ESSAY of SIMPLICITY and REFINEMENT.
 
 POEMS 
 
 O N 
 
 SEVERAL OCCASIONS. 
 
 WRITTEN BY 
 
 DR. THOMAS PARNELL, 
 
 Late Archdeacon ofCLOGHER: 
 And publiihed by Mr. POP E. 
 
 Dignum laude virum mufa vet at mori. Ho R. 
 
 TO WHICH IS ADDED, 
 
 The LIFE of Z O I L U S: 
 
 And his REMARKS on HOMER's Battles of 
 the FROGS and MICE. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed for J. and R. TON SON in the Strand. 
 MDCCLX.
 
 PR. 
 
 
 
 8S3870
 
 I iii ] 
 
 T O T H E 
 
 Right HONORABLE 
 
 ROBERT, 
 
 EARL of OXFORD. 
 
 AND 
 
 EARL MORTIMER. 
 
 SUCH were the notes, thy once-lov'd Poet fung, 
 'Till death untimely ftop'd his tuneful tongue. 
 Oh juft beheld, and loft! admir'd, and mourn'd! 
 With fofteft manners, gcntleft arts, adorn'd ! 
 Bleft in each fcience, bleft in ev'ry ftrain ! 
 Dear to the Mufe, to HARLEY dear in vain ! 
 For him, thou oft haft bid the world attend, 
 Fond to forget the ftatefman in the friend : 
 
 B 3 For
 
 iv DEDICATION. 
 
 For SWIFT and him, defpis'd the farce of ftate, 
 The fober follies of the wife and great ; 
 Dextrous, the craving, fawning croud to quit, 
 And pleae'd to 'fcape from flattery to wit. 
 
 Abfent or dead, ftill let a friend be dear, 
 (A figh the abfent claims, the dead a tear) 
 Recal thofe nights that clos'd thy toilfom days, 
 Still hear thy PARNELL in his living lays: 
 Who carelefs, now, of int'reft, fame, or fate, 
 Perhaps forgets that OXFORD e'er was great j 
 Or deeming meaneft what we greateft call, 
 Beholds thee glorious only in thy fall. 
 
 And fure, if ought below the feats divine 
 Can touch Immortals, 'tis a foul like thine : 
 A foul fupreme, in each hard inftance try'd, 
 Above all pain, all paflion, and all pride, 
 The rage of pow'r, the blaft of public breath, 
 The luft of lucre, and the dread of death. 
 
 In vain to deferts thy retreat is made ; 
 The Mufe attends thee to thy filent fhade : 
 
 'Tis
 
 DEDICATION. 
 
 'Tis her's, the brave man's lateft fteps to trace, 
 Re -judge his a<ts, and dignify difgrace, 
 When int'reft calls off all her fneaking train, 
 When all th' oblig'd defert, and all the vain j 
 She waits, or to the fcaffold, or the cell, 
 When the laft ling'ring friend has bid farewel. 
 Ev'ri now fhe fhades thy evening-walk with bays, 
 (No hireling {he, no proftitute to praife) 
 E'en now, obfervant of the parting ray, 
 Eyes the calm fun-fet of thy various day, 
 Thro' fortune's cloud one truly great can fee, 
 Not fears to tell, that MORTIMER is he. 
 
 SEPT. 25, 
 
 1721. A. POPE. 
 
 B 4 HESIOD:
 
 [ 7 ] 
 H E S I O D: 
 
 OR, THE 
 
 RISE of WOMAN. 
 
 WHAT antient times (thofe times we fancy 
 wife) 
 
 Have left on long record of woman's rife, 
 What morals teach it, and what fables hide, 
 What Author wrote it, how that Author dy'd, 
 All thefe I fing. In Greece they fram'd the tale ; 
 (In Greece 'twas thought, a woman might be frail) 
 Ye modern Beauties ! where the Poet drew 
 His foftefl pencil, think he dream'd of you ; 
 And warn'd by him, ye wanton pens, beware 
 How heav'n's concern'd to vindicate the Fair. 
 The cafe was Hefiod's ; he the fable writ j 
 Some think witb meaning, fome with idle wit : 
 
 B 5 Perhaps
 
 8 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 
 
 Perhaps 'tis either, as the Ladies pleafe ; 
 J wave the conteft, and commence the lays. 
 
 In days of yore, (no matter where or when, 
 'Twas ere the low creation fwarm'd with men) 
 That one Prometheus, fprung of heavenly birth, 
 (Our Author's fong can witnefs) liv'd on earth. 
 He carv'd the turf to mold a manly frame, 
 And ftole from Jove his animating flame. 
 The fly contrivance o'er Olympus ran, 
 When thus the monarch of the ftars began. 
 
 Oh vers'd in arts ! whofe daring thoughts afpire, 
 To kindle clay with never-dying fire ! 
 Enjoy thy glory paft, that gift was thine ; 
 The next thy creature meets, be fairly mine : 
 And fuch a gift, a vengeance fo defign'd, 
 As fuits the counfel of a God to find ; 
 A pleafing bofom-cheat, a fpecious ill, 
 Which felt they curfe, yet covet ftill to feel. 
 
 He faid, and Vulcan ftrait the Sire commands, 
 To temper mortar with etherial hands ; 
 
 In
 
 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 9 
 
 In fuch a (tape to mold a riling Fair, 
 As virgin goddefles are proud to wear ; 
 To make her eyes with diamond-water fhine, 
 And form her organs for a voice divine. 
 'Twas thus the Sire ordain'd j the Pow'r obey'd ; 
 And work'd, and wonder'd at the work he made j 
 The faireft, fofteft, fweeteft frame beneath, 
 Now made to feem, now more than feem to breathe. 
 
 As Vulcan ends, the chearful Queen of charms. 
 Clafp'd the new-panting creature in her arms ; 
 From that embrace a fine complexion fpread, 
 Where mingled whitenefs glow'd with fofter red. 
 Then in a kifs fhe breath'd her various arts, 
 Of trifling prettily with wounded hearts; 
 A mind for love, but ftill a changing mind ; 
 The lifp affected, and the glance defign'd j 
 The fweet confufing blufh, the fecret wink, 
 The gentle- fwimming walk, the courteous fink, 
 The flare for ftrangenefs fit, for fcorn the frowji, 
 For decent yielding, looks declining down, 
 
 The
 
 io POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 
 
 The praHs'd languifh, where well-feign'd defire 
 Wou'd own its melting in a mutual fire ; 
 Gay fmiles to comfort: April fhow'rs to move: 
 And all the nature, all the art of love. 
 
 Gold-fcepter'd Juno next exalts the Fair ; 
 Her touch endows her with imperious air, 
 Self-valuing fancy/ highly-crefted pride, 
 .Strong fov'reign will, and fome defire to chide : 
 For which, an eloquence, that aims to vex > 
 With native tropes of anger, arms the fex. 
 
 Minerva, fkilful Goddefs, trained the maid 
 To twirl the fpindle by the twitting thread, 
 To fix the loom, inftruift the reeds to part, 
 Crofs the long weft, and clofe the web with art, 
 An ufeful gift ; but what profufe expence, 
 What world of fafhions, took its rife from hence I 
 
 Young Hermes next, a clofe contriving God, 
 Her brows encircled with his ferpent rod : 
 Then plots and fair excufes fill'd her brain, 
 The views of breaking am'rous vows for gaiiK 
 
 Tte
 
 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. u 
 
 The price of favors j the defigning arts 
 That aim at riches in contempt of hearts; 
 And for a comfort in the marriage life, 
 The little, pilf'ring temper of a wife. 
 
 Full on the Fair his beams Apollo flung, 
 And fond perfuafion tip'd her eafy tongue ; 
 He gave her words, where oily flatt'ry lays 
 The pleafing colours of the art of praife; 
 And wit, to fcandal exquifitely prone, 
 Which frets another's fpleen to cure its own. 
 
 Thofe facred virgins whom the Bards revere, 
 Tun'd all her voice, and flied a fweetnefs there, 
 To make her fenfe with double charms abound, 
 Or make her lively nonfenfe pleafe by found. 
 
 To drefs the maid, the decent Graces brought 
 A robe in all the dies of beauty wrought, 
 And plac'd their boxes o'er a rich brocade, 
 Where pictur'd Loves on ev'ry cover plaid j 
 Then fpread thofe implements that Vulcan's art 
 Had franVd to merit Cytherea's heart ; 
 
 The
 
 12 POEMS on fevcral OCCASIONS. 
 
 The wire to curl, the clofe-indented comb 
 To call the locks that lightly wander, home; 
 And chief, the mirrour, where the ravifli'd maid 
 Beholds and loves her own reflected {hade. 
 
 Fair Flora lent her ftores, the purpled Hours 
 Confin'd her trefles with a wreath of flow'rs ; 
 Within the wreath arofe a radiant crown j 
 A veil pellucid hung depending down j 
 Back roll'd her azure veil with ferpent fold, 
 The purfled border deck'd the floor with gold. 
 Her robe (which clofely by the girdle brac't 
 Reveal'd the beauties of a flender waift) 
 Flow'd to the feet ; to copy Venus' air, 
 When Venus' ftatues have a robe to wear. 
 
 The new-fprung creature finifh'd thus for harms, 
 Adjufts her habit, praclifes her charms, 
 With blulhes glows, or fhines with lively fmiles, 
 Confirms her will, or recollects her wiles : 
 Then confcious of her worth, with eafy pace 
 Glides by the glafs, and turning views her face. 
 
 A finer
 
 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 13 
 
 A finer flax than what they wrought before, 
 Thro' time's deep cave, the Sifter Fates explore, 
 Then fix the loom, their fingers nimbly weave, 
 And thus their toil prophetic fongs deceive. 
 
 Flow from the rock, my flax ! and fwiftly flow, 
 Purfue thy thread j the fpindle runs below. 
 A creature fond and changing, fair and vain. 
 The creature woman, rifes now to reign. 
 New beauty blooms, a Beauty form'd to fly ; 
 New love begins, a love produc'd to die j 
 New parts diftrefs the troubled fcenes of life, 
 The fondling miftrefs, and the ruling wife. 
 
 Men, born to labour, all with pains provide; 
 XVomen have time, to facrifice to pride : 
 They want the care of man, their want they know, 
 And drefs to pleafe with heart-alluring {how, 
 The (how prevailing, for the fway contend, 
 And make a fervant where they meet a friend. 
 
 Thus in a thoufand wax-ere&ed forts 
 A loitering race the painful bee fupports, 
 
 From
 
 14 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 
 
 From fun to fun, from bank to bank he flies, 
 With honey loads his bag, with wax his thighs ; 
 Fly where he will, at home the race remain, 
 Prune the filk drefs, and murmVing eat the gain. 
 
 Yet here and there we grant a gentle bride, 
 Whofe temper betters by the father's fide ; 
 Unlike the reft that double human care, 
 Fond to relieve, or refolute to {hare : 
 Happy the man whom thus his ftars advance F 
 The curfe is gen'ral, but the blefling chance. 
 
 Thus fung the Sifters, while the Gods admire 
 Their beauteous creature, made for man in ire ; 
 The young Pandora flie, whom all contend 
 To make too perfect not to gain her end : 
 Then bid the winds that fly to breathe the fpring, 
 Return to bear her on a gentle wing ; 
 With wafting airs the winds obfequious blow, 
 And land the (hining vengeance fafe below. 
 A golden coffer in her hand fhe bore, 
 The prefent treach'rous, but the bearer more, 
 
 'Twas
 
 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 15 
 
 'Twas fraught with pangs ; for Jove ordain'd above, 
 That gold fliould aid, and pangs attend on love. 
 
 Her gay defcent the man perceiv'd afar, 
 Wond'ring he run to catch the falling ftar ; 
 But fo furpriz'd, as none but he can tell, 
 Who lov'd fo quickly, and who lov'd fo well. 
 O'er all his veins the wand'ring paffion burns, 
 He calls her Nymph, and ev'ry Nymph by turns. 
 Her form to lovely Venus he prefers, 
 Or fwears that Venus* muft be fuch as hers. 
 She, proud to rule, yet ftrangely fram'd to teafe, 
 Neglects his offers while her airs fhe plays, 
 Shoots fcornful glances from the bended frown, 
 In brifk diforder trips it up and down, 
 Then hums a carelefs tune to lay the (torm, 
 And fits, and blufhes, fmiles, and yields, in form. 
 
 " Now take what Jove defign'd, fhe foftly cry'd, 
 *' This box thy portion, and myfelf thy bride :" 
 Fir'd with the profpedl of the double charms, 
 He fnatch'd the box, and bride, with eager arms. 
 
 Un-
 
 16 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 
 
 Unhappy man ! to whom fo bright fhe fhone, 
 The fatal gift, her tempting felf, unknown ! 
 The winds were filent, all the waves afieep, 
 And heav'n was trac'd upon the flatt'ring deep ; 
 But whilft he looks unmindful of a ftorm, 
 And thinks the water wears a ffable form, 
 What dreadful din around his ears (hall rife! 
 What frowns confufe his pilure of the fkies ! 
 
 At firft the creature man was fram'd alone, 
 Lord of himfelf, and all the world his own. 
 For him the Nymphs in green forfook the woods, 
 For him the Nymphs in blue forfook the floods, 
 In vain the Satyrs rage, the Tritons rave, 
 They bore him heroes in the fecret cave. 
 No care deftroy'd, no ikk diforder prey'd, 
 No bending age his fprightly form decay'd, 
 No wars were known, no females heard to rage. 
 And Poets tell us, 'twas a golden age. 
 
 When woman came, thofe ills the box confin'd 
 Burft furious out, and poifon'd all the wind, 
 
 From
 
 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 17 
 
 From point to point, from pole to pole they flew, 
 Spread as they went, and in the progrefs grew : 
 The Nymphs regretting left the mortal race, 
 And alt' ring nature wore a fickly face : 
 New terms of folly rofe, new ftates of care ; 
 New plagues, to fuffer, and to pleafe, the Fair I 
 The days of whining, and of wild intrigues, 
 Commenc'd, or fmifh'd, with the breach of leagues ; 
 The mean defigns of well-diflembled love 3 
 The fordid matches never join'd above ; 
 Abroad the labour, and at home the noife, 
 (Man's double fuff'rings for domeftic joys) 
 The curfe of jealoufy ; expence, and ftrife ; 
 Divorce, the publick brand of fhameful life ; 
 The rival's fword ; the qualm that takes the Fair 5 
 
 Difdain for paffion, paffion in defpair 
 
 Thefe, and a thoufand, yet unnam'd we find j 
 Ah fear the thoufand, yet unnam'd behind ! 
 
 Thus on ParnafTus tuneful Hefiod fung, 
 The mountain echo'd, and the valley rung, 
 
 The
 
 18 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 
 
 The facred groves a fix'd attention {how, 
 The chryftal Helicon forbore to flow, 
 The fky grew bright, and (if his verfe be true) 
 The Mufes came to give the laurel too. 
 But what avail'd the verdant prize of wit, 
 If Love fwore vengeance for the tales he writ ? 
 Ye Fair offended, hear your friend relate 
 What heavy judgment prov'd the writer's fate, 
 Tho' when it happened, no relation clears, 
 *Tis thought in five, or five and twenty years. 
 
 Where, dark and filent, with a twifted {hade 
 The neighbouring woods a native arbour made s 
 There oft the tender pair for am'rous play 
 Retiring, toy'd the ravifh'd hours away ; 
 A Locrian youth, the gentle Troilus he, 
 A fair Milefian, kind Evanthe (he : 
 But fwelling nature in a fatal hour 
 Betray'd the fecrets of the confcious bow'r ; 
 The dire difgrace her brothers count their own, 
 And track her ireps, to make its Author known. 
 
 It
 
 POEMS on fcveral OCCASIONS. 19 
 
 It chanc'd one evening, 'twas the Lover's day, 
 ConceaPd in brakes the jealous kindred lay ; 
 When Heftod wand'ring, mus'd along the plain, 
 And fix'd his feat where love had fix'd the fcene : 
 A. ftrong fufpicion ftrait poffefs'd their mind, 
 Tor Poets ever were a gentle kind) 
 But when Evanthe near the paffage flood, 
 Flung back a doubtful look, and fliot the wood, 
 :< Now take, at once they cry, thy due reward," 
 And urg'd with erring rage, aflault the Bard. 
 His corps the fea receiv'd. The dolphins bore 
 ('Twas all the Gods would do) the corps to fliore. 
 
 Methinks I view the dead with pitying eyes, 
 And fee the dreams of antient wifdom rife ; 
 I fee the Mufes round the body cry, 
 But hear a Cupid loudly laughing by ; 
 He wheels his arrow with infulting hand, 
 And thus infciibcs the moral on the fand. 
 <" Here Heiiod lies : ye future Bards, beware 
 ! * How far your moral tales incenfe the Fair : 
 
 Un-
 
 20 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 
 
 " Unlov'd, unloving, 'twas his fate to bleed ; 
 " Without his quiver Cupid caus'd the deed : 
 " Hejudg'd this turn of malice juftly due, 
 <c And Hefiod dy'd for joys he never knew. 
 
 SONG. 
 
 ' 
 
 WHEN thy beauty appears 
 In its graces and airs, 
 
 All bright as an Angel new dropt from the fky; 
 At diftance I gaze and am aw'd by my fears, 
 So ftrangely you dazzle my eye ! 
 
 ; 
 
 But when without art, 
 Your kind thoughts you impart, 
 When your love runs in bluflies thro' every vein ; 
 When it darts from your eyes, when it pants in 
 
 your heart, 
 Then I know you're a woman again. 
 
 There's
 
 on feveral OCCASIONS. 21 
 
 There's a paflion and pride 
 In our fex, (he reply'd, 
 And thus, might 1 gratify both, I would do : 
 
 (Still an Angel appear to each lover befide, 
 But ftill be a woman to you. 
 
 SON G. 
 
 THYRSIS, a young and am'rous fwain, 
 Saw two, the Beauties of the plain ; 
 Who both his heart fubdue : 
 Gay Caelia's eyes were dazzling fair, 
 Sabina's eafy fliape and air 
 
 With fofter magick drew. 
 
 He haunts the ftream, he haunts the grove, 
 Lives in a fond romance of love, 
 
 And feems for each to die ; 
 'Till each a little fpiteful grown, 
 Sabina, Cjelia's fliape ran down, 
 
 And fhe Sabina's eye. 
 
 Their
 
 22 POEMS on feveral Occ ASIONS. 
 
 Their envy made the fhepherd find 
 Thofe eyes which love could only blind i 
 
 So fet the lover free.: 
 No more he haunts the grove or dream, 
 Or with a true-love knot and name 
 
 Engraves a wounded tree. 
 
 Ah Caelia ! fly Sabina cry'd, 
 
 Tho' neither love, we're both deny'd ; 
 
 Now to fupport the fex's pride, 
 
 Let either fix the dart. 
 Poor girl, fays Caelia, fay no more ; 
 For fliou'd the fwain but one adore, 
 That fpite which broke his chains before, 
 
 Wou'd break the other's heart. 
 
 SONG. 
 
 MY days have been fo wond'rous free, 
 The little birds that fly. 
 With carelefs eafe from tree to tree. 
 
 Were but as blefs'd as J. A&
 
 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 23 
 
 Aik gliding waters, if a tear, 
 
 Of mine increas'd their flream ? 
 Or afk the flying gales, if e'er 
 
 I lent one figh to them ? 
 
 But now my former days retire, 
 
 And I'm by beauty caught, 
 The tender chains of fweet defire 
 
 Are fix'd upon my thought. 
 
 Ye nightingales, ye twifting pines ! 
 
 Ye fwains that haunt the grove ! 
 Ye gentle echoes, breezy winds ! 
 
 Ye clofe retreats of love ! 
 
 With all of nature, all of art. 
 
 Aflift the dear defign j 
 O teach a young, unpraclis'd heart, 
 
 To make my Nancy mine. 
 
 C The
 
 .24 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 
 
 The very thought of change I hate, 
 
 As much as of defpair j 
 Nor ever covet to be great, 
 
 Unlefs it be for her. 
 
 *Tis true, the paflion in my mind 
 
 Is mix'd with foft diftrefs ; 
 Yet while the Fair I love is kind, 
 
 I cannot wifti it lefs. 
 
 ANACREONTIC. 
 
 WHEN fpring came on with frefli delight, 
 To cheer the foul, and charm the fight, 
 While eafy breezes, fofter rain, 
 And warmer funs falute the plain ; 
 Twas then, in yonder piny grove, 
 That Nature went to meet with Love. 
 
 Green was her robe, and green her wreath, 
 Where-e'er fhe trod, 'twas green beneath. 
 
 Where-
 
 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 
 
 Where-e'er fhe turn'd, the pulfes beat 
 With new recruits of genial heat ; 
 And in her train the birds appear, 
 To match for all the coming year. 
 
 Rais'd on a bank where daizies grew, 
 And vi'lets intermix'd a blue, 
 She finds the boy fhe went to find ; 
 A thoufand pleafures wait behind, 
 Afide, a thoufand arrows lye, 
 But all unfeather'd wait to fly. 
 
 When they met, the Dame and Boy, 
 Dancing Graces, idle Joy, 
 Wanton Smiles, and airy Play, 
 Confpir'd to make the fcene be gay ; 
 Love pair'd the birds through all the grove, 
 And Nature bid them fing to Love, 
 Sitting, hopping, flutt'ring, fing, 
 And pay their tribute from the wing, 
 To fledge the {hifts that idly lye, 
 And yet unfeather'd wait to fly. 
 
 C 2
 
 26 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 
 
 'Tis thus, when fpring renews the blood, 
 They meet in ev'ry trembling wood, 
 And thrice they make the plumes agree, 
 And ev'ry dart they mount with three, 
 And ev'ry dart can boaft a kind, 
 Which fuits each proper turn of mind. 
 
 From the tow'ring eagle's plume 
 The gen'rous hearts accept their doom : 
 Shot by the peacock's painted eye 
 The vain and airy lovers dye : 
 For careful dames and frugal men, 
 The fhafts are fpeckled by the hen. 
 The pyes and parrots drck the darts, 
 When prattling wins the panting hearts ; 
 When from the voice the pafiions fpring, 
 The warbling finch affords a wing : 
 Together, by the fparrow ftung, 
 Down fall the wanton and the young : 
 And fledg'd by geefe the weapons fly, 
 When others love they know not why. 
 
 All
 
 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 27 
 
 All this (as late I chanc'd to rove) 
 I learn'd in yonder waving grove. 
 And fee, fays Love, who call'd me near, 
 How much I deal with Nature here, 
 How both fupport a proper part, 
 She gives the feather, I the dart : 
 Then ceafe for fouls averfe to figh, 
 If Nature crofs ye, fo do I ; 
 My weapon there unfeather'd flies, 
 And (hakes and fliuffles thro 1 the fkies. 
 But if the mutual charms I find 
 By which fhe links you mind to mind, 
 They wing my (hafts, I poize the darts, 
 And ftrike from both, through both your hearts. 
 
 ANACREONTIC. 
 
 AY Bacchus liking Eftcourt's wine, 
 
 A noble meal befpoke us ; 
 And for the gueft that were to dine, 
 Brought Comus, Love, and Jocus. 
 
 C The
 
 28 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 
 
 The God near Cupid drew his chair, 
 
 Near Comus, Jocus plac'd j 
 For wine makes Love forget its care, 
 
 And mirth exalts a feaft. 
 
 The more to pleafe the fprightly God, 
 
 Each fweet engaging Grace 
 Put on fome cloaths to come abroad, 
 
 And took a wajter's place. 
 
 Then Cupid nam'd at every glafs, 
 
 A lady of the fky ; 
 While Bacchus fvvore he'd drink the lafs, 
 
 And had it bumper- high. 
 
 Fat Comus toft his brimmers o'er, 
 
 And always got the moft ; 
 Jocus took care to fill him more, 
 
 Whene'er he mift the toaft. 
 
 They
 
 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 29 
 
 They call'd and drank at every touch ; 
 
 He fill'd and drank again 5 
 And if the Gods can take too much, 
 
 'Tis faid, they did Co then. 
 
 Gay Bacchus little Cupid ftung, 
 
 By reck'ning his deceits ; 
 And Cupid mock'd his ftamm'ring tongue, 
 
 With all his ftagg'ring gaits : 
 
 And Jocus droll'd on Comus' ways, 
 
 And tales without a jeft ; 
 While Comus call'd his witty plays 
 
 But waggeries at beft. 
 
 Such talk foon fet them all at odds ; 
 
 And, had I Homer's peri, 
 I'd fmg ye, how they drank like Gods, 
 
 And how they fought like men. 
 
 C 4 To
 
 30 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 
 
 To part the fray, the Graces fly, 
 
 Who make them foon agree j 
 Nay, had the Furies felves been nigh, 
 
 They (till were three to three. 
 
 Bacchus appeas'd, rais'd Cupid up, 
 
 And gave him back his bow ; 
 But kept fome darts to ftir the cup, 
 
 Where fack and fugar flow. 
 
 Jocus took Comus' rofy crown, 
 
 And gayly wore the prize, 
 And thrice, in mirth, he pufh'd him down, 
 
 As thrice he {trove to rife. 
 
 Then Cupid fought the myrtle grove, 
 
 Where Venus did recline, 
 And Venus clofe embracing Love, 
 
 They join'd to rail at wine. 
 
 And
 
 POEM'S on feveral OCCASIONS. 
 
 And Comus loudly curfing Wit, 
 
 Roll'd off to fome retreat, 
 Where boon companions gravely fit 
 
 In fat unweildy ftate. 
 
 Bacchus and Jocus (till behind, 
 
 For one frelh glafs prepare j 
 They kifs and are exceeding kind, 
 
 And vow to be fmcere. 
 
 But part in time, whoever hear 
 
 This our inftruclive fong j 
 For tho' fuch friendships may be dear, 
 
 They can't continue long. 
 
 5 A F A 1 R Y
 
 32 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 
 A 
 
 FAIRY TALE, 
 
 I N T H E 
 
 Antient ENGLISH Stile. 
 
 IN Britain's ifle and Arthur's days, 
 When midnight Fairies daunc'd the maze, 
 Liv'd Edwin of the green ; 
 Edwin, I wis, a gentle youth, 
 Endowed with courage, fenfe, and truth, 
 Tho* badly fliap'd he been. 
 
 His mountain back mote well be faid, 
 To meafure height againft his head, 
 
 And lift itfelf above ; 
 Yet fpite of all that nature did 
 To make his uncouth form forbid, 
 
 This creature dar'd to love. 
 
 He
 
 POEMS on fereral OCCASIONS. 33 
 
 He felt the charms of Edith's eyes, 
 Nor wanted hope to gain the prize, 
 
 Cou'd ladies look within; 
 But one Sir Topaz drefs'd with art, 
 And, if a ftiape cou'd win a heart, 
 
 He had a fhape to win. 
 
 Edwin, if right I read my fong, 
 With flighted paflion pac'd along 
 
 All in the moony light j 
 'Twas near an eld inchanted court, 
 Where fportive fairies made refort 
 
 To revel out the night. 
 
 His heart was drear, his hope was crofs'd, 
 'Twas late, 'twas far, the path was loft 
 
 That reach'd the neighbour- town j 
 With weary fteps he quits the {hades, 
 Refolv'd, the darkling dome he treads, 
 
 And drops his limbs adown.
 
 34 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 
 
 But fcant he lays him on the floor, 
 When hollow winds remove the door, 
 
 A trembling, rocks the ground : 
 And, well I ween to count aright, 
 At once an hundred tapers light 
 
 On all the walls around. 
 
 Now founding tongues aflail his ear, 
 Now founding feet approachen near, 
 
 And now the founds increafe : 
 And from the comer where he lay 
 He fees a train profufely gay 
 
 Come prankling o'er the place. 
 
 But (truft me Gentles !) never yet 
 Was dight a mafquing half fo neat, 
 
 Or half fo rich before j 
 The country lent the fweet perfumes, 
 The fea, the pearl, the fky, the plumes, 
 
 The town its filken (lore, 
 
 Now
 
 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 35 
 
 Now whilft he gaz'd, a Gallant dreft 
 In flaunting robes above the reft, 
 
 With awful accent cry'd -, 
 What mortal of a wretched mind, 
 Whofe fighs infe the balmy wind, 
 
 Has here prefum'd to hide ? 
 
 At this the fwain, whofe vent'rous foul 
 No fears of magic art controul, 
 
 Advanc'd in open fight ; 
 " Nor have I caufe of dreed, he faid, 
 " Who view by no prefumption led 
 
 " Your revels of the night. 
 
 41 Twas grief, for fcorn of faithful love, 
 " Which made my fteps unweeting rove 
 
 " Amid the nightly dew." 
 'Tis well, the Gallant cries again, 
 We fairies never injure men 
 
 Who dare to tell us true. 
 
 Exalt
 
 36 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 
 
 Exalt thy love-dejeed heart, 
 Be mine the talk, or ere we part, 
 
 To make thee grief refign ; 
 Now 'take the pleafure of thy chaunce ; 
 Whilft I with Mab, my part'ner, daurice, 
 
 Be little Mable thine. 
 
 He fpoke, and all a fudden there 
 Light mufic floats in wanton air; 
 
 The Monarch leads the Queen : 
 The reft their fairie part'ners found : 
 And Mable trimly tript the ground 
 
 With Edwin of the green. 
 
 The dauncing paft, the bo:ud was laid, 
 And fiker fuch a feaft was made 
 
 As heart and lip defire, 
 Withouten hands the difhes fly, 
 The glafles with a wiili come nigh, 
 
 And with a wifti retire.
 
 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 37 
 
 But now to pleafe the fairie king, 
 Full ev'ry deal they laugh and fmg, 
 
 And antic feats devife ; 
 Some wind and tumble like an ape, 
 And other- fome tranfmute their fliape 
 
 In Edwin's wond'ring eyes. 
 
 'Till one at laft that Robin hight, 
 Renown'd for pinching maids by night, 
 
 Has hent him up aloof; 
 And full againft the beam he flung, 
 Where by the back the youth he hung 
 
 To fpraul unneath the roof. 
 
 From thence, " reverfe my charm, he crys, 
 " And let it fairly now fuffice 
 
 " The gambol has been fhown." 
 But Oberon anfwers with a fmtle, 
 Content thee Edwin for a while, 
 
 The vantage is thine own. 
 
 Here
 
 38 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 
 
 Here ended all the phantom-play ; 
 They fmelt the frefh approach of day, 
 
 And heard a cock to crow ; 
 The whirling wind that bore the crowd 
 Has clap'd the door, and whiftled loud, 
 
 To warn them all to go. 
 
 Then fcreaming all at once they fly, 
 And all at once the tapers dye ; 
 
 Poor Edwin falls to floor ; 
 Forlorn his ftate, and dark the place, 
 Was never wight in fuch a cafe 
 
 Thro' all the land before. 
 
 But foon as dan Apollo rofe, 
 Full jolly creature home he goes, 
 
 He feels his back the lefs ; 
 His honeft tongue and fteady mind 
 Had rid him of the lump behind, 
 
 Which made him want fuccefs.
 
 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 39 
 
 With lufty livelyhed he talks, 
 le feems a dauncing as he walks, 
 
 His ftory foon took wind ; 
 And beauteous Edith fees the youth, 
 Lndow'd with courage, fenfe, and truth, 
 
 Without a bunch behind. 
 
 The ftory told, Sir Topas mov'd, 
 The youth of Edith erft approv'd, 
 
 To fee the revel fcene : 
 At clofe of eve he leaves his home, 
 And wends to find the ruin'd dome 
 
 All on the gloomy plain. 
 
 As there he bides, it fo befell, 
 
 The wind came ruftling down a dell, 
 
 A fhaking feiz'd the wall : 
 Up fprung the tapers as before, 
 The fairies bragly foot the floor, 
 
 And mufic fills the hall. 
 
 But
 
 4<3 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 
 
 But certes forely funk with woe 
 Sir Topaz fees the Elphin {how, 
 
 His fpirits in him dy : 
 When Oberon crys, " a man is near, 
 " A mortal paffion, cleeped fear, 
 
 " Hangs flagging in the flcy." 
 
 With that Sir Topaz, haplefs youth I 
 In accents falt'ring, ay for ruth, 
 
 Intreats them pity graunt ; 
 For als he been a mifter wight 
 Betray'd by wand'ring in the night 
 
 To tread the circled haunt ; 
 
 " Ah Lofell vile, at onCe they roar ; 
 < And little fkill'd of fairie lore, 
 
 " Thy caufe to come, we know : 
 " Now has thy keflre.ll courage fell ; 
 " And fairies, fmce.a lye you tell j 
 
 " Are free to work thee woe." 
 
 Then
 
 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 41. 
 
 Then Will, who bears the wifpy fire 
 To trail the fwains among the mire, 
 
 The captive upward flung; 
 There like a tortoife in a {hop 
 He dangled from the chamber-top, 
 
 Where whilome Edwin hung. 
 
 The revel now proceeds apace, 
 Deftly they frifk it o'er the place, 
 
 They fit, they drink, and eat ; 
 The time with frolic mirth beguile, 
 And poor Sir Topaz hangs the while 
 
 'Till all the rout retreat. 
 
 By this the ftars began to wink, 
 They (hriek, they fly, the tapers fink, 
 
 And down ydrops the knight. 
 For never fpell by fairie laid 
 With ftrong enchantment bound a glade, 
 
 Beyond the length of night. 
 
 Chill,
 
 42 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 
 
 Chill, dark, alone, adreed, he lay, 
 Till up the welkin rofe the day, 
 
 Then deem'd the dole was o'er : 
 But wot ye well his harder lot ? 
 His feely back the btuich had got 
 
 Which Edwin loft afore. 
 
 This tale a Sybil-nurfe ared j 
 
 She foftly ftroak'd my youngling head, 
 
 And when the tale was done, 
 " Thus fome are born, my fon, {lie cries, 
 " With bafe impediments to rife, 
 
 " And fome are born with none. 
 
 ' But virtue can itfelf advance 
 
 * To what the fav'rite fools of chance 
 
 " By fortune feem'd defign'd ; 
 " Virtue can gain the odds of fate, 
 " And from itfelf fhake off the weight 
 
 " Upon th' unworthy mind." 
 
 PER-
 
 44 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 
 
 P E R V I G I L I U 
 
 V E N E R I S. 
 
 X"^ RAS atnet, qui numquam amavit ; quiqi 
 
 amavit) eras amet. 
 Ver novum, ver jam canorum: vere natus orbis e( 
 Vere concordant amores, vere nubent alites, 
 Et nemus comam refolvit de maritis imbribus. 
 Cras amorem copulatrix inter umbras arborum 
 Implicat gazas virentes de flagello myrteo. ' 
 Cras Dione jura dicit, fulta fublimi throno, 
 
 Cras amet, qui numquam amavit ; quique amavit^ 
 eras amct. 
 
 Tune
 
 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 4- 
 
 The V I G I L of VENUS. 
 
 Written in the time of JULIUS C^SAR, and 
 by fome afcribed to CATULLUS. 
 
 T" ET thofe love now, who never lov'd before^ 
 
 Let thofe who always lov'd, now love the more. 
 The fpring, the new, the warb'Iing fpririg appears, 
 The youthful feafon of reviving years ; 
 In fpring the loves enkindle mutual heats, 
 The feather'd nation chufe their tuneful mates, 
 The trees grow fruitful with defcending rain, 
 And dreft in diff'ring greens adorn the plain. 
 She comes ; to-morrow beauty's emprefs roves 
 Thro' walks that winding run within the groves ; 
 She twines the (hooting myrtle into bow'rs, 
 And ties their meeting tops with wreaths of flow'rs, 
 Then rais'd fublimely on her eafy throne 
 From nature's powerful dilates draws her own. 
 
 Let thofe love now, who never lov'd before^ 
 Let thofe who always lov'd, now love thg more. 
 
 'Twas
 
 46 POEMS on ieveral OCCASIONS. 
 
 Tune liquore defuperno, fpumeo ponti e globo, 
 Caerulas inter catervas, inter et bipedes equos, 
 Fecit undantem Dionen de mantis imbribus. 
 
 Cras arpet) qul numquam amavlt ; quique cmcrjlt 
 eras amet. 
 
 Ipfa gemmas purpurantem pingit annum floribus, 
 Ipfa furgentis papillas de favoni fpiritu, 
 Urguet in toros tepentes 5 ipfa roris lucidi, 
 No&is aura quem relinquit, Tpargit umentis aquas, 
 Et micant lacrymae trementes decidivo pondere. 
 Gutta prxceps orbe parvo fuftinet cafas fuos. 
 In pudorem florulentse prodiderunt purpurae. 
 Umor ille, quem ferenis aftra rorant no&ibus. 
 
 Mane
 
 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 47 
 
 'Twas on that day which faw the teeming flood 
 Swell round, impregnate with celeftial blood j 
 Wand'ring in circles ftood the finny crew, 
 The midft was left a void expanfe of blue, 
 Their parent ocean work'd with heaving throes. 
 And dropping wet the fair Dione rofe, 
 
 Let thofe love now> who never lov'd before. 
 Let thofe who always lov'd, now love the more. 
 
 She paints the purpled year with vary'd (how, 
 Tips the green gem, and makes the bloflbm g!o-,v, 
 She makes the turgid buds receive the breeze, 
 Expand to leaves, and {hade the naked trees. 
 When gath'ring damps the mifty nights diffufe, 
 She fprinkles all the morn with balmy dews ; 
 Bright trembling pearls depend at ev'ry fpray, 
 And kept from falling, feem to fall away. 
 A glofly frefhnefs hence the rofe receives, 
 And blufhes fweet thro' all her filken leaves ; 
 (The drops defcending thro' the filent night, 
 While ftars ferenely roll their golden light,) 
 
 D Clofc
 
 48 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 
 
 Mane virgines papillas folvit umenti peplo. 
 Ipfa juffit mane ut udse virgines nubant rofae 
 Fufas prius de cruore deque amoris ofculis, 
 Deque gemmis, deque flammis, deque folis purpuris. 
 Cras ruborem qui latebat vefte tetus ignea, 
 Unica marito nodo non pudebit folvere. 
 
 Cras amet, qui numquam amavit j quique atnavii, 
 <cras aniet. 
 
 Ipfa nimfas diva luco juffit ire myrteo 
 Et puer comes puellis. Nee tamen credi poteft 
 Efle amorem feriatum, fi fagittas vexerit. 
 Ite nimfse : pofuit arma, feriatus eft amor. 
 
 Juflus I
 
 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 49 
 
 Clofe till the morn, her humid veil (he holds j 
 Then deckt with virgin pomp the flow'r unfolds. 
 Soon will the morning blufh : ye maids ! prepare, 
 In rofy garlands bind your flowing hair 
 'Tis Venus' plant : the blood fair Venus flied, 
 O'er the gay Beauty pour'd immortal red ; 
 From Love's foft kifs a fweet Ambrofial fmell 
 Was taught for ever on the leaves to dwell ; 
 From gemms, from flames, from orient rays of light 
 The richeil luftre makes her purple bright j 
 And (he to morrow weds j the fporting gale 
 Unties her zone, fhe burfts the verdant veil ; 
 Thro' all her fweets the rifling lover flies, 
 And as he breathes, her glowing fires arife. 
 
 Let thofe love now, who never lov'd before, 
 Let thofe who always lovd, noiv love the more. 
 
 Now fair Dione to the myrtle grove 
 Sends the gay Nymphs, and fends her tender Love. 
 And {hall they venture ? Is it fafe to go ? 
 While Nymphs have hearts, and Cupid wears a bow ? 
 D 2 Yes
 
 50 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 
 
 Juflus eft inermis ire, nudus ire juflus eft : 
 Neu quid arcu, neu fagitta, neu quid igne laederet. 
 Sed tamen cavete Nimfas, quod Cupido pulcer eft : 
 Totus eft inermis idem, quando nudus eft amor. 
 Cras arpety qul numquam amcruit } quique amavit, 
 tras amet. 
 
 Compari Venus pudore mittit a^d te virgmes. 
 Una res eft quam rogsmus, cede virgo Delia, 
 Ut nemus fit incruentum de ferinis ftragibus. 
 Ipfa vellet ut venires, fi deceret virginem : 
 Jam tribus chores videres feriat^s nodibus : 
 Congreges inter catervas ire par faltus tuos, 
 Floreas inter coronas, myrteas inter cafas, 
 
 Nee
 
 Po E MS on feveral OCCASIONS. i 
 
 Yes fafely venture, 'tis his mother's will > 
 
 He walks unarm'd and undefigning ill, 
 
 His torch extinct, his quiver ufelefs hung, 
 
 His arrows idle, and his bow unftrung, 
 
 And yet, ye Nymphs, beware, his eyes have charms,. 
 
 And Love that's naked, ftill is Love in arms. 
 
 Let thofe love now 9 who never loifd before^ 
 Let tbofe who always lov'd, now love the more* 
 
 From Venus' bow'r to Delia's lodge repairs. 
 A virgin train compleat with* modeft airs i 
 " Chaft Delia : grant our fuit ! or fhun the wood, 
 "^ Nor ftain this facred lawn with favage blood, 
 " Venus, O Delia! if fne could perfuade, 
 " Wou'd afk thy prefence, might fhe afk a maid.'*' 
 Here chearful quires for three aufpicious nights 
 With fongs prolong the pleafurable rites : 
 Here crouds in meafures lightly-decent rove 5. 
 Or feek by pairs the covert of the grove, 
 Where meeting greens for arbours arch above, 
 And mingling flowrets ftrow the fcenes of love, 
 
 D Here
 
 52 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 
 
 Nee Ceres, nee Bacchus abfunt, nee poetarum dcus; 
 Decinent et tota nox eft pervigila cantibus. 
 Regnet in filvis Dione : tu recede Delia. 
 
 Cra s arnct, qui numquam aruavit ; quique amavit^ 
 eras amet. 
 
 Juflit Hiblais tribunal ftare diva floribus. 
 Prasfens ipfa jura dicit, adfederunt gratis. 
 Hibla totoe funde flores quidquid annus adtulit. 
 Hibla flofum rumpe veftem, quantus ^nna cam- 
 pus efl. 
 
 Ruris hie erunt puellae, vel puellae montium, 
 Quaeque filvas, quaeque lucos, quseque montes 
 incolunt. 
 
 Juffit
 
 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 53 
 
 Here dancing Ceres fhakes her golden (heaves : 
 Here Bacchus revels, deck'd with viny leaves ; 
 Here wit's enchanting God, in lawrel crown'd, 
 Wakes all the ravifh'd hours with filver found. 
 Ye fields, ye forefts, own Dione's reign, 
 And Delia, hitntrefs Delia, fhun the plain; 
 
 Let tbofe love now, who never lov'd before, 
 Let thofe -who always lov'd, now love t/x more. 
 
 Gay with the bloom of all her opening year, 
 The queen at Hybla bids her throne appear ; 
 And there prefides ; and there the fav'rke band 
 (Her fmiling Graces) (hare the great command. 
 Now, beauteous Hybla ! drefs thy flow'ry beds 
 With all the pride the lavifh feafon fheds; 
 Now all thy colours, all thy fragrance yield, 
 And rival Enna's aromatic field. 
 To fill the prefence of the gentle court 
 From cv'ry quarter rural Nymphs refort, 
 From woods, from mountains, from their humble vales, 
 From waters curling with the wanton gales. 
 
 D 4 PleasM-
 
 54 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS-. 
 Jufllt omnis adfidere pueri mater alitas, 
 Juffit et nudo puellas nil amori credere. 
 
 Cras amety qui numquam amavit ; quique 
 eras amet. 
 
 Et recentibus virentes ducat umbras floribus. 
 Cras erat qui primus aether copulavit nuptias, 
 Ut pater roris crearet vernis annum nubibus 
 In fmum maritus imber fluxit almse conjugis, 
 Ut foetus immixtus omnis aleret magno corpore, 
 Ipfa venas atque mentem permeante fpiritu 
 Intus occultis gubernat procreatrix viribus, 
 Perque ccelum, perque terras, perque pontum 
 
 fubditum, 
 
 Pervium fui tenorem feminali tramite 
 Jmbuit, juffitque mundum nofle nafcendi vias, 
 
 Cras amet, qui numquam amavit ; quique amavlty 
 
 eras, amtt 
 
 Ipfa
 
 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS, 5^ 
 
 Pleas'd with the joyful train, the laughing Queen 
 In circles feats them round the bank of green j 
 And " lovely girls, flie whifpers, guard your hearts-;, 
 " My boy, tho' ftript of arms, abounds in arts." 
 
 Let tbofe love now, "who never lav'd before, 
 Let tbofe who always lov'd, now love the more. 
 
 Let tender grafs in fhaded alleys fpread, 
 Let early flow'rs ere& their painted head. 
 To morrow's glory be to morrow feen,. 
 That day, old Ether wedded earth in -green. 
 The vernal Father bid the fpring appear, 
 In clouds he coupled to produce the year, 
 The fap defcending o'er her bofom ran, 
 And all the various forts of foul began. 
 By wheels unknown to fight, by fecret veins 
 Diililling life, the fruitful Goddefs reigns, 
 Through all the lovely realms of native day., 
 Through all. the circled land, and circling lea-;. 
 With fertil feed fhe fill'd the pervious earth, . 
 And ever fix'd the myftic ways of birth. 
 
 Let ibofe hve now t iuho never lov'd before^ 
 Let tboje who ahvays lov'd , niw hve the more. 
 D 5
 
 56 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 
 
 Ipfa Trqjanos nepotes in Latino tranftulit ; 
 Jpfa Laurentem puellam conjugem nato dedit ; 
 Moxque Marti de facello dat pudicam virginem. 
 Romuleas ipfa fecit cum Sabinis nuptias, 
 Unde Rames et quirites, proque prole pofterum 
 Romuli matrem crearet et nepotem Czefarem. 
 
 Cras amet, qui numquam amavlt ; quique tuiuvit, 
 eras amet. 
 
 Rura fcecundat voluptas : rura Venerem fentiuntr 
 Ipfe amor puer Dionae rure natus dicitur. 
 Hunc ager cum parturiret, ipfa fufcepit finu, 
 Ipfa florum delicatis educavit ofculis. 
 
 Cras ametj qui numquam amavit j quique amavtt, 
 t eras amet* 
 
 Ecce,
 
 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 57^ 
 
 'Twas flie the parent, to the Latian fhore 
 Through various dangers Troy's remainder bore. 
 She won Lavinia for her warlike fon, 
 And winning her, the Latian empire won. 
 She gave to Mars the maid, whofe honour'd womb* 
 Swell'd with the founder of immortal Rome. 
 Decoy'd by fhows the Sabin dames (he led, 
 And taught our vig'rous youth the means to weci. 
 Hence fprung the RomanSj hence the race divine 
 Thro' which great Csefar draws his Julian line. 
 
 Let thofe love now, -who never lov'd before* 
 Let thofe who always lov'd, now love the more, 
 In rural feats the foul of pleafure reigns 5 
 The life of beauty fills the rural fcenes j 
 Ev'n love (if fame the truth of love declare) 
 Drew firft the breathings of a rural air. 
 Some pleafing meadow pregnant beauty preft, 
 She laid her infant on its flow'ry breaft, . 
 From nature's fweets he fipp'd the fragrant dew 5 . 
 He fmil'd, he kifs'd them, and by kifling grew. 
 
 Let thofe love now, who never lov'd before, 
 Let thofe who always lov'd, now kve the more, - 
 
 Now,-,
 
 58 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 
 
 Ecce, jam fuper geniftas explicant tauri latus* 
 Quifque tuus quo tenetur conjugal! fcedere. 
 Subter umbras cum maritis ecce balantum gregera. 
 Et eanoras non tacere Diva juffit alites. 
 Jam loquaces ore rauco ftagna cygni perftrepunt, 
 Adfonat Terei puella fubter umbram populi, 
 Ut putas motus amoris ore dici mufico, 
 Et neges queri fororem de marito barbaro*..
 
 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 59 
 
 Now bulls o'er ftalks of broom extend their fideSj 
 Secure of favours from their lowing brides. 
 Now ftately rams their fleecy conforts lead, 
 Who bleating follow thro' the wand'ring fliade. 
 And now the Goddefs bids the birds appear, 
 Raife all their mufic, and falute the year : 
 Then deep the fwan begins, and deep the fong 
 Runs o'er the water where he fails along ; 
 While Philomela tunes a treble ftrain, 
 And from the poplar charms the lirFning plain. 
 We fancy love expreft at ev'ry note, 
 It melts, it warbles, in her liquid throat. 
 Of barb'rous Tereus fhe complains no more y 
 But fings for pleafure as for grief before. 
 And ftill her graces rife, her airs extend, 
 And all is filence till the Syren end.
 
 o POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 
 
 Ilia cantat : nos tacemus : quando ver venit 
 
 meum ? 
 
 Quando faciam ut celidon, ut tacere definam ? 
 Perdidi mufam tacendo, nee me Phoebus refpicit. 
 Sic Amyclas, cum tacerent, perdidit filentium, 
 Cras amety qui numquam amavh 3 quique amavit, 
 eras amet. 
 
 .
 
 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 61 
 
 How long in coming is my lovely fpring ? 
 And when fhall I, and when the fwallow fmg ? 
 
 Sweet Philomela ceafe, Or here I fit, 
 
 And filent lofe my rapt'rous hour of wit : 
 'Tis gone, the fit retires, the flames decay, 
 My tuneful Phoebus flies averfe away. 
 His own Amycle thus, as ftories run, 
 But once was filent, and that once undone. 
 
 Let tbofe love now, who never lov'd before y 
 Let tbofe who always hv'd, now love the more. 
 
 H O M E R5
 
 H O M E R's 
 
 BATRACHOMUOMACHIA: 
 OR, THE 
 
 BATTLE 
 
 O F TH E 
 
 FROGS and MICE.
 
 Names of tie MICE. 
 
 , One who 
 A plunders granaries. 
 Troxartas, A bread- eater. 
 Lychomik, A licttr of 
 
 meal. 
 Pternotra&as, A bacon- 
 
 eater. 
 Lychopinax, A licker of 
 
 dijkes. 
 Embafichytros, A creeper 
 
 into pots. 
 Lychenor, A name for 
 
 licking. 
 Troglodytes, One wbo runs 
 
 into boles. 
 Artophagus, Who fetds on 
 
 bread. 
 Tyroglyphus, A cheefe- 
 
 fcooper. 
 Pternoglyphus, A bacon- 
 
 fcooper. 
 Pternophagus, A bacon* 
 
 eater. 
 Cniffiodortes, One luhofoi- 
 
 li~c;s tbijleatn of kitchens. 
 Sitophagus, An eater of 
 
 wheat. 
 Meridarpax, One who plun- 
 
 ders. bisjbare, 
 
 Names of the FROGS. 
 
 PHYSIGNATHUS, One 
 nuhofixelh his cheeks. 
 Pelu?, A -name from mud. 
 Hydromedufe, A ruler in 
 
 the waters. 
 
 Hypfiboas, A loudbawler. 
 Pelion, From mud. 
 Scudaeus, Called from tlit 
 
 bees. 
 Polyphemus, A great bab- 
 
 ler. 
 Lymnocharis, One who 
 
 loves the lake. 
 Crambophagus, Cabbage* 
 
 later. 
 Lyranifius, Called from 
 
 the lake. 
 Calaminthius, From the 
 
 herb. 
 Hydrocharis, Who loves 
 
 the water. 
 Borborocates, Who lies in 
 
 the mud. 
 Praflbphagus, An eater of 
 
 gar lick. 
 
 Pelufius, From mud. 
 Pelobates, Who walks in 
 
 the dirt. 
 
 Prefljeus, Called from gar- 
 lick. 
 Craugafides, From croaking.
 
 POEMS on leveral OCCASIONS. 65 
 
 HOME R's 
 
 A T T L E of the FROGS, &JV. 
 BOOK I. 
 
 TO fill my rifing fong with facred fire, 
 Ye tuneful Nine, ye fweet celeilial quire ! 
 From Helicon's imbow'ring height repair, 
 Attend my labours, and reward my pray'r. 
 The dreadful toils of raging Mars I write, 
 The fprings of conteft, and the fields of fight j 
 How threat'ning Mice advanc'd with warlike grace* 
 And wag'd dire combats with the croaking race. 
 Not louder tumults fhook Olympus' tow'rs, 
 When earth-born giants dar'd immortal pow'rs, 
 Thefe equal a&s an equal glory claim, 
 And thus the Mufe records the tale of fame. 
 
 Once on a time, fatigu'd and out of breath, 
 And juft efcap'd the ftretching claws of death, 
 
 A
 
 66 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. , 
 
 A gentle Moufe, whom cats purfu'd in vain, 
 Fled fwift of- foot acrofs the neighb'ring plain, 
 Hung o'er a brink, his eager thirft to cool, 
 And dipt his whifkers in the ftanding pool ; 
 When near a courteous Frog advanc'd his head 5. 
 And from the waters, hoarfe-refounding faid, 
 
 What art thou, ftranger ? what the line you boaft 
 What chance has caft thee panting on our coaft ? 
 With ftrifteft truth let all thy words agree, 
 Nor let me find a faithlefs Moufe in thee. 
 If worthy, friendfhip, proffer'd friendfhip take, 
 And enuring view the pleafurable lake : 
 Range o'er my palace, in my bounty fhare v 
 And glad return from hofpitable fare. 
 This filver realm extends beneath my fway, 
 And me, their monarch, all its Frogs obey. 
 Great Phyfignathus I, from Peleus' race, 
 Begot in fair Hydromede's embrace, 
 Where by the nuptial bank that paints his fide* 
 The fwift Eridanus delights to glide. 
 
 Thee
 
 POEMS on fevcral OCCASIONS. 67 
 
 hee too, thy form, thy ftrength, and port proclaim 
 
 fcepter'd King ; a fon of martial fame ; 
 
 hen trace thy line, and aid my gueffing eyes, 
 us ceas'd the Frog, and thus the Moufe replies. 
 
 Known to the Gods, the men, the birds that fly 
 
 hro' wild expanfes of the midway fky, 
 ly name refcmnds ; and if unknown to thee, 
 
 he foul of great Pfycarpax lives in me. 
 
 f brave Troxartas' line, whofe fleeky down 
 n love comprefs'd Lychomile the brown. 
 
 y mother fhe, and princefs of the plains 
 Where-e'er her father Pternotraclas reigns : 
 Born where a cabin lifts its airy fhed, 
 With figs, with nuts, with vary'd dainties fed. 
 But fmce our natures nought in common know, 
 From what foundation can a friendfhip grow ? 
 Thefe curling waters o'er thy palace roll ; 
 But man's high food fupports my princely foul. 
 In vain the circled loaves attempt to lye 
 Conceal'd in flafkets from my curious eye. 
 
 In
 
 68 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 
 
 In vain the tripe that boafts the whiteft hue, 
 In vain the gilded bacon fhuns my view, 
 In vain the cheefes, offspring of the paile, 
 Or honey'd cakes, which Gods themfelves regal e 
 And as in arts I fhine, in arms I fight, 
 Mix'd with the braveft, and unknown to flight. 
 Tho' large to mine, the human form appear, 
 Not man himfelf can fmite my foul with fear. 
 Sly to the bed with filent fteps I go, 
 Attempt his finger, or attack his toe, 
 And fix indented wounds with dext'rous fkill, 
 Sleeping he feels, and only feems to feel. 
 Yet have we foes which direful dangers caufe, 
 Grim owls with talons arm'd, and cats with claws 
 And that falfe trap, the den of filent fate, 
 Where Death his ambufh plants around the bait : 
 All-dreaded thefe, and dreadful o'er the reft 
 The potent warriors of the tabby veft, 
 If to the dark we fly, the dark they trace, 
 And rend our heroes of the nibling race, 
 
 But
 
 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 69 
 
 But me, nor ftalks, nor watrifh herbs delight, 
 Nor can the crimfon radifh charm my fight, 
 The lake- re found ing Frogs fele&ed fare, 
 Which not a Moufe of any tafte can bear. 
 
 As thus the downy prince his mind expreft, 
 His anfwer thus the croaking king addreft. 
 
 Thy words luxuriant on thy dainties rove, 
 And, ftranger, We can boaft of bounteous Jove : 
 We fport in water, or we dance on land, 
 And born amphibious, food from both command. 
 But truft thyfelf where wonders ate thy view, 
 And fafely tempt thofe feas, I'll bear thee thro' : 
 Afcend my {boulders, firmly keep thy feat, 
 And reach my marfhy court, and feaft in ftate. 
 
 He faid, and bent his back ; with nimble bound 
 Leaps the light Moufe, and clafps his arms around, 
 Then wond'ring floats, and fees with glad furvey 
 The winding banks refembling ports at fea. 
 But when aloft the curling water rides, 
 And wets with azure wave his downy fides, 
 
 His
 
 ;o POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 
 
 His thoughts grow confcious of approaching woe, 
 His idle tears with vain repentance flow, 
 His locks he rends, his trembling, feet he rears, 
 Thick beats his heart with unacuftom'd fears ; 
 He fighs, and chill'd with danger, longs for fhore 
 His tail extended forms a fruitlefs oar, 
 Half-drench'd in liquid death his pray'rs he fpake, 
 And thus bemoan'd him from the dreadful lake. 
 
 So pafs'd Europa thro' the rapid fea, 
 Trembling and fainting all the vent'rous way j 
 With oary feet the bull triumphant rode, 
 And fafe in Crete depos'd his lovely load. 
 Ah fafe at laft ! may thus the Frog fupport 
 My trembling limbs to reach his ample court. 
 
 As thus he forrows, death ambiguous grows, 
 Lo ! from the deep a water- Hydra rofe ; 
 He rolls his fanguin'd eyes, his bofom heaves, 
 And darts with active rage along the waves. 
 Confus'd, the monarch fees his hiffing foe, 
 And dives, to fhun the fable fates, below. 
 
 For-
 
 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 71 
 
 Forgetful Frog ! the friend thy (boulders bore, 
 Unfkill'd in fwimming, floats remote from (hore. 
 He _grafps with fruklefs hands to find relief, 
 Supinely falls, and grinds his teeth with grief, 
 Plunging he finks, and ftruggling mounts again, 
 And finks, and ftrives, but ftrives with fate in vain. 
 The weighty moifture clogs his hairy veft, 
 And thus the prince his dying rage expreft. 
 
 Nor thou, thatfling'ftmeflound'ring from thy back, 
 As from hard rocks rebounds the fhatt'ring wrack, 
 ' Nor thou fhalt 'fcape thy due, perfidious king ! 
 Purfu'd by vengeance on the fwifteft wing : 
 At land thy ftrength could never equal mine, 
 At fea to conquer, and by craft, was thine. 
 But heav'n has Gods, and Gods have fearching eyes : 
 Ye Mice, ye Alice, my great avengers rife ! 
 
 This faid, he fighing gafp'd, and gafpingd/J. 
 His death the young Lychopinax efpy'd, 
 As on the flow'ry brink, he pafs'd the day, 
 in the beams, and loiter'd life away. 
 
 E Loud
 
 72 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 
 
 Loud {hrieks the Moufe, his (bricks the fhores repeat; 
 The nibbling nation learn their heroe's fate : 
 Grief, difmal grief enfues ; deep murmurs found. 
 And fhriller fury fills the deafen'd ground. 
 From lodge to lodge the facred heralds run, 
 To fix their council with the rifing fun j 
 Where great Troxartas crown'd in glory reigns, 
 And winds his length'ning court beneath the plains ; 
 Pfycarpax' father, father now no more ! 
 For poor Pfycarpax lies remote from fhore ; 
 Supine he lies ! the filent waters ftand, 
 And no kind billow wafts the dead to land ! 
 
 B O O X II. 
 
 WHEN rofy-finger'd morn had ting*d the 
 clouds, 
 
 Around their Monarch-moufe the nation crouds, 
 Slow rofe the fov'reign, heav'd his anxious breaft, 
 A,nd thus the council, fill'd with rage, addreft. 
 
 For i
 
 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 73 
 
 For loft Pfycarpax much my foul endures, 
 ^Tis mine the private grief, the public, yours. 
 Three warlike fons adorn'd my nuptial bed, 
 Three fons, alas, before their father dead ! 
 Our eldeft perifh'd by the rav'ning cat, 
 As near my court the prince unheedful fat. 
 Our next, an engine fraught with danger drew, 
 The portal ga.p'd, the bait was hung in view, 
 Dire arts aflift the trap, the fates decoy, 
 And men unpitying kill'd my gallant boy ! 
 The laft, his country's hope, his parent's pride, 
 Plung'd in the lake by Phyfignathus, dy'd. 
 Roufe all the war, my friends ! avenge the deed, 
 And bleed that monarch, and his nation bleea. 
 
 His words in ev'ry breaft infpir'd alarms, 
 And careful Mars fupply'd their hoft with arms. 
 In verdant hulls defpoil'd of all their beans, 
 The bufkin'd warriors ftalk'd along the plains : 
 Quills aptly bound, their bracing corfelet made, 
 Fac'd with the plunder of a cat they flay'd : 
 
 E 2 The
 
 74 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 
 
 The lamp's round bofs affords their ample fhield j 
 Large {hells of nuts their cov'ring helmet yield j 
 And o'er the region, with reflected rays, 
 Tall groves of needles for their lances blaze. 
 Dreadful in arms the marching Mice appear; 
 The wond'ring Frogs perceive the tumult near, 
 Forfake the waters, thick'ning form a ring, 
 And aflc, and hearken, whence the noifes fpring. 
 When near the croud, difclos'd to public view, 
 The valiant chief Embafichytros drew : 
 The-facred herald's fcepter grac'd his hand, 
 And thus his words expreft his king's command. 
 
 Ye Frogs ! theMice with vengeance fir'd, advance, 
 And deck'd in armour fhake the fhining lance : 
 Their haplefs prince by Phyfignathus ilain, 
 Extends incumbent on the watry plain. 
 Then arm your hoft, the doubtful battle try j 
 Lead forth thofe Frogs that have the foul to die. 
 
 The chief retires, the croud the challenge hear, 
 And proudly fwelling yet perplex'd appear : 
 
 Much
 
 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 75 
 
 Much they refent, yet much their monarch blame, 
 Who rifing, fpoke to clear his tainted fame. 
 
 O friends, I never forc'd the Moufe to death, 
 Nor faw the gafpings of his lateit breath. 
 He, vain of youth, our art of fvvimming try'd, 
 And vent'rous, in the lake the wanton dy'd. 
 To vengeance now by falfe appearance led, 
 They point their anger at my guiltlefs head. 
 But wage the rifing war by deep device, 
 And turn its fury on the crafty Mice. 
 Your king directs the way, my thoughts elate 
 With hopes of conquer!, form defigns of fate. 
 Where high the banks their verdant furface heave, 
 And the fteep fides confine the fleeping wave, 
 There, near the margin, clad in armour bright, 
 Suftain the firft impetuous (hocks of fight : 
 Then, where the dancing feather joins the creft, 
 Let each brave Frog his obvious Moufe arreft ; 
 Each ftrongly grafping, headlong plunge a foe, 
 'Till countlefs circles whirl the lake below ; 
 
 E 3 Down
 
 j6 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 
 
 Down fink the Mice in yielding waters drown'd j. 
 Loud flafh the waters ; and the fhores refound : 
 The Frogs triumphant tread the conquered plain, 
 And raife their glorious trophies of the {lain. 
 
 He fpake no more, his prudent fcheme imparts 
 Redoubling ardour to the boldeft hearts. 
 Green was the fuit his arming heroes chofe, 
 Around their legs the greaves of mallows clofe, 
 Green were the beets about their (boulders laid, 
 And green the colcwort, which the target madc 
 Form'd of the vary'd fheljs the v/aters yield, 
 Their glofly helmets glift'ned o'er the field : 
 And tap'ring fea-reeds for the polifh'd fpear, 
 With upright order pierc'd the ambient air. 
 Thus drefs'd for war, they take th' appointed height, 
 Poize the long arms, and urge the promis'd fight. 
 
 But now, where Jove's irradiate fpires arife, 
 With (tars furrounded in aetherial fkies, 
 (A folemn council call'd) the brazen gates 
 Unbar j the Gods ailume their golden feats : 
 
 The
 
 POEMS on leveral OCCASIONS. 77 
 
 The fire fuperior leans, and points to {how 
 XVhat wondrous combats mortals wage below : 
 How ftrong, how large, the num'rous heroes ftride, 
 What length of lance they {hake with warlike pride ! 
 What eager fire, their rapid march reveals ! 
 So the fierce Centaurs ravag'd o'er the dales ; 
 And fo confirm'd, the daring Titans rofe, 
 Heap'd hills on hills, and bid the Gods be foes. 
 
 This feen, the Pow'r his facred vifage rears,. 
 He cafts a pitying fmile on worldly cares, 
 And afks what heav'nly guardians take the lift, 
 Or who the Mice, or who the Frogs affift ? 
 
 Then thus to Pallas. If my daughter's mind 
 Have join'd the iMice, why ftays {he ftill behind ; 
 Drawn forth by fav'ry fteams they wind their way, 
 And fure attendance round thine altar pay, 
 Where while the victims gratify their carte, 
 They fport to pleafe the Goddefs of the feaft. 
 
 Thus fpake the Ruler of the fpacious fkics, 
 But thus, refolv'd, the blue-ey'd maid replies. 
 
 E 4 In 

 
 78 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS, 
 In vain, my father ! all their dangers plead, 
 To fuch thy Pallas never grants her aid. 
 My flow'ry wreaths they petulantly fpoil, 
 And rob my chryftal lamps of feeding oil. 
 (Ills following ills !) but what afflias me more, 
 My veil, that idle race profanely tore. 
 The web was curious, wrought with art divine ; 
 Relentlefs wretches ! all the work was mine ! 
 Along the loom the purple warp I fpread, 
 Caft the light fhoot, and croft the filver thread ; 
 In this their teeth a thoufand breaches tear, 
 The thoufand breaches fkilful hands repair, 
 For which vile earthly dunns thy daughter grieve, 
 (The Gods, that ufe no coin, have none to give. 
 And learning's Goddefs never lefs can owe, 
 Neglected learning gains no wealth below.) 
 Nor let the Frogs to win my fuccour fue, 
 Thofe clam'rous fools have loft my favour too. 
 For late, when all the conflict ceaft at night, 
 When my ftretch'd fmews work'd with eager fight, 
 
 When
 
 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 79 
 
 When fpent with glorious toil, I left the field, 
 
 And funk for {lumber on my fwelling fliield j 
 
 Lo from the deep, repelling fweet repofe, 
 
 With noify croakings half the nation rofe : 
 
 Devoid of reft, with aking brows I lay, 
 
 'Till cocks proclaim'd the crimfon dawn of daj. 
 
 Let all, like me, from either hoft forbear, 
 
 Nor tempt the flying furies of the fpear, 
 
 Let heav'nly blood (or what for blood may flow) 
 
 Adorn the conqueft of a meaner foe. 
 
 Some daring Moufe may meet the wond'rous odds, 
 
 Tho' Gods oppofe, and brave the wounded Gods. 
 
 O'er gilded clouds reclin'd, the danger view, 
 
 And be the wars of mortals fcenes for you. 
 
 So mov'd the blue-ey'd queen; her words perfuade, 
 Great Jove aflented, and the reft obey'd. 
 
 E 5 BOOK 
 

 
 So POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS, 
 
 BOOK III. 
 
 NOW front to front the marching armies 
 fhine, 
 
 Halt ere they meet, and form thelength'ning line : 
 The chiefs confpicuous feen and heard afar, 
 Give the loud fignal to the rufhing war ; [found, 
 Their dreadful trumpets deep-mouth'd hornets 
 The founded charge remurmurs o'er the ground, 
 E'n Jove proclaims a field of horror nigh, 
 And rolls low thunder thro' the troubled fky. 
 Firft to the fight the large Hypfiboas flew, 
 And brave Lychenor with a javelin flew. 
 The lucklefs warrior fill'd with gen'rous flame, 
 Stood foremoft glitt'ring in the poft of fame ; 
 When in his liver ftruck, the Javelin hung ; 
 The Moufe fell thund'ring, and the target rung j 
 Prone to the ground, he finks his clofing eye, 
 And foil'd in duft his lovely trefles lie.
 
 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 8 1 
 
 A fpear at Pelion Troglodites caft, 
 The miffive fpear within the bofom part ; 
 Death's fable fhades the fainting Frog furround, 
 And life's red tide runs ebbing from the wound. 
 Embafichytros felt Scutlaeus' dart 
 Transfix, and quiver in his panting heart ; 
 But great Artophagus aveng'd the flain, 
 And big Scutlaeus tumbling loads the plain, 
 And Polyphonus dies, a Frog renown'd, 
 For boaftful fpeech and turbulence of found, 
 Deep thro' the belly pierc'd, fupine he lay ; 
 And breath'd his foul againft the face of day. 
 
 The ftrong Lymnocharis, who view'd with ire, 
 A viclor triumph, and a friend expire ; 
 And fiercely flung where Troglodites fought ; 
 With heaving arms a rocky fragment caught, 
 (A warrior vers'd in arts, of fure retreat, 
 But arts in vain elude impending fate;) 
 Full on his-fmewy neck the fragment fell, 
 And o'er his eye-lids clouds eternal dwell. 
 
 Lychenor
 
 82 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 
 
 Lychenor (fecond of the glorious name) 
 Striding advanced, and took no wand'ring aim ; 
 Thro' all the Frog the fhining jav'lin flies, 
 And near (he vanquifh'd Moufe the victor dies. 
 The dreadful ftroke Crambophagus affrights, 
 Long bred to banquets, lefs jnur'd to fights, 
 Heedlefs he runs, and ftumbles o'er the fteep, 
 And wildly flound'ring flafhes up the deep j 
 Lychenor following wifii a downward blow, 
 Reach'd in the lake his unrecover'd foe j 
 Gafping he rolls, a purple ftream of blood 
 Diftains the furface of the filver flood ; 
 Thro' the wide wound the rufhing entrails throng, 
 And flow the breathlefs carcafs floats along. 
 
 Lymnifms good Tyroglyphus aflails, 
 Prince of the Mice that haunt the flow'ry vales, 
 Loft to the milky fares and rural feat, 
 He came to perifh on the bank of fate. 
 
 The dread Pternoglyphus demands the fight, 
 Which tender Calaminthius (buns by flight, 
 
 Drops
 
 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 83 
 
 Drops the green target, fpringing quits the foe, 
 Glides thro' the lake, and fafely dives below. 
 But dire Pternophagus divides his way 
 Thro' breaking ranks, and leads the dreadful day. 
 No nibbling prince excell'd in nercenefs more, 
 His parents fed him on the favage boar ; 
 But where his lance the field with blood imbriTd, 
 Swift as he mov'd, Hydrocharis purfu'd. 
 'Till fall'n in- death he lies, a matt'ring ilone 
 Sounds on the neck, and cruflies all the bone, 
 His blood pollutes the verdure of the plain, 
 And from his noftrils burfts the gufhing brain. 
 
 Lychopinax with Borbocaetes fights, 
 A blamelefs Frog, whom humbler life delights j 
 The fatal jav'lin unrelenting flies, 
 And darknefs feals the gentle croaker's eyes. 
 Incens'd PraiTophagus with fpritely bound, 
 Bears Cniffiodortes off the rifing ground, 
 Then drags him o'er the lake depriv'd of breath, 
 And downward plunging, finks his foul to death. 
 
 But
 
 84 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 
 
 But now the great Pfycarpax fhines afar, 
 (Scarce he fo great whofe lofs provok'd the war) 
 Swift to revenge his fatal jav'lin fled,. 
 And thro' the liver ftruck Pelufius dead ; 
 His freckled corps before the viclor fell, 
 His foul indignant fought the fhades of hell. 
 
 This faw Pelobates, and from the flood 
 Heav'd with both hands a monft'rous mafs of mud, 
 The cloud obfcene o'er all the heroe flies, 
 Difhonours his brown face, and blots his eyes. 
 Enrag'd, and wildly fputt'ring, from the fhore 
 A ftone immenfe of fize the warrior bore, 
 A load for lab'ring earth, whofe bulk to raife s 
 Afks ten degen'rate Mice of modern days. 
 Full on the leg arrives the crufhing wound ; 
 The Frog fupportlefs, writhes upon the ground. 
 
 Thus fluflrd, the victor wars with matchlefs force, 
 'Till loud Craugafides arrefts his courfe, 
 Hoarfe-croaking threats precede ! with fatal fpeed 
 Deep thro' the belly run the pointed reed, 
 
 Then
 
 POEMS on feverai OCCASIONS. 85 
 Then ftrongly tugg'd, return'd imbru'd with gore, 
 And on the pile his reeking entrails bore : 
 
 The lame Sitophagus opprefs'd with pain, 
 Creeps from the defp'rate dangers of the plain 5 
 And where the ditches rifing weeds fupply 
 To fpread their lowly {hades beneath the fky,. 
 There lurks the filent Moufe reliev'd from heat, 
 And fafe embow'r'd, avoids the chance of fate. 
 
 But here Troxartas, Phyfignathus there, 
 Whirl the dire furies of the pointed fpear : 
 But where the foot around its ankle plies, 
 Troxartas wounds, and Phyfignathus flies, 
 Halts to the pool, a fafe retreat to find, 
 And trails a dangling length of leg behind. 
 The Moufe ftill urges, ftill the Frog retires, 
 And half in anguifh of the flight expires. 
 
 Then pious ardor young Praffeus brings, 
 Betwixt the fortunes of contending kings : 
 Lank, harmlefs Frog ! with forces hardly grown, 
 He darts the reed in combats not his own, 
 
 Which
 
 86 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 
 
 Which faintly tinkling on Troxartas' fhield, 
 Hangs at the point, and drops upon the field. 
 
 Now nobly tow'ring o'er the reft appears 
 A gallant prince that far tranfcends his years, 
 Pride of his fire, and glory of his houfe, 
 And more a Mars in combat than a Moufe : 
 His a&ion bold, robuft His ample frame, 
 And Meridarpax his refounding name. 
 The warrior fingled from the fighting croud, 
 Boafts the dire honours of his arms aloud ; 
 Then ftrutting near the lake, with looks elate, 
 To all its nations threats approaching fate. 
 And fuch his ftrength, the filver lakes around 
 Might roll their waters o'er unpeopled ground. 
 But pow'rful Jove, who fliews no lefs his grace 
 To Frogs that perifh, than to human race, 
 Felt foft companion riling in his foul, 
 And fhook his facred head, that fhook the pole. 
 Then thus to all the gazing pow'rs began 
 The fire of Gods, and Frogs, and Mice, and Man. 
 
 What
 
 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 87 
 
 What feas of blood I view ! what worlds of flain ! 
 An Iliad rifing from a day's campaign ; 
 rlow fierce his jav'lin o'er the trembling lakes 
 The black-fur'd heroe Meridarpax {hakes ! 
 [Jnlefs fome fav'ring Deity defcend, 
 Soon will the Frogs loquacious empire end. 
 Let dreadful Pallas wing'd with pity fly, 
 And make her ^Egis blaze before his eye : 
 While Mars refulgent on his ratling car, 
 Arrefts his raging rival of the war. 
 
 He ceas'd, reclining with attentive head, 
 When thus the glorious God of combats faid. 
 Nor Pallas, Jove ! tho' Pallas take the field, 
 With all the terrors of her hilling (hield, 
 Nor Mars himfelf, tho' Mars in armour bright 
 Afcend his car, and wheel amidft the fight ; 
 Not thefe can drive the defp'rate Moufe afar, 
 Or change the fortunes of the bleeding war. 
 Let all go forth, all heav'n in arms arife, 
 Or launch thy own red thunder from the fkies. 
 
 Such
 
 88 FOEMS on feveral OCCASIONS*-- 
 
 Such ardent bolts as flew that wond'rous day, 
 When heaps of Titans mix'd with mountains lay. 
 When all the giant-race enormous fell, 
 And huge Enceladus was hurl'd to hell. 
 
 'Twas thus th' armipotent advis'd the Gods, 
 When from his throne the cloud-compeller nods* 
 Deep length'ning thunders run from pole to pole y 
 Olympus trembles as the thunders roll. 
 Then fvvift he whirls the brandifh'd bolt around, 
 And headlong darts it at the diftant ground ; 
 The bolt difcharg'd inwrap'd with lightning flies, 
 And rends its flaming paffage thro r the fkies : 
 Then earth's inhabitants, the nibblers, {hake, 
 And Frogs, the dwellers in the waters, quake. 
 Yet frill the Alice advance their dread defign, 
 And the laft danger threats the croaking line, 
 'Till Jove that inly mourn'd the lofs they bore, 
 With flrange affiftants fill'd the frighted fhore. 
 
 Pour'd from the neighb'ring ftrand, deform 'd to 
 They march, a fudden unexpected crew ! [view, 
 
 Strong
 
 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 89 
 
 itrong futes of armour round their bodies clofe, 
 ^Vhich, like thick anvils, blunt the force of blows ; 
 n wheeling marches turn'd oblique they go j 
 /Vith harpy claws their limbs divide below j 
 'ell fheers the paflage to their mouth command ;> 
 'rom out the fleih their bones by nature ftand ;. 
 iroad fpread their backs, their fhining fhouiders rife $. 
 Fnnumber'd joints diftort their lengthen'd thighs j 
 Vith nervous cords their hands are firmly brac'd 3 
 "heir round black eye-balls in their bofom plac'd ; 
 )n eight long feet the wond'rous warriors tread j 
 .nd either end alike fupplies a head, 
 "hefe, mortal wits to call the Crabs, agree, 
 "he Gods have other names for things than we^ 
 Now were the jointures from their loins depend^ 
 'he heroes tails with fev'ring grafps they rend, 
 ere, fhort of feet, depriv r d the pow'r to fly, 
 here, without hands, upon the field they lie. 
 VVrench'd from their holds, and fcatter'd all around, 
 The bended lances heap the cumber'd ground. 
 
 Help-
 
 90 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 
 
 Helplefs amazement, fear purfuing fear, 
 And mad confufian thro' their hoft appear : 
 O'er the wild wafte with headlong flight they go, 
 Or creep conceal'd in vaulted holes below. 
 
 But down Olympus to the weftern feas 
 Far-fliooting Phosbus drove with fainter rays j 
 And a whole war (fo Jove ordain'd) begun, 
 Was fought, and ceas'd, in one revolving fun. 
 
 T O
 
 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 91 
 
 To Mr, POP E. 
 
 TO praife, yet ftill with due refpe& to praife, 
 A bard triumphant in immortal bays, 
 The learn'd to (how, the fenfible commend, 
 Yet fiill preferve the province of the friend, 
 What life, what vigour, muft the lines require ? 
 What mufic tune them ? what affedion fire ? 
 
 O might thy genius in my bofom fhine ! 
 Thou fliouldft not fail of numbers worthy thine, 
 The brighteft antients might at once agree 
 To ling within my lays, and fing of thee. 
 Horace himfelf wou'd own thou doft excel 
 In candid arts to play the critic well. 
 Ovid himfelf might vvifli to fmg the dame 
 Whom Windfor foreft fees a gliding ftream, 
 On filver feet, with annual ofier crown'd, 
 She runs for ever thro' poetic ground. 
 
 How 

 
 92 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 
 
 How flame the glories of Belinda's hair, 
 Made by thy mufe the envy of the Fair ; 
 Lefs (hone the trefles ./Egypt's princefs wore, 
 Which fweet Calliraachus fo fung before. 
 Here courtly trifles fet the world at odds, 
 Belles war with Beaux, and whims defcend for Gods. 
 The new machines in names of ridicule, 
 Mock the grave phrenzy of the chimic fool. 
 But know, ye Fair, a point conceal'd with art, 
 The Sylphs and Gnomes are but a woman's heart : 
 The Graces ftand in fight ; a Satyr train 
 Peep o'er their heads, and laugh behind the fcene. 
 
 In Fame's fair temple, o'er the boldeft wits 
 Infhrin'd on high the facred Virgil fits, 
 And fits in meafures, fuch as Virgil's mufe 
 To place thee near him might be fond to chufe. 
 How might he tune th' alternate reed with thee, 
 Perhaps a Strephon thou, a Daphnis he, 
 While fome old Damon o'er the vulgar wife 
 Thinks he deferves, and thou deferv'ft the prize. 
 
 Rapt
 
 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 93 
 
 Rapt with the thought my fancy feeks the plains, 
 And turns me fhepherd while I hear the ftrains. 
 Indulgent nurfe of ev'ry tender gale, 
 Parent of fiowrets, old Arcadia hail ! 
 Here in the cool my limbs at eafe I fpread, 
 Here let thy poplars whifper o'er my head, 
 Still flide thy waters foft among the trees ; 
 Thy afpins quiver in a breathing breeze, 
 jSmile all thy vallies in eternal fpring, 
 Be hufh'd, ye winds ! while Pope and Virgil ling. 
 
 In Englifh lays, and all fublimely great, 
 Thy HOMER warms with all his antient heat, 
 He {nines in council, thunders in the fight, 
 And flames with ev'ry fenfe of great delight, 
 Long has that poet reign'd, and long unknown, 
 Like monarchs fparkling on a diftant throne j 
 In all the majefty of Greek retir'd, 
 Himfelf unknown, his mighty name admir'd, 
 His language failing, wrap'd him round with night, 
 Thine rais'd by thee, recals the work to light. 
 
 So
 
 94 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 
 
 So wealthy mines, that ages long before 
 Fed the large realms around with golden oar, 
 When choak'd by finking banks, no more appear, 
 And fhepherds only fay, The mines were here : 
 Shou'd fome rich youth (if nature warm his heart, 
 And all his proje&s ftand inform'd with art) 
 Here clear the caves, there ope the leading vein ; 
 The mines detected, flame with gold again. 
 
 How vaft, how copious are thy new defigns ! 
 How ev'ry mufic varies in thy lines ! 
 Still as I read, I feel my bofom beat, 
 And rife in raptures by another's heat. 
 Thus in the wood, when fummer drefs'd the days, 
 When Windfor lent us tuneful hours of eafe, 
 Our ears the lark> the thrum, the turtle bleft, 
 And Philomela fweeteft o'er the reft : 
 
 The fhades refound with fong O foftly tread ! 
 
 While a whole feafon warbles round my head. 
 
 This to my friend and when a friend infpires 
 My filent harp its matter's hand requires, 
 
 Shakes
 
 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 95 
 
 Shakes off the duft, and makes thefe rocks refound, 
 For fortune plac'd me in unfertile ground ; 
 Far from the joys that with my foul agree, 
 From wit, from learning, far, oh far from thee ! 
 Here mofs-grown trees expand the fmalleft leaf j 
 Here half an acre's corn is half a fheaf, 
 Here hills with naked heads the tempeft meet, 
 Rocks at their fide, and torrents at their feet, 
 Or lazy lakes unconfcious of a flood, 
 Whofe dull brown Naiads ever fleep in mud. 
 
 Yet here content can dwell, and learned eafe, 
 A friend delight me, and an author pleafe, 
 Ev'n here I fmg, while POPE fupplies the theme, 
 Show ray own love, tho' not increafe his fame. 
 
 Part
 
 96 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 
 
 Part of the firft Canto of the RAPE 
 of the L o c K. 
 
 AN D now unveil'd, the toilet ftands difplay'd, 
 Each filver vafe in myftic order laid, 
 Firft, rob'd in white, the Nymph intent adores 
 With head uncover'd, the cofmetic pow'rs. 
 A heav'nly image in the glafs appears, 
 To that (he bends, to that her eyes fhe rears : 
 Th' inferior prieftefs, at her altar's fide, 
 Trembling begins the facred rites of pride. 
 Unnumber'd tr.eafures ope at once, and here 
 The various ofPrings of the world appear ; 
 From each fhe nicely culls with curious toil, 
 And decks the goddefs with the glitt'ring fpoil. 
 This cafket India's glowing gems unlocks, 
 And all Arabia breathes from yonder box. 
 The tortoife here and elephant unite, 
 Transform'd to combs, the fpeckled, and the white. 
 
 Here
 
 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 97 
 
 A TRANSLATION of part of the firft Canto 
 of the RAPE of the LOCK, into Leonine 
 Verfe, after the manner of the antient 
 Monks. 
 
 ET nunc dile<tum fpeculum, pro more re- 
 ted urn, 
 
 Emicat in mensa, quae fplendet pyxide densa : 
 Turn primum lympha, fe purgat Candida nympha j 
 Jamque fine menda, cceleftis imago videnda, 
 Nuda caput, bellos retinet, regit, implet, ocellos. 
 Hac ftupet explorans, feu cultus numen adorans. 
 Inferior claram Pythoniffa apparet ad aram, 
 Fertque tibi caute, dicatque fuperbia ! laute, 
 Dona venufta ; oris, quae cunctis, plena laboris, 
 Excerpta explorat, dominamque deamque decorat. 
 Pyxide devota, fe pandit hie India tota, 
 Et tota ex ifta tranfpirat Arabia cifta- ; 
 Teftudo hie fle&it, dum fe mea Lefbia pec"lit; 
 Atque elephas lente, te pectit Lefbia dente ; 
 Hunc maculis nous, nivei jacet ille colons. 
 
 F 2 Hie
 
 98 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 
 
 Here files of pins extend their fhining rows, 
 Puffs, powders, patches, bibles, billet-doux. 
 Now awful beauty puts on all its arms, 
 The Fair each moment rifes in her charms, 
 Repairs her fmiles, awakens ev'ry grace, 
 And calls forth all the wonders of her face j 
 Sees by degrees a purer blufh arife, 
 And keener lightnings quicken in her eyes. 
 The bufy Sylphs furround their darling care ; 
 Thefe fet the head, and thofe divide the hair, 
 Some fold the fleeve, while others plait the gown, 
 And Betty's prais'd for labours not her own. 
 
 HEALTH,
 
 PQEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 99 
 
 Hie jacet et munde, mundus muliebris abundej 
 Spinula refplendens aeris longo ordine pendens, 
 Pulvis fuavis odore, et epiftola fuavis amore. 
 Induit arma ergo, Veneris pulcherrima virgo ; 
 Pulchrior in pncfens tcmpus de tempore crefcens j 
 Jam reparat rifus, jam furgit gratia visus, 
 Jam promit cultu, mirac'la latentia vultu. 
 Pigmina jam mifcet, quo plus fua purpura glifcet, 
 Et geminans bellis fplendet mage fulgor ocellis. 
 Stant Lemures muti, Nymphae intentique faluti, 
 Hie figit zonam, capiti locat ille coronam, 
 Haec manicis formam, plicis dat et altera normam ; 
 Et tibi vel Betty, tibi vel nitidiffima Letty ! 
 Gloria faftorum temere conceditur horum.
 
 loo POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 
 H E A L"T H, an ECLOGUE. 
 
 NO W early fhepherds o'er the meadow pafs, 
 And print long footfteps in the glitt'ring 
 The cows negle&ful of their pafture ftand, [grafs ; 
 By turns obfequious to the milker's hand. 
 
 When Damon foftly trod the fhaven lawn, 
 Damon a youth from city cares withdrawn j 
 Long was the pleafing walk he wander'd thro*, 
 A cover'd arbour clos'd the diftant view j 
 There refts the youth, and while the feather 'd throng 
 Raife their wild mufic, thus contrives a fong. 
 
 Here wafted o'er by mild Etefian air, 
 Thou country Goddefs, beauteous Health ! repair j 
 Here let my breaft thro' quiv'ring trees inhale 
 Thy rofy bleffings with the morning gale. 
 What are the fields, or flow'rs, or all I fee ? 
 Ah ! taftelefs all, if not enjoy'd with thee. 
 
 Joy to my foul ! I feel the Goddefs nigh, 
 The face of nature cheers as well as I j 
 
 O'ej
 
 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 101 
 
 O'er the flat green refrefhing breezes run, 
 The fmiling dazies blow beneath the fun, 
 The brooks run purling down with filver waves, 
 The planted lanes rejoice with dancing leaves, 
 The chirping birds from all the compafs rove 
 To tempt the tuneful echoes of the grove : 
 High funny fummits, deeply fhaded dales, 
 Thick mofTy banks, and flow'ry winding vales. 
 With various profpedl gratify the fight, 
 And fcatter fix'd attention in delight. 
 
 Come, country Goddefs, come, nor thou furEce, 
 But bring thy mountain-fifter, Exercife. 
 Call'd by thy lovely voice, fhe turns her pace, 
 Her winding horn proclaims the finifh'd chace; 
 She mounts the rocks, (he fkims the level plain* 
 Dogs, hawks and horfes, croud her early train 
 Her hardy face repels the tanning wind, 
 And lines and mefhes loofely float behind. 
 All thefe as means of toil the feeble fee, 
 But thefe are helps to pleafure join'd with thee. 
 
 F 4 Let
 
 102 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 
 
 Let Sloth lie foftning 'till high noon in down, 
 Or lolling fan her in the fult'ry town, 
 Unnerv'd with reft j and turn her own difeafe, 
 Or fofter others in luxurious eafe : 
 I mount the courfer, call the deep-mouth'd hounds, 
 The fox unkennell'd flies to covert grounds ; 
 I lead where flags thro' tangled thickets treacf, 
 And fhake the faplings with their branching head ; 
 I make the faulcons wing their airy way, 
 And foar to feize, or (looping ftrike their prey j 
 To fnare the fifli I fix the luring bait ; 
 To wound the fowl I load the gun with fate. 
 'Tis thus thro' change of exercife I range, 
 And ftrength and pleafure rife from ev'ry change. 
 Here beauteous Health for all the year remain, 
 When the next comes, I'll charm thee thus again. 
 Oh come, thou Goddefs of my rural fong, 
 And bring thy daughter, calm Content, along, 
 Dame of the ruddy cheek and laughing eye, 
 From whofe bright prefence clouds of forrow fly : 
 
 For
 
 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 103 
 
 For her I mow my walks, I plat my bow'rs, 
 
 Clip my low hedges, and fupport my flow'rs j 
 
 To welcome her, this- fummer feat I dreit, 
 
 And here I court her when fhe comes to reft ; 
 
 When fhe from exercife to learned eafe 
 
 Shall change again, and teach the change to pleafe. 
 
 Now friends converfmg my foft hours refine, 
 And Tully's Tufculum revives in mine : 
 Now to grave books I bid the mind retreat, 
 And fuch as make me rather good than great. 
 Or o'er the works of eafy fancy rove, 
 Where flutes and innocence amufe the grove : 
 The native Bard that on Sicilian plains 
 Firft fung the lowly manners of the fwains j 
 Or Maro's mufe that in the faireft light 
 Paints rural profpecls and the charms of fight ; 
 Thefe foft amufements bring Content along, 
 And fancy, void of forrow, turns to fong. 
 
 Here beauteous Health for all the year remain, 
 When the next comes, I'll charm thee thus again. 
 F 5 The
 
 104 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 
 The FLIES. An ECLOGUE. 
 
 WH E N in the river cows for coolnefs ftand, 
 And fheep for breezes feek the lofty land, 
 A youth, whom Jf.fop taught that ev'ry tree, 
 Each bird and infet fpoke as well as he ; 
 Walk'd calmly mufing in a fhady way, 
 Where flow'ring hawthorn broke the funny ray, 
 And thus inftru&s his moral pen to draw 
 A fcene that obvious in the field he faw. 
 
 Near a low ditch, where {hallow waters meet, 
 Which never learnt to glide with liquid feet, 
 Whofe Naiads never prattle as they play, 
 But fcreen'd with hedges {lumber out the day, 
 There ftands a (lender fern's afpiring fhade, 
 Whofe anfw'ring branches regularly laid, 
 Put forth their anfw'ring boughs, and proudly rife 
 Three ftories upward, in the neither fkies. 
 
 For
 
 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 105 
 
 For fhelter here, to fhun the noon-day heat, 
 An airy nation of the Flies retreat j 
 Some in foft air their /liken pinions ply, 
 And fome from bough to bough delighted fly, 
 Some rife, and circling light to perch again j 
 A pleafing murmur hums along the plain. 
 So, when a ftage invites to pageant fhows, 
 (If gre^t and fmall are like) appear the beaus ; 
 In boxes fome with fpruce pretenfion fit, 
 Some change from feat to feat within the pit, 
 Some roam the fcenes, or turning ceafe to roam j 
 Preluding muilc fills the lofty dome. 
 
 When thus a Flie (if what a Flie can fay 
 Deferves attention) rais'd the rural lay. 
 
 Where late Amintor made a nymph a bride, 
 Joyful I flew by young Favonia's fide, 
 Who, mindlefs of the feafting, went to fip 
 The balmy pleafure of the fliepherd's lip. 
 I faw the Wanton, where I ftoop'd to fup, 
 And half refolv'd to drown me in the cup ; 
 
 'Till
 
 io6 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 
 
 'Till brufli'd by carelefs hands, fhe foar'd above : 
 Ceafe, Beauty, ceafe to vex a tender love. 
 
 Thus ends the Youth, the buzzing meadow rung, 
 And thus the rival of his mufic fung. 
 
 When funs by thoufands (hone in orbs of dew, 
 I wafted foft with Zephyretta flew ; 
 Saw the clean pail, and fought the milky chear, 
 While little Daphne feiz'd my roving Dear. 
 Wretch that I was ! I might have warn'd the dame, 
 Yet fat indulging as the danger came, 
 But the kind huntrefs left her free to foar : 
 Ah ! guard, ye Lovers, guard a miftrefs more. 
 
 Thus from the fern, whofe high-projeiling arms, 
 The fleeting nation bent with dufky fwarms, 
 The fwains their love in eafy mufic breathe, 
 When tongues and tumult ftun the field beneath. 
 Black ants in teams come darkning all the road, 
 Some call to march, and fome to lift the load j 
 They ftrain, they labour with inceflant pains, 
 Prefs'd by the cumb'rous weight of Angle grains. 
 
 The
 
 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 107 
 
 The flies ftruck filent gaze with wonder down : 
 The bufy burghers reach their earthy town ; 
 Where lay the burthens of a wint'ry ftore, 
 And thence unwearied part in fearch of more. 
 Yet one grave fage a moment's fpace attends, 
 And the fmall city's loftiefr point afcends, 
 Wipes the fait dew that trickles down his face, 
 And thus harangues them with the graveft grace. 
 
 Ye foolifti nurflings of the fummer air, 
 Thefe gentle tunes and whining fongs forbear ; 
 Your trees and whifp'ring breeze, your grove and 
 Your Cupid's' quiver, and his mother's dove : [love, 
 Let bards to bufmefs bend their vig'rous wing, 
 And fing but feldom, if they love to fing : 
 Elfe, when the flourets of the feafon fail, 
 And this your ferny {hade forfakes the vale, 
 Tho' one would fave ye, not one grain of wheat, 
 Should pay fuch fongfters idling at my gate. 
 
 He ceas'd : the Flies, incorrigibly vain, 
 Heard the May'r's fpeech, and fell to fing again. 
 
 AN
 
 io8 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 
 An ELEGY, to an Old BEAUTY. 
 
 T N vain, poor Nymph, to pleafe our youthful fight 
 * You fleep in cream and frontlets all the night, 
 Your face with patches foil, with paint repair, 
 Drefs with gay gowns, and fhade with foreign hair. 
 If truth in fpight of manners muft be told, 
 Why really fifty-five is fomething old. 
 
 Once you were young ; or one, whofe life's fo long 
 She might have borne my mother, tells me wrong. 
 And once, fince envy's dead before you dye, 
 The women own, you play'd a fparkling eye, 
 Taught the light foot a modifli little trip, 
 And pouted with the prettieit purple lip 
 
 To fome new Charmer are the rofes fled, 
 Which blew, to damafk all thy cheek with red ; 
 Youth calk the Graces there to fix their reign, 
 And airs by thoufands fill their eafy train. 
 
 So
 
 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 10 
 
 o parting fummer bids her flow'ry prime 
 Attend the fun to drefs fome foreign clime, 
 While with'ring feafons in fucceffion, here, 
 Strip the gay gardens, and deform the year. 
 
 But thou, fince Nature bids, the world refign, 
 'Tis now thy daughter's daughter's time to fhine. 
 V/ith more addrefs, or fuch as pleafes more, 
 She runs her female exercifes o'er, 
 Unfurls her clofes, raps or turns the fan, 
 And fmiles, or bluflies at the creature man. 
 With quicker life, as gilded coaches pafs, 
 In fideling courtefy fhe drops the glafs. 
 With better ftrength, on vifit-days {he bears 
 To mount her fifty flights of ample flairs. 
 Her mien, her fhape, her temper, eyes and tongue 
 
 Are fure to conquer. for the rogue is young ; 
 
 And all that's madly wild, or oddly gay, 
 We call it only pretty Fanny's way. 
 
 Let time that makes you homely, make you fage, 
 The fphere of wifdom is the fphere of age.
 
 no POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 
 
 'Tis true, when beauty dawns with early fire, 
 And hears the flattering tongues of foft defire, 
 If not from virtue, from its graveft ways 
 The foul with pleafing avocation ftrays. 
 But beauty gone, 'tis eafier to be wife ; 
 As harpers better, by the Jofs of eyes. 
 
 Henceforth retire, reduce your roving airs, 
 Haunt lefs the plays, and more the public pray'rs, 
 Reject the Mechlin head, and gold brocade, 
 Go pray, in fober Norwich crape array 'd. 
 Thy pendent diamonds let thy Fanny take, 
 (Their trembling luftre fiiows how much you {hake) 
 Or bid her wear thy necklace rovv'd with pearl, 
 You'll find your Fanny an obedient girl. 
 So for the reft, with lefs incumbrance hung, 
 You walk thro' life, unmingled with the young ; 
 And view the fhade and fubftance as you pafs 
 With joint endeavour trifling at the glafs, 
 Or Folly dreflr, and rambling all her days, 
 To meet her counterpart, and grow by praife : 
 
 Yet
 
 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS, in 
 
 Vet ftill fedate yourfelf, and gravely plain, 
 ou neither fret, nor envy at the Vain. 
 'Twas thus, if man with woman we compare, 
 he wife Athenian croft a glittering fair, 
 Jnmov'd by tongues and fights, he walk'd the place, 
 Thro' tape, toys, tinfel, gimp, perfume and lace j 
 Then bends from Mars's hiil his awful eyes, 
 And What a world I never want ? he cries : 
 But cries unheard : for folly will be free. 
 So parts the buzzing gaudy crowd, and he : 
 As carelefs he for them, as they for him ; 
 He wrapt in wifdom, and they whirl'd by whim. 
 
 The
 
 112 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 
 The BOO K-W O R M. 
 
 CO M E hither, boy, we'll hunt to-day 
 The Book- Worm, ravening beaft of prey, 
 Prcduc'd by parent earth, at odds, 
 As fame reports it, with the Gods. 
 Him frantic hunger wildly drives 
 Againft a thoufand Authors lives : 
 Thro' all the fields of wit he flies ; 
 Dreadful his head with cluft'ring eyes, 
 With horns without, and tufks within, 
 And fcales to ferve him for a (kin. 
 Obferve him nearly, left he climb 
 To wound the bards of ancient time, 
 Or down the vale of fancy go 
 To tear fome modern wretch below. 
 On ev'ry corner fix thine eye, 
 Or ten to one he flips thee by. 
 
 See
 
 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 
 
 See where his teeth a paffage eat : . 
 We'll roufe him from the deep retreat. 
 But who the flicker's forc'd to give ? 
 'Tis facred Virgil, as I live ! 
 From leaf to leaf, from fong to fong, 
 He draws the tadpole form along, 
 He mounts the gilded edge before, 
 He's up, he feuds the cover o'er, 
 He turns, he doubles, there he paft, 
 And here we have him, caught at laft. 
 
 Infatiate brute, whofe teeth abufe 
 The fweeteft fervants of the Mufe. 
 (Nay never offer to deny, 
 I took thee in the fa& to fly.) 
 His rofes nipt in ev'ry page, 
 My poor Anacreon mourns thy rage, 
 By thee my Ovid wounded lies ; 
 By thee my Lefbia's fparrow dies : 
 Thy rabid teeth have half deftroy'd 
 The work of love in Biddy floyd, 
 
 They
 
 H4 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 
 
 They rent Belinda's locks away, 
 And fpoil'd the Blouzelind of Gay. 
 For all, for ev'ry (ingle deed, 
 Relentlefs juftice bids thee bleed. 
 Then fall a vidim to the Nine, 
 My felf the prieft, my defk the ftirine. 
 
 Bring Homer, Virgil, Taflb near, 
 To pile a facred altar here j 
 Hold, boy, thy hand out-runs thy wit, 
 You reach'd the plays that Dennis writ j 
 You reach'd me Philips ruftic ftrain j 
 Pray take your mortal Bards again. 
 
 Come bind the victim, . there he lies, 
 And here between his num'rous eyes 
 This venerable duft I lay, 
 From manufcripts juft fwept away. 
 
 The goblet in my hand I take, 
 (For the libation's yet to make) 
 A health to Poets ! all their days 
 May they have bread, as well as praife ; 
 
 Senfe
 
 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 115 
 
 Senfe may they feek, and lefs engage 
 In papers fill'd with party-rage. 
 But if their riches fpoil their vein, 
 Ye Mufes, make them poor again. 
 
 Now bring the weapon, yonder blade, 
 With which my tuneful pens are made. 
 I ftrikc the fcales that arm thee round, 
 And twice and thrice I print the wound ; 
 The facred altar floats with red, 
 And now he dies, and now he's dead. 
 
 How like the fon of Jove I ftand, 
 This Hydra ftretch'd beneath my hand ! 
 Lay bare the monfter's entrails here, 
 To fee what dangers threat the year : 
 Ye Gods ! what fonnets on a wench ? 
 What lean tranflations out of French ? 
 'Tis plain, this lobe is fo unfound, 
 prints, before the months go round. 
 
 But hold, before I clofe the fcene, 
 The facred altar fliould be clean. 
 
 Oh
 
 n6 POEMS on fcveral OCCASIONS. 
 
 Oh had I Shadwell's fecond "bays, 
 Or Tate ! thy pert and humble lays ! 
 (Ye pair, forgive me, when I vow 
 I never mifs'd your works till now) 
 I'd tear the leaves to wipe the {hrine, 
 (That only way you pleafe the Nine) 
 But fince I chance to want thefe two, 
 I'll make the fongs of Durfey do. 
 
 Rent from the corps, on yonder pin, 
 I hang the fcales that brac'd it in j 
 I hang my ftudious morning gown, 
 And write my own infcription down. 
 
 " This trophy from the Python won> 
 " This robe, in which the deed was done, 
 " Thefe, Parnell, glorying in the feat, 
 * Hung on thefe (helves, the Mufes feat. 
 c< Here ignorance and hunger found 
 c< Large realms of wit to ravage round j 
 " Here ignorance and hunger fell ; 
 " Two foes in one I fent to hell. 
 
 "Ye
 
 POEMS on leveral OCCASIONS. 117 
 
 Ye Poets, who my labours fee, 
 " Come (hare the triumph all with me ! 
 " Ye Critics ! born to vex the Mufe, 
 " Go mourn the grand ally you lofe. 
 
 An ALLEGORY on MAN. 
 
 \ Thoughtful Being, long and fpare, 
 * *" Our race of mortals call him Care : 
 (Were Homer Irving, well he knew 
 What name the Gods have call'd him too) 
 With fine mechanic genius wrought, 
 And lov'd to work, tho* no one bought. 
 
 This Being by a model bred 
 In Jove's eternal fable head, 
 Contriv'd a fhape impow'r'd to breathe, 
 And be the worldling here beneath. 
 
 The Man rofe flaring, like a flake j 
 Wond'ring to fee himfelf awake ! 
 Then look'd fo wife, before he knew 
 The bus'nefs he was made to do ; 
 
 That
 
 n8 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 
 
 That pleas'd to fee with what a grace 
 He gravely faew'd his forward face, 
 Jove talk'd of breeding him on high, 
 An Under- fomething of the fky. 
 
 But ere he gave the mighty nod, 
 Which ever binds a Poet's God : 
 (For which his curls ambrofial fhake, 
 And mother Earth's obliged to quake :) 
 He faw old mother Earth arife, 
 She flood confefs'd before his eyes ; 
 But not with what we read fhe wore, 
 A cattle for a crown before, 
 Nor with long ftreets and longer roads 
 Dangling behind her, like commodes : 
 As yet with wreaths alone fhe dreft, 
 And trail'd a landfkip-painted veil. 
 Then thrice fhe rais'd, as Ovid faid, 
 And thrice fhe bow'd, her weighty head. 
 
 Her honours made, great Jove, fhe cry'd, 
 This thing was fafhion'd from my fide ; 
 
 His
 
 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 119 
 
 His hands, his heart, his head are mine ; 
 Then what haft thou to call him thine ? 
 
 Nay rather afk, the Monarch faid, 
 What boots his hand, his heart, his head, 
 Were what I gave remov'd away ? 
 Thy part's an idle fliape of clay. 
 
 Halves, more than halves ! cry'd honeft Care, 
 Your pleas wou'd make your titles fair, 
 You claim the body, you the foul, 
 But I who join'd them, claim the whole. 
 
 Thus with the Gods debate began, 
 On fuch a trivial caufe, as Man. 
 And can celeftial tempers rage ? 
 Quoth Virgil, in a later age. 
 
 As thus they wrangled, Time came by ; 
 (There's none that paint him fuch as I, 
 For what the fabling Ancients fung 
 Makes Saturn old, when Time was young.) 
 As yet his winters had not fhed 
 Their filver honours on his head j 
 
 G He
 
 120 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 
 
 He juft had got his pinions free 
 
 From his old fire Eternity. 
 
 A ferpent girdled round he wore, 
 
 The tail within the mouth, before ; 
 
 By which our almanacks are clear 
 
 That learned ^gypt meant, the year. 
 
 A itaff he carry'd, where on high 
 
 A glafs was fix'd to meafure by, 
 
 As amber boxes made a (how 
 
 For heads of canes an age ago. 
 
 His veft, for day, and night, was py'd j 
 
 A bending fickle arm'd his fide ; 
 
 And Spring's new months his train adorn ; 
 
 The other Seafons were unborn. 
 
 Known by the Gods, as near he draws, 
 They make him umpire of the caufe. 
 O'er a low trunk his arm he laid, 
 Where fince his hours a dial made ; 
 Then leaning heard the nice debate, 
 And thus pronounc'd the words of Fate. 
 
 Since
 
 POEMS on federal OCCASIONS. lit 
 
 Since body from the parent Earttt, 
 And foul from Jove receiv'd a birth, 
 Return they where they firft began ; 
 But fmce their union makes the Man, 
 'Till Jove and Earth (hall part thefe two,. 
 To Care who join'd them, Man is due: 
 
 He faid, and fprung with fwift career 
 To trace a circle for the year ; 
 Where ever fmce the Seafons wheel, 
 And tread on one another's heel. 
 
 'Tis well, faid Jove, and for confent 
 Thund'ring he fhook the firmament. 
 Our umpire Time (hall have his way, 
 With Care I let the creature ftay : 
 Let bus'nefs vex him, av'rice blind, 
 Let doubt and knowledge rack his mind, 
 Let error act, opinion fpeak, 
 And want afflift, and ficknefs bseak* 
 And anger burn, dejection chill, 
 And joy diftracl:, and forrow kill. 
 
 G 2 'Till
 
 122 POEMS on feverai OCCASIONS. 
 
 'Till arm'd by Care, and taught to mow, 
 Time draws the long deftruttve blow ; 
 And wafted Man, whofe quick decay 
 Comes hurrying on before his day, 
 Shall only find by this decree, 
 Th foul flies fooner back to me. 
 
 An Imitation of fbme French VERSES. 
 
 RELENTLESS Time ! deftroying Pow'r, 
 Whom ftone and brafs obey, 
 Who giv'ft to ev'ry flying hour 
 To work fbme new decay ; 
 
 / 
 Unheard, unheeded, and unfeen, 
 
 Thy fecret faps prevail, 
 And ruin man, a nice machine, 
 By nature form'd to fail. 
 
 My
 
 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 123 
 
 My change arrives ; the change I meet, 
 
 Before I thought it nigh. 
 My fpring, my years of pleafure fleet, 
 
 And all their beauties dye. 
 
 In age I fearch, and only find 
 
 A poor unfruitful gain, 
 Grave wifdom ftalking flow behind, 
 
 Opprefs'd with loads of pain. 
 
 My ignorance cou'd once beguile, 
 
 And fancy 'd joys infpire ; 
 My errors cherifh'd hope to fmile 
 
 On newly-born defire. 
 
 But now experience fhews, the blifs 
 
 For which I fondly fought, 
 Not worth the long impatient wifh, 
 
 And ardour of the thought. 
 
 My
 
 124 POEMS oh itverai OCCASIONS. 
 
 My youth met Fortune fair array'd, 
 
 In all her pomp flieihone, 
 And might, perhaps, have well eflay'd, 
 
 To make her gifts my own : 
 
 But when I faw the bleflings fhow'r 
 
 On fome unworthy mind, 
 I left the chace, and own'd the Pow'r 
 
 Was juftly painted blind. 
 
 I pafs'd the glories which adorn 
 The fplendid courts of kings, 
 
 And while the perfons mov'd my fcorn, 
 I rofe to fcorn the things. 
 
 My manhood felt a vig'rcus fire 
 By love encreas'd the more ; 
 
 But years with coming years confpire 
 To break the chains I wore. 
 
 In
 
 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 125 
 
 n weaknefs fafe, the fex I fee 
 
 With idle luftre fhine ; 
 For what are all their joys to me, 
 Which cannot now be mineT 
 
 But hold 1 feel my gout decreafe, 
 
 My troubles laid to reft> 
 And truths which wou'd difturb my peace 
 
 Are painful truths at bell. 
 
 Vainly the time I have to roll 
 
 In fad refle&ion flies j 
 Ye fondling pailions of my foul I 
 
 Ye fweet deceits ! arife. 
 
 I wifely change the fcene within, 
 
 To things that us'd to pleafe j. 
 In pain, philofophy is fpleen, 
 
 In health, 'tis only eafe- 
 
 G 4 A NIGHT-
 
 126 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 
 
 A NIGHT-PIECE on DEATH. 
 
 the blue taper's trembling light, 
 No more I wafte the wakeful night, 
 Intent with endlefs view to pore 
 The fchoolmen and the fages o'er : 
 Their books from wifdom widely ftray, 
 Or point at beft the longeft way. 
 I'll feek a readier path, and go 
 Where wifdom's furely taught below. 
 How deep yon azure dies the fky ! 
 Where orbs of gold unnumber'd lye, 
 While thro' their ranks in filver pride 
 The nether crefcent feems to glide. 
 The flumb'ring breeze forgets to breathe, 
 The lake is fmooth and clear beneath, 
 Where once again the fpangled {how 
 Defcends to meet our eyes below. 
 The grounds which on the right afpire, 
 In dimnefs from the view retire :
 
 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 127 
 
 The left prefents a place of graves, 
 Whofe wall the filent water laves. 
 That fteeple guides thy doubtful fight 
 Among the livid gleams of night. 
 There pafs with melancholy ftate, 
 By all the folemn heaps of fate, 
 And think, as foftly-fad you tread 
 Above the venerable dead, 
 Time ivasy like thee they life poffeft, 
 And time /hall be ', that thoujbalt reft. 
 
 Thofe graves, with bending Ofier bound, 
 That namelefs heave the crumbled ground, 
 Quick to the glancing thought difclofe, 
 Where toil and poverty repofe. 
 
 The flat fmooth flones that bear a name, 
 The duffel's Bender help to fame, 
 (Which ere our fet of friends decay 
 Their frequent fteps may wear away ;} 
 A middle race of mortals own, 
 Men, half ambitious, all unknown, 
 
 G 5 The
 
 128 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 
 
 The marble tombs that rife on high, 
 Whofe dead in vaulted arches lye, 
 Whofe pillars fwell with fculptur'd ftones, 
 Arras, angels, epitaphs, and bones, 
 Thefe, all the poor remains of flate, 
 Adorn the rich, or praife the great ; 
 Who while on earth in fame they live, 
 Are fenfelefs of the fame they give. 
 
 Ha ! while I gaze, pale Cynthia fades, 
 The burfling earth unveils the fhades ! 
 All flow, and wan, and wrap'd with ftirouds, 
 They rife in vifionary crouds, 
 And all with fober accent cry, 
 Think) mortal^ what it is to dye. 
 
 Now from yon black and fun'ral yew, 
 That bathes tire charnel-houfe with dew, 
 Methinks, I hear a voice begin ; 
 (Ye ravens, ceafe your croaking din, 
 Ye tolling clocks, no time refound 
 O'er the long lake and midnight ground) 
 
 It
 
 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 129 
 
 It fends a peal of hollow groans, 
 
 Thus fpeaking from among the bones, 
 When men my fcythe and darts fupply, 
 
 How great a King of Fears am I ! 
 
 They view me like the laft of things ; 
 
 They make, and then they dread my flings. 
 
 Fools ! if you lefs provok'd your fears, 
 
 No more my fpe&re-form appears. 
 
 Death's but a path that muft be trod, 
 
 If man wou'd ever pafs to God : 
 
 A port cf calms, a ftate of eafe 
 From the rough rage of fwelling feas. 
 Why then thy flowing fable ftoles, 
 Deep pendent cyprefs, mourning poles, 
 Loofe fcarfs to fall athwart thy weeds, 
 Long palls, drawn herfes, cover'd fteeds, 
 And plumes of black, that as they tread, 
 Nod o'er the 'fcutcheons of the dead ? 
 
 Nor can the parted body know, 
 Nor wants the foul, thefe forms of woe :
 
 130 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 
 
 As men who long in prifon dwell, 
 With lamps that glimmer round the cell, 
 When-e'er their fufPring years are run, 
 Spring forth to greet the glittering fun : 
 Such joy, tho' far tranfcending fenfe, 
 Have pious fouls at parting hence. 
 On earth, and in the body plac'd, 
 A few, and evil years, they wafte : 
 But when their chains are caft afide, 
 See the glad fcene unfolding wide, 
 Clap the glad wing, and tow'r away, 
 And mingle with the blaze of day. 
 
 A HYMN
 
 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 131 
 A HYMN to CONTENTMENT. 
 
 LOVELY, lafting peace of mind ! 
 Sweet delight of human kind ! 
 Heav'nly born, and bred on high, 
 To crown the fav'rites of the fky 
 With more of happinefs below, 
 Than victors in a triumph know . l 
 Whither, O whither art thou fled, 
 To lay thy meek, contented head ? 
 What happy region doft thou pleafe 
 To make the feat of calms and eafe ? 
 Ambition fearches all its fphere 
 
 Of pomp and ftate, to meet thee there. 
 
 Encreafing avarice would find 
 
 Thy prefence in its gold infhrin'd. 
 
 The bold advent'rer ploughs his way. 
 
 Thro' rocks amidft the foaming fea. 
 
 To gain thy love ; and then perceives 
 
 Thou wert not in the rocks and waves, 
 
 The
 
 132 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 
 
 The filent heart which grief affails, 
 
 Treads Toft and lonefome o'er the vales, 
 
 Sees daifies open, rivers run, 
 
 And feeks, (as I have vainly done,) 
 
 Amufing thought ; but learns to know 
 
 That folitude's the nurfe of woe. 
 
 No real happinefs is found 
 
 In trailing purple o'er the ground : : 
 
 Or in a foul exalted high, 
 
 To range the circuit of the fky, 
 
 Converfe with ftars above, and know 
 
 All nature in its forms below ; 
 
 The reft it feeks, in feeking dies, 
 
 And doubts at laft for knowledge rife. 
 
 Lovely, lafting peace appear ! 
 This world itfelf, if thou art here, 
 Is once again with Eden bleft, 
 And man contains it in his breafr. 
 
 'Twas thus, as under fhade J flood, 
 I fung my wifhes to the wood, 
 
 And
 
 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 133 
 
 And loft in thought, no more perceiv'd 
 The branches whifper as they wav'd : 
 It feem'd, as all the quiet place 
 Confefs'd the prefence of the Grace. 
 
 When thus {he fpoke Go rule thy will, 
 
 Bid thy wild paffions all be ftill, 
 
 Know God and bring thy heart to know, 
 
 The joys which from religion flow : 
 Then ev'ry Grace (hall prove its Gueil, 
 And I'll be there to crown the reft. 
 Oh ! by yonder mofly feat, 
 
 In my hours of fweet retreat; 
 
 Might I thus my foul employ, 
 
 With fenfe of gratitude and joy : 
 
 Rais'd as ancient prophets were, 
 
 In heav'nly vifion, praife, and pray'r ; 
 
 Pleafing all men, hurting none, 
 
 Pleas'd and blefs'd with God alone : 
 
 Then while the gardens take my fight, 
 
 With all the colours of delight ; 
 
 While
 
 134 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 
 
 While filver waters glide along, 
 To pleafe my ear, and court my fong : 
 I'll lift my voice, and tune my ftring, 
 And thee, great Source of Nature, fing. 
 
 The fun that walks his airy way, 
 To light the world, and give the day ; 
 The moon that fhines with borrow'd light ; 
 The ftars that gild the gloomy night ; 
 The feas that rqll unnumber'd waves j 
 The wood that fpreads its fhady leaves ; 
 The field whofe ears conceal the grain, 
 The yellow treafure of the plain j 
 All of thefe, and all I fee, 
 Shou'd be fung, and fung by me : 
 They fpeak their Maker as they can, 
 But want and afk the tongue of man. 
 
 Go fearch among your idle dreams* 
 Your bufy, or your vain extreams ; 
 And find a life of equal blifs, 
 Or own the next begun in this.
 
 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 135 
 The HERMIT. 
 
 FA R in a wild, unknown to publick view, 
 From youth to age a rev'rend Hermit grew 5 
 The mofs his bed, the cave his humble cell, 
 His food the fruits, his drink the chryftal well : 
 Remote from man, with God he pafs'd the days, 
 Pray'r all his bus'nefs, all his pleafure praife. 
 
 A life fo facred, fuch ferene repofe, 
 Seem'd heav'n itfelf, 'till one fuggeftion rofe ; 
 That vice fliou'd triumph, virtue vice obey, 
 This fprung fome doubt of providence's fway : 
 His hopes no more a certain profpeft boaft, 
 And all the tenour of his foul is loft : 
 So when a fmooth expanfe receives imprefl 
 Calmn nature's image on its watry breaft, 
 Down bend the banks, the trees depending grow, 
 And fkies beneath with anfw'ring colours glow : 
 But if a ftone the gentle fea divide, 
 Swift ruffling circles curl on ev'ry fide, 
 
 And
 
 136 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 
 And glimmering fragments of a broken fun, 
 Banks, trees, and Ikies,- in thick diforder run. 
 
 To clear this doubt, to know the world by fight, 
 To find if books, or Swains, report it right ; 
 (For yet by Swains alone the world he knew, 
 Whofe feet came wand'ring o'er the nightly dew) 
 Ke quits his cell j the Pilgrim-ftaff he bore, 
 And fix'd the fcallop in his hat before ; 
 Then with the fun a rifing journey went, 
 Sedate to think, and watching each event* 
 
 The morn was wafted in the pathlefs grafs, 
 And long and lonefome was the wild to pafs j 
 But when the Southern fun had warm'd the day, 
 A Youth came potting o'er a crofling way .; 
 His rayment decent, his complexion fair, 
 And foft in graceful ringlets wav'd his hair. 
 Then near approaching, Father, hail ! he cry'd, 
 And hail, my Son, the rev'rend Sire reply'd ; 
 Words follow'd words, from queftion anfwerflow'd,. 
 And talk of various kind deceiv'd the road ; 
 
 'Till
 
 POEMS on'feveral OCCASIONS. 137 
 
 ill each with other pleas'd, and loth to part, 
 While in their rage they differ, join in heart : 
 Thus ftands an aged elm in ivy bound, 
 Thus youthful ivy clafps an elm around. 
 
 Now funk the fun ; the clofing hour of day 
 Came onward, mantled o'er with fober grey ; 
 Nature in filence bid the world repofe : 
 When near the road a ftately palace rofe : 
 There by the moon thro' ranks of trees they pafs, 
 Whofe verdure crown'd their Hoping fides of grafs. 
 It chanc'd the noble mafter of the dome, 
 Still made his houfe the wand'ring ftranger's honrc: 
 Yet ftill the kindnefs, from a thirft of praife, 
 Prov'd the vain flourifh of expenfive eafe. 
 The pair arrive : the liv'ry'd fervants wait j 
 Their lord receives them at the pompous gate. 
 The table groans with coftly piles of food, 
 And all is more than hofpitably good. 
 Then led to reft, the day's long toil they drown, 
 Deep funk in fleep, and filk, and heaps of down. 
 
 At
 
 13$ POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 
 
 At length 'tis morn, and at the dawn of day, 
 Along the wide canals the Zephyrs play j 
 Frefli o'er the gay parterres the breezes creep, 
 And {hake the neighb'ring wood to banifh fleep. 
 Up rife the Guefts, obedient to the call : 
 An early banquet deck'd the fplendid hall ; 
 Rich lufcious wine a golden goblet grac'd, 
 Which the kind matter forc'd the Guefts to tafte. 
 Then pleas'd and thankful, from the porch they go ; 
 And, but the Landlord, none had caufe of woe ; 
 His cup was vanifh'd ; for in fecret guife 
 The younger Gueft purloin'd the glitt'ring prize. 
 
 As one who fpies a ferpent in his way, 
 Glift'ning and bafking in the fummer ray, 
 Diforder'd flops to fhun the danger near, 
 Then walks with faintnefs on, and looks with fear : 
 So feem'd the Sire j when far upon the road, 
 The fhining fpoil his wiley partner fhow'd. 
 He ftopp'd with filence, walk'd with trembling heart, 
 And much he wUh'd, but durft not alk to part ; 
 
 Murm'ring
 
 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 139 
 
 Murm'ring he lifts his eyes, and thinks it hard, 
 That generous actions meet a bafe reward. 
 
 While thus they pafs, the fun his glory fhrouds, 
 The changing fldes hang out their fable clouds j 
 A found m air prefag'd approaching rain, 
 And beafls to covert feud a-crofs the plain. 
 Warn'd by the figns, the wand'ring pair retreat, 
 To feek for {belter at a neighb'ring feat. 
 'Twas built with turrets, on a rifing ground, 
 And ftrong, and large, and unimprov'd around; 
 Its owner's temper, tim'rous and fevere, 
 Unkind and griping, caus'd a defart there. 
 
 As near the Mifer's heavy doors they drew, 
 Fierce rifing gufts with fudden fury blew ; 
 The nimbie light'ning mix'd with fhow'rs began, 
 And o'er their heads loud rolling thunder ran. 
 Here long they knock, but knock or call in vain, 
 Driv'n by the wind, and batter'd by the rain. 
 At length fome pity warm'd the matter's breaft, 
 {'Twas then, his thre&old firft receiv'2 a gueft) 
 
 Slow
 
 140 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 
 Slow creaking turns the door with jealous care,. 
 And half he welcomes in the fhiv'ring pair ; 
 One frugal faggot lights the naked walls, 
 And nature's fervor thro' their limbs recalls : 
 Bread of the coareft fort, with eager wine, 
 (Each hardly granted) ferv'd them both to dine ; 
 And when the tempeft firft appear'd to ceafe, 
 A ready warning bid them part in peace. 
 
 With ftill remark the pond'ring Hermit view'<f, 
 In one fo rich, a life fo poor and rude ; 
 And why Ihou'd fuch, within himfelf he cry'd, 
 Lock the loft wealth a thoufand want befide ? 
 But what new marks of wonder foon took place, 
 In ev'ry fettling feature of his face ; . 
 When from his veil the young companion bore 
 That cup, the gen'rous Landlord own'd before, 
 And paid profufely with the precious bowl 
 The (tinted kindnefc of this churlifli foul. 
 
 But now the clouds in airy tumult fly, 
 The fun emerging opes an azure fky j 
 
 A frefher
 
 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 141 
 
 A frefher green the fmelling leaves difplay, 
 And glitt'ring as they tremble, chear the day : 
 The weather courts them from the poor retreat, 
 And the glad mailer bolts the wary gate. 
 
 While hence they walk, the Pilgiim's bofom 
 With all the travel of uncertain thought ; [wrought, 
 His partner's acts without their caufe appear, 
 'Twas there a vice, and feem'd a madnefs here : 
 Detefting that, and pitying this he goes, 
 Loft and confounded with tbe various fiiows. 
 
 Now night's dim (hades again involve the fky, 
 Again the wand'rers want a place to lye, 
 Again they fearch, and find a lodging nigh. 
 The foil improv'd around, the manfion neat, 
 And neither poony low, nor idly gr^at : 
 It feem'd to fpeak its matter's turn of mind, 
 Content, and not for praife, but virtue kind. 
 
 Hith.r the walkers turn with weary feet, 
 Then bUfs the manfton, and the mafler greet : 
 
 Their 
 
 I
 
 142 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS, 
 
 Their greeting fair, beftow'd with modeft guife, 
 The courteous mafter hears, and thus replies : 
 
 Without a vain, without a grudging heart, 
 To him who gives us all, I yield a part ; 
 From him you come, for him accept it here, 
 A frank and fober, more than coftly cheer. 
 He fpoke, and bid the welcome table fpread, 
 Then talk'd of virtue till the time of bed, 
 When the grave houfhold round his hall repair, 
 Warn'd by a bell, and clofe the hours with pray'r, 
 
 At length the world renew'd by calm repofe 
 Was ftrong for toil, the dappled morn arofe ; 
 Before the Pilgrim's part, the younger crept, 
 Near the clos'd cradle where an infant flept. 
 And writh'd his neck : the Landlord's little pride, 
 O ftrange return ! grew black, and gafp'd, and dy'd. 
 Horror of horrors ! what! his only fon ! 
 How look'd our Hermit when the facl was done ? 
 Not hell, tho' hell's black jaws in funder part, 
 And breathe blue fire, cou'd more aflault his heart. 
 
 Confus'd,
 
 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 143 
 
 Confus'd, and ftruck with filence at the deed, 
 He flies, but trembling fails to fly with fpeed. 
 His fteps the Youth purfues ; the country lay 
 Perplex' d with roads, a fervant fhow'd the way : 
 A river crofs'd the path ; the paffage o'er 
 Was nice to find ; the fervant rode before 5 
 Long arms of oaks an open bridge fupply'd, 
 And deep the waves beneath the bending glide. 
 The Youth, who feem'd to watch a time to fin, 
 Approach'd the carelefs Guide, and thruft him in ; 
 Plunging he falls, and rifing lifts his head, 
 Then flafhing turns, and finks among the dead. 
 
 Wild, fparkling rage inflames the father's eyes, 
 He burfts the bands of fear, and madly cries, 
 Detefted wretch But fcarce his fpeech began, - 
 When the ftrange partner feem'd no longer man : 
 His youthful face grew more ferenely fweet ; 
 His robe turn'd white, and fiow'd upon his feet; 
 Fair rounds of radiant points invert his hair; 
 Celeftial odours breathe thro' purpled air ; 
 
 H And
 
 144 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 
 And wings, whofe colours glitter'd on the day, 
 Wide at his back their gradual plumes difplay. 
 The form etherial burfts upon his fight, 
 And moves in all the majefty of .light. 
 
 Tho' loud at firft the Pilgrim's pafiion grew ; , 
 Sudden he gaz'd, and wift not what to do ; 
 .Surprize in fecret chains his words fufpends, 
 And in a calm his fettling temper ends. 
 But filence here the beauteous Angel broke, 
 (The voice of mufic raviih'd as he fpoke.) 
 
 Thy pray'r, thy praife, thy life to vice unknown, 
 Jn fvveet memorial rife before the throne : 
 Thefe charms, fuccefe in our bright region find, 
 And force an Angel down, to calm thy mind ; 
 JFor this commifiion'd, I forfook the fky, 
 7s T ay, ceafe to kneel Thy fellow- fervant. I. 
 
 Then know the truth of government divine., 
 And let thefe fcruples be no longer thine. 
 
 The Maker jufily claims that world he made, 
 In this the right of providence is laid ;
 
 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 145 
 
 Its Sacred majefty thro' all depends 
 On ufmg fecond means to work his ends : 
 'Tis thus, withdrawn in ftate from human eye, 
 The Pow'r exerts his attributes on high, 
 Your actions ufes, nor controuls your will, 
 And bids the doubting fons of men be ftill. 
 
 What ftrange events can ftrike with more furprizf> 
 Than thofe which lately flruck thy wond'ring eyes ? 
 Yet taught by thefe, confefs th' Almighty juft, 
 And where you can't unriddle, learn to truft ! 
 
 The great, vain man, who far'd on coftly food, 
 Whofe life was too luxurious to be good ; 
 Who made his iv'ry ftands with goblets fhine, 
 And forc'd his guefts to morning draughts of wine, 
 Has, with the cup, the gracelefs cuftom loft, 
 And ftill he welcomes, but with lefs of coft. 
 
 The mean, fufpicious Wretch, whofe bolted door, 
 Ne'er mov'd in duty to the wand'ring Poor j 
 With him I left the cup, to teach his mind 
 That heav'n can blefs, if mortals will be kind. 
 
 H 2 Confcious
 
 14-6 BQEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 
 Confcious of wanting worth, he views the bowl, 
 And feels companion touch his grateful foul. 
 Thus.artifts melt the fullen oar of lead, 
 With heaping coals of fire upon its head ; 
 In the kind warmth the metal learns to glow, 
 And loofe from drofs, the filver runs below. 
 
 Long had our pious friend in virtue trod, 
 But now the child half-wean'd his heart from Godj 
 (Child of his age) for him he liv'd in pain, 
 And meafur'd back his fteps to earth again. 
 To what excefles had his dotage run ? 
 But God, to fave the father, took the fon. 
 To all but thee, in fits he feem'd to go, 
 (And 'twas my miniflry to deal the blow) 
 The poor fond parent, humbled in the duft, 
 Now owns in tears the punifhment was juft. 
 
 But now had all his fortune felt a wrack, 
 Had that falfe fervant fped in fafety back ? 
 This night his treafur'd heaps he meant to fteal, 
 what a fund of charity would fail ! 
 
 Thus
 
 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 147 
 
 Thus heav'n inftru&s thy mind : this trial o'er, 
 Depart in peace, refign, and fin no more. 
 
 On founding pinions here the Youth withdrew, 
 The Sage flood wond'ring as the Seraph flew. 
 Thus look'd Elifha, when to mount on high, 
 His mafter took the chariot of the fky ; 
 The fiery pomp afcending left the view ; 
 The Prophet gaz'd, and wifh'd to follow too. 
 
 The bending Hermit here a pray'r begun, 
 Lord ! as in heaven, on earth thy will be done. 
 Then gladly turning, fought his ancient place, 
 And pafs'd a life of piety and peace, 
 
 H 3 PIETY,
 
 148 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 
 
 PIETY, or the VISION*. 
 
 W A S when -the night in fdent fable fled, 
 When chearful morning fprung with rifing red, 
 When dreams and vapours leave to croud the brain, 
 And beft the vifion draws its heavenly fcene j 
 'Twas then, as flumb'ring on my couch I lay, 
 A fudden fplendor feem'd to kindle day, 
 A breeze came breathing in a fweet perfume, 
 Blown from eternal gardens, fill'd the room ; 
 And in a void of blue, that clouds invert, 
 Appcar'd a daughter of the realms of reft i 
 Her head a ring of golden glory wore, 
 Ker honour'd hand the facred volume bore, 
 
 Her 
 
 * This, and the following poem, are not in the oftavo 
 editions of Dr. PARNELL'S Poems publifhed by Mr. 
 POPE. They were firft communicated to the public by 
 the late ingenious Mr. JAMES ARBUCKLE, and publifh- 
 cd in his HIBERNICUS'S LETTERS, N 62,
 
 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 149 
 
 Her raiment glift'ring feem'd a filver white, 
 And all her fweet companions fons of light. 
 
 Straight as I gaz'd, my fear and wonder grew, 
 Fear barr'd my voice,, and wonder fix'd my view ; 
 When lo ! a cherub of the Ihining croud 
 That fail'd as guardians in her azure cloud, 
 Fan'd the foft air, and downward feem'd to glide, 
 And to my lips a living coal apply'd. 
 Then while the warmth o'er all my pulfes ran 
 Diffufmg comfort, thus the maid began. 
 
 : Where glorious manfions are prepar'd above, 
 f The feats of mufic, and the feats of love, 
 Thence I defcend, and PIETY my name, 
 To warm thy bofom with celeftial flame, 
 
 * To teach thee praifes mix'd with humble pray'rs, 
 
 * And tune thy foul to Ting feraphic airs. 
 
 Be thou my Bard.' A vial here Qie caught, 
 [An Angel's hand the cryftal vial brought) 
 And as with awful found the word was faid, 
 She pour'd a facred undlion on my head ; 
 
 H 4 Then
 
 150 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 
 
 Then thus proceeded : c Be thy mufe thy zeal, 
 1 Dare to be good, and all my joys reveal. 
 
 * While other pencils flatt'ring forms create, 
 
 ' And paint the gaudy plumes that deck the Great ; 
 
 * While other pens exalt the vain delight, 
 
 Whofe wafteful revel wakes the depth of night; 
 
 Or others foftly fing in idle lines, 
 
 * How Damon courts, or Amaryllis fhines ; 
 ' More wifely thou felecl a theme divine, 
 
 Fame is their recompence, 'tis heav'n is thine. 
 
 * Defpife the raptures of difcorded fire, 
 Where wine, or pafHon, or applaufe infpire 
 4 Low reftlefs life, and ravings born of earth, 
 
 * Whofe meaner fubjedts fpeak their humble birth, 
 
 ' Like working feas, that when loud winters blow, 
 
 * Not made for rifing, only rage below. 
 
 * Mine is a warm and yet a lambent heat,. 
 
 * More lafting ftill, as more intenfely great, [breathe, 
 ' Produc'd where pray'r, and praife, and pleafure 
 
 * And ever mounting whence it fhot beneath. 
 
 Unpaint
 
 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 151 
 
 4 Unpaint the love, that hov'ring over beds, 
 
 4 From glitt'ring pinions guilty pleafure fheds 5 
 
 Reftore the colour to the golden mines 
 
 4 With which behind the feather'd idol fhines ; 
 
 4 To flow'ring greens give back their native care, 
 
 t The rofe and lilly, never his to wear ; 
 
 4 To fweet Arabia fend the balmy breath ; 
 
 *- Strip the fair flefh, and call the phantom, Death ; 
 
 4 His bow be fabled o'er, his fhafts the fame, 
 
 ' And fork and point them with eternal flame. 
 
 4 But urge thy pow'rs, thine utmoft voice advance, 
 4 Make the loud firings againft thy fingers dance j 
 4 'Tis love that Angels praife, and men adore, 
 'Tis love divine that afks it all and more. 
 
 * Fling back the gates of ever-blazing day, 
 4 Pour floods of liquid light to gild the way ; 
 4 And all in glory wrapt, thro' paths untrod 
 ' Purfue the great unfeen defcent of GOD. 
 
 ' Hail the meek Virgin, bid the child appear, 
 
 * The child is GOD, and call him J'ESUS here. 
 
 H5 'He
 
 152 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS- 
 
 ' He comes, but where to reft ? A manger's nigh, 
 ' Make the great Being in a manger lie j 
 
 * Fill the wide fky with Angels on the wing, 
 
 Make thoufands gaze, and make ten thoufand fmg 5 
 
 * Let men afflict him, men he came to fave, 
 
 ' And ftill affli& him till he reach the grave ; 
 
 * Make him refign'd, his loads of forrow meet, 
 
 * And me, like Mary, weep beneath his feet j 
 
 * Til bathe my trefies there, my pray'rs rehearfe, 
 
 * And glide in flames of love along thy verfe. 
 
 Ah ! while I fpeak, I feel my bofom fweil, 
 4 My raptures fmother what I long to tell. 
 'Tis GOD ! a prefent GOD ! 'Thro' cleaving air 
 
 * I fee the throne, and fee the JESUS there 
 
 * Plac'd on the right. He fhews the wounds he bore, 
 ' (My fervours oft have won him thus before) [ear; 
 
 ll How pleas'd he looks ! my words have reach'd his 
 
 * He bids the gates unbar, and calls me near.' 
 
 She ceas'd. The cloud on which fhe feem'd to tread, 
 It's curls unfolded, and around her fpread ; 
 
 Bright
 
 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 153 
 
 Bright Angels waft their wings to raife the cloud, 
 And fweep their ivory lutes, and fing aloud j 
 The fcene moves off, while all its ambient fky 
 Is turn'd to wondrous mufic as they fly ; 
 And foft the fwelling founds of mufic grow, 
 And faint their foftnefs, till they fail below. 
 
 My downy fleep the warmth of Phoebus broke, 
 And while my thoughts were fettling, thus I fpoke. 
 Thou beauteous Vifion ! on the foul imprefs'd, 
 When moft my reafon would appear to reft, 
 'T\vas fure with pencils dipt in various lights 
 Some curious Angel limn'd thy facred fights ; 
 From blazing funs his radiant gold he drew, 
 White moons the filver gave, and air the blue. 
 I'll mount the roving winds expanded wing, 
 And feek the facred hill, and light to fing ; 
 ('Tis known in Jewry well) I'll make my lays 
 Obedient to thy fummons, found with praife. 
 
 But ftill I fear, unwarm'd with holy flame, 
 I take for truth the flatt'ries of a dream j 
 
 And
 
 ijj-j- POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 
 
 And barely wifli the wondrous gift I boaft, 
 And faintly pradtife what deferves it moft. 
 
 Indulgent LORD ! whofe gracious love difphyg 
 Joy in the light, and fills the dark with eafe ; 
 Be this, to blefs my days, no dream of blifs ; 
 Or be, to blefs the nights, my dreams like this. 
 
 BACCHUS. 
 
 AS Bacchus ranging at his leifure 
 (Jolly Bacchus, king of pleafure !) 
 Charm'd the wide world with drink and dances,, 
 And all his thoufand airy fancies, 
 Alas ! he quite forgot the while 
 His fav'rite vines in Lefbos ifle. 
 
 The God, returning ere they dy'd,. 
 Ah ! fee my jolly Fauns he cry'd, 
 The leaves but hardly born are red, 
 And the bare arms for pity fpread : 
 The beafts afford a rich manure j 
 JFly 3 my boys, to bring the cure ;
 
 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 155 
 
 Up the mountains, o'er the vales, 
 Thro' the woods, and down the dales ; 
 For this, if full the clufter grow, 
 Your bowls fhall doubly overflow. 
 
 So chear'd, with more officious hafte 
 They bring the dung of ev'ry beaft j 
 The loads they wheel, the roots they bare> 
 They lay the rich manure with care 5 
 While oft he calls to labour hard^ 
 And names as oft the red reward. 
 
 The plants refrefh'd, new leaves appear, 
 The thick'ning clufters load the year ; 
 The feafon fwiftly purple grew, 
 
 The grapes hung dangling deep with blue- 
 A vineyard ripe, a day ferene 
 
 Now calls them all to work again* 
 
 The Fauns thro' every furrow fhoot 
 
 To load their flafkets with the fruit ; 
 
 And now the vintage early trod, 
 
 The wines invite the jovial God. 
 
 Strov
 
 156 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 
 
 Strow the rofes, raife the fong, 
 See the matter comes along j 
 Lufty Revel join'd with Laughter, 
 Whim and Frolic follow after : 
 The Fauns afide the vats remain 
 To (how the work, and reap the gain. 
 
 All around, and all around 
 They fit to riot on the ground ; 
 A vefiel ftands amidft the ring, 
 And here they laugh, and there they fing ; 
 Or rife a jolly jolly band, 
 And dance about it hand in hand ; 
 Dance about, and (hout amain, 
 Then fit to laugh, and fing again. 
 Thus they drink, and thus they play 
 The fun, and all their wits away. 
 
 But as an ancient Author fung, 
 The vine, manur'd with ev'ry dung, 
 From ev'ry creature ftrangely drew 
 A twang of brutal nature too j
 
 POEMS on feveral OCCASIONS. 157 
 
 Twas hence in drinking on the lawns 
 New turns of humour feiz'd the Fauns. 
 
 Here one was crying out, by Jove ! 
 Another, fight me in the grove j 
 This wounds a friend, and that the trees ; 
 The lion's temper reign'd in thefe. 
 Another grins, and leaps about,. 
 And keeps a merry world of rout. 
 And talks impertinently free, 
 And twenty talk the fame as he : 
 
 Chatt'ring, idle, airy, kind : 
 
 Thefe take the monkey's turn of mind. 
 
 Here one, that faw the Nymphs which ftooc^ 
 
 To peep upon them from the wood, 
 
 Steals off to try if any maid 
 
 Be lagging late beneath the fhade : 
 
 While loofe difcourfe another raifes 
 
 In naked nature's plaineft phrafes, 
 
 And every glafs he drinks enjoys, 
 
 With change of nonfenfe, luft and noife j 
 
 Mad
 
 158 POIMS on feveral OCCASIONS.' 
 
 Mad and carelefs, hot and vain : 
 Such as thefe the goat retain. 
 
 Another drinks and.cafts it up, 
 And drinks, and wants another cup j 
 Solemn, filent, and fedate, 
 Ever long, and ever late, 
 Full of meats, and full of wine : 
 This takes his temper from the fwine. 
 
 Here fome who hardly feem to breathe, 
 Drink, and hang the jaw beneath,. 
 Gaping, tender, apt to weep : 
 Their nature's alter'd by the fheep. 
 
 'Twas thus one autumn all the crew 
 (If what the Poets fay be true) 
 While Bacchus made the merry feaft, 
 Inclin'd to one, or other beaft : 
 And fince, *tis faid, for many a mile 
 He fpread the vines of Lefbos ifle. 
 
 VI SI-
 
 VISIONS, 
 
 Publi&ed in the 
 
 SPECTATORS, &c, 
 
 By the fame HA NO,
 
 VISION I. 
 
 SPECTATOR. N 460. 
 
 Declpimur Jpecie refit HOR. 
 
 OU R defers and follies are too often un- 
 known to us ; nay, they are fo far from. 
 eing known to us, that they pafs for demonftra- 
 ions of our worth. This makes us eafy in the 
 midft of them, fond to fhew them, fond to improve 
 n them, and to be efteemed for them. Thence 
 t is that a thoufand unaccountable conceits, gay 
 nventions, and extravagant actions muft afford us 
 leafures, and difplay us to others in the colours 
 vhich we ourfelves take a fancy to glory in : and 
 ndeed there is fomething fo amufmg for the time 
 !i this fiate of vanity and ill-grounded fatisfaction, 
 hat even the wifer world has chofen an exalted 
 word to defcribe its enchantments, and called it the 
 Paradife of Fools. 
 
 Perhaps the latter part of this reflection may 
 feem a falfe thought to fome, and bear another 
 turn than what I have given ; but it is at prefent 
 none of my buftnefs to look after it, who am going 
 to confefs that I have been lately arriongft them in a 
 via* on. 
 
 Methought
 
 yfa VISION I. 
 
 Methought I was tranfported to a hill, green, 
 flowery, and of an eafy afcent. Upon the broad 
 top of it rcfided fquint-eyed Error, and popular 
 Opinion with many heads j two that dealt in for- 
 cery, and were famous for bewitching people with 
 the love of themfelves. To thefe repaired a mul- 
 titude from every fide, by two different paths which 
 lead towards eaeh of them. Some who had the 
 moft afluming air went direftly of themfelves to 
 Error, without expecting a conductor ; others of a 
 Ibfter nature went firft to popular Opinion, from 
 whence as {he influenced and engaged them with 
 their own praifes, (he delivered them over to his- 
 government. 
 
 When we had afcended'to an open part of the 
 fnmmit where Opinion abodie, we found her en- 
 tertaining feveral who had arrived before us. Her 
 voice was pleafmg ; fhe breathed odours as {he 
 fpoke : {he feemed to have a tongue for every one ; 
 every one thought he heard of fomething that was 
 valuable in himfelf, and expected a paradife which 
 foe promifed as the reward of his merit. Thus 
 were we drawn to follow her, 'till fhe fhould bring 
 us where it was to be beftowed : And it was obfcr- 
 vable, that all the way we went, the company was 
 either praifing themfelves in their qualifications, or 
 one another for thofe qualifications which they took 
 to be confpicuous in their own characters, or dif- 
 praifmg others for wanting theirs, or vying in the 
 degrees of them. 
 
 At
 
 V I S I O N I, it$ 
 
 At laft we approached a bower, at the entrance 
 of which Error was feated. The trees were thick- 
 woven, and the place where he fat artfully con- 
 trived to darken him a little. He was difguifed in 
 a whitifti robe, which he had put on, that he might 
 appear to us with a nearer refemblance to Truth : 
 And as (he has a light whereby (he manifefts the 
 beauties of nature to the eyes of her adorers, fo he 
 had provided himfelf with a magical wand, that he 
 might do fomething in imitation of it, and pleafe 
 with delufions. This he lifted folemnly, and mut- 
 tering to himfelf, bid the glories which he kept 
 under enchantment to appear before us. Immedi- 
 ately we caft our eyes on that part of the fky to 
 which he pointed, and obferved a thin blue profpect, 
 which cleared as mountains in a fummer morning 
 when the mitts go off, and the palace of Vanity 
 appeared to fight. 
 
 The foundation hardly feemed a foundation, but 
 a fet of curling clouds, which it flood upon by 
 magical contrivance. The way by which we afcend- 
 ed was painted like a rainbow ; and as we went, the 
 breeze that played about us bewitched the fenfes. 
 The walls were gilded all for fhow ; the loweft fet 
 of pillars were of the flight fine Corinthian order, 
 and the top of the building being rounded, bore fo 
 far the refemblance of a bubble. 
 
 At the gate the travellers neither met with a 
 porter, nor waited 'till one fhould appear ; every 
 ;one thought his merits a fufficient paffport, and 
 
 prefled
 
 i6 4 V I S I O N I. 
 
 prefled forward. In the hall we met with feveral 
 phantoms, that roved amongft us, and ranged the 
 company according to their fentiments. There was 
 decreafmg Honour, that had nothing to {hew in 
 but an old coat of his ar.ceftors achievements : 
 There was Oftentation, that made himfelf his own 
 conftant fubject, and Gallantry ftrutting upon his 
 tip-toes. At the upper end of the hall flood a 
 throne, whofe canopy glittered with all the riches 
 that gaiety could contrive to lavifh on it ; arid be- 
 tween the gilded arms fat Vanity, decked in the 
 peacock's feathers, and acknowledged for another 
 Venus by her votaries. The boy who flood befide 
 her for a Cupid, and who made the world to bow 
 before her, was called Self-Conceit. His eyes had 
 every now and then a caft inwards, to the neglect 
 of all objects about him ; and the arms which he 
 made ufe of for conqueft, were borrowed from thofe 
 againft whom he had a defign. The arrow which 
 he (hot at the foldier, was fledged from his own 
 plume of feathers ; the dart he directed againft the 
 man of wit, was winged from the quills he writ 
 with ; and that which he fent againft thofe who 
 prefumed upon their riches, was headed with gold 
 out of their treafures : he made nets for ftatefmen 
 from their own contrivances ; he took lire from the 
 eyes of ladies, with which he melted their hearts ; 
 and lightning from the tongues of the eloquent, to 
 enflame them with their own glories. At the foot 
 of the throne fat three falfe graces, Flattery with a 
 
 Died
 
 V I SIGN I. 165 
 
 fhell of paint, Affectation with a mirrour to pradtife 
 -at, and Fafhion ever changing the pofture of her 
 clothes. Thefe applied themfelves to fecure the 
 conquefts which Self-Conceit had gotten, and had 
 each of them their particular polities. Flattery 
 gave new colours and complexions to all things, 
 Affectation new airs and appearances, which, as fhe 
 faid, were not vulgar, and Fafhion both concealed 
 fome home defects, and added fome foreign external 
 beauties. 
 
 As I was reflecting upon what I faw, I heard a 
 .voice in the croud, bemoaning the condition of 
 mankind, which is thus managed by the breath of 
 Opinion, deluded by Error, fired by Self-Conceit, 
 and given up to be trained in all the courfes of 
 Vanity, 'till Scorn or Poverty come upon us. 
 Thefe exprefilons were no fooner handed about, 
 but I immediately faw a general diforder, 'till at laii 
 there was a parting in one place, and a grave old 
 man, decent and refolute, was led forward to- be 
 .punifhed for the words he had uttered. He appear- 
 ed inclined to have fpoken in his own defence, but 
 I could not obferve that any one was willing to 
 hear him. Vanity call a fcornful fmile at him ; 
 .Self-Conceit was angry ; Flattery, who knew him 
 for Plain-dealing, put on a vizard, and turned away ; 
 Affectation toffed her fan, made mouths, and called 
 him Envy or Slander ; and Fafhion would have it, 
 that at leaft he muft be Ill-Manners. Thus flighted 
 and defpifed by ali, he was driven out for abufing 
 
 people
 
 V I S I O N I. 
 
 people of merit and figure ; and I heard it firmly 
 refolved, that he (hould be ufed no better where-ever 
 they met with him hereafter. 
 
 I had already feen the meaning of moft part of 
 that warning which he had given, and was confider- 
 ing how the latter words {hould he fulfilled, when 
 a mighty noife was heard without, and the door was 
 blackened by a numerous train of Harpies crouding 
 in upon us. Folly and Broken Credit were feen 
 in the houfe before they entered. Trouble, Shame, 
 Infamy, Scorn and Poverty brought up the rear. 
 Vanity, with her Cupid and Graces, difappeared ; 
 her fubje&s ran into holes and corners ; but many 
 of them were found and carried off (as I was told 
 by one who flood near me) either to prifons or 
 cellars, folitude, or little company, the mean arts 
 or the viler crafts of life. But thefe, added he, 
 with a difdainful air, are fuch who would fondly 
 live here, when their merits neither matched the 
 luftre of the place, nor their riches its expences. 
 We have feen fuch fcenes as thefe before now j the 
 glory you faw will all return when the hurry is 
 over. I thanked him for his information, and be- 
 lieving him fo incorrigible as that he would flay 'till 
 it was his turn to be taken, I made off to the door, 
 and overtook fome few, who, though they would 
 not hearken to plain-dealing, were now terrified to 
 good purpofe by the example of others : But when 
 they had touched the threfhold, it was a flrano;e 
 Ihock to them to find that the delufion of Error was 
 
 gone,
 
 VISION I. i6> 
 
 gone, and they plainly difcerned the building to 
 hang a little up in the air without any real founda- 
 tion. At firft we faw nothing, but a defperate leap 
 remained for us, and I a thoafand times blamed my 
 unmeaning curiofity that had brought me into fo 
 much danger. But as they began to fink lower in 
 their own minds, methought the palace funk along 
 with us, 'till they were arrived at the due point of 
 Efteem which they ought to have for themfelves ; 
 then the part of the building in which they flood 
 touched the earth, and we departing out, it retired 
 from our eyes. Now, whether they who flayed 
 in the palace were fenfible of this defcent, I cannot 
 tell ; it was then my opinion that they were not. 
 However it be, my dream broke up at it, and has 
 given me occafion all my life to reflect upon the 
 fatal confequences of following the fuggeftions of 
 Vanity. 
 
 VISION
 
 [ 1 68 ] 
 
 VISION II. 
 
 SPECTATOR. N 501. 
 
 HO W are we tortured with the abfence of 
 what we covet to pofTefs, when it appears to 
 be loft to us ! what excurfions does the foul make 
 in imagination after it ! and how does it turn into 
 itfelf again, more foolifhly fond and dejected, at 
 the difappointment ! our grief, inftead of having 
 recourfe to realbn, which might reftrain it, fearches 
 to find a further nouriftment. It calls upon me- 
 mory to relate the feveral paflages and circumftances 
 of fatisfa&ions which we formerly enjoyed ; the 
 pleafures we purchafed by thofe riches that are 
 taken from us ; or the power and fplendor of our 
 departed honours j or the voice, the words, the 
 looks, the temper, and affections of our friends 
 that are deceafed. It needs muft happen from 
 hence, that the paffion {hould often fwell to fuch 
 a fize as to burft the heart which contains it, if 
 time did not make thefe circumftances lefs ftrong 
 and lively, fo that reafon fhould become a more 
 equal match for the paffion, or if another defire 
 which becomes more prefent did not overpower 
 them with a * livelier reprefentation. Thefe are 
 
 thoughts
 
 V I S I O N II. 169 
 
 thoughts which I had, when I fell into a kind of 
 vilion upon this fubjefl, and may therefore ftand 
 for a proper introduction to a relation of it. 
 
 I found myfelf upon a naked fhore, with com- 
 pany whofe afflicted countenances witnefTed their 
 conditions. Before us flowed a water, deep, filent, 
 and called the river of Tears, which ifluing from 
 two fountains on an upper ground, encompafled an 
 ifland that lay before us. The boat which plied 
 in it was old and (battered, having been fometimes 
 overfet by the impatience and hafte of fingle paflen- 
 gers to arrive at the other fide. This immediately 
 was brought to us by Misfortune, who fteers it, and 
 we were all preparing to take our places, when 
 there appeared a woman of a mild and compofed 
 behaviour, who began to deter us from it, by repre- 
 fenting the dangers which would attend our voyage. 
 Hereupon fome who knew her for Patience, and 
 fome of thofe too, who 'till then cried the louder!, 
 were perfuaded by her, and returned back. The 
 reft of us went in, and fhe (whofe good-nature 
 would not fuffer her to forfake perfons in trouble) 
 defired leave to accompany us, that fhe might at 
 lead adminifter fome fmall comfort or advice while 
 we failed. We were no fooner embarked, but the 
 boat was pufhed off, the fheet was fpread ; and be- 
 ing filled with Sighs, which are the winds of that 
 country, we made a paflage to the farther bank 
 I 2 thro'
 
 tyo VISION II. 
 
 thro' leveral difficulties, of which the moil of us 
 feemed utterly regardlefs. 
 
 When we landed, we perceived the ifland to be 
 ftrangely overcaft with fogs, which no brightnefs 
 co.uld pierce, fo that a kind of gloomy horror fat 
 always brooding over it. This had fomething in it 
 very {hocking to eafy tempers, infomuch that fome 
 others, whom Patience had by this time gained over, 
 left us here, and privily conveyed themfelves round 
 the verge of the ifland, to find a ford by which {he 
 told them they might efcape. 
 
 For my part, I ft'ill went along with thofe who 
 were for piercing into the centre of the place ; 
 and joining themfelves to others whom we found 
 upon the fame journey, we marched folemnly as at 
 a funeral, thro' bordering hedges of rofemary, and 
 thro* a grove of yew-trees, which love to over- 
 Ihadow tombs and flourifti in church-yards. Here 
 we heard on every fide the wailings and complaints 
 of feveral of the inhabitants who had caft thtm- 
 felves difconfolately at the feet of trees j and as we 
 chanced to approach any of thefe, we might per- 
 ceive them wringing their hands, beating their 
 breafts, tearing their hair, or after fome other man- 
 ner viiibly agitated with vexation. Our furrows 
 were heightened by the influence of what we heard 
 and faw, and one of our number was wrought up 
 to fuch a pitch of wildnefs, as to talk of hanging 
 himfelf upon a bough which fhot temptingly a-crofs 
 the path we travelled in j but he was retrained 
 
 from
 
 V I S I O N II. 171 
 
 from it by the kind endeavours of our above-men- 
 tioned companion. 
 
 We had now gotten into the moft duflcy filent 
 part of the iftand, and by the redoubled founds of 
 fighs, which made a doleful whittling in the branches, 
 the thicknefs of air which occafioned faintifh refpi- 
 ration, and the violent throbbings of heart which 
 more and more afFe&ed us, we found that we ap- 
 proached the grotto of Grief. It was a wide, 
 hollow, and melancholy cave, funk deep in a dale, 
 and watered by rivulets that had a colour between 
 red and black. Thefe crept flow, and half con- 
 gealed amongft its windings, and mixed their heavy 
 murmur with the echo of groans that rolled thro' 
 all the paflages. In the moft retired part of it fat 
 the doleful Being herfelf ; the path' to her was 
 ftrewed with goads, flings, and thorns ; and the 
 throne on which fhe fat was broken into a rock, 
 with ragged pieces pointing upwards for her to lean 
 upon. A heavy mift hung above her, her head op- 
 prefied with it reclined upon her arm : Thus did Ihe 
 reign over her difconfolate fubje&s, full of herfelf 
 to ftupidity, in eternal penfivenefs, and the pro- 
 fbundett filence. On one fide of her flood Dejec- 
 tion, juft dropping into a fwoon, and Palenefs 
 wafting to a fkeleton ; on the other fide were Care, 
 inwardly tormented with imaginations, and Anguifli 
 fufFering outward Troubles to fuck the blood from 
 her heart in the fliape of Vultures. The whole 
 vault had a genuine difmalnefs in it, which a few 
 I 3 fcattered
 
 172 V I S I O N II. 
 
 fcattered lamps, whofe blueiflh flames arofe and funk 
 in their urns, difcovered to our eyes with increafe. 
 Some of us fell down, overcome and fpent with 
 what they fufrered in the way, and were given over 
 to thofe Tormentors that flood on either hand of the 
 prefence ; others, galled and mortified with pain, 
 recovered the entrance, where Patience, whom we 
 had left behind, was ftill waiting to receive us. 
 
 With her ( whofe company was now become 
 more grateful to us by the want we had found of 
 her) we winded round the grotto, and amended at 
 the back of it, out of the mournful dale in whofe 
 bottom it lay. On this eminence we halted, by her 
 advice, to pant for breath, and lifting our eyes, 
 which till then were fixed downwards, felt a fallen 
 fort of fatisfaciion, in obferving thro' the {hades 
 what numbers had entered the ifland. This fatis- 
 iaclion, which appears to have ill-nature in if, was 
 excuiable, becaufe it happened at a time when we 
 were too much tuken up with our own concern, to 
 have refpedl to that of others j and therefore we 
 oid not confider them as fuffeiing, but ourfelves as 
 not fuffering in the moft forlorn eftate. It had alfo 
 the ground-work of humanity and compaffion in it, 
 tho' the mind was then too deeply engaged to per- 
 ceive it ; but as we proceeded onwards it began to 
 difcover itfelf, and from obferving that others were 
 unhappy, we came to queftion one another, when 
 it was that we met, and what were the fad occa- 
 fions that brought us together, Then we heard our 
 
 {lories,
 
 VISION II. 173 
 
 ftories, we compared them, we mutually gave and 
 received pity, and fo by degrees became tolerable 
 company. 
 
 A considerable part of the troublefome road was 
 thus deceived ; at length the openings among the 
 trees grew larger, the air feemed thinner, it lay with 
 lefs oppreffion upon us, and we could now and then 
 difcern trades in it of a lighter greynefs, like the 
 breakings of day, (hort in duration, much enliven- 
 ing, and called in that country, Gleams of Amufe- 
 ment. Within a fhort while thefe gleams began to 
 appear more frequent, and then brighter and of a 
 longer continuance j the fighs that hithertto filled 
 the air with fo much doleful nefs, altered to the found 
 of common breezes, and in general the horrors of 
 the ifland were abated. 
 
 When we had arrived at laft at the ford by which 
 we were to pafs out, we met with thofe fafhionable 
 mourners who had been ferried over along with us, 
 and who being unwilling to go as far as we, had 
 coafted by the fhore to find the place, where they 
 waited our coming ; that by {hewing themfelves to 
 the world only at that time when we did, they 
 might feem alfo to have been among the troubles of 
 the grotto. Here the waters, that rolled on the 
 other fide fo deep and filent, were much dried up, 
 and it was an eafier matter for us to wade over. 
 
 The river being croffed, we were received upon 
 
 the further bank by our friends and acquaintance, 
 
 whom Comfort had brought out to congratulate our 
 
 I 4 appeal-
 
 I 7 4 VISION II. 
 
 appearance in the world again. Some of thefe 
 blamed us for ftaying fo long away from them, 
 others advifed us againft all temptations of going 
 back again ; every one was cautious not to renew 
 our trouble, by afking any particulars of the jour- 
 ney ; and all concluded, that in a cafe of fo much 
 affliction, we could not have made choice of a 
 fitter companion than Patience. Here Patience, 
 appearing ferene at her praifes, delivered us over to 
 Comfort. Comfort fmiled at his receiving the 
 charge ; immediately the fky purpled on that fide 
 to which he turned, and double day at once broke 
 in upon me. 
 
 VISION
 
 VISION in. 
 
 GUARDIAN. N 56. 
 
 Quid men tern traxijfe polo, quid prof nit ahum 
 Erexijfs caput, pzcudumji more per err ant ? Claud. 
 
 IW A S considering laft night, when I could nof 
 flcep, how noble a part of the creation man was 
 defigned to be, and how diftinguifhed in all his ac- 
 tions above other earthly creatures. From whence 
 I fell to take a view of the change and corruption 
 which he has introduced into his own condition, the 
 groveling appetites, the mean characters of fcnfe, 
 and wild courfes of paflions, that caft him from the 
 degree in which providence had placed him, the de- 
 bafmg himfelf with qualifications not his own, and 
 his degenerating into a lower fphere of action. This 
 infpired me with a mixture of contempt and anger ; 
 which however, was not fo violent as to hinder the 
 return of fleep, but grew confufed as that came up- 
 on me, and made me end my reflexions with giving 
 mankind the opprobrious names of inconfiderate, 
 mad and foolifh. 
 
 Here, methought, where my waking reafon left 
 
 the fubjecl, my fancy purfued it in a dream ; and 
 
 1 5 1 imagined
 
 176 VISION III. 
 
 I imagined myfelf in a loud foliloquy of paflion* 
 railing at my fpecies, and walking hard to get rid 
 of the company I defpifed ; when two men who 
 had over-heard me made up on either hand. Thefe 
 I obferved had many features in common, which 
 might occafion the miftake of the one for the other 
 in thofe to whom they appear fingle ; but I, who 
 faw them together^ could eafily perceive, that tho' 
 there was an air of feverity in each, it was tempered 
 with a natural fweetnefs in the one, and by turns 
 conftrained or ruffled by the defigns of malice in the 
 other. 
 
 I was at a lofs to know the reafon of their joining 
 me fo brifldyj when he, whofe appearance difpleafed 
 me moft, thus addrefl'cd his companion. Pray, bro- 
 ther, let him alone, and we {hall immediately fee 
 him transformed into a tyger. This ftruck me with 
 horror, which the other perceived, and pitying my 
 eliforder, bid me be of good courage, for tho' I had 
 been favage in my treatment of mankind) whom I 
 fhould rather reform than rail againft) he would, 
 however, endeavour to refcue me from my danger. 
 At this I looked a little more chearful, and while I 
 teftified my refignation to him, we faw the angry 
 brother fling away from us in a pafiion for his dif- 
 appointment. Being now left to my friend, I 
 went back with him at his defire, that I might 
 know the meaning of thofe words which fo affright- 
 ed me.
 
 VISION III. 177 
 
 As we went along, to inform you, fays he, with 
 whom you have this adventure, my name is Reproof, 
 and his Reproach, both born of the fame mother, 
 but of different fathers. Truth is our common pa- 
 rent. Friend&ip, who faw her, fell in love with 
 her, and {he being pleafed with him, he begat me 
 upon her ; but a while after Enmity lying in ambufii 
 for her, became the father of him whom you faw 
 along with me. The temper of our mother inclines 
 us to the fame fort of bufmefs, the informing man- 
 kind of their faults ; but the different complexions 
 of our fathers make us differ in our defigns and 
 company. I have a natural benevolence in my 
 mind, which engages me with friends, and he a 
 natural impetuofity in his, which calls him among 
 enemies. 
 
 As he thus difcourfed, we came to a place where 
 there were three entrances into as many feveral 
 walks, which lay befide one another. We palled 
 into the middlemoft, a plain, ftrait, regular walk, 
 fet with trees, which added to the beauty of the 
 place, but did not fo clofe their boughs over head a; 
 to exclude the light from it. Here as we walked I 
 was made to obfcrve, how the road on one hand was 
 full of rocks and precipices, over which Reproach 
 (who had already gotten thither) was furioufly driv- 
 ing unhappy wretches ; the other fide was all laid 
 out in gardens of gaudy tulips, amongft whole leaves 
 the ferpents wreathed, and at '-he end of every grafly 
 walk the enchantrefs Flattery was weaving bowers 
 
 to
 
 178 VISION III. 
 
 to lull fouls afleep in. We continued ftill walking 
 on the middle way, 'till we arrived at a building in 
 which it terminated. This was formerly ereded by 
 Truth for a watch-tower, from whence fhe took a 
 view of the earth, and as fhe faw occafion, fent 
 out Reproof, or even Reproach, for our reforma- 
 tion. Over the door I took notice that a face was 
 carved with a heart upon the lips of it, and pre- 
 fently called to mind that this was the ancients em- 
 blem of Sincerity. In the entrance I met with 
 Freedom of Speech, and Complaifance, who had 
 for a long time looked upon one another as enemies ; 
 but Reproof has fo happily brought them together, 
 that they now al as friends and fellow- agents in. 
 the fame family. Before I afcended the flairs, I 
 had my eyes purified by a water which made me 
 lee extremely clear, and I think they faid it fprung 
 in a pit, from whence (as Democritus had reported) 
 they formerly brought up Truth, who had hid her- 
 felf in it. I was then admitted to the upper cham- 
 ber of profpec"r, which was called the Knowledge of 
 Mankind ; here the window was jio fooner opened, 
 but I perceived the clouds to roll off and part before 
 me, and a fcene of all the variety of the world pre- 
 fented itfelf. 
 
 But how different was mankind in this view, 
 from what it ufed to appear ! Methought the very 
 fiiape of rrioft of them was left ; feme had the 
 heads of dogs, others of apes or parrots, and, in 
 ihort, where-ever any one took upon him the infe- 
 rior
 
 VISION III. 179 
 
 rior and unworthy qualities of other creatures, the 
 change of his foul became viable in his countenance^ 
 The ftrutting pride of him who is endued with bru- 
 tality inftead of courage, made his face fhoot out in 
 the form of a horfe's ; his eyes became prominent, 
 his noftrils widened, and his wig untying flowed 
 down on one fide of his neck in a waving mane. 
 The talkativenefs of thofe who love the ill nature 
 of converfation made them turn into affemblies of 
 geefe, their lips hardened into bills by eternal ufing, 
 they gabbled for diverfion, they huffed in fcandal, 
 and their ruffles falling back on their arms, a fuc- 
 ceflion of little feathers appeared, which formed 
 wings for them to flutter with from one vifit to an- 
 other. The envious and malicious lay on the 
 ground with the heads of different forts of ferpents, 
 and not endeavouring to erecl: themfelves, but medi- 
 tating mifchief to others, they fucked the poifon 
 of the earth, fharpened their tongues to flings upon 
 the ftones, and rolled their trains unperceivably be- 
 neath their habits. The hypocritical oppreflbrs 
 wore the faces of crocodiles, their mouths were in- 
 ftruments of cruelty, their eyes of deceit ; they 
 committed wickednefs, and bemoaned that there 
 fhould be fo much of it in the world j they devour- 
 ed the unwary, and wept over the remains of them. 
 The covetous had fo hook'd and worn their fingers 
 by counting intereft upon intereft, that they con- 
 verted to the claws of harpies, and thefe they ftill 
 were itretching out for more, yet feemed unfatisfied 
 
 with
 
 i8o VISION III. 
 
 with their acquifitions. The {harpers had the looks 
 of camelions ; they every minute changed their ap- 
 pearance, and fed on fvvarms of flies which fell as 
 fo many cullies amongft them. The bully feemed 
 a dunghill cock, he crefted well, and bore his comb 
 aloft ; he was beaten almoft by every one, yet ftill 
 fung for triumph ; and only the mean coward prick- 
 ed up the ears of a hare to fly before him. Criticks 
 were turned into cats, whofe pleafure and grumbling 
 go together. Fops were apes in embroidered jackets. 
 Flatterers were curled fpaniels, fawning and crouch- 
 ing. The crafty had the face of a fox, the floth- 
 ful of an afs, the cruel of a wolf, the ill-bred of a 
 bear, the leachers were goats, and the gluttons 
 fwine. Drunkennefs was the only vice that did not 
 change the face of its profeflbrs into that of another 
 creature i but this I took to be far from a privilege, 
 for thefe two reafons ; becaufe it fufficiently deforms 
 them of itfelf, and becaufe none of the lower ranks 
 of beings is guilty of fo foolifh an intemperance. 
 
 As 1 was taking a view of thefe reprefentations 
 of things, without any more order than is ufual in 
 a dream, or in the confufion of the world itfelf, I 
 perceived a concern within me for what I faw ; my 
 eyes began to moiften, and as if the virtue of that 
 water with which they were purified was loft for a 
 time, by their being touched with that which arofe 
 from a paflion, the clouds immediately began to ga- 
 ther again, and clofe from either hand upon the 
 profpedt, I then turned towards my guide, who 
 
 addrefled
 
 VISION III. 181 
 
 addrefTed himfelf to me after this manner : You 
 have feen the condition of mankind when it defcends 
 from its dignity ; now therefore guard yourfelf from 
 that degeneracy by a modeft greatnefs of fpirit on 
 one fide, and a confcious lhame on the other. En- 
 deavour alfo with a generofity of goodnefs to make 
 your friends aware of it ; let them know what de- 
 feds you perceive are growing upon them ; handle 
 the matter as you fee reafon, either with the airs of 
 fevere or humourous affe&ion ; fometimes plainly 
 defcribing the degeneracy in its full proper colours, 
 or at other times letting them know that if they 
 proceed as they have begun, you give them to fuch 
 a day, or fo many months, to turn bears, wolves, 
 or foxes, &c. Neither neglect your more remote 
 acquaintance, where you fee any worthy and fufcep- 
 tible of admonition ; expofe the beafts whofe quali- 
 ties you fee them putting on, where you have no 
 mind to engage with their perfons. The poffibility 
 of their applying this is very obvious : The Egyp- 
 tians faw it fo clearly, that they made the pictures 
 of animals explain their minds to one another inftead 
 of writing ; and indeed it is hardly to be miffed, 
 fince JEhp took them out of their mute condition, 
 and taught them to fpeak for themfelves with rela- 
 tion to the adtions of mankind. 
 
 VISION
 
 [ 182 ] 
 
 VISION IV. 
 
 GUARDIAN. N66. 
 
 THERE is a fet of mankind, who are wholly 
 employed in the ill-natured office of gather- 
 ing up a collection of ftories that leflen the reputa- 
 tion of others, and fpreading them abroad with a 
 certain air of fatisfa&ion. Perhaps, indeed, an in- 
 nocent and unmeaning curiofity, a defire of being 
 informed concerning thofe we live with, or a willing- 
 nefs to profit by reflection upon the aclions of others,, 
 may fometimes afford an excufe, or fometimes a 
 defence, for inquifitivenefs ; but certainly it is be- 
 yond all excufe, a tranfgreffion againft humanity, 
 to carry the matter further, to tear off the dreffings, 
 as I may fay, from the wounds of a friend, and 
 expofe them to the air in cruel fits of diverfion; and 
 yet we have fomething more to bemoan, an outrage 
 of an higher nature, which mankind is guilty of 
 when they are not content to fpread the ftories of 
 folly, frailty and vice, but even enlarge them, or in- 
 vent new ones, and blacken characters, that we 
 may appear ridiculous or hateful to one another. 
 From fuch practices as thefe it happens, that fome 
 feel a forrow, and others are agitated with a fpirit 
 of revenge j that fcandals or lies are told, becaufe 
 
 another
 
 VISION IV, 183 
 
 another has told fuch before ; that refentments and 
 quarrels arife, and injuries are given, received, and 
 multiplied, in a fcene of vengeance. 
 
 All this I have often obferved, with abundance 
 of concern ; and having a perfect defire to further 
 the happinefs of mankind, I lately fet myfelf to 
 confider the caufes from whence fuch evils arife, and 
 the remedies which may be applied. Whereupon 
 I fhut my eyes to prevent diftraction from outward 
 obje&s, and a while after {hot away, upon an im- 
 'pulfe of thought, into the World of Ideas, where 
 abftracted qualities become vifible in fuch appear- 
 ances as were agreeable to each of their natures. 
 
 That part of the country, where I happened to 
 light, was the moft noify that I had ever known. 
 The winds whittled, the leaves ruftled, the brooks 
 "rumbled, the birds chattered, the tongues of men 
 were heard, and the echo mingled fomething of 
 every found in its repetition, fo that there was a 
 ftrange confufion and uproar of founds about me. 
 At length, as the noife ftill encreafed, I could dif- 
 cern a man habited like a herald (and, as I afterwards 
 underftood) called Novelty, that came forward, pro- 
 claiming a folemn day to be kept at the houfe of 
 Common Fame. Immediately behind him advanced 
 three nymphs, who had monftrous appearances. 
 The firft of thefe was Curiofity, habited like a 
 virgin, and having an hundred ears upon her head 
 to ferve in her enquiries. The fecond of thefe was 
 Talkativenefs, a little better grown ; file feemed to 
 
 be 
 
 -
 
 1 84 VISION IV. 
 
 be like a young wife, and had an hundred tongues 
 to fpread her ftories. The third was Cenforioufnefs, 
 habited like a Widow, and furrounded with an 
 hundred fquinting eyes of a malignant influence, 
 which fo obliquely darted on all around, that it was 
 impoflible to fay which of them had brought in the 
 information fhe boafted of. Thefe, as I was in- 
 formed, had been very inftrumental in preferving 
 and rearing ^Common Fame, when upon her birth- 
 day (he was fhuffled into a croud, to efcape the 
 iearch which Truth might have made after her and 
 her parents. Curiofity found her there, Talkative- 
 nefs conveyed her away, and Cenforicufnefs fo 
 nurfed her up, that in a fhort time {he grew to a 
 prodigious fize, and obtained an empire over the 
 univerfe ; wherefore the Power, in gratitude for 
 thefe fervices, has fince advanced them to her high- 
 eft employments. The next who came forward in 
 this proceffion was a light damfel, called Credulity, 
 who carried behind them the lamp, the filver vefiel 
 \vith a fpout, and other inilruments proper for this 
 folemn occafion. She had formerly feen thefe three 
 together, and conje&uring from the number of their 
 ears, tongues and eyes, that they might be the pro- 
 per Genii of Attention, Familiar Converfe, and 
 Ocular Demonftration, {he from that time gave her- 
 felf up to attend them. The laft who followed 
 were fome who had clofely muffled themfelvs in up- 
 per garments, fo that I could not difcern who they 
 were j but juft as the foremoft of them was come 
 
 up,
 
 VISION IV. 185 
 
 up, I am glad, fays fhe, calling me by my name, to 
 meet you at this time, flay clofe by me, and take a 
 Iricft obfervation of all that pafles. Her voice was 
 weet and commanding, I thought I had fomewhere 
 leard it ; and from her, as I went along, I learned 
 the meaning of every thing which offered. 
 
 We now marched forward thro' the Rookery of 
 lumours, which flew thick and with a terrible din 
 ill around us. At length we arrived at the houfe 
 >f Common Fame, where a hecatomb of Reputa- 
 ions was that day to fall for her pleafure. The 
 ioufe ftood upon an eminence, having a thoufand 
 saffages to it, and a thcufand whifpering holes for 
 .he conveyance of found. The hall we entered was 
 i>rmed with the art of a mufic-chamber for the im- 
 >rovement of noifes. Reft and Silence are banifhed 
 place. Stories of different natures wander in 
 ight flocks all about, fometimes truths and lies, or 
 bmetimes lies themfelves clafhing a^ainft one ano- 
 her. In the middle ftood a table painted after the 
 nanner of the remoteft Afiatic countries, upon 
 yhich the lamp, the filver veflel, and cups of a 
 yhite earth, were planted in order. Then dried 
 icrbs were brought, collected for the folemnity in 
 noon-fhine, and water being put to them, there 
 vas a greenifh liquor made, to which they added 
 ihe flower of milk, and an extraction from the canes 
 >f America, for performing a libation to the infer- 
 al Powers of Mifchief. After this, Curiofity, re- 
 iu;ing to a withdrawing- room, brought forth the 
 
 Victims,
 
 i86 VISION IV. 
 
 Victims, being to appearance a fet of fmall waxeai 
 images, which fhe laid upon the table one after an-i 
 other. Immediately Talkativenefs gave each of] 
 them the name of iome one, whom for the time 
 they were to reprefent ; and Cenforioufnefs ftuckj 
 them all about with black pins, ftill pronouncing at 
 every one (he ftuck, fomething to the prejudice ofl 
 the perfons reprefented. No fooner were thefe rites 
 performed, and incantations uttered, but the found 
 of a fpeaking trumpet was heard in the air, by which? 
 they knew the Deity of the place was propitiate^ 
 and affifting. Upon this the fky grew darker, a 
 ftorm arofe, and murmurs, fighs, groans, cries, and 
 the words of grief or refentment were heard withii* 
 if. Thus the three Sorcerelies difcovered., that they, 
 whofe names they had given to the images, wers 
 already affected with what was done to them in 
 effigy. The knowledge of this was received withi 
 the loudeft laughter, and in many congratulatory- 
 words they applauded one another's wit and power. ; 
 As matters were at this high point of diforder r 
 the muffled lady, whom I attended on, being no 
 longer able to endure fuch barbarous proceedings, 
 threw off her upper garment of referve, and appear- 
 ed to be Truth. As foon as (he had con fe fled her- 
 felf prefent, the fpeaking-trumpet ceafed to found, 
 the iky cleared up, the ftorm abated, the noifes- 
 which were heard in it ended, the laughter of the 
 company was over, and a ferene light, 'till then 
 unknown to the place, was diffufed around it. At 
 
 this
 
 VISION IV. 187 
 
 is the detected SorcerefTes endeavoured to efcape 
 m a cloud which I faw began to thicken about them, 
 but it was foon difperfed, their charms being con- 
 trouled and prevailed over by the fuperior Divinity. 
 For my part, I was exceedingly glad to fee it fo, 
 and began to confider what punifhments fhe would 
 nflict upon them. I fancied it would be proper to 
 cut off Curiofity's ears, and fix them to the eaves 
 of houfes, to nail the tongue of Talkativenefs to 
 Indian tables, and to put out the eyes of Cenforiouf- 
 nefs with a flafh of her light. In refpect of Credu- 
 ity I had indeed fome little pity, and had I been 
 judge, fhe might perhaps, have efcaped with a hearty 
 eproof. 
 
 But I foon found that the difcerning Judge had 
 other defigns ; fhe knew them for fuch as will not 
 be deftroyed intirely, while mankind is in being, 
 and yet ought to have a brand and punifhment 
 affixed to them, that they may be avoided. Where- 
 fore fhe took a feat for judgment, and had the cri- 
 minals brought forward by Shame, ever blufhing, 
 and Trouble with a whip of many lafhes, two 
 phantoms who had dogged the proceffion in difguife, 
 and waited till they had an authority from Truth to 
 lay hands upon them. Immediately then fhe order- 
 ed Curiofity and Talkativenefs to be fettered toge- 
 ther, that the one fhould never fuffer the other to 
 reft, nor the other ever let her remain undifcovered. 
 Light Credulity fhe linked to Shame at the Tor- 
 menter's own requefr, who was pleafed to be thus 
 
 fecure
 
 i38 VISION IV. 
 
 fecure that her prifoner fhould not efcape ; and this 
 was done partly for her puniflbment, and partly for 
 her amendment. Cenforioufnefs was alfo in like 
 manner begged by Trouble, and had her affigned 
 for an eternal companion. After they were thus 
 chained with one another, by the judge's order, 
 ihe drove them from the prefence to wander for ever 
 through the world, with Novelty {talking before 
 them. 
 
 The caufe being now over, {he retreated from 
 fight within the fplendor of her own glory, which 
 leaving the houfe it had brightened, the founds that 
 were proper to the place began to be as loud and 
 confufed as when we entered, and there being no 
 longer a clear diftinguiftied appearance of any ob- 
 je&s reprefented to me, I returned from the excur- 
 fion 1 had made in fancy. 
 
 VISION
 
 [ I8 9 ] 
 
 VISION V. 
 
 WHATEVER induftry and eagernefs the 
 modern difcoverers have fhewn for the 
 knowledge of new countries, there yet remains an 
 imple field in the creation to which they are utter 
 rangers, and which all the methods of travelling 
 itherto invented, will never bring them acquainted 
 ith. Of this I can give a very particular inftance 
 i an accident which lately happened to me. 
 
 As I was on the 6th of this inftant, being Feb. 
 715, walking with my eyes caft upward, I fell into 
 
 reflection on the vaft tracts of air which appeared 
 
 icfore me as uninhabited. And wherefore, faid I to 
 
 yfelf, (hould all this fpace be created ? Can it only 
 
 ; for an odd bird to fly through, as now and then 
 
 man may pafs a defart ? Or are there alfo kingdoms 
 vlth their particular polities, and people, of a fpe- 
 ies which we know nothing of, ordained to live in 
 
 ? 
 
 It was in this manner I continued my thought, 
 /hen my feet forfook the level, and I was infenfibly 
 lounted in the air, till I arrived at a footing as firm 
 nd level as what I had left. But with what fur- 
 rize did I find myfelf among creatures diftindT: from 
 .s in fhape and cuftoms ? 
 
 The
 
 190 VISION V, 
 
 The inhabitants are of a fmall ftature, below 
 thofe "which hiftory defcribes for pigmies. The 
 talleft of them exceed not fourteen or fifteen inches, 
 and the leaft hardly three. This difference pro- 
 ceeds only from their growth before they are broughf 
 to light j for after we never obferve them to growj 
 unlefs it pleafe their parents, who have this uncom- 
 mon method of enabling them : they recal them to 
 the womb, where having been for fome time, thej 
 receive an addition to their bulk, then go back tq 
 their houfes, and continue at a fland as they did 
 before. The experiment has been often tried \v 
 fuccefs, but fome have fuffered extremely by undc 
 going it. 
 
 Their fkins are like the antient Britains, all draw 
 over with a variety of figures. The colour ma 
 ufe of for this end is generally black. I have ir.de 
 obferved in fome of the religious, and lawyers of 
 country, red here and there intermingled, thou 
 not fo commonly of late. They tell me too, th 
 often ufed to paint with all colours j and I vifit 
 two or three of the old inhabitants, who we 
 adorned in that fafliion ; but this is now difufe 
 flnce the new inventions, by which the ufe of 
 black fountain that belongs to that country, is re 
 dered more ufeful and ferviceable. 
 
 The clothes in which they go clad, are the fld 
 of beads, worn by fome plain, by others with 
 gures wrought upon them. Gold is alfo made ufe 
 by fome, to beautify their apparel ; but very feldo 
 
 filve
 
 VISION V. 191 
 
 filver, unlefs, as bucklers are by us, for fattening 
 t'he garment before. I have feen fome of them go 
 like feamen in thin blue fkirts, others like Indians 
 in a party-coloured loofe kind of apparel, and others, 
 who they told me were the politicians of the coun- 
 try, go about ftark naked. 
 
 The manner of drefling them is this : At firft 
 when they come into the world, they have a fuit 
 given them, which if it do not fit exadtly, is not as 
 with us fitted up again, but the children are in a 
 Cruel manner cut and fqueezed to bring them to its 
 proportion. Yet this they feem not much to regard, 
 provided their principal parts are not affe&ed. When 
 the drefs is thus fettled on them, they are clad for 
 life, it being feldom their cuitom to alter it, or put 
 h off: In fiiort, they live in it night and day, and 
 wear it to rags rather than part with it, being fore 
 of the fa'me torture, and a greater danger, if they 
 fhould be drefied a fecond time. I have further 
 taken notice, that they delight to go open- breaded, 
 moft of them fhewing their bofoms fpecklcd. Some 
 lawyers indeed wear them quite white, perhaps for 
 diftindion fake, or to be known at a diftance. But 
 the nneft fliew is among the beaux and ladies, who 
 mightily affect fomething of gold, both before and 
 behind them. 
 
 Food I never faw them eat ; they being a people, 
 xvho, as I obferved, live in air : Their houfes are all 
 fmgle and high, having no back rooms, but fre- 
 quently feven or eight ftories, which are all feparate 
 ^K houfes
 
 i 9 2 VISION V. 
 
 houfes above one another. They have one gate to 
 their city, and generally no doors to their houfes ; 
 tho' I have fometimes ieem them have particular 
 doors, and even made of glafs, where the inhabi- 
 tants have been obferved to ftand many days, that 
 their fine apparel may be feen thro' them. If at 
 any time they lye down, which they do when they 
 come from their habitations (as if coming abroad were 
 their greateft fatigue) they will lye together ui heaps 
 without receiving hurt : tho' the foundeft fleep they 
 get, is when they can have duft enough to cover 
 them over. 
 
 The females amongft them are but few, nothing 
 being there produced by a marriage of fexes. The 
 males are of a different ftrength or endowment of 
 parts, fome having knowledge in an extream degree, 
 and others none at all ; yet at the fame time, they 
 are mighty pretenders to inftruct others. Their 
 names (for as many as would difcover them to me) 
 I obferved to be the very fame as ours are upon 
 earth ; I met a few who made theirs a myftery, but 
 why, I am yet to learn. They are fo communica- 
 tive, that they will tell all the knowledge they 
 boaft, if a ftranger apply himfelf to their converfa- 
 tion : and this may be worth his while, if he con- 
 fiders that all languages, arts, and fciences, are pro- 
 feft amongft them. I think I may fay it without 
 vanity, that I knew a certain Talifman, with proper 
 figures and characters infcribed, whereby their 
 greateft people may be charmed, brought to refide 
 
 with
 
 VISION V. 193 
 
 with a man, and ferve him like a familiar in the 
 conduct of life. 
 
 There is no fuch thing as fighting amongft them, 
 but their controverfies are determined by words, 
 wherein they feldom own themfelves conquered, yet 
 proceed no further than two or three replies : per- 
 haps indeed two others take up their neighbours 
 quarrel, but then they defift too after the fame man- 
 ner ; fometimes however, blows have enfued upon 
 their account, though not amongft them : In fuch at 
 cafe they have defcended to infpire mankind with 
 their fentiments, and chofen champions from among 
 <us, in order to decide it. 
 
 The time of their life is very different., forne die 
 as foon as born, and others in their youth ; fome 
 get a new kafe of 4ife by their entering into the 
 womb again, and if any weather it out to an hun- 
 dred years, they generally live x)n to an extreme'' 
 age. After which it is remarkable, that inftead of 
 growing weaker as we do, by time, they increafe 
 in ftrength, and become at laft fo confirmed in, 
 health, that it is the opinion of their country, they 
 never can perifh while the world remains. 
 
 The ficknefTes which may take them off", befides 
 what happens from their natural weaknefs of body, 
 are of different forts. One is over-moifture, which, 
 affecting their manfions, makes them lofe their 
 complexions, become deformed, and rot away in- 
 fenfibly : This is often obviated by their not keep- 
 ing too much within doors. Another is the worms, 
 K 2 which
 
 J94 "VISION V* 
 
 which prey upon their bowels : If they be maimed 
 by accidents, they become like us, fo far ufelefs ; 
 and that maim will fometime or other be the occa- 
 lion of their ruin. However, they perifh by thefc 
 means only in appearance, and like Spirits, who 
 vanifh in one place, to be feen in another. But 
 as men die of paflions, fo difefteem is what the 
 moft nearly touches them ; then they withdraw into 
 holes and corners, and confume away in darknefs. 
 Or if they are kept alive a few days by the force of 
 fpices, it is but a fhort reprieve from their perifhing 
 to eternity ; without any honour, but that inftead 
 of a burial, a fmall pile of pafte fhould be creeled 
 over them, while they, like the antient Romans, 
 are reduced to alhes. 
 
 N. B. This vifion is to be underftood of a library 
 ef bods. 
 
 THE
 
 THE 
 
 LIFE 
 
 O F 
 
 Z O 1 L U Si 
 
 AND HIS 
 
 REMARKS 
 
 O N 
 
 H O M E R's 
 BATTLE 
 
 O F T H E 
 
 FROGS and MICE. 
 
 Vide quam iniqui funt divinorum munerum eefti 
 etlam quidem profejfi fapientiam, SENECA
 
 C '971 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 HAVING fame time ago heard, that the trait* 
 flation of HOMER'S Iliad would be attempted, 
 I refolved to confer with the gentleman who undertook 
 it. I found him of a tall prefence, and thoughtful 
 countenance, with his hands folded, his eyes fixed, and 
 his beard untrimmed. This I took to be a good omen, 
 becaufe he thus refembled the Conjlantinopolitan Statut 
 of HOMER which Cedrenus defer ibes ; and furely no- 
 thing could have been liker, had he but arrived at the 
 character of age and blindnefs. As my bujinefs was to 
 be my introduction, I told him how much I was ac- 
 quainted with the fecret hiftory of HoMER ; that no 
 one better knows his own horfe, than I do the camel of 
 Batfria, in which his fold refided at the time of the 
 Trojan wars j that my acquaintance continued ^vith him y 
 as he appeared in the perfon of the Grecian poet j that 
 I knew him in his next tranfmigration into a peacock > 
 was pleafed with his return to manhood, under the 
 name of Ennius at Rome ; and more pleafed to hear kg 
 would foon revive under another name, with all his 
 full luftre, in England, This knowledge, added J y 
 which fprung from the love I bear him, has made me 
 K 4
 
 198 P R 'E F A C E. 
 
 fond of a converfation with you , in order to the fucctfc 
 of your tranjlation. 
 
 The civil manner in which he received my proptfal 
 encouraging me to proceed, 1 told him, there were arts 
 of fu.ccefe, as ivell as merits to obtain it; and that be, 
 who now dealt In Greek, Jhottld not only fatisfy bim- 
 felf with being a good Grecian, but alfo contrive to 
 ha/fen into the repute of it. He might therefore write 
 in the title-page, Tranllated from the original Greek, 
 andfeletf a Motto for his purpofe out of the fame lan- 
 guage. He might obtain a copy of verfes written in it 
 to prefix to the work ; and not call the titles of each 
 book, the firJJ, and fecond, but Iliad J/pha, and Beta. 
 He might retain fome names, which the world is Ifajl 
 acquainted with, as his old tranjlator Chapman ufes 
 Ephaijlus injlead of Vulcan, Baratrum for hell; and 
 if the notes were filled with Greek verfes, it would" 
 more increafe the wonder of many readers. Thus 1 
 went on j when he told me, fmiling, I had Jhewn hint 
 indeed a fet of arts very different from merit, for 
 which reafon he thought, he ought not to depend upon- 
 them. A fuccefs, fays he, founded on the ignorance of 
 others, may bring a temporary advantage, but neither 
 a confcious fatisf action^ nor future fame to the author. 
 Men of fenfe defpife the affectation which they eofih 
 fee through, and e-ven they who were dazzled with it 
 at fir/I, are no fanner informed of its being an affec- 
 tation^ but they imagine it alfo a 'veil ta cever imper- 
 fttliw*
 
 PREFACE; 199 
 
 Tlie next point I ventured to fpeak on, was the fort 
 f poetry he intended to ufe, how fame may fancy > 9 et 
 poet of the greateji fire would be imitated better in tbt 
 freedom of blank vcrfe, and the description of war 
 founds more pompous out of rbime. But, will the 
 tranflation, faid he, be thus removed enough from profe 9 
 without great inconveniencies ? What tranfpojition is 
 Milton forced to, as an equivalent for want of rhime > 
 in the poetry of a language which depends upon a na- 
 tural order of words ? And even this would not have 
 done his bufmefs, had he not given the fullefl fcope t9 
 his genius, by choofeng a fubjecJ upon which there could 
 be no hyperboles. We fee, however he be defervedly 
 fiiccefsful, that the ridicule of his manner fucceeds 
 better than the imitation of it ; becaufe tranfpo/itions, 
 which are unnatural to a language, are to be fairly 
 derided, if they ruin it by being frequently introduced * 
 and becaufe hyperboles, which- outrage every lejjer fub- 
 jecJ where they are fcrioujly ufed, are often beautiful 
 in ridicule. Let the French, whofe language is not 
 copious, tranJJate in profe ; but ours, which exceeds it 
 in copioufnefs of words, may have a more frequent 
 itkenefs of founds, to- make the unifon or rbime e after \ 
 a grace of nwfic, that attones for the harjhnefs our 
 anfonanis and monofyllables occajion. 
 
 After this, 1 demanded what air he would appear 
 with- ? whether antiquated, like Chapmarfs verjion y or 
 modern, like La Matte's contraction. To which he 
 anfwered, by defiring me to obferve what a painter 
 dies who iwuld always have his pifcts in fajbion. He 
 K 5 neither
 
 200 P R E F A C E. 
 
 neither choefes to draw a beauty in a ruff, cr a French- 
 head ; but with its neck uncovered, and in its natural 
 ornament of hair curled up, or fpread becomingly ; fa 
 may a writer choafe a natural manner of expre/fing 
 himfelf, which will always be In fafliion, without af- 
 fecJing to borrow an odd folemnity and unintelligible 
 pomp from the pa/I times, or humouring the prefent by 
 falling into its affeftations, and thofe phrafes which are 
 born to die with it. 
 
 I ajked him, lajtly, whether he would be Jlriflly 
 literal, or expatiate with further licsnfes ? I would not 
 be literal, replies he, or tied up to line for line in fuch 
 a manner, wherein it is impojjible to exprefs in one 
 language what has been delivered in another. Neither 
 would I fo expatiate, as to alter my author's fentiments y 
 cr add others of my oiun. Thefe errors are to be a- 
 voided on eitlxr hand, by adhering not only to the 
 word, but the fpirit and genius of an author ; by 
 confidering what he means, with what beautiful man- 
 ner he has exprejjed his meaning in his own tcngue y 
 and how he would have exprejjed himfelf, had it been 
 in ours. Thus we ought to feek for HOMER in a ver- 
 fion of HOMER : other attempts are but transforma- 
 tions of him : fuch as Ovid tells us, where the name 
 is retained, and the thing altered : this will be really 
 what you mentioned in the compliment you began with, 
 * tranjmigration of the poet from one country into an.- 
 cther. 
 
 Here ended the ferious part of our conference. All 
 / remember further was 3 that having ajked him, what 
 
 It
 
 PREFACE, 201 
 
 be defigned with all thofe editions and comments I 
 ebferved in his room ? He made anfwer, that if any 
 one, who had a mind to find fault with his perform- 
 ance, would but Jlay till it was entirely finijhed, he 
 jhould have a very cheap bargain of them. v 
 
 Since this difcourfe y 1 have often refolved to try 
 what it was to tranjlate in the fpirit of a writer, and 
 at la/}, chofe the Battle of the Frogs and Mice, 
 which is afcribed to HOMER ; and bears a nearer re- 
 femblance to his Iliad, than the Culex does to the Mneid 
 of Virgil. Statins and others think it a work of youth, 
 written as a prelude to his greater poems. Chapman 
 thinks it the. work of his age, after he found men un- 
 grateful ; to Jhew he could givejlrengih, lineage, and 
 fame as he pleafed, and praife a moufe as well as a 
 man. Thus, fays he, the poet prof effedly Jlung up the 
 world, and applied himfelf at lajl to hymns. Now, 
 tho' this reafon of his may be nothing more than a 
 fcheme formed out of the order in which HOMER'* 
 works are printed, yet does the conjecture that this poem 
 was written after the Iliad, appear probable, becaufe 
 of its frequent alluftons to that poem, and particularly 
 that there is not a frog or a moufe killed, which has not 
 its parallel in/lance there, in the death offome warrior 
 ' *; other. 
 
 The poem itfelf is of the epic kind ; the time of its 
 off ion the duration of two days ; the fubjefl, however 
 in its nature frivolous,, or ridiculous, raifed, by hav- 
 ing the moft Jhining words and deeds of gods and heroes 
 a(Mmmodated to it ; and while ether poems eft en com- 
 pare
 
 202 PREFACE. 
 
 fare the illujlrious exploits of great men to tbofe of 
 brutes, this always brightens the fubjecl by eomparijons 
 drawn from things above it. We have a great charac- 
 ter given it with refpecJ to the fable in Gaddius de 
 fcript. non ecelef. It appears, fays he, nearer per- 
 fettion than the Iliad or OdyJJes, and excels both in 
 judgment, wit, and exquiftte texture, fence it is a poem 
 perfeft in its own kind. Ner does Crufius fpeak lefs, 
 to its honour, with refpecJ to the moral, when he cries, 
 qut in an apojhophe to the reader j " Whoever yen are, 
 " mind not the names of thefe little animals, but look 
 * c into the things they mean j call them men, call them 
 * c kings or counfellors, cr human polity itfelf, you have 
 " here doffrines of every fort." And indeed, when 1 
 bear the frog talk concerning the nwnfe 1 s family, I learn 
 equality Jbonhl be olfervedin making friendjhips ; when 
 I hear the moufe anfwer the frog, 1 remember, that 
 & ftmilitude of manners Jhould be regarded in them \ 
 when I fee their councils ajftnibling, I think of the 
 kujlles of human prudence ; and when I fee the battle 
 grow warm and glorious, our ftruggles for honour ana 
 empire afjxar before me. 
 
 This piece bad many imitations of it in antiquity, as 
 the fight of the Cats, the Cranes, the Starlings, the 
 Spiders, &:c. That of the cats is in the Bodlean /j- 
 Irary, but I was not fo lucky as to find it. I have 
 taken the liberty to divide my tranfiatitn uto books, 
 though it be etberways in the original, according as the 
 fable allowed proper rejling-places, by varying its 
 Junty W nature cf ac-ticn : this I did, after tbe ex- 
 
 emble
 
 PREFACE. 20$ 
 
 ample of Ariftarchus and Zenedotus in the Iliad. I 
 then thought of carrying the grammarians example fur- 
 ther^ and placing arguments at the head of each^ which 
 I framed as. follows^ in imitation of the Jhort antient, 
 Greek infcriptions to the Iliad. 
 
 BOOK I. 
 
 In Alpha the ground 
 Of the quarrel is found* 
 
 BOOK II. 
 //; Beta, we 
 The council fee. 
 
 BOOK III. 
 Dire Gamma relates 
 The ivork of the Fates.. 
 
 But as I am averfe from all information which 
 lejfens our fur prize ^ I only mention thefe for a handte 
 to quarrel with the cujhm of long arguments before a 
 pjem. It may be neceffary in books of control) erfy or 
 ab/lrufe learning, to write an epitome before each part ; 
 but it is not kind to for eft al us in a work of fancy ^ 
 and make our attention remifs by a previous account of 
 the end of it. 
 
 The next thing which employed my thoughts was 
 the heroes names. It might perhaps take off" fome- 
 what from the majejly of the poem y had I cajl away 
 fuck noble founds ;, Phyfignaihuty Lycopinax^ and 
 
 Cram-
 
 204 PREFACE. 
 
 Crambophagus, to fubflltute Bluff-cbeek, Lick-dijh,. 
 and Cabbage -eater, in their places. It is for this rea- 
 fon I have retained them untranjlated : however, T 
 place them in Englijh before the poem, and femetimes 
 give a Jhort character extra ft ed cut of their names ; as- 
 in Polyphonus, Pternophagus, &c. that the reader may. 
 not want feme light of their honour in the original. 
 
 But what gave me a greater difficulty was, to know 
 how I Jhould follow the poet, when he inferted pieces of 
 lines from his Iliad, and Jiruck out a fprightlinefs by 
 their new application. To jupply this in my translation 
 1 have added one or two of KOMER'J particularities ; 
 and ufed tivo or three allufions to feme of our Englijh 
 poets ^vho mojl refcmble him, to keep feme image of this 
 fpirit of the original with an equivalent beauty. To 
 ufe more might make my performance Jeem a cento ra- 
 ther than a tranjlation, to thofe who know not the 
 necejjity I lay under. 
 
 I am not ignorant, after all my care, how the world 
 receives the beji cempojitions of this nature. A man 
 need only go to a painter's, and apply what he hears faid 
 of a pifiure to a translation, to find how he fnall It 
 ufed upon his own, or his author's account. There one 
 Jpeftator tells you, a piece is extremely fine, but he fets- 
 no value en what is not like the face it was drawn for , 
 while afecond informs you, fuch another is extremely 
 like, but he cares not for a piece of deformity, though 
 its likenefe be never fe exaft. 
 
 Yet notwithjlanding all which happens to the beji, 
 when I tranftate } I have a defers to be reckoned a- 
 
 mongft
 
 P R E FACE. 205-. 
 
 mongft them ; and I Jhall obtain this, if the world 
 will be fo good-natured as to believe writers that give 
 their own characters : upon which prefumption^ I an- 
 fiver to ah objections before-hand, as follows : 
 
 When I am literal, I regard my author's words ; 
 when I am not, I tranjlate in fpirit. If I am Iow> 
 I choofe the narrative Jiile ; if high, the fubjecJ re- 
 quired it. When I am enervate, I give an in/lance 
 of antient Jimplicity ; when ajfefted, I Jhew a point 
 of modern delicacy. As for beauties^ there never can 
 be one found in me which was not really intended ; 
 and for any faults^ they proceeded from too unbounded 
 fancy, or too nice judgment, but by no means, from any 
 Jefeft in either of tbofe faculties. 
 
 THE
 
 THE 
 
 LIFE 
 
 O F 
 
 z 
 
 OIL US. 
 
 Pendent em vols Zoilum videre. MARTIAL. 
 
 THEY who have difcourfed concerning the 
 nature and extent of criticifm, take notice, 
 that editions of authors, the interpretations of them, 
 and the judgment which is pafled upon each, are the 
 three branches into which the art divides itfelf. But 
 the lait of theie, that directs the choice of books, 
 and takes care to prepare us for reading them, is, by 
 the learned Bacon, called the chair of the critics. 
 In this chair, to carry on the figure, have fat Ari- 
 ftotle, Demetrius Phalereus, Dionyfms Halicarnaf- 
 fenfis, Cicero, Horace, Quintilian, and Longinus ; 
 11 great names of antiquity, the cenfors of thofe 
 i;es which went before them, and the directors of 
 
 thofe
 
 2C>8 The LIFE of ZOILUS. 
 
 thofe that come after them, with refpecl to the na- 
 tural and perfpicuous manner of thought and expref- 
 fion, by which a correct and.judicious genius may 
 be able to write for the pleafure and profit of man- 
 kind. 
 
 But whatever has been advanced by men really 
 great in themfelves, has been alfo attempted by 
 others of capacities either unequal to the undertak- 
 ing, or which have been corrupted by their paflions,, 
 and drawn away into partial violences : fo that we 
 have fometimes feen the province of criticifm ufurp- 
 eel, by fuch who judge with an obfcure diligence, 
 and a certain drynefs of underftanding, incapable 
 of comprehending a figurative ftile, or being moved 
 by the beauties of imagination ; and at other times 
 by fuch, whofe natural morofenefs in general, or 
 particular defigns of envy, has rendered them inde- 
 fatigable againit the reputation of others. 
 
 In this Jail manner is ZOILUS reprefented to us 
 by antiquity, and with a character fo abandoned, 
 that his name has been fince made ufe of to brand 
 all fucceeding critics of his complexion. He has a 
 load of infamy thrown upon him, great, in pro- 
 portion to the fame of HOMER, againft whom he 
 oppofed himfelf: if the one was efteemed as the 
 very refidue of wit, the other is defcribed as a pro- 
 fligate, who would deftroy the temple of Apollo 
 and the mufes, in order to have his memory pre- 
 ferved by the envious action. I imagine it may be 
 no ungrateful undertaking to write feme account of 
 
 this
 
 The LIFE of ZOILUS. 209 
 
 clebrated perfon, from whom fo many derive their 
 haradter ; and I think the life of a critic is not un- 
 eafonably put before the works of his poet, efpeci- 
 lly when his cenfures accompany him. If what 
 e advances be juft, he ftands here as a cenfor ; if 
 therwife, he appears as an addition to the poet's 
 ame, and is placed before him with the juftice of 
 ntiquity in its facrifices, when, becaufe fuch a beaft 
 ad offended fuch a deity, he was brought annually 
 o his altar to be (lain upon it. 
 ZOILUS was born at Amphipolis, a city of 
 hrace, during the times in which the Macedonian 
 mpire flourifhed. Who his parents were is not 
 ertainly known, but if the appellation of Thracian 
 lave, which the world applied to him, be not 
 merely an expreflion of contempt, it proves him of 
 mean extraction. He was a difciple of one Poly- 
 rates a fophift, who had diftinguifhed himfelf by- 
 writing againft the names of the ages before him ; 
 nd who, when he is mentioned as his mafter, is 
 aid to be particularly famous for a bitter accufation 
 >r invedtive againft the memory of Socrates. In 
 his manner is ZOILUS fet out to posterity, like a 
 lant naturally baneful, and having its poifon ren- 
 dered more acute and fubtile by a preparation. 
 
 In his perfon he was tall and meagre, his com- 
 plexion was pale, and all the motions of his face 
 were fharp. He is reprefented by /Elian, with a 
 beard nouriftied to a prodigious length, and his 
 head kept clofe fliavetl, to give him a magifterhd 
 
 appear*
 
 210 The LIFE of ZOILLS. 
 
 appearance : his coat hung over his knees in 
 flovenly fafhion ; his manners were formed upon ; 
 averfion to the cuftoms of the world. He wa 
 fond of fpeaking ill, diligent to fow difiention, an< 
 from the conftant bent of his thought, had obtain 
 ed that fort of readinefs for llander or reproach 
 which is efteemed wit by the light opinion of fomeJ 
 who take the remarks of ill-nature for an underJ 
 (landing of mankind, and the abrupt lames ofl 
 rudenefs for the fpirit of expreflion. This, at lafr,, 
 grew to fuch a height in him, that he became care- 
 lefs of concealing it ; he threw off all referves and* 
 managements in refpecr. of others, and the paflion 
 fo far took the turn of a phrenzy, that being one 
 day afked, why he fpoke ill of every one ? " It is, 
 " fays he, becaufe I am not able to do the.m ill, 
 " though I have fo great a mind to it." Such ex- 
 travagant declarations of his general enmity made 
 men deal with him as with the creature he affecled 
 to be ; they no more fpoke of him as belonging to 
 the fpecies he hated j and from henceforth his learn- 
 ed fpeeches, or fine remarks, could obtain no othec 
 title for him, but that of The rhetorical dog. 
 
 While he was in Macedon he employed his time 
 in writing, and reciting what he had written in the 
 fchools of fophifts. His oratory, fays Dionyfius 
 Halicarnaflenfis, was always of the demonftrativc 
 kind, which concerns itfelf about praife or difpraife. 
 His fubjecls were the moft approved authors, whom, 
 he chofe to abufe upon the account of their reputa- 
 
 tioa
 
 The LIFE of Zoinrs. 211 
 
 n ; and to whom, without going round the mat- 
 
 i in faint praifes or artificial infinuations, he ufed 
 
 deny their own characleriftics. With this gal- 
 
 antry of oppofition did he cenfure Xenophon for 
 
 dfre&ation, Plato far vulgar notions, and Ifocrates 
 
 or incorretnefs. Demofthenes, in his opinion, 
 
 wanted fire, Ariftotle fubtilty, and Ariflophanes 
 
 numour. But, as to have reputation was with him 
 
 fufficient caufe of enmity, fo to have that repu- 
 
 tion univerfal, was what wrought his frenzy to its 
 
 ildeft degree ; for which reafon it was HOMER 
 
 ith whom he was implacably angry. And cer- 
 
 ainly, if envy choofe its object for the power to 
 
 ive torment, it fhould here, if ever, have the 
 
 lory of fully anfvvering its intentions ; for the poet 
 
 as fo worfhipped by the whole age, that this critic 
 
 had not the common alleviation of the opinion of 
 
 one other man, to concur in his condemnation. 
 
 ZOILUS however went on with indefatigable in- 
 duftry, in a voluminous work which he intitled, 
 The 4"y^ or Cenfure of HOMER : 'till having at 
 laft finiflied it, he prepares to fend it into the world 
 with a pompous title at the head, invented for him- 
 felf by way of excellency, and thus inferted after 
 the manner of the antients. 
 
 ZOILUS, -the fcourge of HOMER, writ this again/I 
 that lover of fables. 
 
 Thus did he value himfelf upon a work, which 
 the world has not thought worth tranfmitting to us, 
 and but juft left a fpecimen in five or fix quotations, 
 
 which
 
 212 The LIFE of ZOILUS. 
 
 which happen to be preferved by the commentator* 
 of that poet againft whom he writ it. If any one 
 be fond to form a judgment upon him from thefe 
 inftances, they are as follow : 
 
 II. i. He fays, HOMER is very ridiculous, a word 
 he was noted to apply to him, when he makes 
 fuch a god as Apollo employ himfelf in killing dogs 
 and mules. 
 
 II. 5. HOMER is very ridiculous in defcribing 
 Diomedes's helmet and armour, as fparkling, anc 
 in a blaze of fire about him ; for then why \va~s he 
 not burned by it ? 
 
 II. 5. When IJaeus quitted his fine chariot, which 
 was entangled in the fight, and for which he might 
 have been flain, the poet was a fool for making 
 him leave his chariot ; he had better have run away 
 in it. 
 
 II. 24. When Achilles makes Priam run out o 
 his tent, left the Greeks flaould hear of his be 
 there, the poet had no breeding, to turn a king ou 
 in that manner. 
 
 Od. 9. The poet fays, UlyfTes loft an equal num- 
 ber out of each fhip. The critic fays, that is im- 
 poffible. 
 
 Od. 10. He derides the men who were turned 
 into fwine, and calls them HOMER'S poor littl< 
 blubbering pigs. The firft five of thefe remark 
 are found in Didymus, the laft in Longinus. 
 
 Such as thefe are the cold jefts and trifling quar- 
 rels, which have been regiftered from a compofi 
 
 tion
 
 The LIFE of ZOILUS. 213 
 
 fion, that, according to the reprefentation handed 
 lown to us, was born in envy, liv'd a fhort life in 
 :ontempt, and lies for ever buried with infamy. 
 
 But, as his defign was judged by himfelf won- 
 Jerfully well accomplished, Macedon began to be 
 ;fteemed a ftage too narrow for his glory ; and 
 fligypt, which had then taken learning into its pa- 
 :ronage, the proper place where it ought to diffufe 
 ts beams, to the furprize of all whom he would 
 perfuade to reckon themfelves hitheito in the dark y 
 and under the prejudices of a falfe admiration, 
 iowever, as he had prepared himfelf for the jour- 
 ney, he was fuddenly diverted for a while by the 
 rumour of the Olympic games, which were at that 
 ime to be celebrated. Thither he fleered his 
 courfe, full of the memory of Herodotus, and others 
 who had fuccefsfully recited in that aflembly ; and 
 )leafed to imagine he fhould alter all Greece in 
 their notions of wit before he left it. 
 
 Upon his arrival, he found the field in its prepa- 
 ation for diverfion. The chariots flood for the race, 
 carved and gilded, the horfes were led in coflly 
 trappings, fome praclifed to wreftle, fome to dart 
 the fpear, or whatever they defigned to engage at, 
 in a kind of flourifh before- hand : others were 
 looking on to amufe themfelves ; and all gaily 
 drefled according to the cuftom of thofe places. 
 Through thefe did ZOILUS move forward, bald- 
 headed, bearded to the middle, in a long fad- 
 coloured veftment, and inflexibly ftretching forth 
 
 his
 
 214 The LIFE of ZOILUS. 
 
 his hands filled with volumes rolled up to a vaf 
 thicknefs : a figure moft venerably flovenly ! able to 
 demand attention upon account of its oddnefs. 
 And indeed, he had no fooner fixed himfelf upon an I 
 eminence, but a croud flocked about him to know I 
 what he intended. Then the critic cafting his eyes 
 on the ring, opened his volume flowly, as confider- 
 ing with what part he might moft properly entertain | 
 his audience. It happened, that the games at Pa- 
 troclus's obfequies came firft into his thought ; 
 whether it was that he judged it fuitable to the 
 place, or knew that he had fallen as well upon the 
 games themfelves, as upon HOMER for celebrating 
 them, and could not refill -his natural difpoTition to] 
 give mankind offence. Every one was now intent- 
 ly fattened upon him, while he undertook to prove, 
 that thofe games fignified nothing to the taking of] 
 Troy, and therefore only furnifhed an impertinent 
 cpifode : that the fall of the lefier Ajax in cow- ' 
 dung, the fquabble of the chariot-race, and other 
 accidents which attend fuch forts, are mean or 
 trifling : and a world of other remaiks, for which 
 he ilill affirmed HOMER to be a fool, and which 
 they that heard him took for ftudied invedlives a- 
 gainft thofe exercifes they were then employed in. 
 Men who frequent fports, as they are of a chearful 
 difpofition, fo are they .lovers of poetry : this, to- 
 gether with the opinion they were affronted, wrought 
 them up to impatience and further liccnfes : there 
 \vas particularly a young Athenian gentleman who 
 
 was
 
 The LITE of ZOILUS. 215 
 
 was to run three chariots in thofe games, who being 
 an admirer of HOMER, could no longer contain 
 himfelf, but cried out, " What in the name of 
 Caftor have we here, ZOILUS from Thrace r" and 
 as he faid it, ftruck him with a chariot-whip. Im- 
 mediately then a hundred whips were feen curling 
 round his head ; fo that his face, naturally deform- 
 ed, and heightened by pain to its utmofl caricatura, 
 appeared in the midft of them, as we may fancy 
 the vifage of Envy, if at any time her fnakes rife 
 in rebellion to lafli their miftrefs. Nor was this all 
 the punifhment they decreed him, when once they 
 imagined he was ZOILUS : the Scyronian rocks were 
 near them, and thither they hurried him with a 
 general cry, to that fpeedy juftice which is pra&ifed 
 at places of diverfion. 
 
 It is here, that, according to Suidas, the critic 
 expired. But we, following the more numerous 
 teftimonies of other authors, conclude he efcaped 
 either by the lownefs of thofe rocks whence he was 
 thruft, or by bufhes which might break his fall ; 
 and foon after following the courfes of his firft in- 
 tion, he fet fail for jEgypt. 
 
 /Egypt was at this time governed by Ptolemy 
 Philadelphia, a prince paffionately fond of learning, 
 and learned men ; particularly an admirer of HO- 
 MER to adoration. He had built the fineft library 
 in the world, and made the choiceft, as well as 
 moft numerous collection of books. No encou- 
 ragements were wanting from him to allure men of 
 L the
 
 216 The LIFE of ZOILUS. 
 
 the brighteft genius to his court, and no time thought 
 too much which he fpent in their company. From 
 /hence it is that we hear of Eratofthenes and Arifto- 
 phanes, thofe univerfal fcholars, and candid judges 
 of other mens performances ; Callimachus, a poet 
 of the moft eafy, courteous delicacy, famous for a 
 ,poem on the cutting of Berenice's hair ; and whom 
 'Ovid fo much admired as to fay, " It was reafon 
 <c enough for him to love a woman, if ftie would 
 " but tell him he exceeded Callimachus ;" Theo- 
 critus, the moft famous in the paftoral way of writ- 
 ing ; and among the young men, Ariftarchus and 
 Apollonius Rhodius j the one of whom proved a 
 moft judicious critic, the other a poet of no mean 
 .character. 
 
 Thefe, and many more, filled the court of that 
 jnunificent prince, whofe liberal difpenfations of 
 wealch and favour became encouragements to every 
 one to exert their parts to the utmoft ; like ftreams 
 which flow through different forts of foils, and im- 
 .prove each in that for which it was adapted by 
 jnature. 
 
 Such was the court when ZOJLUS arrived ; but 
 before he entered Alexandria, he fpent a night in 
 the temple of Ifts, to enquire of the fuccefs of his 
 undertaking ; not that he doubted the worth of his 
 works, but his late misfortune had inftru&ed him, 
 that others might be ignorant of it. Having there- 
 >ie performed die accuftomed facrifice, and com - 
 
 pofcJ
 
 The LIFE of ZOILUS. 217 
 
 pofe'd himfelf to reft upon the hide, he had a vifion 
 which foretold of his future fame. 
 
 He found himfelf fitting under the fhade of a 
 dark yew, which was covered with hellebore and 
 hemlock, and near the mouth of a cave, where fat 
 a monfter, pale, wafted, furroundcd with fnakes, 
 foftering a cockatrice in her bofom ; and curfing 
 the fun, for making the work of the deities appear 
 in its beauty. The fight of this bred fear in him ; 
 when fhe fuddenly turning her funk eyes, put 
 on a hideous kind of a loving grin, in which 
 he difcovered a refemblance to fome of his own 
 features. Then turning up her fnakes, and inter- 
 lacing them in the form of a turbant to give him 
 lefs difguft, fhe thus addrefied herfelf : " Go on, 
 " my fon, in whom I am renewed, and profper in 
 thy brave undertakings on mankind : aflert their 
 " wit to be dulnefs ; prove their fenfe to be folly ; 
 44 know truth only when it is on thy own fide ; 
 " and acknowledge learning at no other time to be 
 <c ufeful. Spare not an author of any rank or fize ; 
 *' let not thy tongue or pen know pity ; make the 
 " living feel thy accufations ; make the ghofts of 
 " the dead groan in their tombs for their violated 
 * { fame. But why do I fpend time in needlefs ad- 
 * c vice, which may be better ufed in encourage- 
 " merit ? let thy eyes delight themfelves with 
 4t the future recompence which I have referved for 
 " thy merit." Thus fpoke the monfter, and {brick- 
 ed the name of ZOILUS; the fhades who were to 
 L 2 " bear
 
 218 [The LIFE of ZOILITS. 
 
 bear the fame name after him became obedient, ami 
 the mouth of the cave was filled with ftrange fuper- 
 cilious countenances, which all crowded to make 
 their appearance. Thefe began to march before 
 him with an imitation of his mien and manners : 
 fome crowned with wild forrel, others having leaves 
 of dead bays mingled amongft it ; while the mon- 
 ger ftill defcribed them as he pa/Ted, and touched 
 each with a livid track of malignant litiht that fhot 
 from her eye, to point where (he meant the de- 
 fcription. " They (fays fhe) in the chaplets of 
 ' wild forrel, are my writers of profe, who erecl: 
 " fcandal into criticifm : they who wear the wi- 
 ** thered bay with it, are fuch who write poems, 
 " which are profefiedly to anfwer all rules, and be 
 " left for patterns to men of genius. Thefe that 
 " follow fhall attack others, becaufe they are excelled 
 " by them. The next rank fhall make an author's 
 *' being read a fufficient ground of oppofition. 
 " Here march my grammarians fkilled to torture 
 " words ; there my fons of fophiftry, ever ready 
 " to wreft a meaning. Obferve how faint the 
 " foremoft of the proceffion appear ; and how they 
 *' are loft in yonder mifts which roll about the cave 
 " of oblivion ! this {hews, it is not for themfelves 
 ** that they are to be known j the world will 
 confider them only as managing a part of thy 
 " endowments, and fo know them by thy name 
 ** while they live, that their own fhall be loft for 
 *' ever. But fee how my cave ftill fwarms ! how 
 
 *' every
 
 The LIFE of ZOILUSV 219 
 
 " every age produces men, upon whom the prefer- 
 " vation of thy memory devolves. My darling, the 
 " fates have decreed it ! thou art ZOILUS, and 
 " ZOILUS mail be eternal : come, my ferpents, 
 cc applaud him with your ruffes, that is all which 
 " now can be done j in modern times my fons 
 ** fhall invent louder inftruments, and artificial imi-' 
 " tations ; noifes which drown the voice of merit, 
 " mail fuTnifh a concert to delight them." Here 
 fhe arofe to chfp- him in her arms, a ftrange noife 
 was heard, the critic ftarted at it, and his vtfibn? 
 forfook him. 
 
 It was with fome confufion, that he lay mufing a 
 while upon what he had feen ; but reflecting, that 
 the goddefs had given him no anfwer concerning 
 his fuccefs in yfcgypt, he ftrengthened his heart in his 
 ancient felf-love and enmity to others, and took all 
 for an idle dream born of the fumes of indigeftion, 
 or produced by the dizzy motion of his voyage. In 
 this opinion, he told it at his departure to the prieft, 
 who admiring the extraordinary relation, regiftered 
 it in hieroglyphics at Canopus. 
 
 The day when he came to Alexandria was one on 
 which the king had appointed games to Apollo and 
 the mufes, and honours and rewards for fuch writers 
 as mould appear in them. This he took for a happy 
 omen at his entrance, and, not to lofe an opportu- 
 nity of mewing himfelf, repaired immediately to the? 
 public theatre, where, as if every thing was to favour 
 him, the very firft accident gave his fpleen a diver- 
 L 3 fion,
 
 220 The LIFE of ZOILUS. 
 
 fion, which we find at large in the proem of the fe- 
 venth book of Vitruvius. It happened that when the 
 poets bad recited, fix of the judges decreed the prizes 
 with a full approbation of all the audience. From this 
 Ariftophanes alone diiTented, and demanded the firft 
 prize for a perfon whofe bafhful and interrupted man- 
 ner of fpeaking made him appear the moft difguftful : 
 for he (fays the judge) is alone a poet,.and all the reft 
 reciters; and they who are judges fhould not approve 
 thefts, but writings. To maintain his affertion, 
 thofe volumes were produced from whence they had 
 been ftollen : upon which the king ordered them 
 to be formally tried for theft, and difmifled with infa- 
 my ; but placed Ariftophanes over his library, as one, 
 who had given a proof of his knowledge in books. 
 This paffage ZOILUS often afterwards repeated with 
 pleafure, for the number of difgraces which happened 
 in it to the pretenders in poetry ; though his envy 
 made him ftill careful not to name Ariftophanes, .but a, 
 judge in general. 
 
 However, criticifm had only a {hort triumph over 
 poetry, when he made the next turn his own, by, 
 ftepping forward into the place of reciting. Here he 
 immediately raifed the curiofity, and drew the atten-. 
 t'ton of both king and people : but, as it happened, 
 neither the one nor the other lafted ; for the firft fen- 
 tence where he had regiftred his own name, fatisned 
 their curiofity ; and the next, where he offered to 
 prove to a court fo devoted to HOMER, that he was 
 ridiculous in every tiling, went near to ftnifh his audi-
 
 The LI'FE of ZOILUS. 22 T 
 
 ence. He was neverthelefs heard quietly for fome 
 time, till the king feeing no end of his abufing the* 
 prince of philofophical learning, (as Vitiuvius words? 
 it) departed in difdain. The judges followed, derid- 
 ing his attempt as an extravagance which could not 
 demand their gravity; and the people taking a li- 
 cenfe from the precedent, hooted him away with ob- 
 loquy and indignation; Thus ZOILUS failed at his 
 firft appearance, and was forced to retire, ftung with 
 a moft impatient fenfe of public contempt. 
 
 Yet notvvithflanding all this, he did not omit hi.-j 
 attendance at court on the day following, with a pe- 
 tition that he might be put upon the eftabliftimentof 
 learning) and allowed a penfion. This the king read, 
 but returned no anfwer: fo great was the fcorn he 
 conceived againft him. But ZOILUS ftill undaunt- 
 edly renewed his petitions, 'till Ptolemy, being weary 
 of his perfccution, gave him a fiaudenial. HOMER 
 (fays the prince) who has been dead thefe thoufand 
 years, has maintained thoufands of people; and Zoi- 
 LUS, who boafts he has more wit than he, ought not 
 only to maintain hitnfelf, but many others alfb. 
 
 His petitions being thrown careleily about, were 
 fallen into the hands of men of wit, whom, according 
 to his cuftom, he had provoked, and whom it is un- 
 fafe to provoke, if you would live unexpofed. lean 
 compare them to nothing more properly, than to the 
 bee, a creature winged and lively, fond to rove thro' 
 the choiceft flowers of nature, and bleft at home 
 among the fweets of its own compofition r- not ill- 
 L 4 natured,
 
 222 The LIFE of ZOILUS. 
 
 natured, yet quick to revenge an injury ; not wear- 
 ing its fting out of the {heath ; yet able to wound 
 more forely than its appearance would threaten. Now 
 thefe being made perfonal enemies by his malicious 
 expreffions, the court rung with petitions of ZOILUS 
 tranfverfed ; new petitions drawn up for him ; cata- 
 logues of his merits, fuppofed to be collected by him- 
 felf j his complaints of man's injuftice fet to a harp 
 out of tune, and a hundred other fports of fancy, 
 with which their epigrams played upon him. Thefe 
 were the ways of writing which ZOILUS hated, be- 
 caufe they were not only read, but retained eafily, by 
 reafon of their fpirit, humour, and brevity ; and be- 
 caufe they not only make the man a jeft upon whom 
 they are written, but a farther jeft, if he attempt to 
 anfwer them gravely. However, he did what he could 
 in revenge j he endeavoured to fet thofe whom he 
 envied at variance among themfelves; and invented 
 lies to promote his defign. He told Eratofthenes, 
 that Callimachus faid, his extent of learning confided 
 but in a fupeificial knowledge of the fcicnces ; and 
 \vhifpered Callimachi:?, that EratoiThenes only allowed 
 him to have an artful habitual knack of veififying. He 
 would have made Ariftophanes believe, that Theo- 
 critus rallied his knowledge in editions as a curious 
 kind of trifling; and Theocritus, that Ariftophanes 
 derided the ruftical fimplicity of his fhepherds. Tho' 
 of all his flories, that which he moft valued himfelf 
 for, was his conftant report, that every one whom he 
 
 hated
 
 The LIFE of ZOILUS. 223 
 
 hated was a friend of Antiochus king of Syria, the 
 enemy of Ptolemy. 
 
 But malice is unfuccefsful when the character of 
 its agent is known : they grew more friends to one 
 another, by imagining, that even what had been faid, 
 as well as what had not, was all of ZOILUS'S inven- 
 tion ; and as he grew more and more the common 
 jeft, their derifion of him became a kind of life and 
 cement to their converfation. 
 
 Contempt, poverty, and other misfortunes had now 
 fo afiaulted him, that even they who abhorred his 
 temper, contributed fomething to his fupport, in com- 
 mon humanity. Yet fiill his envy, like a vi- 
 tiated ftomach, converted every kindnefs to the nou- 
 rifhment of his difeafe ; and it was the whole bufi- 
 nefs of his life to revile HOMER, and thofe by whom 
 he himfelf fubfifted. In this humour he had days, 
 which were fo given up to impatient ill-nature, that 
 he could neither write any thing, nor converfe with 
 any one. Thefe he fometimes employed in throwing 
 ftones at children ; which was once fo unhappily re- 
 turned upon him, that he was taken up for dead ; 
 and this occafioned the report in fome authors, of his 
 being ftoned to death in ./Egypt. Or, fometimes he 
 conveyed himfelf into the library, where he blotted 
 the name of HOMER wherever he could meet it, and 
 tore the beft editions of feveral volumes ; for which 
 the librarians debarred him the privilege of that 
 place. Thefe and other mifchiefs made him univer- 
 fally ihunned 5 nay, to fuch an extravagance was his 
 L 5 character
 
 224 The LIFE of ZOILUS. 
 
 character of envy carried, that the more fuperftitious 
 ./Egyptians imagined they were fafcinated by him, if 
 the day were darker, or themfelves a little heavier 
 than ordinary ; fome wore fprigs of rue, by way of 
 prevention ; and others, rings made of the hoof of 
 a wild afs for amulets, left they fhould fuffer, by 
 his fixing an eye upon them. 
 
 It was now near the time, when that fplendid 
 temple which Ptolemy built in honour of HOMER, 
 was to be opened with a folemn magnificence : for 
 this the men of genius were employed in finding a 
 proper pageant. At laft, they agreed by one con- 
 lent, to have ZOILUS, the utter enemy of HOMER,. 
 hanged in effigie ; and the day being come, it was 
 in this manner they formed the proceffion. Twelve, 
 beautiful boys, lightly habited in white, with purple 
 wings reprefenting the hours, went on the foremoft : 
 after thefe came a chariot exceeding high and ftately,. 
 where fate one reprefenting Apollo, with another 
 at his feet, who in this pomp fuftained the perfon of 
 HOMER : Apollo's laurel had little gilded points, 
 like the appearance of rays between its leaves ; 
 HOMER'S was bound with a blue fillet, like that 
 which is worn by the priefts of the deity : Apollo 
 was diftinguifhed by the golden harp he bore : 
 HOMER, by a volume, richly beautified with horns 
 ef inlaid ivory, and taffels of filver depending from 
 them. Behind thefc came three chariots, in which 
 rode nine damfels, each of them with that inftru- 
 suent which is proper tp each of the mufes j among 
 
 whom,
 
 The LIFE of ZOILUS. 225 
 
 whom, Calliope, to give her the honour of the day, 
 fate in the middle of the fecond chariot, known by 
 her richer veftments. After thefe marched a folemn 
 train aptly habited, like thofe fciences which ac- 
 knowledge their rife or improvement from this poet. 
 Then the men ef learning who attended the court, 
 with wreaths, and rods or fcepters of laurel, as 
 taking upon themfelves the reprefentation of Rhap- 
 fodifts, to do honour, for the time, to HOMER. 
 In the rear of all was (lowly drawn along an odd 
 carriage, rather than a chariot, which had its fides 
 artfully turned, and carved fo as to bear a refem- 
 blance to the heads of marling maftiffs. In this - 
 was borne, as led in triumph, a tall image of defor- 
 mity, whofe head was bald, and wound about with 
 nttles for a chaplet, The tongue lay lolling out, 
 to {hew a contempt of mankind, and was forked 
 at the end, to confefs its love to detraction. The 
 hands were manacled behind, and the fingers armed 
 with long nails, to cut deep through the margins 
 of authors. Its vefture was of the paper of Nilus, 
 bearing infcribed upon its breaft in capital letters, 
 ZOILUS the HQMERO-MJST1X; and all the 
 reft of it was fcrawled with various monirers of 
 that river, as emblems of thofe productions with 
 which that critic ufed to fill his papers. When 
 they had reached the temple, where the king and 
 his court were already placed to behold them from 
 its galleries, the image of ZOILUS was hung upon 
 a gibbet, there erected for it, with fuch loud ac- 
 clamations
 
 226 The LIFE of ZOILUS. 
 
 clamations as witnefled the people's fatisfacHon. 
 This being finifhed, the Hours knocked at the gates, ' 
 which flew open, and difcovered the ftatue of HO- 
 MER magnificently feated, with the pidures of thofe 
 cities which contended for his birth, ranged in order 
 around him. Then they who reprefented the deities 
 in the proceflion, laying afide their enfigns of divi- 
 nity, ufhered in the men of learning with a found 
 of voices, and their various inftruments, to afiift at 
 a facrifice in honour of Apollo and his favourite 
 HOMER. 
 
 It may be eafily believed, that ZOILUS concluded' 
 his affairs were at the utmoft point of defperation in 
 /Egypt ; wherefore, filled with pride, fcorn, anger, 
 vexation, envy, (and whatever could torment him, 
 except the knowledge of his unworthinefs) he flung 
 himfelf on board the firft fhip which left that coun- 
 try. As it happened, the vefiel he failed in was 
 bound for Afia Minor, and this landing him at a 
 port the neareft to Smyrna, he was a little pleafed 
 amidft his mifery to think of decrying HOMER in 
 another place where he was adored, and which 
 chiefly p'retended to his birth. So incorrigible was 
 his difpofition, that no experience taught him any 
 thing which might contribute to his eafe and fafety. 
 And as his experience wrought nothing on him, 
 fo neither did the accidents, which the opinion of 
 thofe times took for ominous warnings : for, he is 
 reported to have feen the night he came to Smyrna, 
 venerable perfon, fuch as HOMER is defcribed by 
 
 anti-
 
 The LIFE of ZOILUS. 227 
 
 antiquity, threatning him in a dream ; and in the 
 morning he found a part of his works gnawed by 
 mice, which, fays JE\ian y are of all beafts the mod 
 prophetic j infomuch that they know when to leave 
 a houfe, even before its fall is fufpe&ed. Envy, 
 which has no relaxation, ftill hurried him forward ; 
 for it is certainly true, that a man has not firmer 
 refolution from reafon, to rtand by a good principle^ 
 than obftinacy from perverted nature, to adhere to- a 
 bad one. 
 
 In the morning as he walked the ftreet, he ob- 
 ferved in fome places infcriptions concerning HO- 
 MER, which informed him where he lived, where 
 he had taught fchool, and feveral other particulari- 
 ties which the Smyrneans glory to have recorded of 
 him j all which awakened and irritated the paflions 
 of ZOILUS. But his temper was quite overthrown, 
 by the venerable appearance which he faw, upon 
 entring the Homereum ; which is a building com- 
 pofed cf a library, porch, and temple erected to 
 HOMER. Here a phrenzy feized him which knew 
 no bounds ; he raved violently againft the poet, and 
 all his admirers ; he trampled on his works, he 
 fpurned about his commentators, he tore down his 
 bufts from the niches, threw the medals that were 
 caft of him out of the windows, and pafling from 
 one place to another, beat the aged priefts, and 
 broke down the altar. The cries which were occa- 
 fioned by this means brought in many upon him ; 
 who obferved with horror how the moft facred ho- 
 nours
 
 228 The LIFE of ZOILUS.. 
 
 nours of their city were prophaned by the frantic 
 impiety of a ftranger ; and immediately dragged him 
 to punifhment before their magiftrates, who were 
 then fitting. He was no fooner there, but known 
 for ZOILUS by fome in court, a name a long time 
 moft hateful to Smyrna; which, as it valued itfelf> 
 upon the birth of HOMER, fo bore more impa- 
 tiently, than other places, the abufes offered him. 
 This made them eager to propitiate his fhade, and 
 claim to themfelves a fecond merit by the death of 
 ZOILUS j wherefore they fentenced him to fuffer by 
 fire, as the due reward of his defecrations ; and 
 ordered that their city fhould be purified by a luftra- 
 tion, for having entertained fo impious a gueft. In 
 purfuance to this fentence, he was led away, with 
 his competitions borne before him by the public ex- 
 ecutioner : then was he fattened to the ftake, pro-- 
 phefving all the while how many fhould arife to re- 
 venge his quarrel : particularly, that when Greek 
 fhould be no more a language, there {hall be a na- 
 tion which will both tranflate HOMER into profe, 
 and contract him in verfe. At laft, his compofi- 
 tions were lighted to fet the pile on fire, and he 
 expired fighing for the lofs of them, more than for; 
 the pain he fuffered : And perhaps too, becaufe he 
 might forefee in his prophetic rapture, that there 
 (hould artfe a poet in another nation, able to do 
 HOMER juftice, and make him known amongft his 
 people to future ages, 
 
 Thus
 
 The LIFE of ZOILUS. 229 
 
 Thus died this noted critic,, of whom we may 
 obferve from the courfe of the hiftory, that as feve- 
 ral cities contended for the honour of the birth of HO- 
 MER, fo feveral have contended for the honour of the 
 death of ZOILUS, With him likewife perifhed his 
 great work on the Iliad, and the Gdyffee ; concerning^, 
 which we obferve alfo, . that as the known worth of 
 HOMER'S poetry makes him furvive himfelf with glo- 
 ry; fo the bare memory of ZOILUS' criticifm makes 
 him furvive himfelf with infamy. Thefe are de- 
 fervedly the confequences of that ill-nature which 
 made him?: fond of detraction ; that envy, which 
 made him choofe fo excellent a character for its 
 object ; and thofe partial methods of injuftice with 
 which he treated the object he had c-hofe. 
 
 Yet how many commence critics after him, upon 
 the fame unhappy principles ? how many labour to 
 deftroy the. monuments of the dead, and fummon 
 up the great from their graves to anfwer for trifles 
 before them ? how many, by mifreprefentations, 
 both hinder the world from favouring men of ge- 
 nius, and difcourage them in themfelves ; like 
 boughs of a baneful and barren nature, that flioot 
 a-crofs a fruit-tree ; at once to fcreen the fun 
 from it, and hinder it by their droppings from pro- 
 ducing any thing of value ? But if thefe, who thus 
 follow ZOILUS, meet not the fame feverities of fate, 
 becaufe they come fhort of his indefatigablenefs, or 
 their object is not fo univerfally the concern of 
 mankind ; they fhall peverthelefs meet a propor- 
 tion
 
 230 The LIFE of ZOILUS. 
 
 tion of it in the inward trouble they give them- 
 felves, and the outward contempt others fling upon 
 them : a puniihment which every one has hitherto 
 felt, who has really deferved to be called a ZOILUS ; 
 and which will always be the natural reward of 
 fuch mens actions, as long as ZOILUS is the pro- 
 per name of Envy. 
 
 THE
 
 [ 3' J 
 
 THE 
 
 REMARKS 
 
 O F 
 
 Z I L U S. 
 
 Jngtmum magni liver dttraRat anttci 9 
 ex illo y Zoile, nomin bales. 
 
 I MUST do my reader the juftice, before I enter 
 upon thefe notes of ZOILUS, to inform him, that 
 I have not in any author met this work afcribed to 
 him by its title, which has made me not mention it 
 in the LIFE. But thus much in general appears, 
 that he wrote feveral things befides his cenfure on 
 the Iliad, which, as it gives ground for this opinion, 
 encourages me to offer an account of the treatife. 
 
 Being acquainted with a grave gentleman who 
 fearches after editions, purchafes manufcripts, and 
 collects copies, I applied to him for fome editions of 
 this poem, which he readily obliged me with. But, 
 added he, taking down a paper, I doubt I fhall di- 
 courage you from your tranflation, when I fhow this 
 
 work,
 
 232 The REMARKS of ZOILUS. 
 
 work, which is written upon the original, by Zoi- 
 i-us, the famous adverfary of HOMER. ZOILUS ! 
 faid I with furprize, I thought his works had long 
 iince periQied. They have fo, anfwered he, all, ex- 
 cept this little piece, which has a PREFACE an. 
 nexed to it accounting for its prefervation. It feems 
 when he parted from Macedon, he left this behind- 
 him where he lodged, and where no one entered for" 
 a long time, in deteftation of the odioufnefs of his* 
 character, 'till Maevius arriving there in his travels,- 
 and being defirous to lie in the fame room, luckily 
 found it, and brought it away with him. This the 
 author of the preface imagines the reafon of Horace's*- 
 wifliin-g Maevius in' the icth Epode, fuch a {hip- 
 wreck as HOMER defcribes j as it were with an eye 
 to his having done fomething difadvantageous to that 
 poet. From Maevius, the piece came into the hand- 
 ofCarbilius Pi&or, (who, when he wrote againft 
 Virgil, called his book, with a refpeilful imitation 
 of ZOILUS, the Mneidomaftix) and from him into 
 the hands of others who are unknown, becaufe the 
 world applied to them no other name than that of, 
 ZOILUS, in order to finis, their own in oblivion. 
 Thus it ever found fome learned philologift or critic 
 to keep it fecret, from the rage of HOMER'S admir- 
 ers ; yet not fo fecret, but that it has ftill been com- 
 municated among the literati. I am of opinion, that' 
 our great Scaliger borrowed it, to work him up when 
 he writ fo fharply againft Cardan \ and perhaps Le 
 
 Clerc-
 
 The REMAR-KS of ZOILUS. 233 
 
 ^lerc too, when he proved Q^ Curtius ignorant of 
 every particular branch of learning. 
 
 This formal account made me give attention to 
 what the book contained ; and I muft acknowledge, 
 hat whether it be his, or the work of fome gram- 
 marian, .it appears to be writ in his fpirit. The open 
 rofeilion of enmity to great geniufes, and the fear of 
 lothing fo much as that he may not.be able to find 
 aults enough, are fuch refemblances of his flrongeft 
 eatures, that any one might take it for his own pro- 
 duction. To give the world a notion of this, I have 
 made a collection of fome REMARKS, which moil 
 ftruck me, during that fhort time in which! was al- 
 lowed to pei ufe the manufcript, 
 
 BOOK I. page 65. ver, i. 
 
 TO fill my rifing fong] As Protagoras the Sophifi 
 found fault with the beginning of the Iliad, for 
 its fpeaking to the Mufe rather with an abrupt com- 
 mand, than a folemn invocation ; fo, I, fays ZOILUS> 
 ds on the other hand find fault with him for ufwg any 
 invocation at all before this poem, or any fuch trifles as 
 he is author of. If he mujl ufe one,. Protagoras is /' 
 the right', if not,. I am: This I hold for true criticifm, 
 noiwitbftanding the opinion of Arljlotle agalnjl us. Nor 
 let any one lay ajlrefs on Arijlotle in this point'., he y . 
 alas! knows nothing of poetry but what he has read in 
 HOMER, ; his rules are all zxtrafied from him, or found^ 
 
 ed
 
 2.34 The REMARKS of ZOILUS. 
 
 ed in him. In Jhort, HOMER'J works are the example 
 of Ariftotles precepts, and Arlflotles precepts the me- 
 thods HOMER wrought by. From hence it is to be 
 concluded as the opinion of this critic, that whoever 
 would entirely deftroy the reputation of HCMER, 
 muft renounce the authority of Ariftotle before-hand, 
 The rules of building may be of fervice to us, if we 
 defign to judge of an edifice, and difcover what may 
 be amifs in it for the advantage of future artificers \ 
 but they are of no ufe to thofe who only intend tc 
 overthrow it utterly. 
 
 After the word [Seng] in the full line, the origi- 
 nal adds, [What I have written in my tablets.] Theft 
 words, which are dropped in the tranflation as of nc 
 confequence, the Great ZOILUS has thought fit tc 
 expunge j aflerting for a reafon,. without backing ii 
 with farther proof, That tablets were not offo early in- 
 mention. Now, it muft be granted, this manner o 
 proving by affirmation is of an extraordinary nature, 
 but however, it has its end with a fet of readers foi 
 whom it is adapted. One part of the world knowi 
 not with what aflurance another part can exprefs it- 
 felt. They imagine a reafonable creature will noi 
 have the face to fay any thing which has not fom< 
 fbadow of reafon to fupport it ; and run impficitlj 
 into the fnare which is laid for good nature, by thefc 
 daring authors of definitive fentences upon bare afler- 
 tion. 
 
 BOOK I. page 66. ver. n. IJ^hom Cats purfud: 
 The Greek word here exprefly fignifies a Cat : ZQI- 
 
 LUS
 
 The REMARKS of ZOILUS. 235 
 
 Lus, whom Perizonius follows, affirms, It was 
 Wetzles which the Monfe fled from ; and then obje&s 
 igainftits probability. But it is common with one 
 brt of critics, to (hew an author means differently 
 iom what he really did, and then to prove, that the 
 meaning which they find out for him is good for no- 
 :hing. 
 
 BOOK I. page 66. ver. n. If worthy friend/hip^ 
 'n this propofal begins the moral of the whole piece, 
 which is, that hafty, ill-founded or unnatural friend- 
 hips and leagues, will naturally end in war and dif- 
 cord. But ZOILUS, who is here mightily concerned 
 :o take off from HOMER all the honour of having de- 
 igned a moral, aflerts on the other hand, That the 
 Poet's whole intent was to make a fable ; that a f able he 
 has made, and one very idle and trifling ; that many 
 kings are afcribedto HOMER, which poor HOMER ne- 
 )er dreamed of; and he who finds them out rather Jheivs 
 ns own parts than dif covers his author's beauties. In 
 his opinion has he been followed by feveral of thofe 
 :ritics, who only dip into authors when they have 
 >ccafion to write againft them : and yet even thefe 
 hall fpeak differently concerning the writers, if the 
 queftion be of their own performances ; for to their 
 own works they write prefaces, to difplay the grand- 
 nefs of the moral, regularity of the fcheme, number 
 and brightnefs of the figures, and a thoufand other 
 excellencies, which if they did not tell, no one would 
 ever imagine. For others, they write Remarks, 
 which tend to contract their excellencies within the
 
 236 The REMARKS of ZOILUS. 
 
 narrow compafs of their partial apprehenfion. it '< 
 were well if they could allow fuch to be as wife as 
 themfelves, whom the world allows to be much wifer : 5 
 but their being naturally friends to themfelves, and] 
 .profefledly adverfaries to fome greater genius, eafilyl 
 accounts for thefe different manners of fpeaking. I 
 will not leave this note, without giving you an in-j 
 {lance of its practice in the great Julius Scaliger : he] 
 has been free enough with HOMER in the remarks: 
 he makes upon him ; but when he fpeaks of himfelfj! 
 I defire my reader would take notice of his modefty i 
 I give his own words, lib. 3. poet. cap. 112. In, 
 Diura Patrem hymnum cum fcribcremus^ tanquam r^J 
 rum omnium conditorem, ab orbis ipfeus creatione ad r:is. 
 
 nojlraque ufque duximus* In quo abduximus omnium 
 
 nojlrum a corporis careers ad liberos campos contemplaA 
 tioniS) qua me in ilium transfa inarct. Turn auteim 
 fanflijjimi Spiritus tncjfabilis vigor illc tanto ardsre ceA 
 lebratus ejiy_ ut cum lenijjimis nimieris ejjet incboatw 
 -hymnuS) repentino divini ignis impeiu conjiagravit. 
 
 Book I. page 67. ver. 19. The circled Loaves^ 
 -ZoiLUS here finds fault with the mention cf Leaves^ 
 Tripes^ Bacon y and Cheefe, as words below the dignitjl 
 of the epic, as much (fays he) as it would be to kavd. 
 opprobrious names gh^n in it. Uy which expreffion we 
 eafily fee, he hints at the firft book of the Iliad-] 
 Now, we muft confider in anfwer, that it is amoufej 
 which is fpoken of, that eating is the moft appearing 
 characleriftic of that creature, that thefe foods ard 
 fuch as pleafe it moft j ajid to have defcribcd particu- 
 lar
 
 The REMARKS of ZOILUS. 237 
 
 3ar pleafures for it in any other way, would have been 
 as incongruous, as to have defcribed a haughty loud 
 anger without thofe names which it throws out in 
 its fiercenefs, and which raife it to its pitch of phren- 
 &y. In the one inftance you ftill fee a Moufe be- 
 fore you, however the poet raifes it to a man ; in the 
 other you fhall fee a man before you ; however the 
 poet raifes him to a Demi-God. But fome call that 
 low, which others call natural. Everything has two 
 handles, and the critic who fets himfc-lf to cenfure all 
 he meets, is under an obligation ftill to lay hold on 
 the worft of them. 
 
 BOOK I. page 69. ver. I. But me , norjlalks.] In 
 -this place ZOILUS laughs at the ridiculcufnefs cf the 
 poet, who (according to his representation) makes a 
 prince refufe an invitation in heroics, bccaufe he did nrt 
 like the meat he was invited ti. And that the ridicule 
 may appear in as ftrong a light to others as to him- 
 felf, he .puts as much of the fpeech as concerns it 
 into bmlefque airs and expreffions. This is indeed 
 a common trick with Remarkers, which they either 
 pradtife by precedent from their -matter ZOILUS, or 
 are beholding for it to the fame turn of temper. We 
 acknowledge it a fine piece of fatire, when there is 
 folly in a paflage, to lay it open in the way by which 
 =it naturally requires to be expofed : do this handfome- 
 Jy, and the author is defervedly a jeft. If, on the 
 contrary, you drefs a paffage which was not originally 
 foolifh, in the higheil humour of ridicule, you only 
 frame fomething which the author himfelf might 
 
 laugh
 
 238 The REMARKS of ZOILUS. 
 
 laugh at, without being more nearly concerned than 
 another reader. 
 
 BOOK I. page 70. ver. 9. Sopafid Europa."] This 
 fimile makes ZOILUS, who fets up for a profefled 
 enemy of fables, to exclaim violently. We had^ fays 
 he, a Frog and a Moufe hitherto , and new we get a 
 Bull and a Princefs to tllujlrate their aflions : when will 
 there be an end of this fabling- folly and poetry, which /i 
 value myfelf for being unacquainted with ? O gnat 
 PclycrateSy how happily haji thou obferved in thy accu- - 
 Jation again/I Socrates^ That whatever he was before* 
 he deferred his poifon when he began to make in'fcs / 
 Now, if the queftion be concerning HOMER'S gocdj 
 or bad poetry, this is an unqualifying fpeech, which 
 affords his friends juft grounds of exception againft 
 the critic. Wherefore, be it known to all prelent 
 and future cenfors, who have, or fliall prefume to 
 glory in an ignorance of poetry, and at the fame time ' 
 take upon them to judge of poets, they are in all their 
 degrees for ever excluded the poft they would ufurp. 
 In the firft place, they who know neither the ufe, 
 nor practice of the art; in the fecond, they who 
 know it but by halves, who have hearts infenfible of 
 the beauties of poetry, and are however able to find 
 fault by rules: and thirdly, they who, when they 
 are capable of perceiving beauties and pointing out 
 defers, are ftill fo ignorant in the nature of their 
 bufmefs, as to imagine the province of criticifm ex- 
 tends itfelf only on the fide of difpraife and reprchtn- 
 fion. How could any one at this rate be feen with 
 
 his
 
 The REMARKS of ZOILUS. 239 
 
 his proper baHanceof perfection and error ? or what 
 were the beft performances in this indulgence of ill- 
 nature, but as apartments hung with the deformities 
 of humanity, done by fome great hand, which are 
 abhorred, becaufe the praife and honour they re- 
 ceive, refults from the degree of uneafmefs, to 
 which they put every temper of common goodnefs ? 
 BOOK I. page 71. ver. 16. Ye Mice, ye Mice.] 
 The ancients believed that heroes were turned into 
 Demi-Gods at their death ; and in general, that 
 departing fouls have fomething of a fight into futu- 
 rity. It is either this notion, or a care which the 
 Gods may take to abate the pride of infulting adver- 
 faries, which a poet goes upon, when he makes his 
 leaders die foretelling the end of thofe by whom 
 thfey are {lain. ZOILUS however is againft this paf- 
 fage. He fays, That every character ought to be 
 Jlrittly kept ; that a General ought not to invade the 
 character of a prophet^ nor a prophet of a General. 
 He is pofitive, That nothing Jhould be done by any one, 
 vvithout having been hinted at in fame previous account 
 of him. And this he aflerts, without any allow- 
 ance made either for a change of ftates, or the 
 defign of the Gods. To confirm this obfervation, 
 he ftrengthens it with a quotation out of his larger 
 work on the Iliad, where he has thefe words upon 
 the death of Hed-tor : How foolijh is it in HOMER 
 ! to make Heflor (who through the whole courfe of the 
 Iliad had made ufe of Helenus t to learn the will of the 
 Gods) become a prophet jujl at his death ? Let every 
 M one
 
 240 The REMARKS of ZOILUS." 
 
 one be what he ought 9 without falling into thofe parts 
 which others are to fujlain in a poem. This he has 
 faid, not diitinguifhing rightly between our natural 
 difpofitions and accidental offices. And this he has 
 faid again, not minding, that though it be taken 
 from another book, it is.ftill from the fame author. 
 However, vanity loves to gratify itfelf by the repe- 
 tion of what it efteems to be written with fpirit, and 
 even when we repeat it ourfelves, provided another 
 hears us. Hence has he been followed by a magi- 
 fterial fet of men who quote themfelves, and fwell 
 their new performances with what they admire in 
 their former treatifes. This is a moft extraordinary 
 knack of arguing, whereby a man can never want 
 a proof, if he be allowed to become an authority 
 for his own opinion. 
 
 BOOK I. page 72. ver. 12. And no kind billow.'} 
 How impertinent is this cafe of pity , fays ZoiLUS y t) 
 bemoan^ that the prince was not toffed towards land : it 
 is enough he lojl his life, and there is an end of his 
 Buffering where there is an end of his feeling. To 
 carry the matter farther h juft the fame foolijh manage- 
 ment as HOMER has Jhewn in his 7//W, which he fpins 
 out into forty trifes beyond the death of He ft or. But 
 the critic muft allow me to put the reader in mind, 
 that death was not the laft diftrefs the ancients be- 
 lieved was to be met upon earth. The laft was the 
 remaining unburied, which had this mifery annexed, 
 that while the body was without its funeral-rites in 
 this world, the foul was fuppofed to be without reft 
 
 in
 
 The REMARKS of ZOILUS. 241 
 
 in the next ; which was the cafe of the Aloufe be- 
 fore us. And accordingly the Ajax of Sophocles 
 continues after the death of its heroe more than an 
 aft, upon the conteft concerning his burial. All 
 this ZOILUS knew very well : but ZOILUS is not the 
 only one, who difputes for vi<lory rather than truth. 
 Thefe foolifh critics write even things they them- 
 felves can anfwer, to fhew how much they .can 
 write againft an author. They acl: unfairly, that 
 they may be fure to be fharp enough ; and trifle 
 with the reader, in order to be voluminous. It is 
 needlefs to wifh them the return they deferve : their 
 difregard to candour is no fooner difcovered, but 
 they are for ever banifhed from the eyes of men of 
 ienfe, and condemned to wander from ftall to ftall, 
 for a temporary refuge from that oblivion which 
 they cannot efcape. 
 
 BOOK I. page 73. ver. 5. Our Eldejl periftfd.] 
 ZOILUS has here taken the recapitulation of thofe 
 misfortunes which happened to the royal family, as an 
 impertinence that expatiates from the fubjeff ; though 
 indeed there feems nothing more proper to raife that 
 fort of compafilon, which was to inflame his audi- 
 ence to war. But what appears extremely pleafant 
 is, that at the fame time he condemns the pafTage, 
 he fhould make ufe of it as an opportunity, to fall 
 into an ample digreffion on the various kinds of Moufe- 
 traps, and difplay that minute learning which every 
 critic of his fort is fond to fhew himfelf mafter of. 
 This they imagine is tracing of knowledge through 
 M 2 its
 
 42 The REMARKS of 
 
 its hidden veins, and bringing difcoveries to day-- 
 light, which time had covered over. Indefatigable 
 and ufelefs mortals ! who value themfelves for know- 
 ledge of no confequence, and think of gaining ap- 
 plaufe by what the reader is careful to pals over un- 
 read. \Vhat did the difquiiition figrify formerly,., 
 whether UlyfTes's fon, or his dog, was the elder ? 
 or how can the account of a vefture, or a player's 
 mafque, deferve that any fhould write the bulk of 
 a treatife, or others read it when it i, written ? A 
 vanity thus poorly fupported, which neither affords 
 pleafure nor profit, is the unfubftamial amufement 
 of a dream to ourfelves, and a provoking occafion 
 of our derifion to others. 
 
 BOOK II. page 73. ver. 19, 20. Quills aptly bound 
 Fac'd with the plunder of a Cat they fay d. J This 
 paflage is fomething difficult in the original, which 
 gave ZOILUS the opportunity of inventing an ex- 
 prefiion, which his followers conceitedly ufe when 
 any thing appears dark to them. This, fay they, let 
 Phcebus explain ; as if what exceeds their capacity 
 muft of neceflity demand oracular interpretations, 
 and an interpofal of the God of wit and learning. 
 The bafis of fuch arrogance is the opinion they 
 have of that knowledge they afcribe to themfelves. 
 They take criticifm to be beyond every other part 
 of learning, becaufe it gives judgment upon books 
 written in every other part. They think in confe- 
 quence, that every critic muft be a greater genius 
 than any author whom he cenfures - t and therefore 
 
 if
 
 The REMARKS of ZOILUS.' 243 
 
 if they efteem themfelves critics, they fet enthroned 
 infancy at the head of literature. Criticifm indeed 
 .deferves a noble elogy, when it is enlarged by fuch 
 a comprehennve learning as Ariftotle and Cicero 
 were mafters of ; when it adorns its precepts with 
 the confummate exadnefs of Quintilian, or is ex- 
 alted into the fublime fentiments of Longinus. But 
 let not fuch men tell us they participate in the glory 
 of thefe great men, and place themfelves next to 
 Phcebus, who, like ZOILUS, entangle an author in 
 the wrangles of grammarians, or try him with a 
 pofitive air and barren imagination, by the fct of 
 rules they have colleded out of others. 
 
 BOOK II. page 74, ver. 13. Te Frogs, the Mice.] 
 At this fpeech of the heralds, which recites the caufe 
 of the war, ZOILUS is angry with the author, for 
 not finding out a caufe entirely jujl j for, fays he, it 
 appears not from bis own fable, that Pbyfignatbus in- 
 vited the prince with any malicious intention to make 
 him away. To this we anfwer, ift, That it is not 
 neceflary in relating fads to make every war have a 
 juft beginning. 2dly, This doubtful caufe agrees 
 better with the moral, by {hewing that ill-founded 
 leagues have accidents to deftroy them, even with- 
 out the intention of parties. 3dly, There was all 
 appearance imaginable againft the Frogs j and if we 
 may be allowed to retort on our adverfary the prac- 
 tice of his pofterity, there is more humanity in an 
 hoftility proclaimed upon the appearance of injuftice 
 jlone us, than in their cuflom of attacking the works 
 M 3 of
 
 244 The REMARKS of ZOILUS. 
 
 of ethers as foon as they come out, purely becaufe 
 they are adeemed to be good. Their performances, 
 which could derive no merit from their own names, 
 are then fold upon the merit of their antagonift : 
 and if they are fo fenfible of fame, or even of envy, 
 they have the mortification to remember, how much 
 by this means they became indebted to thofe they 
 injure. 
 
 BOOK II. page 75. ver. 13. IVoere high the Bants.] 
 This projedl is not put in practice during the fol- 
 lowing battle, by reafon of the fury of the comba- 
 tants : yet the mention of it is not impertinent in 
 this place, forafmtich as the probable face of fuccefs 
 which it carries with it tended to animate the Frogs. 
 ZOILUS however cannot be fo fatisfied ; // ivere bct- 
 iir fays he, to cut it entirely out, nor -would HOMER. 
 he the ivorfe, if half of him were ferved in the fame 
 manner ; fo^ continues he, they will find it, T; 
 in any country fiall htrejfter undertake fo odd a tajk, 
 as that of translating him. Thus envy fines words 
 to put in the mouth of ignorance; and the time 
 will come, when ignorance fhalJ repeat what envy 
 has pronounced fo rafhly. 
 
 BOOK II. page 76. ver. 13. And tap ring Sea- 
 reeds.'j If we here take the reed for that of our own 
 growth, it is no fpear to match the long fort of 
 needles, with which the Mice had armed them- 
 ielves ; but the cane, which is rather intended, has 
 its fplinters ftiff and fharp, to anfwer all the ufes of 
 a fpear in battle. Nor is it here to be Bgbtly pail 
 
 ever,
 
 The REMARKS of ZOILUS. 245 
 
 over, fince ZOILUS moves a queftion upon it, that 
 the poet could not choofe a more proper weapon for 
 the Frogs, than that which they choofe for them- 
 felves in a defenfive war they maintain with the 
 ferpents of Nile. They have this Jiratagem, fays 
 ./Elian, to proteft themfelves ; they fivim with pieces of 
 cane a-crofi their mouths , of too great a length for the 
 breadth of the ferpents throats ; ly which means they 
 are preferred from being fu 'allowed by them. This is 
 a quotation fo much to the point, that I ought to 
 have ufhered in my author with more pomp to 
 dazzle the reader. ZOILUS and his followers, who 
 feldom praife any man, are however careful to do it 
 for their own fakes, if at any time they get an 
 author of their opinion : though indeed it muft be 
 allowed, they ftill have a draw-back in their man- 
 ner of praife, and rather choofe to drop the name 
 of their man, or darkly hint him in a periphrafis, 
 than to have it appear that they have dire&ly afiift- 
 ed the perpetuating of any one's memory. Thus, 
 if a Dutch critic were to introduce for example, 
 Martial, he would, inftead of naming him, fay, 
 Ingeniofus ille epigrammaticus bilbilicits. Or, if one 
 of our own were to quote from among ourfelves, 
 he would tell us how it has been remarked in the 
 vjorks of a learned writer \ to whom the world is obliged 
 for many excellent productions, &V. All which pro- 
 ceeding is like boafting of our great friends, when 
 it is to do ourfelves an honour, or the mift of 
 drefling up one who might otherwife be difregarded, 
 M 4 to
 
 246 The REMARKS of ZOILUS. 
 
 to make him pafs upon the world for a refponfible 
 voucher to our own affertions. 
 
 BOOK II. page 76. ver. 17. But now ^vhcre Jove's.] 
 At this fine epifode, in which the God's are intro- 
 duced, ZOILUS has no patience left him to remark ; 
 but runs fome lines with a long firing of fuch ex- 
 preffions as trifler, fabler, tiar, foolijh, impious, all 
 which he lavifhly heaps upon the poet. From this 
 knack of calling names, joined with the feveral arts 
 of finding fault, it is to be fufpe&ed, that our Zoi- 
 LUSES might make very able libellers, and danger- 
 ous men to the government, if they did not rather 
 turn themfelves to be ridiculous cenfors : for which 
 reafon I cannot but reckon the ftate obliged to men 
 of wit ; and under a kind of debt in gratitude, 
 when they take off fo much fpleen, turbulency, and 
 ill-nature, as might otherwife fpend itfelf to the de- 
 triment of the public, 
 
 BOOK II. page 77. ver. 13. If my Daughter's 
 mind.} This fpeech, which Jupiter fpeaks to Pallas 
 with a pleafant kind of air, ZOILUS takes gravely 
 to pieces ; and affirms, // is below Jupiter s wifdom, 
 and only agreeable with HOMER'J folly, that he Jhould 
 borrow a reafon for her ajjifting the Mice from their 
 attendance in the temple, when they waited to prey upon 
 thofe things which were f acred to her. But the air of the 
 fpeech rendered a grave anfwer unneceffary ; I fliall 
 only offer ZOILUS an obfervation in return for his. 
 There are upon the ftone which is carved for the 
 Apotheofis of HOMER, figures of Mice by hi s 
 
 foot-
 
 The REMARKS of ZOILUS. 147 
 
 footftool, which, according to Cuperus, its inter 
 prefer, fome have taken to fignify this poem j and 
 others thofe critics, who tear or vilify the works of 
 great men. Now, if fuch can be compared to 
 Mice, let the words of ZOILUS be brought home 
 to himfelf ami his followers for their mortification : 
 TJjat no one ought to think of Meriting in the ftate of 
 learning^ only by debafing the left performances^ and af 
 it were preying upon tbofc things which Jhould be f acred 
 in it. 
 
 Book II. page 78. ver. i. In vain tr.y father.] Tha 
 fpeech of Pallas is difliked by ZOILUS,, becaufe it 
 makes the Goddefs carry a rcfentment againft Juch in- 
 conjiderable creatures j though he ought to efteern 
 them otherwife when they reprefent the perfons and 
 actions of men, and teach us how the Gods difre- 
 gard thofe in their adverfities who provoke them in 
 profperity. But, if we confider Pallas as the pa- 
 tronefs of learning, we may by an allegorical ap- 
 plication of the Mice and Frogs, find in this fpeech 
 two forts of enemies to learning ; they who are 
 malicioufly mifchievous, as the Mice ; and they who 
 are turbulent through oftentation, as the Frogs. 
 The firft are enemies to excellency upon principle ; 
 the fecond accidentally by the error of felf-love, 
 which does not quarrel with the excellence itfelf, 
 but only with thofe people who get more praife than 
 themfelves by it. Thus, though they have not the 
 feme pervcrfenefs with the others, they are however 
 drawn into the fame practices, while they ruin re- 
 putations,
 
 248 The REMARKS of ZOILUS. 
 
 putations, left they fhculd not feem to be learned ; 
 as fome women turn proftitutes, left they fhould 
 not be thought handfome enough to have admirers. 
 
 BOOK III. page So. ver. 5. Their dreadful Trum- 
 pets.'} Upon the reading of this, ZOILUS becomes 
 full of difcoveries. He recollects, that HOMER 
 makes his Greeks came to battle with ftlence, and his 
 Trojans with founts, from whence he difcovers, that 
 he knew nothing of trumpets. Again, he fees, that 
 the hornet is made a trumpeter to the battle^ and hence 
 he difcovers, that the line mujl not be HOMER'S. 
 Now had he drawn his conferences fairly, he could 
 only have found by the one, that trumpets were not 
 in ufe at the taking of Troy ; and by the other, 
 that the battle of Frogs and Mice was laid by the 
 poet for a later fcene of action than that of the 
 Iliad. But the boaft of difcoveries accompanies the 
 affectation of knowledge ; and the affectation of 
 knowledge is taken up with a defign to gain a 
 command over the opinions of others. It is too 
 heavy a tafk for fome critics to fway our rational 
 judgments by rational inferences ; a pompous pre- 
 tence muft occafion admiration, the eyes of man- 
 kind muft be obfcured by a glare of pedantry, that 
 they may confent to be led blindfold, and permit 
 that an opinion fhould be dictated to them without 
 demanding that they may be reafoned into it. 
 
 Book III. page 81. ver. 8. And big Scutlaus tum-> 
 Ming.] ZOILUS has happened to brufh the duft off 
 feme old manufciipt, in which the line that kills 
 
 Scudasus
 
 The REMARKS of ZOILUS. 249 
 
 Scutbeus is wanting. And for this caufe he fixes 
 a general conclufion, that there is no dependence upon 
 any thing which is handed down for HOMER'J, fo as 
 to allow it praife ; fince the different copies vary among/I 
 themfelves. But is it fair in ZOILUS, or any of his 
 followers, to oppofe one copy to a thoufand ? and 
 are they impartial who would pafs this upon us for 
 an honeft ballance of evidence ? when there is fuch 
 an inequality on each fide, is it not more than pro- 
 bable that the number carry the author's fenfe in 
 them, and the fingle one its tranfcriber's errors ? It 
 is folly or madnefs of paflion to be thus given over 
 to partiality and prejudices. Men may flourifh as 
 much as they pleafe concerning the value of a new- 
 found edition, in order to biafs the world to parti- 
 cular parts of it ; but in a matter eafily decided by 
 common fenfe, it will flill continue of its own opi- 
 nion. 
 
 Book III. page 83. ver. 13. With Borbocates 
 fights.] Through the grammatical part of ZOILUS'S 
 work he frequently rails at HOMER for his dialects. 
 Thefe^ fays he in one place, the poet made life of be- 
 caufe he could not write pure Greek ; and in another, 
 they Jlrangely contributed to his fame, by making federal 
 cities who obferved fsmething of their own in bis mixed 
 language^ contend for his being one of their natives. 
 Now fince I have here pradtifed a licence in imita- 
 tion of his, by fhortening the word Borbocsctes a 
 whole fyllable, it feems a good opportunity to fpeak 
 for him where I defend myfelf, Remember then, 
 
 that
 
 250 The REMARKS of ZOILUS. 
 
 that any great genius who introduces poetry into a 
 language, has a power to polifli it, and of all the 
 manners of fpeaking then in ufe, to fettle that for 
 poetical which he judges moft adapted to the art. 
 Take notice too, that HOMER has not only done 
 this for neceflity but for ornament, fince he ufes 
 various dialects to humour his fenfe with founds 
 which are expreflive of it. Thus much in behalf 
 of my author to anfwer ZOILUS : as for myfelf, 
 who deal with his followers, I muft argue from 
 neceflity, that the word was ftubborn, and would 
 not ply to the quantities of an Englifh verfe, and 
 therefore I altered it by the dialect we call poetical, 
 which makes my line fo much fmoother, that I am 
 ready to cry with their brother Lipfius, when he 
 turned an O into an I, Vel ego me amo, vel me ama- 
 vit Phoebus^ quando hoc correxi. To this let me add 
 a recrimination upon fome of them : as firft, fuch 
 as choofe words written after the manner of thofe 
 xvho preceded the pureft age of a language, without 
 the neceflity I have pleaded, as regundi for regendi^ 
 pcrduit for perdidit, which reftoration of obfolete 
 words deferves to be called a critical licence or dia- 
 lecl. 2dly, Thofe who pretending to vcrfe without 
 an ear, ufe the poetical dialect of abbreviation, fo 
 that the lines (hall run the rougher for it. And, 
 3dly, Thofe who prefume by their critical licences 
 to alter the fpellings of words ; an affe&ation which 
 'ieilroys the 'etymology of a language, and being 
 
 carried
 
 The REMARKS of ZOILUS. V z$i 
 
 carried on by private hands for fancy or fafhiori, 
 would be a thing we mould never have an end of. 
 
 BOOK III. page 87. ver. 13. Nor Pallas, Jove."} 
 I cannot y fays ZOILUS, but refleft upon this Speech of 
 Mars, "where a Mouje is oppofid to the God of war? 
 the Goddefs of valour , the thunder of Jupiter, and 
 all the Gods at once, but I rejoice to think th.it Pytha- 
 goras faiu HOMER'S foul in hell hanging on a tree, and 
 furrounded with ferpents for what he faid of the Gods. 
 Thus he who hates fables anfwcrs one with an- 
 other, and can rejoice in them when they flatter 
 his envy. He appears at the head of his fqtradron 
 of critics in the full fpirit of one utterly devoted to 
 a party ; with whom truth is a lie, or as bad as a 
 lie, when it makes againft him j and falfe quota- 
 tions pafs for truth, when they are neceffary to a 
 caufe. 
 
 BOOK III. page 90. ver. 7. And a whole War.'} 
 Here, (ays ZOILUS, is an end of a very foolifo poem? 
 of which by this time J have effectually convinced the 
 world, and filenccd all fuck for the future, who, like 
 HOMER, write fables to which others fnd morals^ 
 characters whofe jujtnefs is quejiioned, unnecejjciry di~ 
 grejjjions, and i?npious epifodes. But what aflurance cars 
 fuch as ZOILUS have, that the world will ever be 
 convinced againft an eftabltflied reputation, by fuch 
 people whofe faults in writing are fo very notorious ? 
 who judge againfl rules, affirm without reafons, and 
 cenfure without manners ? who quote themfelves 
 for a fupport of their opinions, found their pride 
 
 upon
 
 252 The REMARKS of ZOILUS. 
 
 upon a learning in trifles, and their fuperiority upon 
 the claims they magifterially make ? who write of 
 beauties in a harfh ftile, judge of excellency with a 
 lownefs of fpirit, and purfue their defire to decry it 
 with every artifice of envy ? There is no difgrace 
 in being cenfured, where there is no credit to be 
 favoured. But, on the contrary, envy gives a tefti- 
 mony of fome perfection in another ; and one who 
 is attacked by many, is like a hero whom his ene- 
 mies acknowledge for fuch, when they point all the 
 fpears of a battle againft him. In (hort, an author 
 who writes for every age, may even erec~t himfelf a 
 monument of thofe ftones which envy throws at 
 him : while the critic who writes againft him can 
 have no fame becaufe he had no fuccefs j or if 
 he fancies he may fucceed, he fhould remember, that 
 by the nature of his undertaking, he would but 
 undermine his own foundation j for he is to fink of 
 courfe when the book which he writes againft, and 
 and for which alone he is read, is loft in difrepute 
 or oblivion. 
 
 FINIS.
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 HE S I O D, or the rife of ivoman. 7 
 Song. 20,21,22 
 Anacreontic, 24, 27 
 
 A fairy tale, in the ancient Englilhy?y&. 32 
 
 Pervigilium Veneris. 44 
 
 The Vigil of Venus. 45 
 
 Battle of the frogs and mice, 65 
 
 To Mr. Pope. 9 1 
 Part of the fir jl cant a of the rape of the lock tranf- 
 
 lated, 96 
 
 Health \ an eclogue. IOO 
 
 The flies j an eclogue. 104 
 
 An elegy. To an old beau tj. 108 
 
 The took- worm, 1 12 
 
 An allegory en man, 117 
 
 An imitation of fame French wafts* 122 
 
 A night-piece on death, v 126 
 
 j4 hymn to contentment, 1 31 
 
 The hermit, 135 
 
 Piety ', or the vijion. 148 
 
 Bacchus. 154 
 
 VISIONS. 
 
 I, 161 
 
 f ii. 1 68 
 
 III. 175 
 
 ifien IV. 182 
 
 Vlfion V. 189 
 
 T"^ ///^ of Zoilus. 207 
 The remarks of Zoilus upon Homer'; battle of the 
 
 frogs and mice. 231
 
 This book is DUE on the last 
 date stamped below 
 
 3 
 
 2m-6,'52(A1855)470
 
 mm