The fifteenth ode of the first book of Horace imitated THE FIFTEENTH ODE O F T H E FIRST BOOK O F HORACE IMITATED, And applied to Mr. F- On his being appointed of S And taking on him the Conduct of the — — LONDON: Printed for J. Scott at the Black Swan in PiUcr-noJhr-Rou: MDCCLVI. THE FIFTEENTH ODE Of the Firft Book of GRACE I M I T A T E D, &c. w HEN faithlefs F— had hoifted Sail, And put his * Hejmn Bark to Sea, Crofs to his Hopes no friendlj' Gale Would waft his -f- pilfer'd Prize away. One of old Ocean's minor Kings Silenc'd the Winds and made him wait. While in prophetic Verfe he fings The trembling Felon's future Fate. Thou fiez'd in an ill omen'd Hour Th' unhallow'd Prey, that dear you'll rue; Fondly you think to grafp at Pow'r, 'Tis but a Phantom you purfue. Bafe and corrupt as {he may be, Indignant Britain will difdain. To let an upftart Thing like thee, Brandifli the Scourge and clink the Chain. Think'ft thou flie'U fee herfelf a Prey To Foxes, Vultures, Wolves,' and Kites, Her Wealth and Honours dealt away Amongft th' abandon'd Gang at Whiter ! Will fhe not fliake the guilty Dome, Which Freedom and which Virtue leaves. By your infidious Arts become A Link of Slaves and Den of Thieves. Hid • The SubrKly Treaties with Hejje and Rvffm. f The S s of . 85S610 [4 ] Hid under * C ^*s borrovv'd Name Red'ning ftie views her fervile Bands (Her Glory once, but now her Shame) Giv'n up to your i-apacious Hands. With dark, confus'd, diforder'd Speech, Tliink'll thou the high Debate to guide ? Will what thy Talents cannot reach. Be by thy Vanity fupply'd ? He who would ftecr the Helm of State, While public Councils yet are free, Clenr, comprehenfive, various, great. His Knowledge and his Parts muft be. Genius by Art and Wifdom taught, Muft in his confcious Bofom glow. And depth and Dignity of Thought In all the Pomp of Language flow. Manners, Complacency, and Eafe, Muft in his Words and Adlions lliine ; He who would lead, mult learn to pleale. And Pow'r with Grace and Candour join. hi thy own native Sphere to mount. Widely thou haft miftook the Way ; Still fliould'ft thou ftrut a German Count, Or reign the King of Corjica. ■Beneath that iuUcn gloomy Brow 'i'our black malignant Heart appears ; With Infolence elated now. Now funk in bafe and abjc^l Fears. Meannefs and Pride betray thy -f Birth, The Peafant's Hovel whence you fprung, A noxious Vapour from the Earth ; Tho' like a Comet o'er us hung ! But * A Perfon who has about Thirteen Thoufand Pounds a Year in Agencies to R ts, by the iMeans of Mr. F . t His Father was a Shepherd's Boy on S y Plain. [ 5 ] But oft a falfe, fantaftick Light, Spreads it's illufive Influence far, Impofing on the dazzled Light, An Ignis Fatmts for a Star. Treat'ft thou with Scorn the Wretch whofe Fate, ( Hard Fate !) fubjedts him to thy Frown ? Thyfelf the verieft Tool of State, That e'er did Drudgery for the C . The plain and open Road to quit, And in bye Paths to lofe your Way, Is for your crooked Genius fit, At every Turning fond to ftray, Nurtur'd in W «'s chafte School, Renown'd for Probity and Truth ! That nice and rigid moral Rule, Adorns thy Age which form'd thy Youth. Thence brave Sir C s arofe, a Name, Firft in thy Love that (lands confeft, Whofe Honour, Valour, Virtues flame. Bright as the Star upon his Breaft. There gentle R y form'd to pleafe. By kindred Merit won thy Heart, Filling with Elegance and Eafe, Each modeft, decent, prudent Part. There H s too became thy Care, Tho' in an humbler Sphere he move. To all his Patrons juftly dear. The trufty Minifter of Love. How happy for this tottering Realm, Had Britain lately fuch to boaft, So ikill'd, fo ready at the Hehn, Minorca then had not been lofl. But to return to you again. Whom without Caufe we did not quit. You Claim indeed a ferious Strain, Irony and Jeft your Friends may fit. Doft [6] Dofl: thou not hear the Thunder roar. That ecchoes thro' St. Stephen's Walls ? It's rapid \'engcance won't it pour. Swift as the hvid Lightning falls ? When P — ;* infpir'd docs all infpire. Shrinking beneath his awful Brow, Drcad'ft thou not that celcfli.d Fire ? The flaming Bolt that's hurl'd at you. Behold th' illuftrious Patriot rife. Silence at once aflumes the Sway, Fix'd are Attention's earnell: Eyes, Shame's and Difmay's are turn'd away ! As ftill as Midnight are thofe Walls, Where Fadlion's noify Wars were wag'd. No Breatli perfpires no Whifper falls, Where Clamour roar'd and Difcord rag'd. Corruption's gaudy Bonds he breaks. To him his Country's Pray'r's preferr'd ; In him the Britifa Genius fpeaks j The Britijh Genius will be heard. Refiftlefs as the Torrent's roll, Down the flupendous Mountain's Height He fiezes on the raptur'd Soul, And bears it with him in his Flight. Not Churchmen in the dying Hour, Not Chriftians at their Armies Head, Not Monarchs in the Pomp of Pow'r, Not Beauties in the Bridal Bed ; Raife fuch Emotions in the Mind ; Wonder or Awe, or Joy or Fear, As he, whofe mightier Power can bind Av'rice and Folly's wild Career. Nor ihall he fingly urge thy Fate, Like him ihall other Patriots rife, In all the Luftre of Debate G witli Grace and Spirit wife. [7] q- d fhall hunt thee full in View, Unrein'd \\\^ftery footed Sceed, Swift as you fly he fnall purfue ■■ To crown the Chace the Fox muft bleed. With nervous Senfe and pointed Wit, X ge fharpens his uneriing Dart, Hits without feeming to have hit, Unfeen the Wound, fevere the bmart. O learn from him degenerate Youth, Vain Boafters of your Parts and Race! Honour, Integrity, and Truth, Give Wit its Luftre, Birth its Grace. For when with Probity is join'd, Sound Senfe, the rareft Gift of Heaven, They hold an Empire o'er the Mind, Pow'r uncontroul'd, but freely given. Sagacious foon you'll fee, Thy Den and lurking Holes expofe ; Accomplifli'd H — y and learned L Thou'lt number too among thy Foes. When hft'ning to Corruption's Lore, Obedient to her fell Commands Is this your promis'd Condudl o'er Xhe S 's mercenary Bands ? You told your vile Compeers, when vain Of Talents which you ne'er poffefl Give me the Whip, I'll hold the Rein, And Britain s Terror flands confeft. Are thus your Menaces made good, Tho' you to barb'rous Goths have flown ? You thirfl:ed for the People's Blood, Shou'd they not banquet on your own ? F IN I S, c % University of California SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY 305 De Neve Drive - Parking Lot 17 • Box 951388 LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA 90095-1388 Return this material to the library from which it was borrowed. Six Slockton. Calif. D OOC