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 THIS BOOK CARDt 
 
 University Research Library 
 

 
 THE 
 
 WORKS 
 
 O F 
 
 SOAME JENYNS, Esc*. 
 
 IN FOUR VOLUMES. 
 INCLUDING SEVERAL PIECES 
 
 NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHED. 
 TO WHICH ARE PREFIXED, 
 
 SHORT SKETCHES OF THE HISTORY OF 
 THE AUTHOR'S FAMILY, 
 
 AND ALSO OF HIS LIFE; 
 
 CHARLES NALSON COLE, Esq. 
 
 VOL. I. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 PRINTED FOR T. CADELL, IN THE STRAND. 
 M.DCC.XC. 
 
 98347
 
 7,5 \ 9 
 JiS 
 v v.l 
 
 \ 
 * TO 
 
 WILLIAM HEBERDEN, M.D. 
 
 Tpv 
 
 E DIG AT ION Sin general 
 are fo many facrifices of 
 
 PI praife, laid upon an altar 
 
 *>' 
 
 eredied for him to whom they 
 
 are offered, at the expence of 
 truth, one of the moft amiable 
 virtues. All the excellencies of 
 human nature, which form the 
 charadteriftic differences between 
 VOL. I. a good
 
 ii DEDICATION. 
 
 good and bad men, are indif- 
 criminately configned to him to 
 whofe honor the rite is per- 
 formed. Hence a fad reverfe 
 of characters is handed down 
 to pofterity ; and thofe, the re- 
 membrance of whom mould 
 have ended with their lives, 
 ftand recorded in their deaths 
 as the diftinguifhed a&ors, as 
 well as patrons, of all that is 
 praife-worthy. 
 
 I know, Sir, that you, as well 
 as myfelf, condemn fuch facri- 
 ftces, and thofe who offer them. 
 
 After
 
 DEDICATION, iii 
 After this declaration of the fenfe 
 I entertain of the general addref- 
 fes of this fort, I found myfelf 
 under no difficulty in applying to 
 
 yOU,THE FRIEND OF HUMAN NA- 
 TURE, for permiflion to fend in- 
 to the world, under the fanction 
 of your name, the works of an 
 author, who, through life, had 
 a ftridl claim to that character ; 
 and whofe fubftitute, lince his 
 death, you are in fome fort be- 
 come, by the alliance of one of 
 your family with that perfon 
 whom, by the laft folemn aft of 
 a a his
 
 iv DEDICATION. 
 
 his life, he appointed his repre- 
 fentative. 
 
 Give me leave to acknow- 
 ledge the fenfe I entertain of 
 your kindnefs, in granting me 
 this permiffion, fince it fatisfies 
 my feelings as to the execution 
 of the trufl committed to me by 
 the author, of collecting and fu- 
 perintending the publication of 
 all his works ; by warranting me 
 to do that, which, could he have 
 foreknown, would have had the 
 fanctio'n of his higheft approba- 
 tion. 
 
 Having
 
 DEDICATION. v 
 Having thus far difcharged 
 the truft repofed in me by the 
 author, I cannot fatisfy, fo far 
 as is in my power, a debt of gra- 
 titude I owe to you, without 
 availing myfelf of this oppor- 
 tunity to declare publicly (and 
 that, I truft, not without an ho- 
 neft and becoming pride) how 
 much I am bound to you for 
 the kind and uninterrupted 
 friendmip with which you have 
 been pleafed to favour me thro' 
 a very long courfe of years; 
 an obligation which hath been 
 a 3 extended
 
 yi DEDICATION. 
 
 extended to fuch a length, by 
 your conftant and affectionate 
 watchfulnefs over a confuta- 
 tion, the exiftence of which, un- 
 der Providence, your great pro- 
 feffional knowledge and experi- 
 ence have prolonged far beyond 
 that period, which, from the 
 infirmities long attending it, 
 could ever have been expected, 
 or hoped for, by 
 
 DEAR SIR, 
 
 Your fincere, 
 
 Affe&ionate, 
 
 And obliged, 
 
 CHARLES NALSON COLE. 
 Lincoln 's Inn Fields^ 
 Feb. i, 1790*
 
 [ a 3 
 PREFACE. 
 
 WHEN the amiable author of 
 thefe volumes, by one of the 
 laft a<fls of his life, bequeathed to 
 me all the copy- rights of what he 
 had publimed, and configned to my 
 care the literary papers which he left 
 behind him, with a defire that I 
 would collect together and fuperin- 
 tend the publication of all his works, 
 I confidered this trufr. as a mark of 
 his confidence, of which, after a 
 friendfhip between us for near half a 
 century, he thought me deferving. 
 IrnprelTed with this fentiment, from 
 gratitude I undertook the truft with 
 great pleafure ; in the execution of 
 which, as far as I could, I have acted 
 a 4 precifely
 
 viii PREFACE. 
 
 precifely in the fame manner in which 
 he would have done himfelf, had he 
 lived, as there is reafon to believe, 
 from the remembrance I have of ma- 
 ny converfations I had with him on 
 this fubjedt. 
 
 The poems written in the early 
 part of his life were printed and pub- 
 limed feparately, in different fizes, 
 few or none of which are now to be 
 met with ; many of them were after- 
 wards, from time to time, collected 
 and printed together, by editors of fu- 
 gitive pieces, and monthly or annual 
 collections. 
 
 Mr. Dodiley made a large and ju- 
 dicious collection of works of this 
 kind, and in his mifcellany of poems 
 will be found more of thefe poems 
 than in any other of the fame fort. 
 
 Three editions of his works were 
 
 printed
 
 PREFACE. ix 
 
 printed during his life, increafing in 
 fize from time to time, as detached 
 pieces, publimed in the intervals, 
 were always added to the new edi- 
 tion. The firft was printed in a 
 thin fmall octavo ; the fecond, in two 
 fmall volumes octavo ; and the third 
 and laft was printed in the year 1770, 
 in one large octavo volume, containing 
 much more than either of the former. 
 The name of the author was not put 
 to either of thefe editions; but the 
 feveral title-pages of the firft and laft 
 contain an urn filled with flowers, 
 round which a wreath is entwined, 
 charged with the motto to his arms, 
 " Igrurvit nunquam." I have collected 
 together all his detached publications 
 fmce the year 1770, and added them 
 to thofe contained in the edition of 
 that year. On fearching his papers, 
 
 large
 
 * PREFACE. 
 
 large as the collection is which he 
 left behind him, I found not any 
 amongft them which, I believe, he 
 would ever have publimed had he 
 lived, or ever defigned for publica- 
 tion after his death; and except fome 
 fliort Poems, an EfTay on the Na- 
 tional Debt, and fome curfory ob- 
 fervations on feveral paflages in the 
 New Teftament, there is nothing 
 more in this than what is contained 
 in the laft edition. I have added here 
 and there, at the beginning of fome 
 of his poems, a mort note, to which, 
 in general, though not always, is af- 
 fixed the letter E. The notes to 
 his profe works are all added by him- 
 felf. 
 
 To this volume is prefixed a mort 
 account of the author's family, and 
 fome Iketches of his life and charac- 
 ter,
 
 PREFACE. xi 
 
 ter, which have no pretence to any 
 merit but that which is due to truth ; 
 for they contain few or no anecdotes, 
 and are written in a flile in which the 
 melliti'uerborum globuli y vibrantes fen- 
 tentiolcz, fo much admired in the 
 works of fome modern authors, will 
 be found to have no place. 
 
 If the reader be not tired, and lay 
 the Sketches aiide before he arrives at 
 the end, which, fhort as the journey 
 thro' them is, peradventure may hap-, 
 pen, he will there find an extract from 
 the book in which are registered 
 the burials in the parifh of Bottifham, 
 which may make him amends for the 
 patience he hath mewn, and the fuf- 
 ferings he may have undergone. He 
 will there be prefented with a copy 
 of an entry made in that book, by 
 the Reverend William Lort Manfell, 
 A. M. who for fome years before 
 
 had
 
 ii PREFACE. 
 
 had been, and was then in pofTeffion 
 of that vicarage as fequeftrator, and 
 was Fellow of Trinity College Cam- 
 bridge. 
 
 He is public orator of that Uni- 
 veriity, in the difcharge of which 
 character he eminently excels 5 and 
 hath fhewn, by what he inferted in 
 the regiftry, not only his liberal an- 
 xiety to do juftice to merit, but his 
 abilities to do it in the moft elegant 
 manner. 
 
 SKETCHES
 
 SKETCHES 
 
 OF THE 
 
 LIFE 
 
 O F 
 
 SOAME JENYNS, Efq. 
 
 WITH A 
 
 SHORT ACCOUNT OF HIS FAMILY.
 
 SKETCHES, &c. 
 
 SOAME JENYNS,Efq.theauthor 
 of thefe volumes, was born at twelve* 
 o'clock at night, in Great Ormond- 
 ftreet, in London, in the year iyoi. His 
 father, Sir Roger Jenyns, Knt. was de- 
 fcended from the ancient and refpe&able 
 
 family 
 
 * The hour of his birth he often mentioned, 
 fometimes adding, that, if it were difficult to 
 anfwer the queftion propofed in Aolus Gellius, 
 lib. iii. cap. 2. " Quseri folitnm eft, qui noftis 
 " hora tertia, quartave, five qua alia nati funt, 
 " uter dies natal is haberi appellarique debeat, isne 
 ff quern nox ea confecuta eft, an qui dies noc 
 " tern confecutus eft," it was ftill more diffi- 
 cult to afcertain the day of his birth ; and he added 
 farther, in his pleafant manner, that as that quef- 
 tion had not been determined, he confidered him- 
 felf at liberty to choofe his birth-day, and preferring 
 the birth of the year to the day of its death, he had 
 chofen New Year's Day, which in all civilized coun- 
 tries, was celebrated as a day of general feftivity. He 
 5 would
 
 XVI SKETCHES OF THE LIFE 
 
 family of the Jenyns's, of Churchill in 
 Somerfetfhire j one of whom, about the 
 middle of the fixteenth century, by an 
 intermarriage with a coheirefs of the 
 Rowlet family, became pofleffed of Sand- 
 ridge in the county of Hertford ; whoft 
 defcendant, Sir John Jenyns, was created 
 by King James a Knight of the Bath at 
 the creation of Charles Prince of Wales, 
 and was returned to reprefent the borough 
 of St. Alban's, in the fecond parliament 
 holden after the crown had defcended to 
 that prince. 
 
 About the middle of the laft century a 
 younger branch of this family fettled in 
 
 would fay, likewife, that this circumfiance attend- 
 ing his birth made him often laugh at the folemn 
 manner in which biographers recorded the events 
 that happened at the birth of thofe whofe lives they 
 had written, as portentous of their future deftina* 
 lions or chara&eri in life ; for, though he was born, 
 in the moment of controverfy, yet, of all fubjefts 
 in which the learned engaged, that was to him the 
 moil difagreeable. 
 
 Cambridgefhire,
 
 OF SOAME JENYNS, ESQ^ XVli 
 
 Cambridgefhire, which county was re- 
 prefented in three parliaments by John, 
 the elder brother of Sir Roger. 
 
 Sir Roger's refidence in the country 
 was at Ely, in the Ifle of Ely, where he 
 fpent much of his time in an application 
 to thofe kinds of bufmefs which render 
 gentlemen who live in the country mod 
 ferviceable to their neighbours, and there- 
 by procure them that degree of weight 
 and refpect which will always attend on 
 fuch a character. He was an upright, 
 knowing, and diligent magiftrate, a great 
 encourager of induftry, and at enmity 
 with vice and its parent idlenefs ; a con- 
 ilant promoter of good and orderly go- 
 vernment, both by precept and example. 
 Amongft other objects of his attention 
 to the interefts of the public, he exceed- 
 ingly laboured in carrying into execution 
 the draining of the great level of the 
 fens j went through all the higher offices 
 in that corporation, which was created by 
 an aft of Parliament pafled in the time 
 VOL. I. b of
 
 XVIH SKETCHES OF THE LIFE 
 
 of Charles the Second, for that work, and 
 this with great reputation to himfelf and 
 advantage to the country. 
 
 In the laft century, every mark of dif- 
 tinclion from the crown ftamped a value 
 on him who received it. The ingenuity 
 of oppofitions to minifters had not, at 
 that rime, endeavoured, by a vein of ridi- 
 cule which hath fince been adopted with 
 too much effect, to lower and bring into 
 contempt the lefs honors of the crown > 
 and the order of knighthood was then 
 efteemed by gentlemen as a real mark of 
 royal favour, and received by them as 
 fuch with the propounded gratitude. This 
 honour was fometimes conferred on thofe, 
 who, in their refpe&ive counties, had dif- 
 tinguiftied themfelves by their zeal and 
 activity in the diftrict where they refided, 
 when it was openly attacked by riot and 
 diforder; at other times it was a reward for 
 a general conduct, manifefting itfelf by 
 an exemplary life, in the performance of 
 fuch civil duties as the refpe&ive ftations 
 5 in
 
 OF SOAME JENYNS, 
 
 in which gentlemen were placed gave 
 them an opportunity of performing. On 
 the latter of thefe grounds, this honor 
 was conferred on Roger Jenyns, Efq; 
 by his Majefty king William, at his pa- 
 lace at Kenfington, on the ninth day of 
 January, 1693-4* The mother of our 
 author was one of the daughters of Sir 
 Peter Soame, of Hayden, in the county of 
 EfTex, baronet ; a moft beautiful woman, 
 and endued with an excellent underftand- 
 ing, which fhe had improved by reading, 
 much beyond what was the fafhion of 
 thofe times in the education of the daugh- 
 ters of gentlemen : fhe was well in- 
 ftructed in the principles of religion, 
 which fhe manifefted both by her life and 
 in her converfation ; and thefe excellen- 
 ces were ftill heightened by the moft po- 
 lifhed manners. As it was the fafhion 
 in ancient Rome to be educated " Non 
 
 * London Gazette, from January the 1 1 th to 
 January the 1 5th 1693-4, N 3556. 
 
 b i " in
 
 XX SKETCHES OF THE LIFE 
 
 " in cella emptse nutricis, fed gremio ct 
 " finu matris * :" fo was our author 
 brought up, under the care of his excel- 
 lent mother, till that time when it be- 
 comes proper to take children out of the 
 nurfery, and to confign the further infti- 
 tution of them to tutors, whofe province 
 it is to open to young minds thofe ftore- 
 houfes of ancient learning, on which their 
 future intellectual improvements for the 
 mod part depend. To the Rev. Mr. 
 Hill, introduced into the family for that 
 purpofe, fhe furrcndered up her charge, 
 to which fhe had with fo much diligence 
 attended, that the tutor received his pupil 
 poffefled of all that knowledge, and 
 grounded with all thofe principles of vir- 
 tue and religion, which at that early pe- 
 riod the infant mind is capable of, or 
 ought to receive. 
 
 Under the care of Mr. Hill he conti- 
 nued fome time, who, after he had taught 
 
 * Taciti Dialogus de Oratoribus. Broiler's edi- 
 tion, quarto, Paris, 1771* vol. iv. page 151. 
 
 him
 
 OF SOAME JENYNS, ESQ^. XXI 
 
 him the firft rudiments oflanguage, and of 
 fuch branches of knowledge as were proper 
 for his age, was called off to purfuits that 
 promifed him greater advantages than he 
 could expect to derive from his fole at- 
 tention to the education of the fon of a 
 private gentleman. 
 
 The anxiety of the family on the im- 
 portant point of our author's education, 
 made them very induftrious in procuring 
 a proper fuccefibr; which was amply fa- 
 tisfied by their having prevailed on the 
 Rev. Stephen White to undertake the 
 charge. Mr. White was the brother of 
 him who afterwards diftinguifhed himfelf 
 in feveral controverfial pieces with the 
 Diffenters ; and he was himfelf eminent 
 for his learning, good tafte, and great in- 
 genuity ; and, having no object but the 
 improvement of his pupil, continued his 
 care of him till it was neceffary to finifh 
 his education by a removal of him to 
 one of our univerfities. 
 
 It rarely happens that any thing is or 
 b 3 can
 
 XXII SKETCHES OF THE LIFE 
 
 can be recorded of the life of fchool-boys ; 
 a remark that may be applied even to 
 fuch as receive their education in tbofe 
 great royal ' feminaries, founded for the 
 advancement of religion and learning; 
 where ambition and emulation muft have 
 fuch an effect on young minds, as can 
 never be produced in a folitary domeftic 
 education. In the latter, no rival is to be 
 dreaded ; no ambition can be gratified by 
 obtaining prizes, as rewards of fuperior 
 merit, or the furrounding applaufe of a 
 little world iiV embryo -, no calls for that 
 addrefs, fagacky, and conduct, all which 
 are in fome fort neceffary to promote the 
 happinefs of thofe who are topafs the firft 
 part of their lives in the numerous foci- 
 eties of youths, many of whom are after- 
 wards to aft confiderable parts on the 
 great ftage of the world. Notwithftand- 
 ing the want of thefe incitements, which 
 in a private education can never be hold- 
 en forth, yet our author hath left behind 
 him exercifes in Englifh, and in both the 
 
 dead
 
 OF SOAME JENYNS, ES<i 
 
 dead languages, whence at that time the 
 heights might have been eafily forefeen, 
 to which his underftanding would after- 
 wards attain. 
 
 The time was now come in which he 
 was to take leave of a domeftic education, 
 and change it for that which is only to be 
 met with in the Britifh univerfities. His 
 father had purchafed Bottifham Hall, in 
 the village of Bottifham, where he refided 
 with his family ; and, as it was not far 
 diftant from Cambridge, that univerfity 
 was fixed on for the place in which his 
 fon was to make a progrefs in his future 
 fludies. 
 
 St. John's College was at that time a 
 fociety, as it hath continued to be ever 
 jfince, eminent as a feat of religion, learn- 
 ing, and difcipline. 
 
 Into this fociety he was admitted as a 
 fellow- commoner, in the year 1722% 
 
 under 
 
 * Soame Jenyns Middlefexienfis, Roger! Jenyns, 
 
 Equitis Aurati nat. Londinas. Literis inftitutus in 
 
 b 4 redibus
 
 XXIV SKETCHES OF THE 
 
 under Dr. Edmondfon, at that time one 
 of the principal tutors of the college. 
 
 In this college he lived, except at thofe 
 times fet apart for vacations, near three 
 years, purfuing with great induftry the 
 courfe of ftudies in which young men of 
 fortune at that time were inftituted. 
 
 His behaviour whilft he refided there 
 was mod orderly and regular, and the dif- 
 cipline of the college was by no means dif- 
 agreeable to his natural inclination, info- 
 much that he was often heard to fay, after 
 he had lefc the univerfity, that he account- 
 ed the days he had lived there amongft 
 thofe which were the happieft in his life. 
 
 From the time he left Cambridge, his 
 refidence in winter was in London, and 
 in the fummer in the country, in his fa- 
 ther's family, as long as he lived. His 
 purfuits were chiefly literary, and, though 
 
 zdibus paternis a Magiftris Hill et White. 
 Annos habens 17, admiflus Penfionarius Major, 
 Tutore et Fidejufibre ejus Doftore Edmondfon, 
 Julii *, 1722. Ex Libro Admiffionum Coll. Div. 
 Johan. Cantab. 
 
 his
 
 OF SOAME JENYNS, ESQ^ XXV 
 
 his name was not put to the publication, 
 in the year 1727, of his Art of Dancing, 
 infcribed to lady Fanny Fielding, yet the 
 author was foon difcovered, and it was 
 confidered as a prefage of what might af- 
 terwards be expected from him. 
 
 Soon after his father's death, at the ge- 
 neral election in 1742, he was unani- 
 moufly chofen one of the reprefentatives 
 for the county of Cambridge ; from which 
 time he fat in parliament until the year 
 1780, reprefenting, during thofe thirty- 
 eight years, either the county or the bo- 
 rough of Cambridge, except only for four 
 years, when on the call of a new parlia- 
 ment, in the year i754> he was returned 
 for the borough of Dunwich, in the county 
 of Suffolk , but on lordDupplin's going up 
 to the houfe of lords, he vacated his feat 
 by the acceptance of the office of fteward 
 of the Chiltern hundreds, and fucceeded 
 him as reprcfentative of the borough of 
 Cambridge. The conftant and uniform 
 opinion, which thofe who chofe him en- 
 tertained
 
 XXVI SKETCHES OF THE LIFE 
 
 tertained of his parliamentary conduct, 
 cannot be more ftrongly evinced than 
 by the unanimity of their choice ; for he 
 had only one oppofition, and that from 
 cle&ion-adventurers, one of whom not 
 long after, as it often happens to the dif- 
 turbers of eftablifhed interefls, appeared 
 in the Gazette amongft the fad lift of 
 bankrupts. 
 
 In the year 1755, n ' IS ^ ate Majefty was 
 pleafed to appoint him one of the lords 
 comrnifiioners of the board for Trade and 
 Plantations, at which he continued to fit 
 until an alteration was made in its con- 
 ftitution by parliament, and the bufinefs 
 of it transferred to the great officers of 
 ftate, and thofe who are in the lift of his 
 Majefty's honorable privy council. 
 
 He was twice married, firft to Mary 
 the fole daughter of colonel Soame, of 
 Dereham in Norfolk ; who dying without 
 iffue, he afterwards married Elizabeth the 
 daughter of Henry Grey, Efq. of Hack- 
 ney,
 
 OF SOAME JENYNS, ESQ_. XXVU 
 
 ney, in the county of Middlefex, who fur- 
 vived him. He died of a fever, after a 
 few days illnefs, on the i8th day of De- 
 cember, 1787, at his houfe in Tilney- 
 ftreet, Audley-fquare, leaving no iffue. 
 
 He was a man of great mildnefs, gen- 
 tlenefs, and fweetnefs of temper, which he 
 manifefted to all with whom he had con- 
 cerns, either in the bufinefs of life or its 
 focial intercourfe. His earnefl defire was, 
 as far as it was pofiible, never to offend 
 any perfon; and he made fuch allow- 
 ances, even for thofe who in their difpofi- 
 tions differed from him, that he was rarely 
 offended with others j of which, in a long 
 life, 'he gave many notable inftances. He 
 was ftricl: in the performance of religious 
 duties in public, and a conftant practifer 
 of them in private; ever profefling the 
 greateft veneration for the church of Eng- 
 land and its government, as by law efta- 
 blilhed j holding her liturgy as the pureft 
 and moft perfect form of public worfhip 
 in any eftabliihed church in Chriftendom: 
 
 but,
 
 XXVlil SKETCHES OF THE 
 
 but, though he gave it the preference in 
 comparifon with other churches, which, 
 with Grotius, he thought had departed 
 from the inftitutions of the more primi- 
 tive Chriftian church*, yet he thought 
 that alterations and amendments might 
 be made in it, which would render it 
 more perfect than it is in its prefent ftate, 
 and which he earneftly defired to have 
 feen accompliftied by thofe who were pro- 
 perly authorized. But though fuch was 
 his difpofition, fuch his defire, he at the 
 fame time exprefled his moft ardent wifh 
 that it might remain in its prefent form, 
 until the alterations propofed to be made 
 therein were all agreed upon and finally 
 
 * Certum mihi eft xTot'fya Anglicanam, item 
 aaorem imponendi manus adolefcentibus in bap- 
 rifari memoriam, autoritatem Epifcoporum, pref- 
 byteria ex folis paftorihus compofita, multaque 
 alia ejufmodi, fads congruere inllitutis vetuftioris 
 Ecclefisr, a quibus in Gallia et Belgio receffum 
 negare non poflumus. Epiftola ad Gedeoni, a 
 Boetflaer et Afperen. Grotii Opera, AmUerdam. 
 *68 7 . 
 
 fettled i
 
 OF SOAME JENYNS, ES(^. XXIX 
 
 fettled ; for he wifely forefaw the danger- 
 ous confequences that may arife to a 
 long-eftablimed religious or civil govern- 
 ment, from altering or doing away any 
 part of it, however warranted by reafon 
 or found policy, before it is abfolutely de- 
 termined what fhall in future be adopted. 
 In private life he was mod amiable and 
 engaging, for he was poflefled of a well- 
 informed mind, accompanied by an un- 
 common vein of the moft lively, fpirited, 
 and genuine wit, which always flowed very 
 copioufly amongft thofe with whom he 
 converfed, but which was tempered with 
 fuch a kindnefs of nature, that it never 
 was the caufe of uneafmefs to any of thofe 
 with whom he lived : this made his ac- 
 quaintance much fought after and courted 
 by all thofe who had a tafte for brilliant 
 converfation, being well affured that they 
 would be delighted with it where he was ; 
 and that, though they did not poflefs the 
 lame talent, they never would be cenfured 
 by him becaufe they wanted it. 
 
 This
 
 XXX SKETCHES OF THE LIFE 
 
 This fo gentle an exertion of fo rare a 
 quality he not only ftrictly obferved him- 
 felf, but was always much hurt if he ob- 
 ferved the want of it in others j and con- 
 fidercd every fally of wit, however bright 
 it might be, which tended to the mortifi- 
 cation of thofe who heard it, as one of its 
 greateft abufes, fmce he looked upon all 
 pre-eminent gifts of the mind, beftowed 
 by nature as much for the happinefs of 
 others, as of thofe who pofiefs them. 
 
 And in this his delightful converfation 
 he fo totally abftained from recurring to 
 Religion or Scripture asfubjects of his wit, 
 that thofe who lived mod with him could 
 not help obferving, that in his common 
 and unguarded focial hours, he ever ftrid- 
 Jy abftained from ufmg the name of the 
 Supreme Being, unlefs when it was ren- 
 dered necefiary by the immediate fubject 
 of the converfation. 
 
 No perfon ever felt more for the mife- 
 ries of others than he did ; no perfon faw, 
 or more ftrictly pra&ifed, the neceflity 
 
 impofcd
 
 OF SOAME JENYNS, ESC^ XXXI 
 
 impofed on thofe who form, the fupe- 
 rior ranks of life, whofe duty it is to 
 reconcile the lower clafles to their pre- 
 fent condition, by contributing the ut- 
 moft to make them happy; and there- 
 by to caufe them to feel as little of 
 that difference as is pofilble j for he was 
 moft kind and courteous to all his inferi- 
 ors, not only in his expreflions and in his 
 behaviour, but in afllfting them in all their 
 wants and diilrefles, as far as he could j 
 ever confidering his poor neighbours in 
 the country as parts of his family, and, as 
 fuch, entitled to his care and protection. 
 He fpent his fummers at his houfe in 
 the country, refiding there with hofpi- 
 tality to his tenants and neighbours, and 
 never fuffered any places at that feafon 
 calculated for public diverfions to allure 
 him j for he faid he could at that time 
 do more good in his own parifh than in 
 any other fituation. 
 
 He frequently lamented the prevailing 
 fafhion of the later times of his life, which 
 
 carried
 
 XXXII SKETCHES OF THE LIFE 
 
 carried gentlemen with their families from 
 London,. when it is deferted by all whofe 
 ab fence can be difpenfed with, to places 
 far diftant from their houfes and an- 
 cient feats in the country j opened chiefly 
 for the reception of thofe who wifh to 
 continue the fcenes of difiipation they 
 have left : whence it is, that the money 
 which fliould revert to the diftrifts from 
 which it was received, is turned into a 
 different channel j tenants are deprived 
 of the advantages they are in fome degree 
 entitled to, from its expenditure amongft 
 them ; hofpitality done away, and the 
 ftream of charity, that would otherwife 
 have gladdened the hearts of their poor 
 neighbours, is flopped > their inferiors 
 deprived of their example, encourage- 
 ment, and protection, in the practice of re- 
 ligion and virtue, and thereby the man- 
 ners of the country altered for the worfe, 
 which neceflarily occafions great mif- 
 chiefs to the public. 
 
 Such
 
 OP SOAME JENYNS, ESQ^ 
 
 Such was the author in his private walk 
 of life j and the principles on which that 
 conduct was founded, when expanded as 
 motives for his public character in a 
 larger fphere of action, rendered him 
 equally praife- worthy in that as in the 
 former. 
 
 "When he was in the country, he con- 
 ftantly acted as a magiftrate in his own 
 diftrict, and attended all thofe meetings 
 which were holden for the purpofes of 
 public juftice. 
 
 From the general opinion that was 
 entertained of his inflexible integrity, 
 and fuperior underftanding, he was much 
 reforted to in that character at home. 
 From his natural fagacity, quick dif- 
 cernment, and long experience, on hear- 
 ing and examining the parties, he fel- 
 dom failed of obtaining a compleat know- 
 ledge of the cafes that came before him; 
 and was thereby enabled to determine, ac- 
 cording to the rules of compleat juftice ; 
 always giving his reafons for what he did, 
 
 Von. I. G with
 
 XXXIV SKETCHES OF THE LIFE 
 
 with a clearnefs and perfpicuity peculiar 
 to himfelf, and thofe reafons exprefied in 
 words fo accommodated to the under- 
 ftanding of all who heard him, that few or 
 none departed difTatisfied with his deci- 
 fions. Though he was not bred to the 
 ftudy of the law, his underftanding, like 
 old Cato * in his character by Livy, was 
 fuch, that he could apply it to every 
 purpofe for which it was wanted. When 
 in the courfe of converfation, among 
 other topics that arofe, the duty of a.- 
 magiftrate had its place, and the pains 
 attending it, as alfo the difficulties from 
 the number and variety of powers with 
 which the legiflature had entiuiled him 
 were afferted, he ufed to fay, that he 
 thought himfelf fingularly happy, that, on 
 a recollection of the many years he had 
 acted in the commiffion of the peace, he 
 had never been called to the Court of 
 
 * Huic verfatile ingenium fie pariter ad omnia 
 fuit, ut natum ad id unum diceres quodcunque age- 
 ret. Liv. lib. 39. cap. 40. 
 
 5 King's
 
 OF SOAME JENYNS, ESQ^ XXXV 
 
 King's Bench to account for his not un- 
 derftanding an aft of parliament, of which 
 he was often one of the makers ; which 
 had fometimes happened to thofe in his 
 fituation j and that he had been amply 
 compenfated for the pains he had taken, 
 and the difficulties he had met with dur- 
 ing his long exercife of that civil office, 
 by the many opportunities which he had 
 been gratified with of reconciling thofe 
 who came before him inflamed with the 
 higheft degree of hatred to each other; 
 for he confidered that beatitude, which is 
 pronounced on the peace-makers, as an 
 efiential part of the internal evidence of 
 the truth of the Chriftian religion. 
 
 His firft entrance into parliament was 
 in the laft year of the adminiftration of 
 that able and honed minitter Sir Robert 
 Walpole, whofe memory hath a title to be 
 enrolled amongft the faithfulleft fervants 
 of the crown, and trueft friends to the 
 liberties and real interefts of the people, 
 that the Britifh empire hath been blefled 
 c 2 with
 
 XXXVi SKETCHES OF THE LIFE 
 
 with during the prefent or any former 
 century. 
 
 Through this year our author attended 
 all long days and nights in the Houfe of 
 Commons, which the oppofition fpent in 
 hunting that minifter into the toils, which 
 they had made to take him, under the 
 hackneyed and fpecious colour of purfu- 
 ing the enemies to the happinefs and in- 
 terefts of the country. 
 
 Unknown to Sir Robert, and uncon- 
 nected with him by acquaintance or pri- 
 vate regard, he fupported him to the ut- 
 moft of his power, till he retired from his 
 high ftation, making room for thofe who 
 foon {hewed the lofs the nation fuftained 
 by the fad exchange. After he had re- 
 tired, and received the ftrongeft mark 
 of his royal matter's favour he could be- 
 ftow, as a teftimony of the fenfe he enter- 
 tained of his faithful fervices to him and 
 his kingdoms, our author waited upon 
 Sir Robert at his houfe at Chelfea,. 
 to congratulate him on his having re- 
 ceived
 
 OF SOAME JENYNS, ESO^ XXXV11 
 
 ceived fo gracious a mark of what he had 
 deferved for his unwearied zeal and abi- 
 lities in the long fervice of his country; 
 when, amongll other things which then 
 pafled in converfation, Lord Orford ac- 
 knowledged the fupport he had given him, 
 during the fhort time he had fitten in 
 parliament, and that, in expreflions of 
 great thankfulnefs ; at the fame time de- 
 claring, that had thofe to whom he had, 
 during his meridian of power, (hewn the 
 greateft friendship, and loaded with all 
 the favours he could confer on them, but 
 borne as kind difpofitions to him as he 
 had done, who had not been diftinguifh- 
 ed by any particular regard, he would 
 not then have paid a vifit to an ex-mi- 
 nifter. 
 
 Long before he came into parliament, 
 he had lived in the world with thofe 
 of the bed faihion, from which fociety 
 the hiflory of thofe who took the moft 
 active part in both Houfes of Parliament, 
 their connections, principles, and objects, 
 c 3 might
 
 XXXV111 SKETCHES OF THE LIFE 
 
 might be eafily obtained ; of which op- 
 portunities he did not fail to avail him- 
 felf, as from no other fource, at that pe- 
 riod, could fuch knowledge, with any de- 
 gree of certainty, be had. For, during 
 the modefty and decency of thofe times, 
 no one prefumed every day to publifh to 
 the world all the particulars of what pafled 
 in the great council of the nation. The 
 people were then fatisfied with written 
 papers, known by the name of minutes, 
 which were left at coffee - houfes in 
 the evenings during the fitting of par- 
 liaments, barely flating the bufmefs that 
 day before the Houfe, and whether the 
 Houfe were likely to break up early or to 
 fit late. After the end of a feflions, during 
 the prorogation, in the fummer-time, the 
 publifhers of magazines inferted in thefe 
 monthly pamphlets fome of the fpeeches, 
 delivered by the members in parliament ; 
 but this was done under feigned names, or 
 real names fo concealed by the manner in 
 which they were fpelled, as plainly fhew- 
 (trii the publifher's apprehenfion of the 
 
 danger
 
 OF SOAME JENYNS, ESC^. XXXIX 
 
 danger he incurred of cenfure or punifh- 
 ment from fo unconftitutional a proceed- 
 ing. 
 
 At that time no publiftier of a daily 
 morning paper ever thought of, or pre- 
 fumed to folicit an entrance into the gal- 
 lery of the houfe of commons, either to 
 take notes of what paflfes during a debate, 
 or by the ftrength of memory to retail 
 to the public every morning during the 
 feflions, what had pafled there the pre- 
 ceding day by which means the names 
 of the fpeakers, and what was faid by 
 them on fubjects of the greatefl po- 
 litical confequence to the empire, are 
 circulated all over Europe, and tell to 
 foreign ftates, whether friends or ene- 
 mies, the opinions of the ableft men in 
 the kingdom, on its ftrength, its weak- 
 nefs, where and when it may be afTailed 
 to the greateft advantage by thofe ftates 
 with whom it is at war, or which from 
 ambition, or any other motive, may in 
 time of peace meditate its attack. Hap- 
 pily for thofe times, there were none who 
 c 4 dared
 
 X SKETCHES OF THE LIFE 
 
 dared thus to infringe an ufage, which, 
 like all other ufages obtaining there, is the 
 law of parliament. 
 
 However this may be, our author hav- 
 ing feen, obferved, and well confidered 
 the caufes and progrefs of the oppofition 
 to Sir Robert Walpole, and having 
 weighed the end and confequences of it, 
 this gave him an early diftafte to oppofi- 
 tions in general ; and nothing that pafled 
 afterwards in parliament, during the long 
 time he fat there, ever tended to produce 
 any alteration in his mind on that fubjecft. 
 He had with great induftry ftudied the 
 conftitution, and few men underftood it 
 better, and, from underftanding it, no man 
 held it in higher veneration, being him- 
 felf firmly convinced, that of all forms of 
 civil government, that of thefe kingdoms 
 had mixed in it the feweft imperfections 
 of any other recorded in ancient or mo- 
 dern ftory, being from time to time pro- 
 duced by the experience of ages, during 
 which the wifeft and ableft ftatefmen had 
 
 feverally,
 
 OF SOAME JENYNS, ESQ. xll 
 
 feverally, as occafion offered, contributed 
 their great talents to raife it to that pre- 
 eminent excellence it obtains over all 
 others. 
 
 Not being bred to any profeffion, or 
 early inftituted in civil bufmefs, by which, 
 the powers of fpeaking in public are ofcen 
 called forth and nurtured, though endued 
 with great quicknefs of comprehenfion, 
 which enabled him well to underftand, 
 not only what others faid, but what they 
 meant by the feveral parts they took in 
 debate, a faculty of difcrimination moft 
 neccflary in popular affemblies ; yet not 
 having that prompt a et profufa eloquent} a 
 which Tacitus afcribes to Auguftus, and 
 which our author thought thofe ought to 
 have, who called for, and claimed the fole 
 attention of a great aflembly, he feldorn 
 or ever fpoke, whilft fitting in parlia- 
 ment. 
 
 From having long had a feat at the 
 board of trade, and conftantly attending 
 his duty there, he gained an underftand- 
 
 ing
 
 Xl'i SKETCHES OF THE LIFE 
 
 ing of the great outlines of the commcr- 
 cia) interefts of this country ; and, though 
 he never employed himfelf in acquiring 
 the knowledge of a minute detail of its 
 particular branches, yet, when general 
 commerce happened to be the fubjeft of 
 converfation, he difcourfed upon it per- 
 tinently, and much to the information of 
 thofe that were prefent, having never 
 failed to avail himfelf of the knowledge 
 which was brought to that board by 
 merchants of the firft eminence, who fre- 
 quently applied to it on great objects of 
 national concern, as connected with its 
 commerce. Though he never publilhed 
 any thing on this fubjeci, yet it was an 
 object that engaged much of his atten- 
 tion, and on which he had made up in his 
 mind certain principles, from which he 
 never departed ; in moft of which, thofe to 
 whom he communicated them deemed 
 him well warranted. 
 
 He always confidered the Britifh empire 
 as enlarged beyond the bounds didated 
 
 by
 
 OF SOAME JENYNS, ESC^. xliii 
 
 by found policy; that thofe parts of it 
 fituated beyond the Atlantic Ocean to 
 the weft, beyond the Cape of Good Hope 
 to the eaft, were at too great a diftance to 
 be governed as they ought to be j that 
 the American colonies were too kindly 
 foftered by the mother country ; that the 
 millions expended in promoting their 
 growth would, at laft, rear them to a 
 height at which they would think them- 
 felves entitled to afk for emancipation 
 from their parent ftate ; an obfervation he 
 often made before the event happened, 
 and he lived to fee with regret his pro- 
 phecy, with confequences he did not fore- 
 fee, become true hiftory. 
 
 He always beheld our conquefts in the 
 Eaft Indies with a real concern, and con- 
 fidered the great influx of wealth, brought 
 thence into this country, by the indivi- 
 duals who had there acquired it, as an 
 ample revenge for the unjuft depredations 
 committed on the territorial poiTefiions of 
 their princes, ever confidering thofe de- 
 predations
 
 SKETCHES OF THE LIFE 
 
 prcdations as being the moft enormous 
 adls of injaftice that could be fhewn from 
 one ftate to another, and that this was 
 heightened by a moft flagrant ad of in- 
 gratitude for the original permiffion of 
 commercial eftablifhments made on their 
 coafts, in order that trade might be car- 
 ried on to more advantage ; for which 
 permiflion the natives were entitled to 
 the moft perfect amity, and every public 
 focial intercourfe Ihewn to the moft fa- 
 voured nations. Sometimes he would 
 add, that though Afia had in her turn been 
 often conquered by all who attacked her, 
 yet that the wealth brought from thence 
 by the conquerors into their refpective 
 dominions, had always introduced with it 
 fo great luxury, that thereby thofe virtues 
 by which they became conquerors, were 
 at laft enfeebled and done away, info- 
 much that Afia in her turn became the 
 conqueror j of which he inftanced, amongft 
 others, the decline and fall of the Roman 
 .empire as a lafting evidence. He confi- 
 
 dered
 
 OF SOAME JENYNS, ESQ.. xlv 
 
 dered the Eaft Indies and America as two 
 immenfe difproportionate wings to the 
 fmall body of the ifland, and exprefied his 
 fears left, at forme time or other, they 
 might fly away with the Britifh empire. 
 
 As an author, fo long as a true tafte 
 of fine writing lhall exift, he will have a 
 diftinguifhed place amongft thofe who 
 have excelled. Whatever he hath pub- 
 lifhed, whether he played with his mule, 
 or appeared in the plain livery of profe, 
 was fought for with avidity, and read with 
 pleafure, by thofe who at the time were 
 efteemed the beft judges of compofition. 
 A minute criticifm on their feveral excel- 
 lences is unneceffary, as the public fane- 
 tion hath ftamped their merit. Suffice it 
 to fay, that his poems are on the moft 
 pleafing fubjects, and are executed with a 
 warm animation of fancy, flerling wit, 
 and, at the fame time, great correctnefs. 
 
 He wonderfully excelled in burlefque 
 imitations of the ancient poets, by apply- 
 ing their thoughts to modern times and 
 circumftances ;
 
 Xvi SKETCHES OF THE LIFE 
 
 circumftances ; which might be well ex- 
 pected, after his fhort but excellent 
 ftriclures on this manner of writing, pre- 
 fixed to his imitations of* the firft epiftle 
 of the fecond book of Horace's Epiftles, 
 infcribed to the Lord Chancellor Hard- 
 wick. 
 
 How far he followed the rules there 
 laid down, muft be determined by thofe 
 who fhall read and compare the original 
 with the tranflation j in which it may be 
 found, that in this kind of imitation he 
 hath gone through a poem of three hun- 
 dred lines, without everlofing fight of the 
 original, by introducing new thoughts of 
 his own. 
 
 He had, for many years before he died, 
 bid farewell to his mufe, and, in the 
 language of Lord Bacon, applied himfelf 
 to fuch fubjecls as come home though 
 not to men's bufinefs, yet clofe to their 
 bofoms. But, long as the parting had 
 been, yet almoft in the laft ilage of his life, 
 impelled by affe&ion,he courted his mufe 
 
 again.
 
 
 OF SOAME JENYNS, ESQ^ 
 
 again. The fincere and ftrong affection 
 he bore to his Majefty, produced the 
 fhort poem on his efcape from the dan- 
 gerous attack of a lunatic, in which it ap- 
 pears, that however, when compared with 
 his early poems, the fun of his imagina- 
 tion was at that time almoft fet, yet age 
 had not in the leaft degree chilled in his 
 heart the effufions of benevolence and 
 affection. 
 
 The compliment to Lady Salifbury is 
 without flattery, fhort, and elegant ; the 
 clofe of it is lively and ftriking, becaufe 
 unexpected. 
 
 As a writer of profe, whoever will ex- 
 amine his ftile, will find that he is entitled 
 to a place amongft the pureft and cor- 
 recteft writers of the Englifh language. 
 He always puts proper words in proper 
 places, and hath at the fame time a va- 
 riety in different members of his periods, 
 which would otherwife tire and difguft 
 the reader with their famenefs; a failure 
 which may be found in fome of the 
 
 works
 
 SKETCHES OF THE LIFE 
 
 works of thofe to whom the public have 
 afcribed a fuperior degree of merit. But 
 this variety occafions no difficulty or em- 
 barrafiment in the fenfe intended to be 
 conveyed, which always at firft fight ap- 
 pears clear, and is eafy to be comprehend- 
 ed, fo that the reader is never flopped in 
 his progrefs to ftudy what is meant. 
 
 This is his characteriftic as a writer, on 
 whatever fubject he engaged, whether it 
 were ferious or called for his wit, whe- 
 ther political, moral, religious, or meta- 
 phyfical. His matter is always mod 
 pertinent to the fubjedt which he handles -, 
 he reafons with clofenefs and precifion, 
 and always, by a regular chain of 
 argument, arrives at the conclufions 
 which he profefles is his defign to efta- 
 blifh. And whoever will attend to the 
 exertions of his mind, manifefting at 
 fome times the trueft humour and the 
 moft lively wit, at other times the moft 
 regular chain of argument, with the niceft 
 difcrimination and marked differences of 
 
 abftraft
 
 OF SOAME JENYNS, ESQ. 
 
 abftraft ideas, cannot but allow, that as 
 wit confifts in quickly aflembling ideas, 
 and putting thofe together with readinefs 
 and variety, wherein can be found any re- 
 femblancej and judgment, on the con- 
 trary, in carefully feparating ideas from 
 one another, and examining them apart; 
 I fay, he cannot but allow that our author 
 was one of thofe very few who have ap- 
 peared in the world poflefled of thefe two 
 almoft difcordant talents of the under- 
 ftanding. The Free Inquiry into the 
 Nature and Origin of Evil, was the 
 firft of the author's works on account 
 of which he was attacked. Pamphlets 
 were publiflied, and private letters ad- 
 drefTed to him, on that occafion, fome of 
 them charged with great acrimony, much 
 abufe, and no fmall portion of calumny. 
 In a fecond edition of that work, publifh- 
 ed fome years after the firft, having long 
 fubmitted with filent patience to a treat- 
 ment which he by no means deferved, in 
 a preface to that edition he anfwered his 
 VOL. I. d adver-
 
 SKETCHES OF THE LIFE 
 
 adverfaries, which whoever will take the 
 pains to read and con fider, will admire as a 
 fpecimen of his fuperior talents in contro- 
 verfial writing. With great fagacity and 
 perfpicuity he anfwers his numerous hoft of 
 adverfariesi at the fame time, forgetting all 
 the obloquy with which they had loaded 
 him, he never lofes fight of that can- 
 dour, civility, and good-humour, which 
 he had always obferved, as well in his 
 writings as in his converfation. Con- 
 vinced that he had been much mifunder- 
 ftood, by thofe who had written againft 
 him, after having done all in his power to 
 remove their mifapprehenfion, and aflift 
 their underftanding, left he might not 
 have fucceeded in that attempt, he makes 
 the fincereft, the cleared, and the moft li- 
 beral declaration of the end propofed by 
 him in writing that treatife, in the follow- 
 ing words:" That his intentions were 
 <( to reconcile the numerous evils fo con- 
 " fpicuous in the creation, with the wif- 
 " dom, power, and goodncfs of the Crea- 
 
 " torj
 
 OF SOAME JENYNS, ESQ. II 
 
 " tor ; to (hew that no more of them arc 
 " admitted by him than are neceffary to- 
 " wards promoting univerfal good i and 
 " from thence to perfuade men to an en- 
 tc tire refignation to his all-wife, but in- 
 " comprehenfible difpenfations. To af- 
 <c certain the nature of virtue, and to en- 
 tc force the practice of it j to prove the 
 " certainty of a future ftate, and the juf- 
 " tice of the rewards and punifhments 
 <c that will attend it j to recommend fub- 
 " miffion to national governments, and 
 " conformity to national religions, not- 
 " withftanding the evils and defefts 
 " which muft unavoidably adhere to 
 " them 5 and laftly, to fhew the excel- 
 " lence and credibility of the Chriftian 
 " revelation, to reconcile fome of its moft 
 Cf abftrufe doctrines with reafon, and to 
 * f anfwer all thofe objections to its autho- 
 <f rity, which have been drawn from its 
 " imperfections and abufes. Thefe, and 
 " thefe only, were his intentions." To 
 the truth of this folemn declaration, all 
 d 2 thofe
 
 Ill SKETCHES OF THE LIFE 
 
 thofe who knew the great fmcerity of the 
 author's heart, from which on no occafion 
 he was ever known to depart, will readily 
 fubfcribe their unfeigned aflTent. 
 
 In the fummer of the year 1776, he 
 publifhed a View of the Internal Evi- 
 dence of the Chriftian Religion, without 
 his name ; the reception it met with was 
 fuch as feldom is (hewn to the compofi- 
 tions of the moft approved writers. 
 
 This was a work with which the clergy, 
 the laity, were in general pleafed, many of 
 them delighted j it was tranflated into fo- 
 reign languages, and in a Ihort time went 
 through three editions, to the laft of 
 which, by the advice of his friends, the 
 author put his name. It was written un- 
 der a full conviction of the truth of the 
 Chriftian difpenfation, and a fincere zeal 
 for its fervice. Warmed with the princi- 
 ples it requires, and the duties it com- 
 mands, the picture he draws of its excel- 
 lencies is moft exaft in its outline j the 
 parts beautifully arranged, and the 
 
 whole
 
 OF SOAME JENYNS, ESQ^, liii 
 
 whole glows with the moft animated co- 
 louring. 
 
 The author, (truck with the beauties of 
 its principles and doctrines, fo eflential to 
 the happinefs of human creatures in the 
 prefent and a future ftate, thought that a 
 fhort and clear reprefentation of their in- 
 ternal excellence might allure the atten- 
 tion, and procure a belief in the truth of 
 the Chriftian religion, from thofe who read 
 but little and think lefs, and who form 
 too considerable a part of the bulk of 
 mankind, not to attract the notice and care 
 of him who felt himfelf interefted in the 
 happinefs of the whole human race. 
 
 Though this book was attacked, and 
 the author treated with a very unbecom- 
 ing afperity, by two able writers, yet the 
 number of private letters he received, 
 from thofe on whom this work had the 
 effect his benevolent intention propofed, 
 more than confoled him for the rude 
 treatment he received from fuch wri- 
 ters. 
 
 d 3 Thofe
 
 $17 SKETCHES OF THE LITt 
 
 Thofe letters, many of which the 
 author received, contain acknowledg- 
 ments from feveral perfons, whom this 
 book had led from unbelief to a full 
 conviction of the truths he had endea- 
 voured to eftablilh j they are written with 
 that humility and pious gratitude, which 
 the' primitive Chriftians exprefled to their 
 inftruclors in the wonderful difpenfation 
 of the gofpel. 
 
 The good effects of this work were not 
 confined to this country, they operated in 
 diftant worlds, and did that which per- 
 haps neither of thofe writers who attacked 
 him, though profefied fervants of Chrift, 
 ever accemplifhed ; for it propagated their 
 Mailer's religion in India, as appears by a 
 letter from thence, irrwhich the writer, con- 
 fefiing his former infidelity, and the pains 
 he had long in vain taken, by the means 
 of books recommended to him, written on 
 the truth of the Chriftian religion, to give 
 his aflent to it, concludes in thefe words : 
 " I eagerly wifhed to believe, but could 
 
 Cf not
 
 OF SOAME JENYNS, ESC^. lv 
 
 " not fatisfactorily. But now, I thank 
 " God, Soame Jenyns's reafons have, I 
 ft hope, triumphed over all my doubts, 
 (t . and I have given an unfeigned and full 
 " afient to his three propofitions, which, 
 <c in my opinion, prove all that is wanted 
 " to be cleared up." 
 
 Thus much is fufficient for the purpofe 
 defigned by thefe imperfect (ketches; in 
 which, the writer trufts, he hath withftood 
 the temptation, from partiality and affec- 
 tion to the memory of departed friends, 
 to emblazon their characters in colours 
 to which they were not ftrictly entitled j 
 for, amiable as the principle is, every mif- 
 application of it is unwarrantable, on ac- 
 count of the fuperior excellence of truth. 
 To thofe who are now alive, to whom the 
 author was known (and many fuch there 
 are, of the mod refpectable distinction) the 
 editor fubmits the portrait, not as being 
 finely, but faithfully, drawn. 
 
 To pofterity he leaves the following 
 
 entry, the original of which may be found 
 
 d 4 in
 
 1V1 SKETCHES OF THE LIFE 
 
 in the regiftry of burials, in the parifh of 
 Bottifham, for the year 1787, as an evi- 
 dence of what hath been advanced in the 
 foregoing fheets. 
 
 SOAME JENYNS, in the 83d year of 
 
 his age. 
 
 What his literary character was, 
 
 The world hath already judged for itfelf ; 
 
 But it remains for his Parifh Minifter 
 
 to do his duty, 
 
 By declaring, 
 
 That while he regifters the burial of 
 
 SOAME JENYNS, 
 He regrets the lofs of one of the moft 
 
 amiable of men, 
 
 And one of the trueft Chriftians. 
 To the Parifh of Bottifliam he is an 
 
 irreparable lofs. 
 He was buried in this church, Dec. 27, 
 
 near midnight, 
 
 By William Lort Manfell, fequeftrator ; 
 
 Who thus tranfgrefles the common forms 
 
 of a Regifter, 
 
 Merely
 
 OF SOAME JENYNS, ESQ_. I 
 
 Merely becaufe he thinks it to be 
 
 The moft folemn and lading method 
 
 of recording to pofterity, 
 
 That the fineft under/landing 
 
 Has been united 
 
 To the beft heart. 
 
 CONTENTS
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 O F 
 
 VOLUME THE FIRST. 
 
 er* H E Art cf Dancing - Page 3 
 Written in the Earl of Oxford's 
 Library at Wimple - 31 
 
 70 a Nofegay in Pancbarilla's Breaft, 
 
 from Bonfonius 4?*r>- - 35 
 
 Epiftle from the Country, to Lord 
 
 Lovelace in Town : : f - 40 
 
 EJJay on Virtue, to (be Hon. Philip 
 
 Torke - 53 
 
 The Modern Fine Gentleman, written 
 
 in 1746 - 65 
 
 <Tbe Modern Fine Lady, written in 
 
 *7S - 73 
 
 Firjl Epi/lle of the Fir/1 Book of Ho- 
 race imitated ; to the Right Hon. 
 Philip Lord Hardwicke> Lord High 
 
 5 Chancellor
 
 Ix CONTENTS. 
 
 Chancellor of Great Britain-, writ- 
 ten in 1778 - Page 82 
 
 5T0 the Earl of Chefterfeld, on his be- 
 ing inftalled Knight of the Garter - 114 
 
 To a Lady in Town, foon after her 
 leaving the Country - 115 
 
 70 a Lady,fent withaprefent of Shells 
 and Stones , defignedjor a Grotto - 1 20 
 
 70 a Lady, in anfwer to a Letter 
 'written in a very fine Hand - 1 23 
 
 To the Right Hon. Lady Margaret 
 Cavendijh Harley, prefented with a 
 Collection of Poems - 1 26 
 
 Horace, Book II. Ode 16, imitated; to 
 the Hon. Philip Torke, foon after 
 the General Election 1747 - - 131 
 
 Horace, Book IV. Ode 8, imitated ; to 
 the fame - 137 
 
 to the Hon. Mifs Torke, on her Mar- 
 riage with Lord Anfon - 142 
 
 Cbloe to Strephon> a Song - - 143 
 
 A Song - 145 
 
 si Song - - 146 
 
 $he Choice - - 147
 
 CONTENTS. hi 
 
 To a young Lady going to the Weft In- 
 dies - - Page 150 
 Chloe Angling - - -152 
 Cbloe Hunting - - 1 54 
 Luanda's Recovery from the Small-pox 155 
 Written in Mr. Locke's Effay on Hu- 
 man Underftanding V'-.' - - 158 
 Written in a Lady's Volume of Tra- 
 gedies - 159 
 Cupid Relieved , - - 160 
 The Way to be Wife, imitated from La 
 
 Fontaine - . -V- r .' . - 161 
 
 'The Snow Rail, from Petronius Afra- 
 
 nius - - - 163 
 
 Ei? BaSuAAcK, Anacreon> Ode 20, a 
 
 free Tranjlation - - 165 
 
 Camera Obfcura, "Tranjlation of Latin 
 
 Verjes en - - - - 166 
 The Tern-pie of Venus *-. - 170 
 On a Nofegay in the Countefs of Co- 
 ventry's Breaft; in Imitation of 
 Waller - 172 
 
 The Squire and Parjon y an Eclogue, 
 written on the Conclufion of the 
 Peace in 1748 - - 172 
 
 Given
 
 Ixfi CONTENT S. 
 
 Given to a Lady with a Watch, which 
 Jhe borrowed to hang at her Bed's 
 Head - - Page 180 
 
 Belphcgor, a Fable, from Machiavel - 182 
 A Dialogue between the Right Hon. 
 Henry Pelham and Madam Popu- 
 larity, in imitation of Horace, Book 
 III. Ode 9. - 193 
 
 A Simile - - 198 
 
 A PaJJage in OJfian verftfied - -201 
 On feeing the Earl of Chefterfield at a 
 
 Ball at Bath > written in 1770 - 202 
 be American Coachman - - 203 
 Burlefque Ode - - - -215 
 
 Written at the Countefs of Salijlwy** 
 
 AJJembly in 1787 - - 221 
 
 Epitaph on Dr. Samuel Johnfon - 222 
 On a late execrable Attempt on his 
 Majeftys Life - 222 
 
 CONTENTS
 
 ( Ixiii ) 
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 o r 
 
 VOLUME THE SECOND. 
 
 of Browne, 
 De Animi Jmmortalitate - Page i 
 The World. N 125 - . - - 93 
 The World. N 153 - - - 103 
 The World. N 157 - - -115 
 <The World. N 163 - - -124 
 Me World.W 178 - - -134 
 Short but Jerious Reafons for a Na- 
 
 tional Militia - - 149 
 
 Thoughts on the Caufes and Confe- 
 quences of the prefenf high Price of 
 Provifwns - - 163 
 
 The Objections to the 'Taxation of our 
 American Colonies, by the Legijla- 
 ture of Great Britain, briefly corji- 
 dered - 189 
 
 Reflexions
 
 kiv CONTENTS. 
 
 Reflections on federal Subjetts Page 205 
 
 'Thoughts on a Parliamentary Reform 235 
 
 A Scheme for the Coalition of Parties 249 
 
 Thoughts on the National Debt - - 275 
 
 CONTENTS
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 O F 
 
 VOLUME THE THIRD. 
 
 jADditional Preface to A Free En- 
 quiry into the Nature and Origin 
 
 of Evil, in Six Letters - Page 3 
 
 On Evil in general : v, i. ' \ "* ' ; - 27 
 
 On Evils of Imperfeftion - 43 
 
 On Natural Evils - 56 
 
 On Moral Evil - - 8 1 
 
 On Political Evils - 117 
 
 On Religious Evils - - 141 
 Dijquifition on the Chain of Univerfal 
 
 Being - I79 
 
 On Cruelty to inferior Animals - - 186 
 
 On a Prte-exiftent State - - 196 
 
 On the Nature of Time . 209 
 On the Analogy between 'Things mate- 
 
 rial and intelleRual - 234 
 
 On Rational Cbriftianity - ~ . 245 
 
 On Government and Civil Liberty - 257 
 
 VOL. I. e CON-
 
 ( Ixvi ) 
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 O F 
 
 VOLUME THE FOURTH. 
 
 T/'IE W of the Internal Evidence of 
 the Chriftian Religion - Page I 
 
 Short and Curfory Obfervations on fe- 
 deral Paffages in the New tfcfta- 
 ment - - - 125 
 
 THE
 
 THE 
 
 ART OF DANCING, 
 
 A 
 
 POEM. 
 
 fyicej/ii patuit Dea. ViRC. 
 WRITTEN IN THE YEAR 1728. 
 
 VOL. I.
 
 THE ART OF DANCING. 
 
 INSCRIBED TO THE RJGHT HONOURABLE 
 
 THE LADY FANNY FIELDING*. 
 
 CANTO I. 
 
 T N the fmooth dance to move with graceful mien, 
 *" Eafy with care, and fprightly tho' ferene, 
 To mark th' inftru&ions echoing {trains convey, 
 And with juft fteps each tuneful note obey, 
 I teach ; be prefentj, all ye facred Choir, 
 Blow the foft flute, and ftrike the founding lyre : 
 When FIELDING bids, your kind affiftance bring, 
 And at her feet the lowly tribute fling i 
 
 * Lady Fanny Fielding was the youngeft of the fix daugh- 
 ters of Bafil, Earl of Denbigh and Defmond, by his wife 
 Hefter, daughter of Sir Bafil Firebrafs, Bart. She was one 
 of the fineft dancers of her time, but more diftinguifhed for 
 her beauty and amiable manners. She married Daniel, the 
 feventh Earl of Winchelfea, and third Earl of Nottingham, 
 in the year 1720, and died in the year 1734.
 
 C 4 ] 
 
 Oh may her eyes (to hex this verfe is due) 
 What firft themfelves infpir'd, vouchfafe to view ! 
 Hail lovelieft art ! that canft all hearts infnare. 
 And make the faireft (till appear more fair. 
 Beauty can little execution do, 
 Unlefs fhe borrows half her arms from you ; 
 Few, like PYGMALION, doat on lifelefs charms, 
 Or care to clafp a ftatue in their arms j 
 But breafts of flint muft melt with fierce defire. 
 When art and motion wake the fleeping fire : 
 A VENUS drawn by great Apelles' hand, 
 May for a while our wond'ring eyes command, 
 But ftill, tho' form'd with all the pow'rs of art. 
 The lifelefs piece can never warm the heart ; 
 So a fair nymph, perhaps, may pleafe the eye, 
 Whilft all her beauteous limbs unadtive lie, 
 But when her charms are in the dance difplay'd, 
 Then ev'ry heart adores the lovely maid : 
 This fets her beauty in the faireft light, 
 And (hews each grace in full perfection bright ; 
 Then, as (he turns around, from ev'ry part, 
 Like porcupines, (he fends a piercing dart ; 
 
 In
 
 r s ] 
 
 In vain, alas ! the fond fpetator tries 
 To fhun the pleafing dangers of her eyes, 
 For, PARTHIAN like, me wounds as fure behind, 
 With flowing curls, and ivory neck reclin'd : 
 Whether her fteps the Minuet's mazes trace, 
 Or the flow Louvre's more majeftic pace, 
 Whether the Rigadoon employs her care, 
 Or fprightly Jig difplays the nimble fair, 
 At every ftep new beauties we explore, 
 And worfliip now, what we admir'd before : 
 So when ^ENEAS in the TYRIAN grove, 
 Fair VENUS met, the charming queen of Love, 
 The beauteous Goddefs, whilft unmov'd me flood, 
 Seem'd fome fair nymph, the guardian of the wood ; 
 But when fhe mov'd, at once her heav'nly mien, 
 And graceful ftep confefs bright Beauty's queen, 
 New glories o'er her form each moment rife, 
 And all the Goddefs opens to his eyes. 
 
 Now hafte, my Mufe, purfue thy deftin'd way* 
 What drefles beft become the dancer, fay, 
 The rules of drefs forget not to impart, 
 A lefTon previous to the dancing art. 
 
 63 The
 
 t 6 J 
 
 The foldier's fcarlet glowing from afar, 
 Shews that his bloody occupation's war ; 
 Whilft the lawn band, beneath a double chin, 
 As plainly fpeaks divinity within ; 
 Tb^e milk-maid fafe thro* driving rains and mows, 
 Wrapp'd in her cloak, and prop'd on pattens goes ; 
 While the fofc Belle immur'd in velvet chair, 
 Needs but the filken (hoe, and trufts her bofom bare 5 
 The woolly drab, and Englim broad-cloth warm, 
 Guard well the horfeman from the beating ftorm, 
 But load the dancer with too great a weight, 
 And call from ev'ry pore the dewy fweat j 
 Rather let him his a&ive limbs difplay 
 In camblet thin, or glofly paduafoy, 
 Let no unwieldy pride his (houlders prefs, 
 But airy, light, and eaiy be his drefs ; 
 Thin be his yielding fole, and low his heel, 
 So mail he nimbly bound, and fafely wheel. 
 
 But let not precepts known my verfe prolong, 
 Precepts which ufe will better teach than fong ; 
 For why {hould I the gallant fpark command, 
 With cjean white gloves lo fit his ready hand ? 
 
 Or
 
 [ 7 ] 
 
 Or In his fob enlivening fpirits wear, 
 And pungent falts to raife the fainting fair? 
 Or hint, the fvvord that dangles at his fide, 
 Should from its filken bon.Iage be unty'd ? 
 Why fhould my lays the youthful tribe advile, 
 Left fnowy clouds from out their wigs arife : 
 So (hall their partners mourn their laces fpoil'd, 
 And {hming filks with greafy powder foil'd ? 
 Nor need I, fure, bid prudent youths beware. 
 Left with erected tongues their buckles flare, 
 The pointed fteel (hall oft their (lockings rend, 
 And oft th' approaching petticoat offend. 
 
 And now, ye youthful Fair, I firig to you, 
 With pleafing fmiles my ufeful labours view } 
 For you the filk-worms fine-wrought webs difplay, 
 And lab'ring fpin their little lives away, 
 For you bright gems with radiant colours glow, 
 Fair as the dyes that paint the heav'nly bow, 
 For you the fea refigns its pearly (lore, 
 And earth unlocks her mines of treafur'd ore j 
 In vain yet nature thus her gifts beftows, 
 Unlefs yourfelves with art thofe gifts difpofe. 
 
 B 4 Yet
 
 [ 8 J 
 
 Yet think not, Nymphs^ that in the glitt'ring ballj 
 One form of drefs prefcrib'd can fuit with all ; 
 One brighteft fliines when wealth and art combine 
 To make the finifh'd piece completely fine ; 
 When leaft adorn'd, another fteals our heart?* 
 And rich in native beauties, wants not arts j 
 In fome are fuch refiftlefs graces found, 
 That in all dreffes they are fure to wound ; 
 Their perfect forms all foreign aids defpife, 
 And gems but borrow luftre from their eyes. 
 
 Let the fair nymph in whofe plump cheeks is feeri 
 A conftant bluffy be clad in chearfal green j 
 In fuch a drefs the fportive fea-nymphs goj 
 So in their grafly bed frem rofes blow ; 
 The lafe whofe (kin is like the hazel brown, 
 With brighter yellow mould overcome her own ; 
 While maids grown pale with ficknefs or defpair^ 
 The fable's mournful dye mould chufe to wear ; 
 So the pale moonftill mines with pureft light, 
 Cloath'd in the dufky mantle of the night. 
 
 But far from you be all thofe treach'rous arts, 
 That wound with painted charms unwary hearts ; 
 
 Dancing's
 
 r 9 i 
 
 tJancing's a touchftone that true beauty tne$, 
 Nor fuffers charms that nature's hand denies : 
 Tho' for a while we may with wonder view 
 The rofy blufh, and fkin of lovely hue, 
 Yet foon the dance will caufe the cheeks to glow* 
 And melt the waxen lips, and neck of fnow : 
 So ftiine the fields in icy fetters bound, 
 Whilft frozen gems befpangle all the ground j 
 Thro' the clear cryftal of the glitt'ring fnow, 
 With fcarlet dye the blufhing hawthorns glow ; 
 O'er all the plains unnumber'd glories rife, 
 And a new bright creation charms our eyes ; 
 Till ZEPHYR breathes, then all at once decay 
 The fplendid fcenes, their glories fade away, 
 The fields refign the beauties not their own, 
 And all their fnowy charms run trickling down. 
 
 Dare I in fuch momentous points advife, 
 I mould condemn the hoop's enormous fize : 
 Of ills I fpeak by long experience found, 
 Oft' have I trod th' immeafurable round, 
 And mourn'd my (bins bruis'd black with many a 
 wound t 
 
 No*
 
 [ id J 
 
 Nor fliould the tightened ftays, too ftraitly lac'd, 
 In whalebone bondage gall the flender waift ; 
 Nor waving lappets mould the dancing Fair, 
 Nor ruffles edg'd with dangling fringes wear; 
 Oft will the cobweb ornaments catch hold 
 On the approaching button rough with gold, 
 Nor force, nor art can then the bonds divide, 
 When once th* intangled Gordian knot is ty'd. 
 So the unhappy pair, by HYMEN'S power, 
 Together join'd in fome ill-fated hour, 
 The more they ftrive their freedom to regain, 
 The fafter binds th' indiflbluble chain. 
 
 Let each fair maid, who fears to be difgrac'd, 
 Ever be fure to tie her garters faft, 
 Left the loos'd firing, amidfl the public ball, 
 A wim'd-for prize to fome proud fop fhould fall, 
 Who the rich treafure fhall triumphant fhow ; 
 And with warm blufhes caufe her cheeks to glow. 
 
 But yet, (as Fortune by the felf-fame ways 
 She humbles many, fome delights to raife) 
 It happen'd once, a fair illuftrious dame 
 By fuch neglect acquir'd immortal fame. 
 
 And
 
 [ It 1 
 
 And hence the radiant Star and Garter blue 
 BRITANNIA'S nobles grace, if fame fays true : 
 Hence ftillj PLANTAGENET, thy beauties bloom, 
 Tho' long fince moulder'd in the dufky tomb, 
 Still thy lofl Garter is thy fovereign's care, 
 And what each royal bread is proud to wear* 
 But let me now my lovely charge remind, 
 Left they forgetful leave their fans behind } 
 Lay nor> ye Fair, the pretty toy afide, 
 A toy at once difplay'd, for ufe and pride, 
 A wond'rous engine, thatj by magic charms, 
 Cools your own breafts, and ev*ry other's warms. 
 What daring bard (hall e'er attempt to tell 
 The pow'rs that in this little weapon dwell ? 
 What verfe can e'er explain its various parts> 
 Its num'rous ufes, motions, charms, and arts ? 
 Its painted folds, that oft extended wide, 
 Th' afflicted fair one's blubber'd beauties hide^ 
 When fecret forrows her fad bofbm fill, 
 If STREPHCTN is unkind, 6r SHOCK, is ill : 
 Its flicks, on which her eyes dejected pore, 
 And pointing fingers number o'er and o'er, 
 
 When
 
 When the kind virgin burns with fecret fhamcj 
 Dies to confent, yet fears to own her flame ; 
 Its (hake triumphant, its victorious clap, 
 Its angry flutter, and its wanton tap ? 
 
 Forbear, my mufe, th' extenfive theme to fmg, 
 Nor truft in fuch a flight thy tender wing ; 
 Rather do you in humble lines proclaim, 
 From whence this engine took its form and name, 
 Say from what caufe it firft deriv'd its birth, 
 How form'd in heav'n, how thence deduc'd to earth. 
 
 Once in ARCADIA, that fam'd feat of love, 
 There liv'd a nymph the pride of all the grove, 
 A lovely nymph, adorn'd with ev'ry grace, 
 An eafy ftiape, and fweetly-blooming face ; 
 FANNY the damfel's name, as chafte as fair, 
 Each virgin's envy, and each fwain's defpairj 
 To charm her ear the rival fhepherds fing, 
 Blow the foft flute, and wake the trembling ftring, 
 For her they leave their wand'ring flocks to rove, 
 Whilft FANNY'S name refounds thro' ev'ry grove, 
 And fpreads on ev'ry tree, inclos'd in knots 6f love, 
 
 As
 
 C 13 3 
 
 AS FIELDING'S now, her eyes all hearts inflame, 
 Like her in beauty, as alike in name. 
 
 'Twas when the fummer fun now mounted high, 
 With fiercer beams had. fcorch'd the glowing fky, 
 Beneath the covert of a cooling fhade, 
 To fhun the heat, this lovely nymph was laid ; 
 The fultry weather o'er her cheeks had fpread 
 A blufli, that added to their native red, 
 And her fair breaft as polifh'd marble white, 
 Was half conceal'd, and half expos'd to fight ; 
 J&OLVS the mighty God, whom winds obey, 
 Obferv'd the beauteous maid, as thus flie lay ; 
 O'er all her charms he gaz'd with fond delight, 
 And fuck'd in poifon at the dangerous fight ; 
 He fighs, he burns ; at laft declares his pain, 
 But ftill he fighs, and ftill he wooes in vain ; 
 The cruel nymph, regardlefs of his moan, 
 Minds not his flame, uneafy with her own ; 
 ut ftill complains, that he who rul'd the air 
 Would not command one ZEPHYR to repair 
 Around her face, nor gentle breeze to play 
 Thro' the dark glade, to cool the fultry day j 
 
 By
 
 C H ] 
 
 By love incited, and the hopes of joy, 
 Th' ingenious God contriv'd this pretty toy, 
 With gales inceflant to relieve her flame ; 
 And call'd it FAN, from lovely FANNY'S name. 
 
 CANTO
 
 C is l; 
 
 CANTO H. 
 
 NO W fee prepar'd to lead the fprightly dance, 
 The lovely nymphs, and well-dre&'d youths 
 
 advance j 
 
 The fpacious room receives each jovial gueft, 
 And the floor fhakes with pleafing weight oppreft: 
 Thick rang'd on ev'ry fide, with various dyes 
 The fair in glofly filks our fight furprlze ; 
 So, in a garden bath'd with genial fhow'rs, 
 A thoufand forts of variegated flow'rs, 
 Jonquils, carnations, pinks, and tulips rife, 
 And in a gay confufion charm our eyes. 
 High o'er their heads, with numerous candles brigh^ 
 Large fconces fhed their fparkling beams of light, 
 Their fparkling beams, that ftill more brightly glow 
 Reflected back from gems, and eyes below ; 
 Unnumber'd fans to cool the crowded fair, 
 With breathing ZEPHYRS move the circling ait 5 
 The fprightly fiddle, and the founding lyre, 
 Each youthful breaft with gen'rous warmth infpire ; 
 * Fraught
 
 Fraught with all joys the blifsful moments fly, 
 Whilft mufic melts the ear, and beauty charms the eye. 
 
 Now let the youth, to whofe fuperior place 
 It firft belongs the fplendid ball to grace, 
 With humble bow, and ready hand prepare, 
 Forth from the crowd to lead his chofen Fair j 
 The Fair fhall not his kind requeft deny, 
 But to the pleafing toil with equal ardour fly. 
 
 But flay, ra(h pair, nor yet untaught advance, 
 Firft hear the mufe, ere you attempt to dance: 
 * By art directed o'er the foaming tide, 
 Secure from rocks the painted veflels glide j 
 By art the chariot fcours the dufty plain, 
 Springs at the whip, and f hears the ftrait'ning rein ^ 
 Te art our bodies muft obedient prove, 
 If e'er we hope with graceful eafe to move. 
 
 Long was the dancing art unfixt, and free. 
 Hence loft in errorj and uncertainty ; 
 No precepts did it mind, or rules obey, 
 But ev'ry mafter taught a different way; 
 
 * Arte cita; veloque rates remoque moventur, 
 Arte leves currus. OVID. 
 
 f Nee audit curr us habenas. VIRG, 
 
 Hence
 
 t '7 J 
 
 Hence ere each new-born dance was fully try'd, 
 The lovely product ev'n in blooming dy'd ; 
 Thro' various hands in wild confufion toft, 
 Its fteps were alter'd, and its beauties loft ; 
 Till * FUILLET, the pride of GALLIA, rofe, 
 And did the dance in characters compofe 5 
 Each lovely grace by certain marks he taught, 
 And ev'ry ftep in laftlng volumes wrote i 
 Hence o'er the world this pleafing art fhall fpreadj 
 And ev'ry dance in ev'ry clime be read, 
 By diftant mafters fhall each ftep be feen, 
 Tho' mountains rife, and oceans roar between ; 
 Hence with her fifter arts, fhall dancing claim 
 An equal right to univerfal fame ; 
 And ISAAC'S rigadoon fhall live as long, 
 ' As RAPHAEL'S painting, or as VIRGIL'S fong* 
 
 Wife Nature ever, with a prudent hand, 
 JDifpenfes various gifts to ev'ry land ; 
 To ev'ry nation frugally imparts 
 A genius fit for fome peculiar arts j 
 
 * Fuillet wrote the Art of Dancing by Characters, in 
 French, fmce tranflated by Weaver. 
 VOL. I. G To
 
 [ is 3 
 
 To trade the DUTCH incline, the Swiss to arms, 
 Mufic and verfe are foft ITALIA'S charms ; 
 BRITANNIA juftly glories to have found 
 Lands unexplor'd, and fail'd the globe around ; 
 But none will fure prefume to rival FRANCE, 
 Whether fhe forms or executes the dance ; 
 To her exalted genius 'tis we owe 
 The fprightly Rigadoon and Louvre flow, 
 The Boree, and Courant unpra&is'd long, 
 Th' immortal Minuet, and fmooth Bretagnc, 
 With all thofe dances of illuftrious fame, 
 * Which from their native country take their name ; 
 With thefe let ev'ry ball be firft begun, 
 Nor country dance intrude till thefe are done. 
 Each cautious bard, ere he attempts to fing, 
 Firft gently flutt'ring tries his tender wing ; 
 And if he finds that with uncommon fire 
 The Mufes all his raptur'd foul infpire, 
 At once to heav'n he foars in lofty odes, 
 And fings alone of heroes and of gods 5 
 
 * French Dances. 
 
 But
 
 [ '9 ] 
 
 But if he trembling fears a flight fo high, 
 He then defcends to fofter elegy ; 
 And if in elegy he can't fucceed, 
 In paft'ral he may tune the oaten reed : 
 So mould the dancer, ere he tries to move, 
 With care his ftrength, his weight and genius prove ; 
 Then, if he finds kind Nature's gifts impart 
 Endowments proper for the dancing art, 
 If in himfelf he feels together join'd, 
 An active body and ambitious mind, 
 In nimble Rigadoons he may advance, 
 Or in the Louvre's flow majeftic dance ; 
 If thefe he fears to reach, with eafy pace 
 Let him the Minuet's circling mazes trace : 
 Is this too hard ? this too let him forbear, 
 And to the country dance confine his care. 
 Would you in dancing ev'ry fault avoid, 
 To keep true time be firft your thoughts employ 'd ; 
 All other errors they in vain fhall mend, 
 Who in this one important point offend j 
 For this, when now united hand in hand 
 Eager to ftart the youthful couple ftand, 
 
 C 2 Let
 
 [ 20 ] 
 
 Let them a while their nimble feet reftrairf, 
 And with foft taps beat time to ev'ry ftrain : 
 So for the race prepar'd two courfers ftand, 
 And with impatient pawings fpurn the fand. 
 
 In vain a mafter fhall employ his care, 
 Where nature has once fix'd a clumfy air ; 
 Rather let fuch, to country fports confin'd, 
 Purfue the flying hare or tim'rous hind : 
 Nor yet, while I the rural 'fquire defpife, 
 A mien effeminate would I advife : 
 With equal fcorn I would the fop deride, 
 Nor let him dance, but on the woman's fide. 
 
 And you, fair Nymphs, avoid with equal care 
 A ftupid dullnefs, and a coquet air ; 
 Neither with eyes, that ever love the ground, 
 Afleep, like fpinning tops, run round and round, 
 Nor yet with giddy looks and wanton pride, 
 Stare all around, and fkip from fide to fide. 
 
 True dancing, like true wit, is bed expreft 
 By nature only to advantage dreft j 
 'Tis not a nimble bound, or caper high, 
 That can pretend to pleafe a curious eye, 
 
 Good
 
 [ 21 ] 
 
 Good judges no fuch tumblers tricks regard 
 Or think them beautiful, becaufe they're hard. 
 
 'Tis not enough that ev'ry ftander-by 
 No glaring errors in your fteps can fpy, 
 The dance and mufic muft fo nicely meet, 
 Each note fhould feem an echo to your feet ; 
 A namelefs grace muft in each movement dwell, 
 Which words can ne'er exprefs, or precepts tell, 
 Not to he taught, but ever to be feen 
 In FLAVJA'S air, and CHLOE'S eafy mien ; 
 'Tis fuch an air that makes her thoufands fall, 
 When FIELDING dances at a birthnight ball; 
 Smooth as CAMILLA fhe fkims o'er the plain, 
 And flies like her thro' crowds of heroes flain. 
 
 Now when the Minuet oft repeated o'er, 
 (Like all terreftrial joys) can pleafe no more, 
 And ev'ry nymph, refufmg to expand 
 Her charms, declines the circulating hand ; 
 Then let the jovial Country-dance begin, 
 And the loud fiddles call each ftraggler in ; 
 But ere they come, permit me to difclofe, 
 BJow firft, as legends tell, this paftime rofe, 
 
 C 3 In
 
 [ 22 ] 
 
 In ancient times (fuch times are now no more) 
 When ALBION'S crown illuftrious ARTHUR wore, 
 In fome fair op'ning glade, each fummer's night, 
 Where the pale moon diffus'd her filver light, 
 On the foft carpet of a grafly field, 
 The fporting Fairies their aflemblies held : 
 Some lightly tripping with their pigmy queen, 
 In circling ringlets maric'd the level green, 
 Some with foft notes bade mellow pipes refound, 
 And mufic warble thro' the groves around j 
 Oft lonely fhepherds by the foreft fide, 
 Belated peafants oft their revels fpy'd, 
 And home returning o'er their nut-brown ale, 
 Their guefts diverted with the wond'rous tale. 
 Inftru&ed hence, throughout the Britifti ifle, 
 And fond to imitate the pleafing toil, 
 Round where the trembling may-pole fix'd on high, 
 Uplifts its flow'ry honours to the fky, 
 The ruddy maids and fun-burnt fwains refort, 
 And pra&ife ev'ry night the lovely fport; 
 On ev'ry fide ./Eolian artifts ftand, 
 Whofe active elbows fwelling winds command ; 
 
 The
 
 The fwelling winds harmonious pipes infpirc, 
 And blow in ev'ry breaft a gen'rous fire. 
 
 Thus taught, at firft the Country-dance began, 
 And hence to cities and to courts it ran ; 
 Succeeding ages did in time impart 
 Various improvements to the lovely art ; 
 From fields and groves to palaces remov'd, 
 Great ones the pleafing exercife approv'd : 
 Hence the loud fiddle, and fhrill trumpet's founds, 
 Are made companions of the dancer's bounds ; 
 Hence gems and filks, brocades and ribbons join, 
 To make the ball with perfect luftre fliine. 
 
 So rude at firft the Tragic mufe appear'd, 
 Her voice alone by ruftic rabble heard, 
 Where twifting trees a cooling arbour made, 
 The pleas'd fpectators fat beneath the {hade ; 
 The homely ftage with rufhes green was ftrew'd, 
 And in a cart the {trolling alors rode : 
 Till time at length improv'd the great defign, 
 And bade the fcenes with painted landfkips fliine ; 
 Then art did all the bright machines difpofe, 
 And theatres of Parian marble rofe, 
 
 C 4 Then
 
 [ H 3 
 
 Then mimic thunder fhook the canvas fky, 
 And Gods defcended from their tow'rs on high. 
 
 With caution now let ev'ry youth prepare 
 To chufe a partner from the mingled Fair ; 
 Vain wou'd be here th' inftru&ing Mufe's voice, 
 If flie pretended to dire& his choice : 
 Beauty alone by fancy is expreft, 
 And charms in different forms each diff'rent breaft ; 
 A fiiowy fkin this am'rous youth admires, 
 Whilft nut-brown cheeks another's bofom fires, 
 Small waifts, and flender limbs fome hearts infnare, 
 Whilft others love the more fubftantial Fair. 
 
 But let not outward charms your judgment fway, 
 Your reafon rather than your eyes obey, 
 And in the dance as in the marriage noofe, 
 Rather for merit, than for beauty, choofe : 
 Be her your choice, who knows with perfect {kill 
 When {he {hould move, and when {he fhould be {till, 
 Who uninftructed can perform her {hare, 
 And kindly half the pleafing burthen bear. 
 Unhappy is that hopelefs wretch's fate, 
 Who, fetter'd in the matrimonial ftate 
 
 With
 
 [ S 1 
 
 With a poor, fimple, unexperienc'd wife, 
 Js forc'd to lead the tedious dance of life ; 
 And fuch is his, with fuch a partner join'd, 
 A moving puppet, but without a mind : 
 Still muft his hand be pointing out the way, 
 Yet ne'er can teach fo faft as me can ftray ; 
 Beneath her follies he muft ever groan, 
 And ever blufh for errors not his own. 
 
 But now behold united hand in hand, 
 Rang'd on each fide, the well-pair'd couples ftand ! 
 Each youthful bofom beating with delight, 
 Waits the brifk fignal for the pleafing fight j 
 While lovely eyes, that flam unufual rays, 
 And fnowy bofoms pull'd above the ftays, 
 Quick bufy hands, and bridling heads declare 
 The fond impatience of the ftarting Fair- 
 And fee, the fprightly dance is now begun ! 
 Now here, now there the giddy maze they run, 
 Now with flow fteps they pace the circling ring, 
 Now all confus'd, too fwift for fight they fpring ; 
 So, in a wheel with rapid fury toft, 
 The undiftinguim'd fpokes are in the motion loft. 
 
 The
 
 [ 26 ] 
 
 The dancer here no more requires a Guide, 
 To no ftrict fteps his nimble feet are ty'd, 
 The Mufe's precepts here would ufelefs be, 
 Where all is fancy'd, uriconfin'd, and free j 
 Let him but to the mufic's voice attend, 
 By this inftructed he can ne'er offend ; 
 If to his {hare it falls the dance to lead, 
 In well-known paths he may be fure to tread ; 
 If others lead let him their motions view, 
 And in their fteps the winding maze purfue. 
 
 In every Country-dance a ferious mind, 
 Turn'd for reflection, can a moral find, 
 In Hunt- the- Squirrel thus the nymph we view, 
 Seeks when we fly, but flies when we purfue : 
 Thus in round-dances where our partners change, 
 And unconfin'd from Fair to Fair we range, 
 As foon as one from his own confort flies, 
 Another feizes on the lovely prize ; 
 A while the fav'rite youth enjoys her charms, 
 Till the next comer fteals her from his arms, 
 New ones fucceed, the laft is ftill her care ; 
 How true an emblem of th' inconftant Fair ! 
 
 5 Where
 
 Where can philofopher?, and fages wife, 
 Who read the curious volumes of the fides, 
 A model more exact than dancing name 
 Of the creation's univerfal frame? 
 Where worlds unnumber'd o'er th' aetherial way, 
 In a bright regular confufion ftray ; 
 Now here, now there they whirl along the fky, 
 Now near approach, and now far diftant fly, 
 Now meet in the fame order they begun, 
 And then the great celeftial dance is done. 
 
 Where can the Mor'lifl find a jufter plan 
 Of the vain labours, and the life of man ? 
 A while thro' juftling crowds we toil and fweat, 
 And eagerly purfue we know not what, 
 Then when our trifling fhort-liv'd race is run, 
 Quite tir'd fit down, juft where we firft begun, 
 
 Tho' t<? your arms kind fate's indulgent care 
 Has giv'n a partner exquifitely fair, 
 Let not her charms fo much engage your heart, 
 That you neglect the fkilful dancer's part ; 
 Be not, when you the tuneful notes fhould hear, 
 Still whifp'ring idle prattle in her ear ; 
 
 When
 
 [ 28 ] 
 
 When you (houjd be employ'd, be not at play, 
 Nor for your joys all others fteps delay ; 
 But when the finifli'd dance you once have done, 
 And with applaufe thro* ev'ry couple run, 
 There reft a while ; there fnatch the fleeting blifs, 
 The tender whifper, and the balmy kifs ; 
 Each fecret wifli, each fofter hope confefs, 
 And her moift palm with eager fingers prefs j 
 With fmiles the Fair fhall hear your warm defires, 
 When muf;c melts her foul, and dancing fires. 
 
 Thus mix'd with love, the pleafing toil purfue, 
 Till the unwelcome morn appears in view ; 
 Then, when approaching day its beams difplays, 
 And the dull candles fhine with fainter rays, 
 Then, when the fun juft rifes o'er the deep, 
 And each bright eye is almoft fet in fleep, 
 With ready hand obfequious youths prepare 
 Safe to her coach to lead each chofen Fair, 
 And guard her from the morn's inclement air : 
 Let a warm hood enwrap her lovely head, 
 And o'er her neck a handkerchief be fpread, 
 
 Around
 
 Around her fhoulders let this arm be caft, 
 Whilft that from cold defends her {lender waift j 
 With kifles warm her balmy lips (hall glow, 
 Unchill'd by nightly damps or wintry fnow, 
 While gen'rous white-wine, mull'd with ginger 
 Safely prote&s her inward frame from harm. 
 
 But ever let my lovely pupils fear 
 To chill their mantling blood with cold fmall-beeri 
 Ah, thoughtlefs Fair ! the tempting draught refufe^ 
 When thus forewarn'd by my experienc'd Mufe s 
 Let the fad confequence your thoughts employ, 
 Nor hazard future pains, for prefent joy ; 
 Deftru&icn lurks within the pois'nous dofe, 
 A fatal fever, or a pimpled nofe. 
 
 Thus thro' each precept of the dancing art 
 The Mufe has play'd the kind inftru&or's part, 
 Thro' ev'ry maze her pupils fhe has led, 
 And pointed out the fureft paths to tread ; 
 No more remains; no more the goddefs fings, 
 But drops her pinions, and unfurls her wings } 
 On downy beds the weary'd dancers lie, 
 And fleep's ftlk cords tie down each drow/y eye, 
 
 Delightful
 
 C 30 ] 
 
 Delightful dreams their pleafing fports reftorc, 
 And ev'n in fleep they feem to dance once more. 
 
 And now the work completely finifh'd lies, 
 Which the devouring teeth of time defies ; 
 Whilft birds in air, or fifh in ftreams we find, 
 Or damfels fret with aged partners join'd ; 
 As long as nymphs fhall with attentive ear 
 A fiddle rather than a fermon hear : 
 So long the brighteft eyes fhall oft perufe 
 Thefe ufeful lines of my inftru&ive mufe ; 
 Each belle (hall wear them wrote upon her fan, 
 And each bright beau {hall read them if he can. 
 
 WRITTEN
 
 L 31 ] 
 
 WRITTEN IN THE RIGHT HONOURABLE 
 
 THE EARL OF OXFORD'S 
 
 LIBRARY AT WIMPLE*, 
 An. 1729. 
 
 "T T 7"HO, uninfpir'd, can tread this facred ground, 
 * " With all the fons of Fame encompafs'd round? 
 Where, crown'd with wreaths of ever-verdant bays, 
 Each fitter Art her willing charms difplays : 
 
 * Wimple Hall, with the eftate round it, v/as formerly 
 the poffeflion of the Cutts family, an ancient family in the 
 county of Cambridge, and a defcendant of which was the 
 gallant Lord Cutts, who fo frequently diftinguifhed himfelf 
 in the feveral iieges and battles during the war in which the 
 great Duke of Marlborough commanded. This eftate was 
 fold by the Cutts family to the famous Sir John Cutler, who 
 fettled it on the marriage of his daughter with Lord Radnor. 
 Lord Radnor afterwards fold it to John Hollis, Duke of 
 Newcaftle, in the partition of whofe eftates it came to the 
 Earl of Oxford, who married his only daughter. This he 
 made his country refidence, and here was kept his famous 
 library till the time of his death. After his death, it was 
 fold by his family to the Chancellor Lord Hardwicke, from 
 whom it defcended to the prefent Earl Hardwicke. 
 
 Mellow'd
 
 Mellow'd by time, here beauteous paintings 
 There marble bufts illuftrious faces fhow : 
 And in old coins are little heroes feert, 
 With venerable ruft of ages green : 
 Around, unwounded by the teeth of age, 
 By Gothick fire, and Perfection's rage, 
 Perfec-t and fair unnumber'd volumes ftand, 
 By Providence preferv'd for OXFORD'S hand. 
 
 Whilft thus within thefe magic walls I ftray^ 
 At once all climes and ages I furvey : 
 On Fancy's wings I fly from fhore to (bore, 
 Recall paft time, and live whole asras o'er : 
 Converfe with heroes fam'd in ancient fong, 
 And bards, by whom thofe heroes breathe fo long : 
 Obferve ihe quick migrations Learning makes, 
 How harrafs'd nations trembling (he forfakes, 
 And haftes away to build her downy neft 
 In happier climes, with peace and plenty bleft. 
 
 See how, in fam'd AUGUSTUS' golden days, 
 Wit triumphs, crown'd with univerfal praife ! 
 Approaches thrones with a majeftic air, 
 The Prince's miftrefs, and the Statefman's care
 
 [ 33 J 
 
 MEC^NAS (bines in ev'ry claffic page, 
 
 MECJENAS, once the HARLEY of his age. 
 
 Nor with lefs glory (he her charms difplay'dj 
 
 In Albion once when Royal ANNA fway'd. 
 
 See OXFORD fmiles ! and all the tuneful train, 
 
 In his Britannia's fons revive again ; 
 
 PRIOR, like HORACE, (Irikes the founding firings, 
 
 And in harmonious POPE once more great MARO fings* 
 
 Again flic waves her pinions to be gone, 
 And only hopes protevSlion from his fon : 
 Chas'd from the fenate and the court (he flies, 
 There craft and party zeal her place fupplies. 
 Yet ftill, fmce fix'd in WIMPLE'S happy plain, 
 (Her laft retreat) flie knows not to complain. 
 There in great OXFORD'S converfe does engage 
 Th' inftru6ted ear, and (names a vicious age j 
 Or in his confort's accents (lands confeft, 
 And charms with graceful eafe each lifl'ning gueft ; 
 Or with her lov'd companions gladly tied, 
 Goodnefs fmcere, and Beauty void of pride, 
 Fixes her throne in MARGARETTA'S * face, 
 And from her lips acquires a new refiftlefs grace. 
 
 * Lady Margaret Cavendifh Harley, afterwards married 
 to William, the fecond Duke of Portland. 
 VOL. I. D BON-
 
 t 34 3 
 B O N F O N I U S* 3 Baf. XI. 
 
 Exoptat fs florem ilium ej/e, quo uteretur arnica. 
 
 T^ RGO, flofcule, tu meae puellae 
 *-' Hoc florente fmu ufque conquiefces 2 
 Ergo tu dominae meae papillis 
 Beatus nimis infidebis ufque ? 
 O fi, flofcule, mi tua liceret 
 Ifta forte frui, & meae puellae 
 Tncubare firm, atque defidere 
 Hos inter globules papillularum, 
 Non fie lentus inerfque conquiefcam, 
 Non fie infideam otiofus ufque. 
 Sed toto fpatio inquietus errem, 
 Et feram finui, feramque collo 
 Mille bafia, mille & huic & illi 
 Impingam globulo ofculationes. 
 
 Nee 
 
 * A poet of the fixteenth century, born at Clermont, 
 
 fti
 
 C 35 3 
 
 To a NOSEGAY in PANC BARILLA'S Breaft. 
 
 WRITTEN IN 1729. 
 
 MUST you alone then, happy flow'rs, 
 Ye (hort-liv'd fons of vernal fhow'rs, 
 Muft you alone be ftill thus bleft, 
 And dwell in PANCHARILLA'S breaft ? 
 Oh would the Gods but hear my pray'r, 
 To change my form and place me there ! 
 I fhould not fure fo quickly die, 
 I fhou'd not fo unactive lie ; 
 But ever wand'ring to and fro, 
 From this to that fair ball of fnow, 
 Enjoy ten thoufand thoufand blifles 
 And print on each ten thoufand kifles. 
 
 in Auvergne, Lieutenant General of Bar on the Seigne ; 
 who, of all the moderns, in his Latin poems approaches 
 the neareft to the grace, eafe, and foftnefs of Tibullus. 
 
 D 2 Nor
 
 r 36 ] 
 
 Nee mihi fatis haec putes futura : 
 Namque & difcere curiofus optem, 
 Quid difcriminis inter hunc & ilium, 
 Et quantus tumor hujus illiufque ; 
 Quantum albedine praeftet hie vel ille j 
 Quantum duritie hie vel ille vincat j 
 Sinifterne globus, globufne dexter 
 Ftgura placeat rotundiore ; 
 An dexter globus, an globus finifler 
 Papilla rubeat rubentiore : 
 Explorem quoque, quo beata ducat 
 Ilia femita, quae. globos gemellos 
 Sic difcriminat, & fubefTe clamat 
 Mellitum magis eleganfque quiddam : 
 Indagem quoque, quicquid eft latentis, 
 Et labar tacitus, ferarque fenfim, 
 Ufque Cypridis ad beata regna. 
 
 At mi PANCHARIDIS meae papillas 
 Nee fummo licet ore fuaviari, 
 Nee levi Iket attigifle palma. 
 
 O fortera
 
 [ 37 J 
 
 Nor would I thus the tafk give o'er; 
 Curious new fecrets to explore, 
 I'd never reft till I had found 
 Which globe was fofteft, which moft round 
 Which was moft yielding, fmooth, and white, 
 Or the left bofom or the right ; 
 Which was the warmeft, eafieft bed, 
 And which was tip'd with pureft red. 
 
 Nor cou'd I leave the beauteous fcene, 
 Till I had trac'd the path between, 
 That milky way fo fmooth and even, 
 That promifes to lead to heav'n : 
 Lower and lower I'd defcend, 
 To find where It at laft wou'd end ; 
 Till fully bleft I'd wand'ring rove 
 O'er all the fragrant Cyprian grove* 
 But ah ! thofe wiflies all are vainj 
 The fair one triumphs in my pain ? 
 To flow'rs that know not to be bleft, 
 The nymph unveils her fnowy breaft ; 
 While to her flave's defiring eyes, 
 The heav'nly profpecl: {he denies : 
 
 D 3 To 
 
 98347
 
 C 38 ] 
 
 O fortem nimis afperam atque iniquam ! 
 Tantillum ilia negat mihi petenti, 
 Tantillum ilia negat mihi fcienti ; 
 Quae tantum huic tribuit nee id petenti, 
 Qux tantum huic tribuit nee id fcienti.
 
 
 [ 39 3 
 
 Too cruel fate, too cruel Fair, 
 To place a fenfelefs nofegay there, 
 And yet refufe my lips the blifs 
 To tafte one dear tranfporting kifs. 
 
 A N
 
 [ 40 3 
 
 > 
 
 A N 
 
 S T L E, 
 
 Written in the COUNTRY, 
 
 TO THE 
 
 Right Hon. the Lord LOVELACE * then in Town, 
 SEPTEMBER, 1735. 
 
 T N days, my Lord, when mother Time, 
 * Tho' now grown old, was in her prime. 
 When SATURN firft began to rule, 
 And JOVE was hardly come from fchool, 
 How happy was a country life ! 
 How free from wickednefs and ftrife ! 
 
 * Nevil Lord Lovelace was one of thofe with whom the 
 author made a friendfhip on his firft coming into the 
 world, uninterrupted till his death, which happened at an 
 early period of his life. There appear ftrong marks of his 
 affedion for him, in fome letters wrote to his lordfhip's 
 fitter, the late Lady Harry Beauclerc, now in the poffeffion 
 of her defcendants. He was a man of letters, a friend to 
 the Mufes, and highly falhioned according to the breed- 
 ing of thofe days. 
 
 Then
 
 [ 4. 1 
 
 Then each man liv'd upon his farm, 
 
 And thought and did no mortal harm ; 
 
 On mofly banks fair virgins flept, 
 
 As harmlefs as the flocks they kept ; 
 
 Then love was all they had to do, 
 
 And nymphs were chafte, and fwains were true. 
 
 But now, whatever poets write, 
 'Tis fure the cafe is alter'd quite, 
 Virtue no more in rural plains, 
 Or innocence, or peace remains ; 
 But vice is in the cottage found, 
 And country girls are oft unfound ; 
 Fierce party rage each village fires, 
 With wars of juftices and 'fquires ; 
 Attorneys, for a barley-ftraw, 
 Whole ages hamper folks in law, 
 And ev'ry neighbour's in a flame 
 About.their rates, or tythes, or game: 
 Some quarrel for their hares and pigeons, 
 And fome for difFrence in religions : 
 Some hold their parfon the beft preacher. 
 The tinker fome a better teacher 5 
 
 Thefe,
 
 [ 42 ] 
 
 Thefe, to the church they fight for Grangers, 
 Have faith in nothing but her dangers; 
 While thofe, a more believing jjeople, 
 Can fwallow all things "but a fteeplc. 
 
 But I, my Lord, who, as you know, 
 Care little how thefe matters go, 
 And equally deleft the ftrife .. ,; 
 
 And ufual joys of country life, 
 Have by good fortune little fhare 
 Of its diver/ions, or its care ; 
 For feldom I with 'fquires unite, 
 Who hunt all day and drink all night ; 
 Nor reckon wonderful inviting, 
 A quarter-feiiions, or cock-fighting. 
 But then no farm I occupy, 
 With fhecp to rot, and cows to die : 
 Nor rage I much, or much defpair, 
 Tho' in my hedge I find a fnare ; 
 Nor view I, with due admiration, 
 All the high honours here in fafhion ; 
 The great commifTions of the quorum, 
 Terrors to all who come before 'em ; 
 
 Militia
 
 [ 43 3 
 
 Militia fcarlet edg'd with gold, 
 
 Or the white ftaff high meriffs hold ; 
 
 The reprefentative's careffing, 
 
 The judge's bow, the bimop's blefling; 
 
 Nor can I for my foul delight 
 
 In the dull feaft of neighb'ring knight, 
 
 Who, if you fend three days before, 
 
 In white gloves meets you at the door, 
 
 With fuperfluity of breeding 
 
 Firft makes you lick, and then with feeding : 
 
 Or if, with ceremony cloy'd, 
 
 You would next time fuch plagues avoid, 
 
 And vifit without previous notice, 
 
 JOHN, JOHN, a coach !> I can't think who 'tis, 
 
 My lady cries, who fpies your coach, 
 
 Ere you the avenue approach j 
 
 Lord, how unlucky! wafting day! 
 
 And all the men are in the hay ! 
 
 Entrance to gain is fomething hard, 
 
 The dogs all bark, the gates are barr'd j 
 
 The yard's with lines of linen crofs'd, 
 
 The hall door's lock'd, the key is loft j 
 
 Thefc
 
 [ 44 1 
 
 Thefe difficulties all o'ercome, 
 
 We reach at length the drawing-room ; 
 
 Then there's fuch trampling over-head, 
 
 Madam, you'd fwear, was brought to bed ; 
 
 Mifs in a hurry burfts her lock, 
 
 To get clean fleeves to hide her fmock ; 
 
 The fervants run, the pewter clatters, 
 
 My lady drefTes, calls, and chatters ; 
 
 The cook-maid raves for want of butter, 
 
 Pigs fqueak, fowls fcream, and green geefe flutter. 
 
 Now after three hours tedious waiting, 
 
 On all our neighbours faults debating, 
 
 And having nine times view'd the garden, 
 
 In which there's nothing worth a farthing, 
 
 In comes my lady, and the pudden : 
 
 You will excufe, fir, on a fudden 
 
 Then, that we may have four and four, 
 
 The bacon, fowls, and collyflow'r 
 
 Their ancient unity divide, 
 
 The top one graces, one each fide ; 
 
 And by and by, the fecond courfe 
 
 Comes lagging like a diftanc'd horfe ; 
 
 A falvcr
 
 C 45 3 
 
 A falver then to church and king, 
 
 The butler fweats, the glafles ring ; 
 
 The cloth remov'd, the toafts go round, 
 
 Bawdy and politics abound ; 
 
 And as the knight more tipfy waxes, 
 
 We damn all minifters and taxes. 
 
 At laft the ruddy fun quite funk, 
 
 The coachman tolerably drunk, 
 
 Whirling o'er hillocks, ruts, and ftones, 
 
 Enough to dillocate one's bones, 
 
 We home return, a wond'rous token 
 
 Of Heaven's kind care, with limbs unbroken. 
 
 Afflict us not, ye Gods, tho' finners, 
 
 With many days like this, or dinners I 
 
 But if civilities thus teaze me, 
 Nor bufinefs, nor diversions pleafe me : 
 You'll afk, my Lord, how time I fpend ? 
 I anfwer, with a book or friend : 
 The circulating hours dividing 
 'Twixt reading, walking, eating, riding * 
 But books are ftill my higheft joy, 
 
 / fS* 
 
 Thefe earlieft pleafe, and lateft cloy. 
 
 Sometimes
 
 [ 46 J 
 
 Sometimes o'er diftant climes I ftray, 
 By guides experienc'd taught the way ; 
 The wonders of each region view, 
 From frozen LAPLAND to PERU ; 
 Bound o'er rough feas, and mountains bare, 
 Yet ne'er forfake my elbow chair. 
 Sometimes fome fam'd hiftorian's pen 
 Recalls paft ages back agen, 
 Where all I fee, thro* ev'ry page, 
 Is but how men, with fenfelefs rage, 
 Each other rob, deftroy, and burn, 
 To ferve a prieft's, or ftatefman's turn ; 
 Tho' loaded with a diff'rent aim, 
 Yet always afTes much the fame. 
 Sometimes I view with much delight, 
 Divines their holy game-cocks fight ; 
 Here faith and works, at variance fet, 
 Strive hard who fhall the vict'ry get ; 
 Prefbytery and epifcopacy 
 They fight fo long, it would amaze ye : 
 Here free-will holds a fierce difpute 
 With reprobation abfolute ; 
 5
 
 [ 47 3 
 
 There fenfe kicks tranfubftantiation, 
 And reafon pecks at revelation. 
 With learned NEWTON now I fly 
 O'er all the rolling orbs on high, 
 Vifit new worlds, and for a minute 
 This old one fcorn, and all that's in it : 
 And now with lab'ring BOYLE I trace 
 Nature through ev'ry winding maze, 
 The latent qualities admire 
 Of vapours, water, air, and fire : 
 With pleafing admiration fee 
 Matter's furprifing fubtilty ; 
 As how the fmalleft lamp difplays, 
 For miles around, it's fcatter'd rays ; 
 Or how (the cafe ftill more t' explain) 
 * A fart, that weighs not half a grain, 
 The atmofphere will oft perfume 
 Of a whole fpacicus* drawing-room. 
 
 Sometimes I pafs a whole long day 
 In happy indolence away, 
 In fondly meditating o'er 
 Paft pleafures, and in hoping more : 
 
 * See Boyle's Experiments. 
 
 Or
 
 [ 48 J 
 
 Or wander thro' the fields and woods,- 
 And gardens bath'd in circling floods, 
 There blooming flowers with rapture view, 
 And fparkling gems of morning dew, 
 Whence in my mind ideas rife 
 Of C DELIA'S cheeks, and CHLOE'S eyes. 
 'Tis thus, my Lord, I free from ftrifs 
 Spend an inglorious country life ; 
 Thefe are the joys I ftill purfue, 
 When abfent from the town and you ; 
 Thus pafs long fummer fans away, 
 Bufily idle, calmly gay : 
 Nor great, nor mean, nor rich, nor poor, 
 Not having much, nor wifliing more ; 
 Except that you, when weary grown 
 Of all the follies of the town^ 
 And feeing, in all public places, 
 The fame vain fops and painted faces. 
 Would fometimes kindly condefcend 
 To vifit a dull country friend : 
 Here you'll be ever fure to meet 
 A hearty welcome tho' no treaty 
 
 One
 
 [ 49 3 
 
 One who has nothing elfe to do, \^yl 
 
 But to divert himfelf and you : 
 A houfe, where quiet guards the door, 
 No rural wits fmoke, drink, and roar, 
 Choice books, fafe horfes, wholefome liquor, 
 Clean girls, backgammon, and the vicar. 
 
 VOL. I. E AN
 
 A N 
 
 \ 
 
 ESSAY 
 
 O N 
 
 VIRTUE, 
 
 Atque ipfa utilitas jufti prope mater & <equi. 
 
 HOR,
 
 [ S3 3 
 
 A N 
 
 ESSAY 
 
 O N 
 
 VIRTUE. 
 
 To the Hon. PHILIP Y O R K E, Efq. 
 
 THOU, whom nor honours, wealth, nor youth 
 can fpoil ; 
 
 With the leaft vice of each luxuriant foil, 
 Say, YoRfcE, (for fure, if any, thou canft tell) 
 What Virtue is, who pra&ife it fo well ; 
 Say, where inhabits this Sultana queen ; 
 Prais'd and ador'd by all, but rarely feen : 
 By what fure mark her efience can we trace, 
 When each religion, faction, age, and place 
 Sets up fome fancy'd idol of its own, 
 A vain pretender to her facred throne ? 
 In man too oft a well-diflembled part, 
 A felf-denying pride in woman's heart ; 
 
 E 3 In
 
 [ 54 1 
 
 In fynods faith, and in the fields of fame 
 Valour ufurps her honours, and her name ; 
 Whoe'er their fenfe of virtue wou'd exprefs, 
 'Tis ftill by fomething they themfelves poflefs. 
 Hence youth good-humour, frugal craft old-age, 
 Warm politicians term it party-rage, 
 True churchmen zeal right orthodox j and hence 
 Fools think it gravity, and wits pretence ; 
 To conftancy alone fond lovers join it, 
 And maids unafk'd to chaftity confine it. 
 
 But have we then no law befides our will ? 
 No juft criterion fix'd to good and ill ? 
 As well at noon we may obftruft our fight t 
 Then doubt if fuch a thing exifts as light ; 
 For no lefs plain wou'd nature's law appear 
 As the meridian fun unchang'd, and clear, 
 Wou'd we but fearch for what we were defign'd, 
 And for what end th' Almighty form'd mankind ;. 
 A rule of life we then mould plainly fee, 
 For to purfue that end muft virtue be. 
 
 Then what is that ? not want of power, or fame, 
 Or worlds unnumber'd to applaud his name, 
 
 5 But
 
 [ 55 ] 
 
 But a defire his bleffings to diffufe, 
 And fear left millions fliou'd exiftence lofe j 
 His goodnefs only cou'd his power employ, 
 And an eternal warmth to propagate his joy. 
 
 Hence foul and fenfe diffus'd thro* ev'ry place^ 
 Make happinefs as infinite as fpace > 
 Thoufands of funs beyond each other blaze, 
 Orbs roll o'er orbs, and glow with mutual rays ; 
 Each is a world, where form'd with wond'rous art, 
 Unnumber'd fpecies live thro' ev'ry part : 
 In ev'ry trail of ocean, earth, and fkies, 
 Myriads of creatures flill fuccefiive rife : 
 Scarce buds a leaf, or fprings the vileft weed, 
 But little flocks upon its verdure feed ; 
 No fruit our palate courts, or flow'r our fmell, 
 But on its fragrant bofom nations dwell, 
 All form'd with proper faculties to (hare 
 The daily bounties of their Maker's care : 
 The great Creator from his heav'nly throne, 
 Pleas'd on the wide-expanded joy looks down, 
 And his eternal law is only this, 
 That all contribute to the general blifs. 
 
 E 4 Nature
 
 [ 56 ] 
 
 Nature fo plain this primal law difplays, 
 Each living creature fees it, and obeys ; 
 Each, form'd for all, promotes thro* private care 
 The public good, and juftly taftes its mare. 
 .All underftand their great Creator's will, 
 Strive to be happy, and in that fulfil ; 
 Mankind excepted, lord of all befide, 
 But only flave to folly, vice, and pride ; 
 'Tis he that's deaf to this command alone, 
 Delights in others woe, and courts his own ; 
 Racks and deftroys with tort'ring fteel and flame, 
 For lux'ry brutes, and man himfelf for fame j 
 Sets Superftition high on Virtue's throne, 
 Then thinks his Maker's temper like his own ; 
 Hence are his altars ftain'd with reeking gore, 
 As if he cou'd atone for crimes by more : 
 Hence whilft offended Heav'n he ftrives in vain -j 
 *T' appeafe by fafts and voluntary pain, i. 
 
 Ev'n in repenting he provokes again. J 
 
 How eafy is our yoke ! how light our load ! 
 Did we not ftrive to mend the laws of God : 
 
 For
 
 E 57 1 
 
 For his own fake no duty he can aflc, 
 The common welfare is our only tafk : 
 For this fole end his precepts, kind as juflr, 
 Forbid intemperance, murder, theft, and luft, 
 With ev'ry aft injurious to our own 
 Or others good, for fuch are crimes alone : 
 For this are peace, love, charity enjoin'd, 
 With all that can fecure and blefs mankind. 
 Thus is the public fafety Virtue's caufe, 
 And happinefs the end of all her laws j 
 For fuch by nature is the human frame, 
 Our duty and our int'reft are the fame. 
 
 But hold, cries out fome Puritan divine, 
 Whofe well-ftuff'd cheeks with eafe and plenty fhine, 
 Is this to faft, to mortify, refrain, 
 And work falvation out with fear and pain ? 
 We own the rigid leflbns of their fchools 
 Are widely different from thefe eafy rules ; 
 Virtue, with them, is only to abftain 
 From all that nature afks, and covet pain ; 
 Pleafure and vice are ever near a-kin, 
 And, if we thirft, cold water is a fin : 
 
 Heav'n's
 
 C 58 ] 
 
 Heav Vs path is rough and intricate, they fay, 
 
 Yet all are damn'd that trip, or mifs their way } 
 
 God is a Being cruel and fevere, 
 
 And man a wretch, by his command plac'd here, 
 
 In fun-fliine for a while to take a turn, 
 
 Only to dry and make him fit to burn. 
 
 Miftaken men, too pioufly fevere ! 
 Thro' craft mifleading, or mifled by fear j 
 How little they God's counfels comprehend, 
 Our univerfal parent, guardian, friend ! 
 Who, forming by degrees to blifs mankind, 
 This globe our fportive nurfery affign'd, 
 Where for a while his fond paternal care 
 Feafts us with ev'ry joy our ftate can bear : 
 Each fenfe, touch, tafte, and fmell difpenfe delight, 
 Mufic our hearing, beauty charms our fight ; 
 Trees, herbs, and flow'rs to us their fpoils refign, 
 Its pearl the rock prelents, its gold the mine ; 
 Beafts, fowl, and fifli their daily tribute give 
 Of food and cloaths, and die that we may live : 
 Seafons but change, new pleafures to produce, 
 And elements contend to ferve our ufe : 
 
 Love's
 
 59 3 
 
 Love's gentle {hafts, ambition's tow'ring wings, 
 
 The pomps of fenates, churches, courts, and kings, 
 
 All that our rev'rence, joy, or hope create, 
 
 Are the gay play-things of this infant ftate. 
 
 Scarcely an ill to human life belongs, 
 
 But what our follies caufe, or mutual wrongs ; 
 
 Or if fome ftripes from Providence we feel, 
 
 He ftrikes with pity, and but wounds to heal > 
 
 Kindly perhaps fometimes afflicts us here, 
 
 To guide our views to a fublimer fphere, 
 
 In more exalted joys to fix our tafte, 
 
 And wean us from delights that cannot laft. 
 
 Our prefent good the eafy tafk is made, 
 
 To earn fuperior blifs, when this fhall fade : 
 
 For, foon as e'er thefe mortal pleafures cloy, 
 
 His hand fhall lead us to fublimer joy j 
 
 Snatch us from all our little forrows here, 
 
 Calm ev'ry grief, and dry each childifh tear j 
 
 Waft us to regions of eternal peace, 
 
 Where blifs and virtue grow with like increafe ; 
 
 From ftrength to ftrength our fouls for ever guide, 
 
 Thro' wondrous fcenes of being yet untry'd, 
 
 Where
 
 Where in each ftage we {hall more perfect grow^ 
 And new perfections, new delights beftow. 
 
 Oh ! would mankind but make thefe truths their 
 
 guide, 
 
 And force the helm from prejudice and pride, 
 Were once thefe maxims fix'd, that God's our friend, 
 Virtue our good, and happinefs our end, 
 How foon muft reafon o'er the world prevail, 
 And error, fraud, and fuperftition fail ! 
 None wou'd hereafter then with groundlefs fear, 
 Defcribe th' Almighty cruel and fevere, 
 Predeflinating fome without pretence 
 To heav'n, and fome to hell for no offence ; 
 Inflicting endlefs pains for tranfient crimes, 
 And favouring feels or nations, men or times. 
 Tc pleafe him none would foolifhly forbear 
 Or food, or reft, or itch in fhirts of hair, 
 Or deem it merit to believe or teach 
 What reafon contradicts, within its reach ; 
 None would fierce zeal for piety miftake, 
 Or malice for whatever tenets fake, 
 Or think falvatiort to one feel: confin'd, 
 
 And heav'n too narrow to contain mankind. 
 
 No
 
 No more then nymphs, by long negle& grown nice 
 Wou'd in one female frailty fum up vice, 
 And cenfure thofe, who nearer to the right 
 Think virtue is but to difpenfe delight *. 
 
 No fervile tenets would admittance find, 
 DeftruHve of the rights of human kind j 
 Of power divine, hereditary right, 
 And non-refiftance to a tyrant's might : 
 For fure that all mou'd thus for one be curs'd, 
 Is but great nature's edift juft revers'd. 
 
 No moralifts then righteous to excefs, 
 Wou'd mew fair Virtue in fo black a drefs, 
 That they, like boys, who fome feign'd fprite array, 
 Firft from the ipec-tre fly themfelves away : 
 No preachers in the terrible delight, 
 But chufe to win by reafon, not affright ; 
 
 * Thefe lines mean only, that Cenforioufnefs is a vice 
 more odious than Unchaftity ; this always proceeding from 
 malevolence, that fometimes from too much good-nature 
 and compliance. 
 
 Not,
 
 C 62 ] 
 
 Not, conjurors like, in fire and brimftone dwell, 
 And draw each moving argument from hell. 
 
 No more our fage interpreters of laws 
 Wou'd fatten on obfcurities, and flaws, 
 But rather, nobly careful of their truft, 
 Strive to wipe off the long-contrac~led duft, 
 And be, like HARDWICKE, guardians of the juft. 
 
 No more applaufe would on ambition wait, 
 And laying wafte the world be counted great, 
 But one good-natur'd aft more praifes gain, 
 Than armies overthrown, and thoufands flain ; 
 No more would brutal rage difturb our peace, 
 But envy, hatred, war, and difcord ceafe ; 
 Our own and others' good each hour employ, 
 And all things fmile with univerfal joy ; 
 Virtue with Happinefs, her confort, join'd, 
 Would regulate and blefs each human mind, 
 And man be what his Maker firft defign'd.
 
 THE 
 
 M O D E R N 
 
 FINE GENTLEMAN. 
 
 WRITTEN IN THE YEAR 1746. 
 
 >ua,le Portentum neque militaris 
 Daunia in latis alit efculetis, 
 ffcc Juba tellus generat, leonutm 
 Arida nutrix*
 
 C 65 3 
 
 THE 
 
 MODERN 
 FINE GENTLEMAN. 
 
 T U S T broke from fchool, pert, impudent, and ra\fj 
 
 Expert in Latin, more expert in taw, 
 His Honour pofts o'er ITALY and FRANCE, 
 Meafures St. PETER'S dome, and learns to dance. 
 Thence, having quick thro' various countries flown, 
 Glean'd all their follies and expos'd his own, 
 He back returns, a thing fo ftrange all o'er, 
 As never ages paft produc'd before : 
 A monfter of fuch complicated worth, 
 As no one fingle clime could e'er bring forth j 
 Half atheift, papift, gamefter, bubble, rook, 
 Half fidler, coachman, dancer, groom, and cook. 
 
 Next, becaufe bus'nefs is now all the vogue, 
 And who'd be quite polite muft be a rogue, 
 In parliament he purchafes a feat, 
 To make th' accomplifh'd gentleman compleat. 
 
 VOL. I. F There
 
 [ 66 ] 
 
 There fafe in felf-fufficient impudence, 
 Without experience, honefty, or fenfe, 
 Unknowing in her int'reft, trade, or laws, 
 He vainly undertakes his country's caufe : 
 Forth from his lips, prepar'd at all to rail, 
 Torrents of nonfenfe burft, like bottled ale, 
 * Tho' (hallow, muddy ; brifk, tho' mighty dull; 
 Fierce without ftrength ; o'erflowing, tho' not full. 
 
 Now quite a Frenchman in his garb and air, 
 His neck yok'd down with bag and folitaire, 
 The liberties of BRITAIN he fupports, 
 And ftorms at place-men, minifters, and courts; 
 Now in cropt greafy hair, and leather breeches, 
 He loudly bellows out his patriot (peeches ; 
 King, lords, and commons ventures to abufe, 
 Yet dares to (hew thofe ears, he ought to lofe. 
 From hence to WHITE'S our virtuous CATO flies, 
 There fits with countenance erer, and wife, 
 And talks of games of whift, and pig-tail pies ; 
 
 * Parody on thefe lines of Sir John Denham. 
 Tho' deep, yet clear, tho' gentle yet not dull, 
 Strong without rage, without o'erflowing full. 
 
 Plays
 
 Plays all the night, nor doubts each law to break, 
 Himfelf unknowingly has help'd to make ; 
 Trembling and anxious, flakes his utmoft groat, 
 Peeps o'er his cards, and looks as if he thought : 
 Next morn difowns the lofles of the night, 
 Becaufe the fool would fain be thought a bite. 
 
 Devoted thus to politics, and cards, 
 Nor mirth, nor wine, nor women he regards, 
 So far is ev'ry virtue from his heart, 
 That not a gen'rous vice can claim a part ; 
 Nay, left one human paflion e'er mould move 
 His foul to friendship, tendernefs, or love, 
 To FIGG and BROUGHTON he commits his breaft, 
 To fteel it to the fafliionable teft. 
 
 Thus poor in wealth, he labours to no end, 
 Wretched alone, in crowds without a friend ; 
 Infenfible to all that's good or kind, 
 Deaf to all merit, to all beauty blind ; 
 For love too bufy, and for wit too grave, 
 A harden'd, fober, proud, luxurious knave ; 
 By little adtions ftriving to be great, 
 And proud to be, and to be thought a cheatt 
 
 F 2 And
 
 [ 68 J 
 
 And yet in this fo bad is his fuccefs, 
 That as his fame improves, his rents grow lefs } 
 On parchment wings his acres take their flight, 
 And his unpeopled groves admit the light 5 
 With his eftate his int'reft too is done, 
 His honeft borough feeks a warmer fun ; 
 For him, now cafh and liquor flows no more, 
 His independent voters ceafe to roar : 
 And BRITAIN foon muft want the great defence 
 Of all his honefty, and eloquence, 
 But that the gen'rous youth, more anxious grown "J 
 For public liberty than for his own, 
 Marries fome jointur'd antiquated crone : -' 
 
 And boldly, when his country is at ftake, 
 Braves the deep yawning gulph, like CURTIUS, for its 
 fake. 
 
 Quickly again diftrefs'd for want of coin, 
 He digs no longer in th' exhaufted mine, 
 But feeks preferment, as the laft refort, "| 
 
 Cringes each morn at levees, bows at court, 
 And, from the hand he hates, implores fupport : * 
 The minifter, well pleas'd at fmall expence* 
 
 To filence fo much rude impertinence, 
 
 With
 
 C 69 ] 
 
 With fqueeze and whifper yields to his demands, 
 
 And on the venal lift enroll'd he {lands ; 
 
 A ribband and a penfion buy the flave, 
 
 This bribes the fool about him, that the knave. 
 
 And now arriv'd at his meridian glory, 
 
 He fmks apace, defpis'd by Whig and Tory ; 
 
 Of independence now he talks no more, 
 
 Nor fhakes the fenate with his patriot roar, 
 
 But filent votes, and, with court-trappings hung, 
 
 Eyes his own glitt'ring ftar, and holds his tongue. 
 
 In craft political a bankrupt made, 
 
 He flicks to gaming, as the furer trade ; 
 
 Turns downright (harper, lives by fucking blood, 
 
 And grows, in fhort, the very thing he wou'd : 
 
 Hunts out young heirs, who have their fortunes fpent, 
 
 And lends them ready cafli at cent per cent, 
 
 Lays wagers on his own, and others lives, 
 
 Fights uncles, fathers, grandmothers, and wives, 
 
 Till death at length, indignant to be made 
 
 The daily fubjeft of his fport and trade, 
 
 Veils with his fable hand the wretch's eyes, 
 
 And, groaning for the betts he lofes by't, he dies. 
 
 F 3 THK
 
 THE 
 
 MODERN 
 
 FINE LADY, 
 
 .. Miferi quibus 
 
 Intent ata niffs. Ho R; 
 
 WRITTEN IN THE YEAR
 
 t 73 1 
 
 THE 
 
 MODERN 
 FINE LADY. 
 
 O K I L L' D in each art, that can adorn the Fair, 
 
 The fprightly dance, the foft Italian air, 
 The tofs of quality and high-bred fleer, 
 Now Lady HARRIOT reach'd her fifteenth year : 
 Wing'd with diverfions all her moments flew, 
 Each, as it pafs'd, prefenting fomething new ; 
 Breakfafts and auctions wear the morn away, 
 Each ev'ning gives an opera, or a play ; 
 Then Brag's eternal joys all night remain, 
 And kindly ufher in the morn again. 
 
 For love no time has fhe, or inclination, 
 Yet muft coquet it for the fake of fafhion ; 
 For this fhe liftens to eaeh fop that's near, "1 
 
 Th' embroider'd colonel flatters with a fneer, 
 And the crept enfign nuzzles in her ear. 
 
 But
 
 C 74 3, 
 
 But with moil warmth her drefs and airs infpirc 
 Th' ambitious bofom of the landed 'fquire, 
 Who fain would quit plump DOLLY'S fofter charms, 
 For wither'd, lean, Right Honourable arms ; 
 He bows with reverence at her facred fhrine, 
 And treats her as if fprung from race divine ; 
 Which fhe returns with infolence and fcorn, 
 Nor deigns to fmile on a Plebeian born. 
 
 Ere long, by friends, by cards, and lovers crofs'd, 
 Her fortune, health, and reputation loft ; 
 Her money gone, yet not a tradefman paid, 
 Her fame, yet fhe ftill damn'd to be a maid, 
 Her fpirits fink, her nerves are fo unftrung, 
 * She weeps, if but a handfome thief is hung : 
 By mercers, lacemen, mantua-makers preft, 
 But moft for ready cafh for play diftreft, 
 Where can fhe turn? The 'fquire muft all repair, *} 
 She condefcends to liften to his pray'r, \ 
 
 And marries him at length in mere defpair. '* 
 
 * Some of the brighteft eyes were at this time in tears for 
 one Maclean, condemned for a robbery on the highway. 
 
 5 But
 
 [ 75 3 
 
 But foon th' endearments of a hufband cloy, 
 Her foul, her frame incapable of joy : 
 She feels no tranfports in the bridal-bed, 
 Of which fo oft fh'has heard, fo much has read ; 
 Then vex'd, that (he fhould be condemn'd alone 
 To feek in vain this philofophic ftone, 
 To abler tutors fhe refolves t' apply, 
 A proftitute from curiofity : 
 Hence men of ev'ry fort, and ev'ry fize, 
 * Impatient for Heav'n's cordial drop, fhe tries ; 
 The fribbling beau, the rough unwieldy clown, 
 The ruddy Templar newly on the town, 
 The Hibernian captain of gigantic make, 
 The brimful parfon, and th' exhaufted rake. 
 
 But ftill malignant fate her wifh denies, 
 Cards yield fuperior joys, to cards (he flies ; 
 All night from rout to rout her chairmen run, 
 Again fhe plays, and is again undone. 
 
 * The cordial drop Heav'n in our cup has thrown, 
 To make the naufeous draught of life go down. 
 
 ROCH. 
 
 Behold 

 
 r 76 i 
 
 Behold her now in ruin's frightful jaws ! 
 Bonds, judgments, executions ope their paws ; 
 Seize jewels, furniture, and plate, nor fpare 
 The gilded chariot, or the tafiel'd chair ; 
 For lonely feat (he's forc'd to quit the town, 
 And TUBES * conveys the wretched exile down. 
 
 Now rumbling o'er the flones of Tyburn 
 Ne'er preft with a more griev'd or guilty load, 
 She bids adieu to all the well-known ftreets, 
 And envies every cinder-wench fhe meets : 
 And now the dreaded country firft appears, 
 With fighs unfeign'd the dying noife fhe hears 
 Of diftant coaches fainter by degrees, 
 Then ftarts, and trembles at the fight of trees. 
 Silent and fullen, like fome captive queen, 
 She's drawn along unwilling to be feen, 
 Until at length appears the ruin'd Hall 
 Within the grafs-green moat and ivy'd wall, 
 The doleful prifon where for ever fhe, 
 But not, alas ! her griefs, muft bury'd be. 
 
 * A perfon well known for fupplying people of quality 
 with hired equipages. 
 
 Her
 
 [ 77 3 
 
 Her coach the curate and the tradefmen meet, 1 
 Great-coated tenants her arrival greet, 
 And boys with ftubble bonfires light the ftreet, J 
 While bells her ears with tongues difcordant grate 1 , 
 Types of the nuptial tyes they celebrate : 
 But no rejoicings can unbend her brow, 
 Nor deigns (he to return one awkward bow, 
 But bounces in, difdaining once to fpeak, 
 And wipes the trickling tear from off her cheek* 
 
 Now fee her in the fad decline of life, 
 A peevifh miftrefs, and a fulky wife ; 
 Her nerves unbrac'd, her faded cheek grown pale 
 With many a real, many a fancy'd aij j 
 Of cards, admirers, equipage bereft, 
 Her infolence, and tide only left; 
 Severely humbled to her one-hoi fe chair, 
 And the low paftimes of a country fair : 
 Too wretched to endure one lonely day, 1 
 
 Too proud one friendly vifit to repay, 
 Too indolent to read, too criminal to pray. 
 At length half dead, half mad, and quite confin'd, 
 Shunning, and fhun'd by all of human kind, 
 
 Ev'n
 
 [ 7* 3 
 
 Ev'n robb'd of the laft comfort of her life, 
 Infulting the poor curate's callous wife, 
 Pride, difappointed pride, now flops her breath, 
 And with true fcorpion rage {he ftings herfelf to death. 
 
 Horatii
 
 Horatli Ep. I. Lib. II. ad Auguflum. 
 
 THE 
 
 FIRST EPISTLE 
 
 OF THE 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF HORACE, 
 IMITATED. 
 
 TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE 
 
 PHILIP, LORD HARDWICKE, 
 
 Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain. 
 
 WRITTEN IN THE YEAR 1748.
 
 f 81 ] 
 
 ADVERTISEMENT. 
 
 TH E following piece is a burleTque imitation : a 
 fpecies of poetry, whofe chief excellence confifts 
 in a lucky and humorous application of the words and 
 fentiments of any author to a new fubjecT: totally dif- 
 ferent from the original. This is what is ufually for- 
 got both by the writers and readers of thefe kind of 
 compofitions j the firft of whom are apt to ftrike out 
 new and independent thoughts of their own, and the 
 latter to admire fuch injudicious excrefcences : thefe 
 immediately lofe fight of their original, and thofe fcarce 
 ever caft an eye towards him at all. It is thought pro- 
 per therefore to advertife the reader, that in the follow- 
 ' ing epiftle he is to expect nothing more than an appo- 
 fite converfion of the ferious fentiments of Horace on 
 the Roman poetry, into more ludicrous ones on the 
 fubjet of Englifh politics ; and if he thinks it not 
 worth while to compare it line for line with the origi- 
 nal, he will find in it neither wit, humour, nor even 
 common fenfe ; all the little merit it can pretend to 
 confifting folely in the clofenefs of fo long, and unin- 
 terrupted an imitation, 
 
 VOL, I. G HORATII
 
 C 82 ] 
 
 H O R A T I I 
 
 Ep. I. Lib. II. 
 
 AD AUGUSTUM. 
 
 U M tot fuftineas, & tanta negotia folus, 
 Res Italas armis tuteris, moribus ornes, 
 Legibus emendes, in publica commoda peccem. 
 Si longo fermone morer tua tempora, Caefar. 
 b Romulus, & Liber pater, & cum Caftore Pollux, 
 Poft ingentia fah, deorum in templa recepti, 
 Dum terras hominumque colunt genus, afpera bella 
 Componunt, agros aflignant, oppida condunt, 
 
 Ploravere
 
 THE 
 
 FIRST EPISTLE 
 
 OF THE 
 
 SECOND BOOK OF HORACE, 
 
 IMITATED. 
 
 a "TTTHILST you, my lord, fuch various toils 
 
 W fuftain, 
 
 Prcfide o'er Britain's Peers, her laws explain, 
 With ev'ry virtue ev'ry heart engage, 
 And live the bright example of the age, 
 With tedious verfe to trefpafs on your time, 5 
 
 Is fure impertinence, if not a crime. 
 
 b All the fam'd heroes, flatefmen, admirals, 
 Who after death within the facred walls 
 Of WESTMINSTER with kings have been receiv'd, 
 Met with but forry treatment, while they liv'd j 10 
 And tho' they labour'd in their country's caufe, 
 With arms defended her, and form'd with laws, 
 
 Gz Yet
 
 C 84 1 
 
 Ploravere fuis non refpondere favorem 
 Speratum meritis : c diram qui contudit hydram, 
 Notaque fatal! portenta labore fubegit, 
 Comperit invidiam fupremo fine domari : 
 A Urit enim fulgore fuo qui praegravat artes, 
 Infra fe pofitas j extin&us amabitur idem. 
 e Prefenti tibi matures largimur honores, 
 Jurandafque tuum per nomen ponimus aras, 
 f Nil oriturum alias, nil ortum tale fatentes. 
 5 Sed tuus hie populus fapiens & juftus in uno, 
 Te noftris ducibus, te Graiis ante ferendo, 
 Caetera nequaquam fimili ratione modoque 
 ./Eftimat, & nifi quae terris femota, fuifque 
 Temporibus defundla videt, faftidit, & odit. 
 b Sic fautor veterum, ut tabulas peccare vetantcs 
 Quas bis quinque viri fanxerunt, faedera regum 
 Vel Gabiis, vel cum rigidis aequata Sabinis, 
 
 Pontificum
 
 [ 85 ] 
 
 Vet ever mourn'd they till'd a barren foilj 
 
 And left the world ungrateful to their toil. 
 
 c Ev'n * He, who long the Houfe of Com ns led, 15 
 
 That Hydra dire, with many a gaping head, 
 
 Found by experience, to his lateft breath, 
 
 Envy could only be fubdu'd by death. 
 
 d Great men whilft living muft expect difgraces, 
 
 Dead they're ador'd when none defire their places. 20 
 
 e This common fate, my lord, attends not you, 
 Above all equal, and all envy too ; 
 With fuch unrivall'd eminence you fhine, 
 That in this truth alone all parties join, 
 The feat of juftice in no former reign 25 
 
 f Was e'er fo greatly filFd, nor ever can again, 
 
 s But tho' the people are fo juft to you, 
 To none befides will they allow their due, 
 No minifter approve, who is not dead, 
 Nor till h' has loft it, own he had a head ; 30 
 
 h Yet fuch refpect they bear to ancient things, 
 They've fome for former minifters and kings ; 
 
 Sir R W . 
 
 G 3 And,
 
 [ 86 ] 
 
 Pontificum libros, annofa volumina Vatum, 
 Dictitet Albano Mufts in monte locutas. 
 1 Si quia Grzcorum funt antiquiffima qureque 
 Scripta vel optima, Romani penfantur eadem 
 Scriptores trutina, non eft quod multa loquamur : 
 Nil intra eft oleam, nil extra eft in nuce duri : 
 k Venimus ad fummam fortunce : pingimus atque 
 1 Pfallimus, & lu&amur Achivis doctior ipfis. 
 m Si meliora dies, ut vina, poemata reddit, 
 Scire velim, pretium chartis quotus arroget annus ? 
 Scriptor abhinc annos centum, qui decidit, inter 
 Perfeflos, veterefne referri debet ? an inter 
 Viles, atque nbvos !* excludat jurgia finis. 
 n Eft vetus, atque probus, centum qui perficit annos ? 
 Quid qui deperiit minor uno menfe, vel anno, 
 Inter quos referendus erit ? veterefne poetas, 
 An quos & prasfens, & poftera refpuet setas ? 
 Ifte quidem veteres inter ponetur honefte, 
 Qui vel menfe brevi vel toto eft junior anno, 
 Utor permiffo, caudasque pilos ut equinse 
 Paulatim vello, & demo unum, demo etiam unum^ 
 Dum cadat elufus ratione ruentis acervi, 
 
 Qui
 
 And, with a kind of fuperftitious awe, 
 Deem Magna Charta ftill a facred law. 
 
 * But, if becaufe the government was beft 25 
 
 Of old in FRANCE, when freedom (he pofTeft, 
 In the fame fcale refolv'd to weigh our own, 
 ENGLAND'S we judge was fo, who then had none ; 
 Into moft ftrange abfurdities we fall, 
 Unworthy to be reafon'd with at all. 40 
 
 k Brought to perfection in thefe days we fee 
 All arts, and their great parent Liberty ; 
 
 I With (kill profound we fing, eat, drefs, and dance, 
 And in each gout polite, excel ev'n FRANCE. 
 
 If age of minifters is then the teft, 45 
 
 And, as of wines, the oldeft are the beft, 
 Let's try and fix fome aera, if we can, 
 When good ones were extinct, and bad began : 
 
 II Are they all wicked fince ELIZA'S days ? 
 
 Did none in CHARLES', or JAMES'S merit praife ? 50 
 Or are they knaves but fince the Revolution ? 
 If none of thefe are facts then all's confufion ; 
 And by the felf-fame rule one cannot fail, 
 To pluck each hair out fingly from the tail. 
 
 G 4 Wife
 
 r ss j 
 
 Qui redit ad faftos, & virtutem eftimat annis, 
 Miraturque nihil nifi quod Libitina facravit. 
 
 P Ennius, & fapiens, & fortis, & alter Homcrus, 
 Ut critici dicunt, leviter curare videtur 
 Quo promifla cadant, & fomnia Pythagorea. 
 q Naevius in manibus non eft, & mentibus hseret 
 Pene recens : adeo fanctum eft vetus omne poema. 
 
 r Ambigitur quoties uter utro fit prior, aufert 
 Pacuvius docti famam fenis, Accius alti : 
 Dicitur Afrani toga convenifle Menandro ; 
 Plautus ad exemplar Siculi properare Epicharmi j 
 ' Vincere Caecilius gravitate, Terentius arte. 
 c Hos edifcit, & hos ar&o ftipata theatro 
 Spcdtat Roma potens : habet hos numeratque poetas 
 Ad noftrum tempu?, Livi fcriptoris ab aevo. 
 u Interdum vulgus re&um videt ; eft ubi peccat. 
 w Si veteres itamiratur laudatque poetas, 
 Ut nibil anteferat, nihil illis comparet, errat :
 
 [ 9 3 
 
 * Wife CfcciL, lov'd by people and by prince 5 5$ 
 As often broke his word as any fmce : 
 i Of ARtHUR's days we almoft nothing knowj 
 Yet fing their praife, becaufe they're long ago. 
 
 r Oft as 'tis doubted in their feveral ways 
 Which of paft orators beft merit praife, 60 
 
 We find it to decide extremely hard, 
 If HARLEY'S head deferv'd the moft regard, 
 Or WINDHAM'S tongue, or JEKYL'S patriot heart, 
 6 Old SHIPPEN'S gravity, or WALPOLE'S art. 
 Thefe were ador'd by all with whom they voted, 65 
 And in the fulleft houfes ftill are quoted j 
 Thefe have been fam'd from ANNA'S days till ours, 
 When PELHAM has improv'd, with unknown pow'rs^ 
 The art of minifterial eloquence, 
 By adding honefl truth to nervous fenfe. 70? 
 
 Oft are the vulgar wrong, yet fometimes right j 
 The late rebellion in the trueft light 
 
 By chance they faw ; but were not once fo wifey 
 Unknown, unheard, in damning the excife : 
 
 * If former reigns they fancy had no fault, 7 
 I think their judgment is not worth a groat: 
 
 "But
 
 [ 90 ] 
 
 * SI quaedam nimis antique, fi pleraque dure 
 
 Dicere credit eos, ignave multa fatetur, 
 
 Et fapit, & mecum facit, & Jove judicat aequo. 
 
 y Non equidem infeclor, delendave carmina Livi 
 Efie reor, memini quae plagofum mihi parvo 
 z Orbilium di&itare ; fed emendata videri, 
 Pulchraque, & exa&is minimum diftantia, miror. 
 a Inter quce verbum emicuit fi forte decorum, & 
 Si verfus paulos concinnior unus & alter, 
 Injuftum totum ducit venditque poema. 
 b Indignor quicquam reprehendi, non qui crafse 
 Compofitum illepideve putetur, fed quia nuper ; 
 Nee veniam antiquis, fed honorem & praemia pofci. 
 c Re6le necne crocum florefque perambulat Attae 
 Fabula fi dubitem,. clamant periifle pudorem 
 Cun61:i pene patres ; ea cum reprenJere coner 
 Quae gravis ^fopus, quae doetus Rofcius egit : 
 Vel quia nil rectum, niii quod placuit fibi, ducunt ; 
 d Vel quia turpe putant parere minoribus, & qus 
 Imberbis didicere, fenes perdenda fateri. 
 
 Jam
 
 [ 9i J 
 
 * But if they frankly own their politics, 
 
 Like ours, might have fome blunders, and fome tricks, 
 
 With fuch impartial fentiments I join, 
 
 And their opinions tally juft with mine. 80 
 
 y I would by no means church or king deftroy, 
 And yet the doctrines, taught me when a boy 
 z By CRAB the curate, now feem wond'rous odd, 
 That either came immediately from God : 
 a In all the writings of thofe high-flown ages 85 
 
 You meet with now and then fome fcatter'd pages 
 Wrote with fome fpirit and with fenfe enough ; 
 Thefe fell the book, the reft is wretched fluff": 
 b I'm quite provok'd, when principles, tho' true, 
 Muft ftand impeach'd by fools, becaufe they're new. 
 c Should I but queftion, only for. a joke, 91 
 
 If all was flow'rs, when pompous HANDIER fpoke, 
 If things went right, when ST. JOHN trod the ftage, 
 How the old Tories all would ftorm and rage ! 
 d They fhun conviction, or becaufe a truth 95 
 
 Confefs'd in age implies they err'd in youth ; 
 Or that they fcorn to learn of junior wits: 
 What ! to be taught by LYTTELTONS and PITTS. 
 
 e When
 
 C 9* 3 
 
 e Jam Saliare Numae carmen qui laudat, & illud 
 Quod mecum ignorat, folus vult fcire videri : 
 Ingeniis non ille favet plauditque fepultis, 
 Noftrafed impugnat, nos noftraque lividtis odit. 
 f Quod fi tarn Graecis novitas invifa fuiflet 
 Quam nobis, quid nunc effet vetus ? aut quid haberet 
 Quod legeret, tereretque viritim publicus ufus ? 
 
 s Ut primum pofitis nugari Graecia bellis ' 
 Coepit, & in vitium fortuna labier aequa, 
 h Nunc athletarum ftudiis, nunc arfit cquorum i 
 i Marmoris, ut cboris fabros, ut aeris amavit j 
 Sufpendit pi&a vultum mentemque tabella : 
 k Nunc tibicinibus, nunc eft gavifa tragcedis : 
 1 Sub nutrice puella velut fi luderet infans, 
 Quod cupide petiit, mature plena reliquit. 
 Quid placet aut odio eft, quod non mutabile credas ? 
 31 Hoc paces habuere bonae, ventique fecundi. 
 
 n Romze dulce diu fuit & folenne reclufa 
 Mane domo vigilare, clieriti prom'ere jura, 
 
 Cautos
 
 f 93 1 
 
 * When angry patriots, or in profe or rhymes, 
 Extol the virtuous deeds of former times, 100 
 
 They only mean the prefent to difgrace, 
 And look with envious hate on all in place : 
 f But had the patriots of thofe ancient days 
 Play'd the fame game for profit, or for praife, 
 The trade, tho' now fo flouriming and new, 105 
 
 Had long been ruin'd and the nation too. 
 
 8 ENGLAND, when once of peace and wealth pofleft, 
 Began to think frugality a jeft, 
 So grew polite ; hence all her well-bred heirs 
 h Gamefters and jockies turn'd, and cricket-play'rs ; 
 1 Pictures and bufts in ev'ry houfe were feen j 1 1 r 
 What fhould have paid the butcher, bought POUSSIN 5- 
 k Now operas, now plays were all the fafhion, 
 Then whift became the bus'nefs of the nation, 
 1 That, like a froward child, in wanton play 115 
 
 Now cries for toys, then tofles them away ; 
 Each hour we chang'd our pleafures, drefs, and diet ; 
 *" Thefe were the bleft effects of being quiet. 
 
 n Not thus behav'd the true old Englifli 'fquire, 
 He fmok'd his pipe each morn by his own fire, 120 
 
 There
 
 C 94 ] 
 
 Cautos nominibus re&is cxpendere nummos, 
 
 Majores audire, minores dicere per quze 
 Crefcere res poflet, minui damnofa libido. 
 
 P Mutavit mentem populus levis ; & calet uno 
 Scribendi ftudio : pueri, patrefque feveri 
 s Fronde comas vinH ccenant, & carmina distant. 
 
 1 Ipfe ego, qui null us me affirmo fcribere verfus, 
 Inventor Parthis mendacior ; & prius orto 
 Sole, vigil calamum & chartas & fcrinia pofco. 
 
 * Navem agere ignarus navis timet j abrotonum 
 
 asgro 
 Non audet nifi qui didicit, dare j quod medicorum eft, 
 
 Promittunt
 
 C 95 ] 
 
 There juftice to difpenfe was ever willing, 
 And for his warrants piclc'd up many a (hilling : 
 To teach his younger neighbours always glad, 
 Where for their corn beft markets might be had, 
 And from experienc'd age as glad to learn, 125 
 
 How to defraud unfeen the parfon's barn. 
 
 p But now the world's quite alter'd, all are bent 
 To leave their feats, and fly to parliament : 
 Old men and boys in this alone agree, 
 And, vainly courting popularity, 130 
 
 Ply their obftrep'rous voters all night long 
 * With bumpers, toafts, and now and then a fong : 
 r Ev'n I, who fvvear thefe follies I defpife, 
 Than ftatefmen, or their porters, tell more lies; 
 And, for the fafhion-fake, in fpite of nature, 135 
 
 Commence fometimes a moft important creature, 
 
 Bufy as CAR w rave for ink and quills, 
 
 And fluff my head and pockets full of bills. 
 
 8 Few land-men go to fea unlefs they're preft, 
 And quacks in all profeffions are a jeft ; 140 
 
 None dare to kill, except moft learn'd phyficians : 
 'd, or unlearn'd, we all are politicians. 
 
 There's
 
 f 96 J 
 
 Promittunt rnedici, : tractant fabrilia fabri : 
 Scribimus indofH do&ique poemata paflim. 
 
 1 Hie error tamen, & levis hxc infania quantas 
 Virtutes habeat, fie collige : Vatis avarus 
 
 * Non temere eft animus ; verfus amar, hoc ftudet 
 
 unum; 
 w Detrimenta, fugas fervorum, incendia ridet ; 
 
 * Non fraudem focio, puerove incogitat ullurn 
 Pupillo, y vivit filiquis, & pane fecundo. 
 
 f Militiae quanquam piger & malus, utilis urbi ; 
 * Si das hoc parvis quoque rebus magna juvari 
 11 Os tenerum pueri balbumque poeta figurat ; 
 c Torquet ab obfcoenis jam nunc fermonibus aurem i 
 
 * Mox etiam pedlus praeceptis format amicis, 
 Afperitatis. & invidiae correftor, & irae j 
 
 Rede
 
 C 97 1 
 
 There's not a foul but thinks, could he be fent, 
 H' has parts enough to fhine in parliament. 
 
 1 Tho' many ills this modern tafte produces, 145 
 Yet ftill, my lord, 'tis not without its ufes j 
 u Thefe minor politicians are a kind 
 Not much to felfifli avarice inclin'd ; 
 Do but allow them with applaufe to fpeakj 
 w They little care, tho' all their tenants break ; 150 
 x They form intrigues with no man's wife, or daughter, 
 Y And live on pudding, chicken-broth, and water j 
 2 Fierce Jacobites, as far as bluft'ring words, 
 But loth in any caufe to draw their fwords. 
 
 a Were fmaller matters worthy of attention, 155 
 A thoufand other ufes I could mention ; 
 For inftance, in each monthly magazine 
 Their efTays and orations ftill are feen, 
 b And magazines teach boys and girls to read, 
 And are the canons of each tradefman's creed } 160 
 Apprentices they ferve to entertain, 
 * Inftead of fmutty tales, and plays profane ; 
 d Inftrucl: them how their paffions to command, 
 And to hate none but thofe who rule the knd : 
 
 VOL. I. H Fafts
 
 [ 98 ] 
 
 c Re&e fa&a refert ; orientia tempora notis 
 Inftruit exemplis ; f inopem folatur & negrum. 
 
 * Caftis cum pueris ignara puella mariti 
 Difceret unde preces, vatem ni mufa dediflet ? 
 Pofcit opem chorus, & praefentia numina fentir, 
 h Cceleftes implorat aquas do&a prece blandus ; 
 1 Avertitmorbos, metuenda pericula pellit; 
 k Impetrat & paccm, & locuplctem frugibus annum. 
 1 Carmine Dii fuperi placantur, carmine Manes. 
 
 m Agricolae prifci, fortes, parvoque beat!-, 
 n Condita poft frumenta, levantes tcmpore fefto 
 Corpus, & ipfum animum fpe finis dura ferentem, 
 Cum fociis operum, & pueris, & conjuge fida, 
 Tellurem porco, Sylvanum ladle piabant, 
 Floribus & vino Ge'nium, memorem brevis xvl. 
 
 Fefcennina
 
 [ 99 ] 
 
 8 Facts they record, births, marriages, and deaths, 165 
 f Sometimes receipts for claps, and {linking breaths. 
 
 s When with her brothers mifs comes up to town, 
 How for each play can fhe afford a crown ? 
 Where find diver fions gratis, and yet pretty, 
 Unlefs fhe goes to church, or a committee ? 170 
 
 And fure committees better entertain, 
 h Than hearing a dull parfon pray for rain, 
 j Or whining beg deliverance from battle, 
 Dangers, and fins, and ficknefs amongft cattle ; 
 At church fhe hears with unattentive ear 175 
 
 k The pray'rs for peace, and for a plenteous year, 
 But here quite charm'd with fo much wit and fenfe, 
 She falls a victim foon to eloquence; 
 Well may fhe fall, fince eloquence has power 
 1 To govern both the upper houfe and lower. 180 
 
 m Our ancient gentry, frugal, bold, and rough, 
 Were farmers, yet liv'd happily enough ; 
 n They, when in barns their corn was fafely laid, 
 For harveft-homes great entertainments made, 
 The well-rubb'd tables crack'd with beef and pork, 
 And all the fupper fhar'd who fhar'd the work; 186 
 H 2 "This
 
 [ 100 ] 
 
 Fefcennina per hunc invcnta licentia moretn 
 
 Verilbus alternis opprobria ruftica fudit ; 
 
 p Libertafque recurrentes accepta per annos 
 
 Lufit amabiliter, donee jam faevus apertam 
 
 i In rabiem verti coepit jocus, & per honefhs 
 
 Ire domos impune minax : doluere cruento 
 
 r Dente laceffiti : fuit intadis quoque cura 
 
 Conditione fuper communi : quin etiam lex 
 
 3 Poenaque lata, malo quae nollet carmine quenquam 
 
 Defcribi : vertere modum, formidine fuftis, 
 
 Ad bene dicendum, dele&andumque redu&i. 
 
 1 Graecia capta ferum viftorem cepit, & artes 
 
 Intulit agrefti Latio, fie horridus ille 
 
 " Dcfiuxit numerus Saturnius ; & grave virus 
 
 Munditiae pepulere : fed in longum tamen aevum 
 
 w Manferunt, hodieque manent veftigia ruris. 
 
 x Serus enim Graecis admcvit acumina chartis ; 
 Et poft Punica bella quietus, quaerere coepit 
 Quid Sophocles, & Thefpis, & ^Efchylus utile ferrent. 
 Tentavit quoque rem, fi digne vertere poflet, 
 ^ Et placuit fibi, natura fublimis & acer : 
 Nam fpirat tragicum fatis, & feliciter audet > 
 
 z Sed
 
 
 This gave freeholders firft a tafte for eating, 
 
 And was the fource of all ele&ion-treating ; 
 
 p A while their jefts, tho' merry, yet were wife, 
 
 And they took none but decent liberties. 190 
 
 Brandy and punch at length fuch riots bred, 
 
 q No fober family could fleep in bed : 
 
 r All were alarm'd, ev'n thofe who had no hurt 
 
 s Call'd in the law, to flop fuch dang'rous fport. 
 
 1 Rich citizens at length new arts brought down 195 
 
 With ready cnfli, to win each country town ; 
 
 u This lefs diforders caus'd than downright drink, 
 
 Freemen grew civil, and began to think ; 
 
 w But ftill all canvafllng produc'd confufion, 
 
 The relics of its ruftic inftitution. 2CO 
 
 * 'Tis but of late, fmce thirty years of peace 
 To ufeful fciences have giv'n increafe, 
 That we've inquir'd how ROME'S loft fons of old 
 Barter'd their liberties for feafts and gold ; 
 What treats proud SYLLA, C^SAR, CRASSUS gave, 
 And try'd, like them, to buy each hungry knave; 206 
 Nor try'd in vain j r too fortunately bold 
 Many have purchased votes, and many fold ; 
 
 H 3 No
 
 [ 102 ] 
 
 z Sed turpem putat in fcriptis, metuitque Hturarn. 
 * Creditur ex medio quia res arceflit, habere 
 b Sudoris minimum ; fed habet Co'moedia tanto 
 Plus oneris, quanto veniae minus : e Afpice Plautus 
 d Quo pado partes tutetur amantis ephebi ! 
 e Ut patris attend j f lenonis ut infidiofi ; 
 Quantus fit Dorfennus g edacibus in parafitis ; 
 b Quam non adftrio percurrat pulpita focco : 
 1 Geftit enim nummos in loculos demittere, poft hoc 
 Securus cadat, an reto ftet fabula talo. 
 
 k Quern tulit ad fcenam ventofo gloria curru, 
 Exanimat lentus fpe6lator, fedulus inflat;
 
 [ io 3 3 
 
 No laws can now amend this venal land, 
 
 z That dreads the touch of a reforming hand. 210 
 
 Some think an int'reft may be form'd with eafe, 
 3 Becaufe the vulgar we muft chiefly pleafe ; 
 b But for that reafon 'tis the harder tafk, 
 For fuch will neither pardon grant, nor afk. 
 c See how Sir W . , matter of this art, 215 
 
 By different methods wins each C n heart. 
 d He tells raw youths, that whoring is no harm, 
 c And teaches their attentive fires to farm 5 
 To his own table lovingly invites 
 
 f Infidious pimps, and g hungry parafites : 220 
 
 b Sometimes in flippers, and a morning gown, 
 
 He pays his early vifits round a town, 
 
 At ev'ry houfe relates his ftories over, 
 
 Of place-bills, taxes, turnips, and HANOVER ; 
 
 1 If tales will money fave, and buflnefs do, 225 
 
 It matters little, are they falfe or true. 
 
 k Whoe'er prefers a clam'rous mob's applaufe 
 
 To his own confcience, or his country's caufe, 
 
 Is foon elated, and as foon caft down 
 
 By ev'ry drunken cobler's fmile, or frown j 230 
 
 H 4 'So
 
 1 Sic leve, fie parvum eft, animum quod laudis avarum 
 Submit aut reficit. m Valeat res ludicra, fi me 
 Palma negata macrum, donata reducit opimum. 
 
 n Saepe etiam audacem fugat hoc terretque poetam, 
 Quod numero plures, virtute & honore minores, 
 Indo&i ftolidique, & depugnare parati 
 Si difcordet eques, media inter carmina pofcunt 
 Aut urfum, aut pugiles ; his nam plebecula gaudet. 
 p Verum equitis quoque jam migravit ab aure voluptas 
 Omnis ad incertos oculos, & gaudia vana. 
 Quatuor aut plures Aulaea premuntur in horas, 
 * Dum fugiunt equitum turmae, peditumque catervae j 
 Mox trahitur manibus regum fortuna retortis, 
 Efleda feftinant, pilenta, petorrita, naves, 
 T Captivum portatur ebur, captiva Corinthus. 
 Si foret in terris rideret Democritus, feu 
 Diverfum confufa genus panthera camelo ; 
 Sive elephas albus vulgi converteret ora : 
 Spe&aret populum ludis attentius ipfis, 
 Ut fibi praebentem mimo fpeftacula plura. 
 
 Scriptpres
 
 [ 105 3 
 
 1 So fmall a matter can deprefs or raife 
 
 A mind that's meanly covetous of praife : 
 
 But if my quiet muft dependent be 
 
 On the vain breath of popularity, 
 
 A wind each hour to different quarters veering, 235 
 
 m Adieu, fay I, to all electioneering. 
 
 n The boldeft orator it difconcerts, 
 To find the many, tho' of meaneft parts, 
 Illit'rate, fquabbling, difcontented prigs, 
 Fitter t' attend a boxing-match at FIGG'S, 240 
 
 To all good fenfe and reafon (hut their ears, 
 Yet take delight in S D M'S bulls and bears. 
 
 p Young knights now fent from many a diftant fhire 
 Are better pleas'd with what they fee than hear ; 
 Their joy's to view his majefty approach, 245 
 
 Drawn by eight milk-white fteeds in gilded coach, 
 The pageant mow and buftle to behold, 
 i The guards both horfe and foot lac'd o'er with gold, 
 The rich infignia from the Tower brought down, 
 r The iv'ry fcepter and the radiant crown. 250 
 
 The mob huzza, the thund'ring cannons roar, 
 And bufmefs is delay 'd at leaft an hour $ 
 
 The
 
 [ io6 ] 
 
 Scriptorcs autem narrare putaret afello 
 
 * Fabellam furdo : nam quae pervincere voces 
 Evaluere fonum, referent quern noftra theatra ? 
 Garganum mugire putes nemus, aut mare Tufcum : 
 Tanto cum ftrepitu ludi fped-bntur, & artes, 
 Divitiaeque peregrinae; l quibus oblitus alor 
 Quum ftetit in fcena, concurrit dextera laeva?. 
 
 * Dixit adhuc aliquid ? Nil fane : quid placet ergo ? 
 Lana Tarentino violas imitata veneno. 
 
 w Ac ne forte putes me, quae facere ipfe recufem, 
 Quum recte tra&ent alii, laudare maligne j 
 x Hie per extentum funem mihi pofle videtur 
 Ire poeta, meum qui pe6lus inaniter angit. 
 i Irritat, mulcet, z falils terroribus implet, 
 
 * Ut magus, & b modo me Thebis, modo ponit Athenis. 
 
 c Verum age, & his, qui fe lectori credere malunt, 
 Quam fpedtatoris faftidia ferre fuperbi, 
 Curam redde brevem ; d fi munus Apolline dignum 
 Vis complere libris, e & vatibus addere calcar, 
 Ut ftudio majore petant Helicona virentem. 
 
 Multa
 
 [ io; 3 
 
 The Speaker calls indeed to mind what paflcs, 
 
 * But might as well read orders to deaf afies. 
 
 1 But now fee honeft V rife to joke ! 255 
 
 The houfe all laugh ; u What fays he ? has he fpoke ? 
 No not a word. Then whence this fudden mirth ? 
 His phyz foretels fome jeft's approaching birth. 
 
 w But left I feem thefe orators to wrong, 
 Envious becaufe I fliare no gift of tongue, 260 
 
 * Is there a MAN whofe eloquence has pow'r 
 To clear the fulleft houfe in half an hour, 
 Who now appears to rave and now to weep, 
 
 y Who fometimes makes us fwear, and fometimes fleep, 
 z Now fills our heads with falfe alarms from FRANCE, 
 a Then conjurer like b to INDIA bids us dance ? 266 
 All eulogies on him we own are true, 
 For furely he does all that man can do. 
 
 c But whilft, my lord, thefe makers of our laws, 
 Thus fpeak themfelves into the world's applaufe, 270 
 d Let bards, for fuch attempts too modeft, fliare 
 What more they prize, your patronage and care, 
 e If you would fpur them up the mufe's hill, 
 Or afk their aid your library to fill. 
 
 'We
 
 c IDS r 
 
 f Multa quidem nobis facimus mala fiepe poetae, 
 ? (Ut vincta egomct caedam mea) quum tibi libruin 
 k Ssollicito damus, aut feflb j quum lasdimur, unum 
 ' Siquls amicorum eft aufus reprendere verfum : 
 k Quum loca, jam recitata revolvimus inrevocati, 
 1 Quum lamentamur, non apparere labores 
 Noftros, & tenui dedu<5ta poemata filo : 
 n Quum fperamus eo rem venturam, ut fimul atquc 
 Carmina refcieris nos fingere, commodus ultro 
 Arceflas, & egere vetes, & fcribere cogas. 
 
 n Scd tamen eft operae pretium cognofcere, quales 
 ^dituos habcat belli, fpelata domique 
 Virtus, indigno non committenda poetas. 
 Gratus Alexandro regi Magno fuit ille 
 Chcerilus, incultis qui verfibus & male natis 
 Rettulit acceptos, regale numifma, Philippos. 
 Sed veluti traclata notam labemque remittunt 
 Atramenta, fere fcriptores carmine foedo 
 Splendida fala linunt. idem rex ille, poema 
 Qui tarn ridiculum tarn care prodigus emit, 
 Edi&o vetuit, nequis fe praeter Apellem 
 Pingeret, aut alius JLyfippo duceret aera 
 
 P Fortis
 
 [ io 9 ] 
 
 f We poets are, in ev'ry age and nation, 275 
 
 A mod abfurd, wrong-headed generation ; 
 
 This in a thoufand inftances is fhown, 
 
 8 (Myfelf as guilty as the reft I own) 
 
 As when on you our nonfenfe we impofe, 
 
 h Tir'd with the ncnfenfe you have heard in profe ; 280 
 
 1 When we're offended, if fome honeft friend 
 
 Prefumes one unharmonious verfe to mend ; 
 
 k When undefir'd our labours we repeat, 
 
 1 Grieve they're no more regarded by the Great, 
 
 m And fancy, fhould You once but fee our faces, 285 
 
 You'd bid us write, and pay us all with places. 
 
 n 'Tis yours, my lord, to form the foul to verfe, 
 Who have fuch num'rous virtues to rehearfe ; 
 e Great ALEXANDER once, in ancient days, 
 Paid CHOERILUS for daubing him with praife; 290 
 And yet the fame fam'd hero made a law, 
 None but APELLES ihould his picture draw ; 
 
 None
 
 [ no ] 
 
 P Fortis Alexandri vultum fimulantia, quod fi 
 Judicium fubtile videndis artibus illud 
 Ad libros, & ad haec Mufarum dona vocares, 
 i Baeotum in craflb jurares aere natum. 
 
 r At neque dedecorant tua de fe judicia, atque 
 Munera, quae multa dantis cum laude tulerunt, 
 Delecli tibi Virgilius, Variufque poetse : 
 8 Nee magis expreffi vultus per aenea figna 
 Quam per vatis opus mores animique virorum 
 Clarorum apparent. l Nee fermones ego mallem 
 Repentes per humum, quam res componere geftas ; 
 Terrarumque fitus, & flumina dicere, & arces 
 Montibus impofitas, & barbara regna, tuifque 
 
 Aulpiciis
 
 [ III ] 
 
 * None but LYSIPPUS caft his royal head 
 In brafs : it had been treafon if in lead ; 
 A prince he was in valour ne'er furpafs'd, 295 
 
 And had in painting too perhaps fome tafte ; 
 But as to verfe, undoubted is the matter, 
 9 He muft be dull, as a Dutch commentator. 
 T But you, my lord, a fav'rite of the mufe, 
 Would chufe good poets, were there good to chufe ; 
 s You know they paint the great man's foul as like, 
 As can his features KNELLER, or VANDYKE. 
 Had I fuch pow'r, I never would compofe 
 Such creeping lines as thefe, nor verfe, nor profe ; 
 But rather try to celebrate your praife, 305 
 
 " And with your juft encomiums fwell my lays : 
 Had I a genius equal to my will, 
 Gladly would I exert my utmoft fkill 
 To confecrate to fame BRITANNIA'S land 
 Receiving law from your impartial hand ; 310 
 
 By your wife counfels once more pow'rful made, 
 Her fleets rever'd, and flourifhing her trade ; 
 
 5 w Exhaufted
 
 [ 112 ] 
 
 * Aufpiciis totum cor.fe&a duella per orbem, 
 Clauftraque cuflodem pads cohibentia Janum, 
 w Et formidatam Parthis te principe Romam ; 
 
 u Si, quantum cuperem, pofTem quoque ; * fed neque 
 
 parvum 
 
 Carmen majeftas recipit tua, nee meus audet 
 Rem tentare pudor quam vires ferre recufent. 
 
 * Sedulitas autem, ftulte quern diligit, urguet 
 Praecipue cum fe numeris commendat & arte : 
 Difcit enim citius meminitque libentius, illud 
 Quod quis deridet, quam quod probat & veneratur. 
 Nil moror officium quod me gravat: ac neque fidlo 
 In pejus vultu proponi cereus ufquam, 
 
 Nee prave fadlis decorari verfibus opto : 
 Ne rubeam pingui donatus munere, & una 
 Cum fcriptore meo, capfa porre6lus aperta, 
 a Deferar in vicum vendentem thus & odores, 
 Et piper, & quicquid chartis amicitur ineptis.
 
 C us ] 
 
 w Exhaufted nations trembling at her fword, 
 
 * And * PEACE long wifti'd-for to the world reftor'd. 
 
 y But your true greatnefs fuffers no fuch praife, 315 
 z My verfe would fink the theme it meant to raife ; 
 Unequal to the tafk would furely meet 
 Deferv'd contempt, and each prefumptuous fheet 
 Could ferve for nothing, fcrawl'd with lines fo fimple, 
 a Unlefs to wrap up fugar-loaves for Wimple. 320 
 
 * A general peace was at this time juft concluded at 
 Aix la Chapelle. 
 
 VOL. I. I TO
 
 TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE 
 
 THE EARL OF CHESTERFIELD, 
 
 ON HIS BEING INSTALLED 
 
 KNIGHT OF THE GARTER. 
 
 HE S E trophies, STANHOPE, of a lovely dame, 
 Once the bright object of a monarch's flame, 
 Who with fuch juft propriety can wear, 
 As thou the darling of the gay and fair ? 
 See ev'ry friend to wit, politenefs, love, 
 With one confent thy Sovereign's choice approve J 
 And liv'd PLANTAGENET her voice to join, 
 Herfelf, and GARTER, both were furely thine. 
 
 T O
 
 [ us 3 
 
 T O A 
 
 LADY IN TOWN, 
 
 SOON AFTER HER LEAVING THE COUNTRY. 
 
 "TTyTHILST you, dear maid, o'er thoufands born 
 
 to reign, 
 
 For the gay town exchange the rural plain, 
 TTie cooling breeze, and ev'ning walk forfake 
 For ftifling crowds, which your own beauties make ; 
 Thro' circling joys while you inceflant ftray, 
 Charm in the Mall, and fparkle at the play ; 
 Think (if fucceffive vanities can fpare 
 One thought to love) what cruel pangs I bear, 
 Left in thefe plains all wretched, and alone, 
 To weep with fountains, and with echos groan, 
 And mourn inceffantly that fatal day, 
 That all my blifs with CHLOE fnatch'd away. 
 
 Say by what arts I can relieve my pain, 
 Mufic, verfe, all I try, but try in vain - t 
 
 1 2 In
 
 [ 1x6 ] 
 
 In vain the breathing flute my hand employs, 
 Late the companion of my CHLOE'S voice, 
 Nor HANDEL'S nor COREL LI'S tuneful airs 
 Can harmonize my foul, or footh my cares ; 
 Thofe once-lov'd med'cines unfuccefsful prove, 
 Mufic, alas, is but the voice of love ! 
 In vain I oft harmonious lines perufe, 
 And feek for aid from POPE'S, and PRIOR'S mufej 
 Their treach'rous numbers but aflift the foe, 
 And call forth fcenes of fympathifmg woe : 
 Here HELOISE mourns her abfent lover's charms, 
 There parting EMMA figns in HENRY'S arms 3 
 Their loves like mine ill-fated I bemoan, 
 And in their tender forrows read my own. 
 
 Reftlefs fometimes, as oft the mournful dove 
 Forfakes her neft forfaken by her love, 
 I fly from home, and feek the facred fields 
 Where CAM'S old urn its filver current yields, 
 Where folemn tow'rs o'erlook each mofly grove, 
 As if to guard it from th' aflaults of love ; 
 Yet guard in vain, for there my CHLOE'S eyes 
 But lately made whole colleges her prize ; 
 
 Her
 
 C 7 ] 
 
 Her fons, tho' few, not PALLAS cou'd defend, 
 
 Nor DULNESS fuccour to her thoufands lendj 
 
 Love like a fever with infectious rage 
 
 Scorch'd up the young, and thawM the froft of age, 
 
 To gaze at her, ev'n DONNS were feen to run, 
 
 And leave unfmifli'd pipes, and authors fcarce begun. 
 
 * So HELEN look'd, and mov'd with fuch a grace, 
 When the grave feniors of the Trojan race 
 Were forc'd thofe fatal beauties to admire, 
 That all their youth confum'd, and fet their town on fire. 
 
 At fam'd NEWMARKET oft I fpend the day 
 An unconcern'4 fpe&ator of the play ; 
 There pitilefs obferve the ruin'd heir 
 With anger fir'd, or melting with defpair ; 
 For how mou'd I his trivial lofs bemoan, 
 Who feel one, fo much greater, of my own ? 
 There while the golden heaps, a glorious prize, 
 Wait the decifion of two rival dice, 
 Whilft long difputes 'twixtfeven and five remain, 
 And each, like parties, have their friends for gain, 
 
 * Vid. Horn. II. Lib. III. Ver. 150. 
 
 I 3 Without
 
 C "8 ] 
 
 Without one wifh I fee the guineas mine, 
 Fate, keep your gold, I cry, make CHLOE mine. 
 Now fee, prepar'd their utmoft fpeed to try, 
 O'er the fmooth turf the bounding racers fly ! 
 Now more and more their flender limbs they {train, 
 And foaming ftretch along the velvet plain ! 
 Ah ftay ! fvvift fteeds, your rapid flight delay, 
 No more the jockey's fmarting lam obey : 
 But rather let my hand direct the rein, 
 And guide your fteps a nobler prize to gain ; 
 Then fwift as eagles cut the yielding air, 
 Bear me, oh bear me to the abfent fair. 
 
 Now when the winds are hufh'd, the air ferene, 
 And chearful funbeams gild the beauteous fcene, 
 Penfive o'er all the neighb'ring fields I ftray, 
 Where'er or choice, or chance directs the way : 
 Or view the op'ning lawns, or private woods, 
 Or diftant blmim hills, or filver floods : 
 Now harmlefs birds in filken nets infnare, 
 Now with fwift dogs purfue the flying hare : 
 Dull fports ! for oh my CHLOE is not there ! 
 
 Fatigu'd,
 
 C "9 ] 
 
 Fatigu'd, at length I willingly retire 
 To a fmall ftudy, and a cheerful fire ; 
 There o'er fome folio pore, I pore 'tis true, 
 But oh my thoughts are fled, and fled to you ! 
 I hear you, fee you, feaft upon your eyes, 
 And clafp with eager arms the lovely prize ; 
 Here for a while I cou'd forget my pain, 
 Whilft, I by dear reflection live again: 
 But ev'n thefe joys are too fublime to lafr, 
 And quickly fade, like all the real ones paft ; 
 For juft when now beneath fome filent grove 
 I hear you talk and talk perhaps of love 
 Or charm with thrilling notes the lift'ning ear, 
 Sweeter than angels fmg, or angels hear, 
 My treach'rous hand its weighty charge lets go, 
 The book falls thund'ring on the floor below, 
 The pleafing vifion in a moment's gone, 
 And I once more am wretched, and alone. 
 
 So when glad ORPHEUS from th' infernal fhade 
 Had juft recall'd his long-lamented maid, 
 Soon as her charms had reach'd his eager eyes, 
 J^oft in eternal night again (he dies. 
 
 1 4 To
 
 C 120 ] 
 
 To a LADY. 
 
 SENT WITH A PRESENT OF SHELLS AND STONES 
 DESIGNED FOR A GROTTO. 
 
 WITH gifts like thefe,- the fpoils of neighb'ring 
 fhores, 
 
 The Indian fwain his fable love adores ; 
 OfPrings well fuited to the dufky fhrine 
 Of his rude goddefs, but unworthy mine : 
 And yet they feem not fuch a worthlefs prize, 
 If nicely view'd by philofophic eyes ; 
 And fuch are yours, that nature's works admire 
 With warmth like that, which they themfelves infpire. 
 
 To fuch how fair appears each grain of fand, 
 Or humbleft weed, as wrought by nature's hand ! 
 How far fuperior to all human pow'r 
 Springs the green blade, or buds the painted flow'r ! 
 In all her births, tho' of the meaneft kinds, 
 A juft obferver entertainment finds, 
 With fond delight her low productions fees, 
 And how (he gently rifes by degrees j 
 
 A fhell,
 
 A fhell, or ftone, he can with pleafure view, 
 
 Hence trace her nobleft works, the heav'ns and you* 
 
 Behold, how bright thefe gaudy trifles fhine, 
 The lovely fportings .of a hand divine ! 
 See with what art each curious (hell is made, 
 Here carv'd in fretwork, there with pearl inlaid ! 
 What vivid ftreaks th' enamell'd ftones adorn, 
 Fair as the paintings of the purple morn ! 
 Yet ftill not half their charms can reach our eyes, 
 While thus confus'd the fparkling chaos lies ; 
 Doubly they'll pleafe, when in your grotto plac'd, 
 They plainly fpeak their fair difpofer's tafte; 
 Then glories yet unfeen fhall o'er them rife, 
 New order from your hand, new luftre from your eyes. 
 
 How fweet, how charming will appear this Grot, 
 When by your art to full prote&ion brought ! 
 Here verdant plants, and blooming flow'rs will grow, 
 There bubbling currents thro' the (hell-work flow ; 
 Here coral mixt with fhells of various dyes, 
 There polifli'd ftones will charm our wand 'ring eyes : 
 Delightful bow'r of blifs ! fecure retreat ! 
 Fit for the Mufes, and STATIRA'S feat. 
 
 But
 
 C 122 ] 
 
 But ftill how good muft be that fair one's mind, 
 Who thus in folitude can pleafure find ! 
 The mufe her company, good-fenfe her guide, 
 Refiftlefs charms her pow'r, but not her pride : 
 Who thus forfakes the town, the park, and play, 
 In filent {hades to pafs her hours away ; 
 Who better likes to breathe frefh country air, 
 Than ride imprifon'd in a velvet chair j 
 And makes the warbling nightingale her choice, 
 Before the thrills of FARINELLI'S voice ; 
 Prefers her books, and confcience void of ill, 
 To conforts, balls, aflemblies, and quadrille : 
 Sweet bow'rs more pleas'd than gilded chariots fees, 
 For groves the playhoufe quits, and beaus for trees. 
 
 Bleft is the man, whom heav'n fhall grant one hour 
 With fuch a lovely nymph, in fuch a lovely bow'r !
 
 To a LADY, 
 
 IN ANSWER TO A LETTER WROTE IN A VERY FINE 
 HAND. 
 
 1-wrote lines our wond'ring eyes 
 command, 
 
 The beauteous work of CHLOE'S artful hand, 
 Throughout the finim'd piece we fee difplay'd 
 Th' exa&eft image of the lovely maid ; 
 Such is her wit, and fuch her form divine, 
 This pure, as flows the ftyle thro' ev'ry line, 
 That like each letter, exquifitely fine. 
 
 See with what art the fable currents {tain 
 In wand'ring mazes all the milk-white plain! 
 Thus o'er the meadows wrap'd in filver mow 
 Unfrozen brooks in dark meanders flow ; 
 Thus jetty curls in (hining ringlets deck 
 The ivory plain of lovely CHLOE'S neck: 
 See, like fome virgin, whofe unmeaning charms 
 Receive new luftre from a lover's arms, 
 The yielding paper's pure, but vacant bread, 
 By her fair hand and flowing pen Jmprefr, 
 
 5 At
 
 [ 124 ] 
 
 At ev'ry touch more animated grows, 
 And with new life and new ideas glows, 
 Frefli beauties from the kind defiler gains, 
 And fhines each moment brighter from its ftains. 
 
 Let mighty Love no longer boaft his darts, 
 That ftrike unerring, aim'd at mortal hearts ; 
 CHLOE, your quill can equal wonders do, 
 Wound full as fure, and at a diftance too : 
 Arm'd with your faather'd weapons in your hands, 
 From pole to pole you fend your great commands, 
 To diftant climes in vain the lover flies, 
 Your pen o'ertakes him, if he 'fcapes your eyesj 
 So thofe, who from the fvvord in battle run 
 But perifh vi&ims to the diftant gun. 
 
 Beauty's a fliort-liv'd blaze, a fading flow'r, 
 But thefe are charms no ages can devour ; 
 Thefe far fuperior to the brighteft face, 
 Triumph alike o'er time as well as fpace. 
 When that fair form, which thoufands now adore, 
 By years decay'd, fliall tyrannize no more, 
 Thefe lovely lines fhall future ages view, 
 And eyes unborn, like ours, be charm'd by you. 
 
 How
 
 E "5 J 
 
 How oft do I admire with fond delight 
 The curious piece, and wifh like you to write ! 
 Alas, vain hope ! that might as well afpire 
 To copy PAULO'S ftroke, or TITIAN'S fire : 
 Ev'n now your fplendid lines before me lie, 
 And I in vain to imitate them try j 
 Believe me, fair, I'm pra&ifmg this art, 
 To fteal your hand, in hopes to fteal your heart.
 
 [ 126 ] 
 
 -, 
 
 TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE 
 
 LADY MARGARET CAVENDISH HARLEY*, 
 
 PRESENTED WITH A COLLECTION OF POEMS. 
 
 1 1 ^HE tuneful throng was ever beauty's care, 
 
 * And verfe a tribute facred to the fair ; 
 Hence in each age the lovelieft nymph has been, 
 By undifputed right, the mufes queen ; 
 Her fmiles have all poetic bofoms fir'd, 
 And patronis'd the verfe themfelves infpir'd : 
 
 LESBIA 
 
 * Lady Margaret Cavendifh Harley was the only daugh- 
 ter and heirefs of Edward Earl of Oxford and Mortimer, 
 by his wife the Lady Henrietta Caveridilh, fole daughter 
 and heirefs of John Holies Duke of Newcaftle. She mar- 
 ried William the fecond Duke of Portland July n, 1734* 
 who died on the ift of May, 1762 ; her Grace furviving 
 him, departed this life at her feat at Bulftrode, on Monday 
 the 1 8th of June 1785 leaving behind her that famous 
 mufeum, replete with works in the fine arts and a moil 
 extenfive collection of natural hiftory, which, with no lefs 
 induftry than judgment, and at an expence which could be 
 only fupported by her princely fortune, fhe had been the 
 greateft part of her life xollefting j but this colledion, 
 
 however
 
 [ "7 3 
 
 LESBIA prefided thus m Roman times, 
 Thus SACHARISSA reign'd o'er Britim rhymes, 
 And prefent bards to MARGARETTA bow, 
 For what they were of old, is HARLEY now. 
 
 From OXFORD'S houfe, in thefe dull bufy days, 
 Alone we hope for patronage, or praife j 
 He to our flighted labours frill is kind, 
 Beneath his roof w' are ever fure to find 
 (Reward fufficient for the world's neglect) 
 Charms to infpire, and goodnefs to protect ; 
 Your eyes with rapture animate our lays, 
 Your fire's kind hand uprears our drooping bays 5 
 
 however it was gazed at, and with great judgment admired 
 by men of virtu and philofophy of our own and foreign na- 
 tions, yet, when time.fhall have done away all traces of its 
 exiftence, her Grace's unfeigned religion and piety, exadt 
 fulfilment of all domeftic duties, fuperior talents of mind, 
 native dignity amongft her equals, a flowing condefcenfion 
 to her inferiors, which made thofe whom fhe honoured with 
 her acquaintance forget the difference of their ftations, oni- 
 verfal benevolence, and the moft amiable fweetnefs of tem- 
 per, will caufe her ever to be remembered amongft the moft 
 famous of her fex, whofe fuperior characters reflect a luflre 
 on the Britifh nation. . 
 
 Form'd
 
 f s 3 
 
 Form'd for our glory and fupport, ye feetn, 
 Our conftant patron he, and you our theme. 
 Where fhou'd poetic homage then be pay'd ? 
 Where ev'ry verfe, but at your feet, be lay'd ? 
 A double right you to this empire bear, 
 As firft in beauty, and as OXFORD'S heir. 
 
 Illuftrious maid ! in whofe fole perfon join'd 
 Ev'ry perfection of the fair we find, 
 Charms that might warrant all her fex's pride, 
 Without one foible of her fex to hide ; 
 Good-nature artlefs as the bloom that dyes 
 Her cheeks, and wit as piercing as her eyes. 
 Oh HARLEY ! cou'd but you thefe lines approve, 
 Thefe children fprung from idlenefs and love, 
 Cou'd they, (but ah how vain is the defign !) 
 Hope to amufe your hours, as once they've mine, 
 Th' ill -judging world's applaufe, and critics blame, 
 Alike I'd fcorn : your approbation's fame. 
 
 HORACE,
 
 HORACE, 
 
 BOOK II. ODE XVI. 
 IMITATED. 
 
 VOL. I.
 
 [ i3o 3 
 
 H O R A T I I, 
 LIB. II. OD. XVI. 
 
 1. f*\ TI U M divos rogat in patent! 
 ^^ Prenfus ^Egeo, fimul atra nubes 
 
 Condidit Lunam, neque certa fulgent ; 
 Sidera nautis ; 
 
 2. Otium bello furiofa Thrace, 
 Otium Medi pharetra decori, 
 Grofphe, non gemmis neque purpurl 
 
 venale, nee auro. 
 
 3. Non enim gazae, neque confularis 
 Summovet li&or miferos tumultuS 
 Mentis, & curas laqueata circum 
 
 Te&a volantes. 
 
 4. Vivitur parvo bene, cui paternunt 
 Splendet in mensa tenui falinum ; 
 Nee leves fomnos timer aut cupido 
 
 Sordidus aufert. 
 
 Quid
 
 HORACE, 
 
 BOOK II. ODE XVI. 
 
 IMITATED. 
 
 To the Hon. PHILIP YORKE, Efq. 
 
 SOON AFTER THE GENERAL ELECTION IN 1747. 
 
 1. Tj> O R quiet, YORK.E, the failor cries, 
 
 ^- When gathering ftorms obfcure the fides. 
 The ftars no more appearing j 
 
 2. The candidate for quiet prays, 
 Sick of the bumpers and huzzas 
 
 Of bleft electioneering. 
 
 3; Who thinks, that from the Speaker's chair 
 The Serjeant's mace can keep off care, 
 
 Is wond'roufly miftaken : 
 4. Alas! he is not half fo bleft 
 
 As thofe, who've liberty, and reft, 
 
 And dine on beans and bacon. 
 
 K 2 5. Why
 
 C 132 3 
 
 Quid brevi fortes jaculamur xvo 
 Multa ? quid terras alio calente 
 
 5. Sole mutamus ? patrise quis exul 
 
 Se quoque fugit ? 
 
 6. Scandit aeratas vitiofa naves 
 
 Cura ; nee turmas equitum relinquit, 
 Ocyor cervis, & agente nimbos 
 Ocyor Euro. 
 
 7. Lsetus in praefens animus quod ultra eft 
 Oderit curare, & arnara lento 
 Temperet rifu. Nihil eft ab omni 
 
 8. Parte beatum. 
 
 9. Abftulit
 
 [ 133 3 
 
 5- Why fhould we then to London run, 
 And quit our chearful country fun 
 
 For bufinefs, dirt, and fmoke ? 
 Can we, by changing place and air, 
 Ourfelves get rid of, or our care ? 
 
 In troth 'tis all a joke. 
 
 6. Care climbs proud (hips of mightieft force, 
 And mounts behind the General's horfe, 
 
 Outftrips hufiars and pandours ; 
 Far fwifter than the bounding hind, 
 Swifter than clouds before the wind, 
 
 Or COPE* before th' Highlanders. 
 
 7. A man, when once he's fafely chofe, 
 Should laugh at all his threatening foes, 
 
 Nor think of future evil : 
 Each good has its attendant ill ; 
 
 8. A feat is no bad thing, but ftill 
 
 Elections are the devil. 
 
 * General Cope, in the year 1745, had made a ver y P re ~ 
 cipitate retreat, before the rebel army, from Prefton Panns 
 to Edinburgh. 
 
 K 3 9- Its
 
 [ 134 ] 
 
 g. Abftulit clarum cita mors Achillem ; 
 
 10. Longa Tithonum minuit fene<tus; 
 Et mihi forfan, tibi quod negarit, 
 
 Porriget hora. 
 
 11. Te greges centum, Siculasque circum- 
 Mugiunt vaccae ; tibi tollit hinni- 
 
 12. Turn apta quadrigis equa ; te bis Afro 
 
 Murice tindlae 
 
 Veftiunt lanae: 13. mihi parva rura et 
 14. Spiritum Graiae tenuem Camoenae 
 Parca non mendax dedit, & malignum 
 Spernere vulgus. 
 
 HORATII,
 
 [ '35 ] 
 
 9- Its gifts, with hand impartial, Heav'n 
 Divides : to ORFORD it was giv'n 
 To die in full-blown glory ; 
 
 10. To Bath indeed a longer date, 
 But then with unrelenting hate 
 
 Purfu'd by Whig and Tory. 
 
 11. The gods to you with bounteous hand 
 Have granted feats, and parks, and land ; 
 
 Brocades and filks you wear ; 
 With claret and ragouts you treat, 
 
 12. Six neighing fteeds with nimble feet 
 
 Whirl on your gilded car. 
 
 13. To me they've giv'n a fmall retreat, 
 Good port and mutton, beft of meat, 
 
 With broad-cloth on my (boulders, 
 A foul that fcorns a dirty job, 
 
 14. Loves a good rhyme, and hates a mob, 
 
 I mean who a'n't freeholders, 
 
 K 4 HORACE,
 
 t 33* J 
 
 H O R A T I I, 
 LIB. IV. OD. VIII. 
 
 "D 
 
 O N A R E M pateras grataque commodus, 
 Cenforine, meis aera fodalibus : 
 Donarem tripodas, praemia fortium 
 Grajorum ; 2. neque tu peflima munerum 
 Ferres, divite me fcilicet artium, 
 Quas aut Parrhafius protulit aut Scopas ; 
 Hie faxo, liquidis ille coloribus 
 Solers nunc hominem ponere, nunc deum. 
 
 4. Sed
 
 [ 137 ] 
 
 HORACE, 
 
 BOOK IV. ODE VIII. 
 
 IMJTATEa 
 TO THE SAME. 
 
 1. "T\ I D but kind fate to me impart 
 "^"^ Wealth equal to my gen'rous heart, 
 Some c!urious gift to ev'ry friend, 
 
 A token of my love, I'd fend ; 
 
 2. But ftill the choiceft and the beft 
 
 Should be confign'd to friends at WREST. 
 
 An organ, which, if right I guefs, 
 Would beft pleafe lady MARCHIONESS, 
 Should firft be fent by my command, 
 Worthy of her infpiring hand : 
 To lady BELL of niceft mould T 
 
 A coral fet in burnifli'd gold : 
 To you, well knowing what you like, 1 
 
 3. Portraits by LELY or VANDYKE, f 
 A curious bronze, or buft antique. "* 
 
 4. But
 
 C 138 1 
 
 4, Sed non haec mihi vis : nee tibi talium 
 Res eft aut animus deliciarum egens. 
 Gaudes carminibus, carmina poflumus 
 Donare, 5. & pretium dicere muneri. 
 
 6. Non incifa notis marmora publicis, 
 Per quae fpiritus & vita redit bonis 
 Poft mortem ducibus ; non celeres fugae, 
 Reje&aeque retrorfum Annibalis minae ; 
 Non incendia Carthaginis impiae, 
 Ejus qui domita nomen ab Africa 
 Lucratus rediit, clarius indicant 
 Laudes, quam Calabrae Pierides : neque, 
 
 y. Si chartae fileant quod bene feceris, 
 Mercedem tuleris. 8. Quid foret Ilia? 
 Mavortifque puer, fi taciturnitas 
 
 Obftaret
 
 [ 139 1 
 
 4. Sut fmce thefe gifts exceed my power, 
 And you, who need not wifh for more, 
 Already bleft with all that's fine, 
 
 Are pleas'd with verfe, tho' fuch as mine ; 
 
 As poets us'd in ancient times, 
 
 I'll make my prefents all in rhymes ; 
 
 5. And, left you mould forget their worth, 
 
 them I'll fet their value forth. 
 
 6. Not monumental brafs or ftones, 
 The guardians of heroic bones, 
 
 Not victories won by MARIBRO'S fword, 
 Nor titles which thefe feats record, 
 Such glories o'er the dead diffufe, 
 As can the labours of the mufe. 
 
 7. But if (he mould her aid deny, 
 With you your virtues all muft die, 
 Nor tongues unborn mall ever fay 
 How wife, how good, was Lady GREY. 
 
 8. What now had been th' ignoble doom 
 Of him who built imperial ROME ? 
 
 Or
 
 r HO 3 
 
 * 
 
 Obftaret merit! s invida Romuli ? 
 Ereptum Stygiis flu&ibus ^acum 
 Virtus & favor & lingua potentiurn 
 Vatum divitibus confecrat infulis. 
 
 9. Dignum laude virum Mufa vetat mori, 
 Coelo mufa beat : 10 Sic Jovis intereft 
 Optatis epulis impiger Hercule : 
 Clarum Tyndaridae fidus ab infimis 
 Quaflas eripiunt aequoribus rates : 
 Ornatus viridi tempora pampino 
 Liber vota bonos ducit ad exitus.
 
 Or him deferving ten times more, 
 Who fed the hungry, cloth'd the poor, 
 Clear'd ftreams, and bridges laid acrofs, 
 And built the little church of Ross ? 
 Did not th' eternal powers of verfe 
 From age to age their deeds rehearfe. 
 
 9. The mufe forbids the brave to die, . 
 
 Beftowing immortality : 
 lo. Still by her aid in bleft abodes 
 ALCIDES feafts among the Gods ; 
 And royal ARTHUR ftill is able 
 To fill his hofpitable table 
 With Englifh beef, and Englifh knights, 
 And looks with pity down on WHITE'S.
 
 C 142 ] 
 
 To the Hon. Mifs Y O R K Ej 
 
 ON HER MARRIAGE TO LORD ANSONi 
 
 T TICTORIOUS ANSON fee returns 
 
 * From the fubjefted main ! 
 
 With joy each Britifh bofom burns, 
 
 Fearlefs of FRANCE and SPAIN; 
 
 Honours his grateful Sovereign's hand* 
 
 Conqueft his own beftows, 
 Applaufe unfeign'd his native land, 
 
 Unenvy'd wealth her foes. 
 
 But ftili, my fon, BRITANNIA criesj 
 
 Still more thy merits claim ; 
 Thy deeds deferve a richer prize 
 
 Than titles, wealth, or fame. 
 
 Twice wafted fafe from pole to pole 
 
 Th' haft fail'd the globe around ; 
 
 Contains it ought can charm thy foul, 
 Thy fondeft wiflies bound ?
 
 [ '43 ] 
 
 Is there a treafure worth thy car* 
 Within th' incircling line ? 
 
 Say, and I'll weary Heav'n with pray'r 
 To make that treafure thine. 
 
 Heav'n liften'd to BRITANNIA'S voicCj 
 Agreed that more was due : 
 
 He chofe the gods approv'd his choice^ 
 And paid him all in You. 
 
 CHLOE TO STREPHON, 
 A SONG* 
 
 O O plain, dear youth, thefe tell-tale eyes 
 
 My heart your own declare ; 
 But for Heav'n's fake let it fuffice 
 You reign triumphant there. 
 
 Forbear your utmoft pow'r to try, 
 
 Nor farther urge your fway ; 
 Prefs not for what I muft deny, 
 
 For fear I fhould obey. 
 
 5 Could
 
 C '44 J 
 
 Could all your arts fuccefsful prove, 
 Would you a maid undo ? 
 
 Whofe greateft failing is her love, 
 And that her love for you. 
 
 Say, would you ufe that very pow'r 
 You from her fondnefs claim, 
 
 To ruin, in one fatal hour, 
 A life of fpotlefs fame ? 
 
 Ah ! ceafe, my dear, to do an ill, 
 Becaufe perhaps you may ; 
 
 But rather try your utmoft fldll 
 To fave me, than betray. 
 
 Be you yourfelf my virtue's guard, 
 Defend, and not purfue ; 
 
 Since *tis a tafk for me too hard 
 To fight with love and you. 
 
 A SONG.
 
 C 145 ] 
 
 A SONG. 
 
 I E A S E, SALLY, thy charms to expand, 
 
 All thy arts and thy witchcraft forbear, 
 Hide thofe eyes, hide that neck and that hand, 
 And thofe fweet flowing trefles of hair. 
 
 Oh ! torture me not, for Love's fake, 
 
 With the fmirk of thofe delicate lips, 
 
 With that head's dear fignificant (hake, 
 
 And the tofs of the hoop and the hips. 
 
 Oh ! fight ftill more fatal ! look there 
 
 O'er her tucker what murderers peep ! 
 
 So now there's an end of my care, 
 
 I fhall never more eat, drink, or fleep. 
 
 D'you fing too ? ah mifchievous thought ! 
 
 Touch me, touch me not there any more ; 
 Who the devil can 'fcape being caught 
 
 In a trap that's thus baited all o'er ? 
 VOL. I. L But
 
 But why to advife fhou'd I try ? 
 
 What nature ordains we mud prove } 
 You no more can help charming, than I 
 
 Can help being charm'd, and in love. 
 
 A SONG. 
 
 XTT HEN firft I fought fair CJELIA'S love, 
 
 And ev'ry charm was new, 
 I fwore by all the gods above 
 To be for ever true. 
 
 But long in vain did I adore, 
 
 Long wept and figh'd in vain, 
 She ftill protefted, vow'd, and fwore, 
 She ne'er would eafe my pain. 
 
 At laft o'ercome fhe made me bleft, 
 
 And yielded all her charms ; 
 And I forfook her, when pofleft, 
 
 And fled to others' arms. 
 
 But
 
 t 147 ] 
 
 But let not this, dear CJELIA, now 
 To rage thy breaft incline ; 
 
 For why, flnce you forgot your vow, 
 Should I remember mine ? 
 
 THE CHOICE. 
 
 TT AD I, PYGMALION like, the pow'r 
 -- -* To make the nymph I wou'd adore ; 
 The model fhou'd be thus defign'd, .' 
 Like this her form, like this her mind. 
 
 Her Ikin fhou'd be as lilies fair, 
 With rofy cheeks and jetty hair ; 
 Her lips with pure vermilion fpread, 
 And foft and moift, as well as red ; 
 Her eyes fliou'd fhine with vivid light, 
 At once both languishing and bright - y 
 Her fliape fhou'd be exaft and fmall, 
 Her ftature rather low than tall ; 
 
 L2 Her
 
 Her limbs well turn'd^her air arid midn 
 At once both fprightly and ferene j 
 Befides all this, a namelefs grace 
 Shou'd be diffus'd all o'er her face } 
 To make the lovely piece complete, 
 Not only beautiful, but fweet. . 
 
 This for her form : now for her mind j 
 I'd have it open, gen'rous, kind, 
 Void of all coquettifti arts, 
 And vain defigns of conquering hearts, 
 Not fway'd by any views of gain, 
 Nor fond of giving others pain ; 
 But foft, tho' bright, like her own eyes, 
 Difcreetly witty, gayly wife. 
 
 I'd have her fldlFd in ev'ry art 
 That can engage a wand'ring heart ; 
 Know all the fciences of love, 
 Yet ever willing to improve ; 
 To prefs the hand, and roll the eye, 
 And drop fometimes an amorous fi-gh'j 
 
 To
 
 [ 149 3 
 
 To lengthen out the balmy kifs, 
 And heighten ev'ry tender blifs ; 
 And yet I'd have the charmer be 
 By nature only taught, or me. 
 
 I'd have her to ftrict honour ty'd, 
 And yet without one fpark of pride ; 
 In company well dreft and fine, 
 Yet not ambitious to outfhine ; 
 In private always neat and clean, 
 And quite a ftranger to the fpleen ; 
 Well-pleas'd to grace the park, and play, 
 And dance fometimes the night away, 
 But oft'ner fond to fpend her hours 
 in folitude, and fhady bow'rs, 
 And there, beneath fome filent grove, 
 Delight in poetry, and love. 
 
 Some fparks of the poetic fire 
 I fain would have her foul infpire, 
 Enough, at leaft, to let her know 
 What joys from love and virtue flowj 
 
 L 3 Enough,
 
 C '5 ] 
 
 Enough, at leaft, to make her wife, 
 And fops and fopperies defpife 5 
 Prefer her books, and her own mufe, 
 To vifits, fcanda^, chat, and news.; 
 Above her fex exalt her mind, 
 And make her more than woman-kind. 
 
 To a YOUNG LADY, 
 
 GOING TO THE WEST INDIES. 
 
 O R univerfal fway defign'd, 
 
 To diftant realms CLORINDA flies, 
 And fcorns, in one fmall ifle confin'd, 
 
 To bound the conquefts of her eyes. 
 
 From our cold climes to INDIA'S fhore 
 
 With cruel hafte fhe wings her way, 
 
 To fcorch their fultry plains ftill more, 
 And rob us of our only day. 
 
 Whilft
 
 [ I5i 3 
 
 Whilft ev'ry ftreaming eye o'erflows 
 
 With tender floods of parting tears, 
 
 Thy breaft, dear caufe of all our woes, 
 Alone unmov'd, and gay appears. 
 
 But ftill, if right the mufes tell, 
 
 The fated point of time is nigh, 
 
 When grief (hall that fair bofom fwell, 
 And trickle from thy lovely eye. 
 
 Tho' now, like PHILIP'S fon, whofe arms 
 Did once the vaflal world command, 
 
 You rove with unrefifted charms, 
 
 And conquer both by fea and land ; 
 
 Yet when (as foon they muft) mankind 
 
 Shall all be doom'd to wear your chain, 
 
 You too, like him, will weep to find 
 
 No more unconquer'd worlds remain. 
 
 L4 CHLOE
 
 [ 15* 3 
 
 CHLOE ANGLING. 
 
 N yon fair brook's enamell'd fide 
 
 Behold my CHLOE ftands ! 
 Her angle trembles o'er the tide, 
 As confcious of her hands. 
 
 Calm as the gentle waves appear. 
 
 Her thoughts ferenely flow, 
 Calm as the foftly breathing air, 
 
 That curls the brook below. 
 
 Such charms her fparkling eyes difclofe, 
 
 With fuch foft pow'r endu'd, 
 She feems a new-born VENUS, rofe 
 
 From the tranfparent flood. 
 
 From each green bank, and mofly cave., 
 
 The fcaly race repair, 
 They fport beneath the cryftal wave, 
 
 And kifs her image there. 
 
 Here
 
 C 153 3 
 
 Here the bright filver eel enroll'd 
 
 In fhining volumes lies, 
 There bafks the carp bedropt with gold 
 
 In the funftiine of her eyes. 
 
 With hungry pikes in wanton play 
 
 The tim'rous trouts appear j 
 The hungry pikes forget to prey, 
 
 The tim'rous trouts to fear. 
 
 With equal hafte the though tlefs crew 
 
 To the fair tempter fly ; 
 Nor grieve they, whilft her eyes they view 
 
 That by her hand they die. 
 
 Thus I too view'd the nymph of late ; 
 
 Ah fimple fifh, beware ! 
 Soon will you find my wretched fate, 
 
 And ftruggle in the fnare. 
 
 But, Fair-one, tho' thefe toils fucceed, 
 
 Of conqueft be not vain ; 
 Nor think o'er all the fcaly breed 
 
 Unpunjfh'd thus to reign* 
 
 Remember,
 
 C '54 3 
 
 Remember, In a wat'ry glafs 
 
 His charms NARCISSUS fpy'd, 
 
 When for his own bewitching face 
 The youth defpair'd and dy'd. 
 
 No more then harmlefs fifh infnare, 
 No more fuch wiles purfue ; 
 
 Left, whilft you baits for them prepare, 
 LOVE finds out one for you. 
 
 CHLOE HUNTING, 
 
 WHILST thoufands court fair CHLOE'S love, 
 She fears the dang'rous joy, 
 But, CYNTHIA like, frequents the grove* 
 As lovely, and as coy. 
 
 With the fame fpeed fhe feeks the hind, 
 
 Or hunts the flying hare, 
 She leaves purfuing fwains behind, 
 
 To languish and defpair. 
 
 Oh
 
 C 155 ] 
 
 Oh ftrange caprice in thy dear breaft, 
 Whence firft this whim began ; 
 
 To follow thus each worthlefs beaft, 
 And fhun their fovereign man .' 
 
 Gonfider, Fair, what 'tis you do, 
 
 How thus they both muft die, 
 
 Not furer they, when you purfue, 
 Than we whene'er you fly. 
 
 o N 
 LUCINDA's RECOVERY 
 
 FROM THE SMALL -POX. 
 
 RIGHT VENUS long with envious eyes 
 The fair LUCINDA'S charms had feen, 
 And ftiall flie ftill, the goddefs cries, 
 
 Thus dare to rival Beauty's queen ? 
 
 5 She
 
 [ 156 ] 
 
 She fpoke, and to th' infernal plains 
 
 With cruel haftc indignant goes, 
 Where Death, the prince of terrors, reigns, 
 
 Amidft difeafes, pains, and woes. 
 
 To him her pray'rs (he thus applies : 
 
 fole, in whom my hopes confide 
 To blaft my rival's potent eyes, 
 
 And in her fate all mortal pride ! 
 
 Let her but feel thy chilling'dart, 
 
 1 will forgive, tremendous god ! 
 Ev'n that which pierc'd ADONIS' heart : 
 
 He hears, and gives th' afTenting nod.. 
 
 Then calling forth a fierce DISEASE, 
 
 Impatient for the beauteous prey, 
 Bids him the lovelieft fabric feize, 
 
 The gods e'er form'd of human clay, 
 
 Aflur'd he meant LUCINDA'S charms, 
 
 To her th' infectious damon flies j 
 Per neck, her cheeks, her lips difarms, 
 
 And of their lightning robs her eyes, 
 
 The
 
 C 157 ) 
 
 The Cyprian queen with cruel joy 
 
 Beholds her rival's charms o'erthrown, 
 
 Nor doubts, like mortal Fair, t'employ 
 Their ruins to augment her own. 
 
 From out the fpoils of ev'ry grace 
 
 The goddefs picks fome glorious prize, 
 
 Tranfplants the rofes from her face, 
 
 And arms young CUPIDS from her eyes. 
 
 Now DEATH (ah veil the mournful fcene!) 
 Had in one moment pierc'd her heart, 
 
 Had kinder FATE not ftept between, 
 And turn'd afide th' uplifted dart. 
 
 What frenzy bids thy hand eflay, 
 
 He cries, to wound thy fureft friend, 
 
 Whofe beauties to thy realms each day 
 
 Such num'rous crowds of victims fend ? 
 
 Are not her eyes, where-e'er they aim, 
 
 As thine own filent arrows fure ? 
 Or who, that once has felt their flame, 
 
 Dar'd e'er indulge One hope of cure ? 
 
 DEATH,
 
 C 158 3 
 
 DEATH, thus reprov'd, his hand reftrains, 
 And bids the dire diftemper fly ; 
 
 The cruel beauty lives, and reigns, 
 
 That thoufands may adore, and die* 
 
 WRITTEN IN 
 
 MR. LOCKE's ESSAY ON HUMAN 
 UNDERSTANDING. 
 
 T O N G had the mind of man with curious art 
 * ' Search'd nature's wond'rous plan thro' ev'ry part, 
 Meafur'd each tradl of ocean, earth, and Iky, 
 And number'd all the rolling orbs on high ; 
 Yet ftill, fo learn'd, herfelf (he little knew, 
 Till LOCKE'S unerring pen the portrait drew* 
 
 So beauteous EVE a while in Eden ftray'd, 
 And all her great Creator's works furvey'd ; 
 By fun, and moon, (he knew to mark the hour, 
 She knew the genus of each plant and flow'r j 
 
 She
 
 C 159 ] 
 
 She knew, when fporting en the verdant lawn, 
 The tender lambkin and the nimble fawn: 
 But ftill a ftranger to her own bright face, 
 She guefs'd not at its form, nor what (he was ; 
 Till led at length to fome clear fountain's fide, 
 She view'd her beauties in the cryftal tide ; 
 The fhining mirror all her charms difplays, 
 And her eyes catch their own rebounded rays. 
 
 WRITTEN IN A 
 
 LADY's VOLUME OF TRAGEDIES. 
 
 I N C E thou, renlentlefs maid, canft daily hear 
 Thy flave's complaints without one figh or tear, 
 Why beats thy breaft, or thy bright eyes o'erflow 
 At thefe imaginary fcenes of woe ? 
 Rather teach thefe to weep and that to heave, 
 At real pains themfelves to thoufands give i 
 And if fuch pity to feign'd love is due, 
 Confider how much more you owe to true. 
 
 CUPID
 
 CUPID RELIEVED. 
 
 AS once young CUPID went aftray 
 The little god I found ; 
 J took his bow and fhafts away, 
 
 And fkft his pinions bound. 
 
 At CHLOE'S feet my fpoils I caft, 
 
 My conqueft proud to ftiow ; 
 
 She faw his godfhip fetter'd fall, 
 And fmil'd to fee him fo. 
 
 But ah ! that fmile fuch frefh fupplies 
 
 Of arms refiftlefs gave ! 
 Pm forc'd again to yield my prize, 
 
 And fall again his flave. 
 
 THE
 
 [ i6i 3 
 THE WAY TO BE WISE. 
 
 IMITATED FROM LA FONTAINE. 
 
 TQ O O R JENNY, am'rous, young, and gay, 
 ** Having by man been led aftray, 
 
 To nunn'ry dark retir'd ; 
 There liv'd, and look'd fo like a maid, 
 So feldom eat, fo often pray'd. 
 
 She was by all admir'd* 
 
 The lady ABBESS oft would cry^ 
 If any lifter trod awry, 
 
 Or prov'd an idle flatten! ; 
 See wife and pious Mrs. JANE, 
 A life fo ft rift, fo grave a mien 
 
 Is fure a worthy pattern. 
 
 A pert young flut at length replies, 
 Experience, madam, makes folks wife, 
 
 'Tis that has made her fuch ; 
 Arid we, poor fouls^ no doubt (hou'd be 
 As pious, and as wife, as fhe, 
 
 If we had feen as much. 
 
 VOL. I. M LUSUS
 
 C 162 3 
 
 LUSUS PILJE (AMATORIUS) EX NIVE 
 COACTJE. 
 
 *PETRONII AFRAN1I EPIGRAM MA. 
 
 1Y If E nive candenti petiit modo Julia ; rebar 
 * * -^ Igne carere nivem, fed tamen ignis erat. 
 Quid nive frigidius ? noflrum tamen urere peclus 
 
 Nix potuit manibus, Julia, mifla tuis. 
 Quis locus infidiis dabitur mihi tutus amoris, 
 
 Frigore concreta fi latet ignis aqua ? 
 Julia, fola potes noftras extinguere flammas 
 
 Non nive, non glacie, fed potes igne pari. 
 
 * The only account that could be found, after a diligent 
 fcarch, of the author of this neat and elegant performance, is 
 in Fabricius's Bibliotheca Latina ; where Petronius Afra- 
 nius is placed, amongft many others, as a writer of Epi- 
 grams, without any notice taken of what country he was, at 
 what time he lived, without any one circumftance to mark 
 who or what he was. This Epigram is inferte"d in the ap- 
 pendix to the nth edition of Epigrammatum Deleclus, in 
 ufum Scholae Etonenfis, printed at London 1 740, accom- 
 panied by the following note : " Elegans et acutum fipi- 
 gramma ! me judice, ut ut, in tenui materia, et affabre unde- 
 quaque concinnatum et omnibus numeris abfolutum." E. 
 
 THE
 
 THE SNOW-BALL. 
 
 FROM PETRONIUS AFRANIUS. 
 
 ^t yf T H IT E as her hand fair JULIA threw 
 
 ** Aballoffilverfnowi 
 
 The frozen globe fir'd as it flew, 
 My bofom felt it glow. 
 
 Strange pow'r of love ! whofe great command 
 
 Can thus a fnow-ball arm ; 
 When fent, fair JULIA, from thine hand, 
 
 Ev'n ice itfelf can warm. 
 
 How fhould we then fecure our hearts ? 
 
 Love's pow'r we all muft feel, 
 Who thus can, by ftrange magic arts* 
 
 In ice his flames conceal. 
 
 'Tis thou alone, fair JULIA, know, 
 
 Canft quench my fierce defire, 
 
 But not with water, ice, or fnow, 
 But with an equal fire. 
 
 M 2 E
 
 C 164 
 
 T 
 
 *- -** 
 
 E; 
 
 Tavraxs Ttvt em 
 
 Eyu S' E&OTripov elV, 
 
 ATraXov pug cv ytvo 
 Hj (rs xojwaj a^j'f 
 Kat TOJViij /t*Twwa>. 
 
 ANACREON,
 
 A N A C R E O N, ODE XX. 
 
 A Rock on Phrygian plains we fee 
 ^ -^ That once was beauteous NIOBE : 
 And PROGNE, too revengeful Fair ! 
 Now flits a wand'ring bird in air : 
 Thus I a looking-glafs wou'd be, 
 That you, dear maid, might gaze on me ; 
 Be chang'd to ftays, that ftraitly lac'd, 
 I might embrace thy (lender waift ; 
 A filver ftream I'd bathe thee, Fair, 
 Or fhine pomatum on thy hair ; 
 In a foft fable's tipper's form 
 I'd kifs thy fnowy bofom warm ; 
 In fhape of pearl that bofom deck, 
 And hang for ever round thy neck : 
 Pleas'd, to be ought, that touches you, 
 Your glove, your garter, or your ftioe. 
 
 M 3 A TRANS-
 
 [ i66 J 
 
 A TRANSLATION OF SOME 
 
 LATIN VERSES ON THE CAMERA OBSCURA. 
 
 rr^HE various pow'rs of blended fhade, and light, 
 The fkilful ZEUXIS of the dufky night ; 
 The lovely forms, that paint the fnowy plain 
 Free from the pencil's violating {tain, 
 In tuneful lines, harmonious PHOEBUS, fing, 
 At once of light and verfe celeftial king. 
 
 Divine APOLLO ! let thy facred fire 
 Thy youthful bard's unfldlful breaft infpire, 
 Like the fair empty ftieet he hangs to view, 
 Void, and unfurnifh'd, till infpir'd by you ; 
 O let one beam, one kind enlightning ray 
 At once upon his mind and paper play ! 
 Hence (hall his breaft with bright ideas glow, 
 Hence num'rous forms the filver field fhall ftrew. 
 
 But now the mufe's ufeful precepts view, 
 And with juft care the pleafmg work purfue. 
 
 Firft
 
 C 167 ] 
 
 Firft chufe a window that convenient lies, 
 And to the north directs the wand'ring eyes, 
 Dark be the room, let not a ftraggling ray 
 Intrude, to chafe the fhadowy forms away, 
 Except one bright, refulgent blaze, convey'd 
 Thro' a ftrait paflage in the {butter made, 
 In which th' ingenious artift firft muft place 
 A little, convex, round, tranfparent glafs, 
 And juft behind th' extended paper lay, 
 On which his art (hall all its pow'r difplay : 
 There rays reflected from all parts {hall meet, 
 And paint their objects on the filver ftieet; 
 A thoufand forms {hall in a moment rife, 
 And magic landfcapes charm our wand'ring eyes ; 
 'Tis thus from ev'ry object that we view, 
 If EPICURUS' doctrine teaches true, 
 The fubtile parts upon our organs play, 
 And to our minds th' external forms convey. 
 
 But from what caufes all thefe wonders flow, 
 'Tis not permitted idle bards to know, 
 How thro' the centre of the convex glafs, 
 The piercing rays together twifted pafs, 
 
 M 4 Or
 
 [ j68 J 
 
 Or why revers'd the lovely fcenes appear, 
 Or why the fun's approaching light they fear } 
 Let grave philofophers the caufe enquire, 
 Enough for us to fee, and to admire. 
 
 See then what forms with various colours ftain 
 The painted furface of the paper plain ! 
 Now bright and gay, as (bines the heav'nly bow, 
 So late, a wide unpeopled wafte of fnow : 
 Here verdant groves, there golden crops of corn 
 The new uncultivated fields adorn ; 
 Here gardens deckt with flow'rs of various dyes, 
 There {lender tow'rs, and little cities rife : 
 But all with tops inverted downward bend, 
 Earth mounts aloft, and fkies and clouds defcend : 
 Thus the wife vulgar on a pendent land 
 Imagine our antipodes to ftand, 
 And wonder much, how they fecurely go, 
 And not fall headlong on the heav'ns below. 
 
 The charms of motion here exalt each part 
 Above the reach of great APELLES' art; 
 
 Zephyrs
 
 C 169 ] 
 
 Zephyrs the waving harveft gently blow, 
 The waters curl, and brooks inceflant flow ; 
 Men, beafts, and birds in fair confufion ftray, 
 Some rife tp fight, whilft others pafs away. 
 
 On all we feize that comes within our reach, 
 The rolling coach we flop, the horfeman catch 5 
 Compel the pofting traveller to flay ; 
 But the fhort vifit caufes no delay. 
 
 Again, behold what lovely profpe&s rife ! 
 Now with the lovelieft feaft your longing eyes, 
 Nor let ftridl modefty be here afraid, 
 To view upon her head a beauteous maid : 
 See in fmall folds her waving garments flow, 
 And all her flender limbs ftill flend'rer grow j 
 Contracted in one little orb is found 
 The fpacious hoop, once five vaft ells around ; 
 But think not to embrace the flying Fair, 
 Soon will {he quit your arms unfeen as air, 
 In this refembling too a tender maid, 
 Coy to the lover's touch, and of his hand afraid. 
 
 Enough
 
 C i/o 3 
 
 Enough w' have feen, now let th' intruding day 
 Chafe all the lovely magic fcenes away ; 
 Again th' unpeopled fnowy wafte returns, 
 And the lone plain its faded glories mourns, 
 The bright creation in a moment flies, 
 And all the pigmy generation dies. 
 
 Thus, when ftill night her gloomy mantle fpreads, 
 The fairies dance around the flow'ry meads ! 
 But when the day returns, they wing their flight 
 To diftant lands, and fhun th' unwelcome light. 
 
 THE TEMPLE OF VENUS. 
 
 T N her own ifle's remoteft grove 
 * Stands VENUS' lovely fhrine, 
 Sacred to beauty, joy, and love, 
 
 And built by hands divine. 
 
 The polifh'd ftru&ure, fair and bright 
 
 As her own ivory fkin, 
 Without is alabafter white, 
 
 And ruby all within. 
 
 Above,
 
 C 171 3 
 
 Above, a cupola charms the view, 
 
 White as unfully'd fnow ; 
 Two columns of the fame fair hue 
 
 Support the dome below. 
 
 Its walls a trickling fountain laves, 
 In which fuch virtue reigns, 
 
 That, bath'd in its balfamic waves, 
 No lover feels his pains. 
 
 Before th' unfolding gates there fpreads 
 
 A fragrant fpicy grove, 
 That with its curling branches fhades 
 
 The labyrinths of Love. 
 
 Bright Beauty here her captives holds, 
 Who kifs their eafy chains, 
 
 And in fofteft clofeft folds 
 
 Her willing flaves detains. 
 
 Wouldft thou, who ne'er thefe feas haft try'd, 
 
 Find where this ifland lies, 
 Let pilot Love the rudder guide, 
 
 And fteer by CHLOE'S eyes.
 
 t '7* 3 
 On a NOSEGAY 
 
 JN THE COUNTESS OF COVENTRY'S BREAST*. 
 IN IMITATION OF WALLER. 
 
 T^\ ELIGHTFUL fcene ! in which appear 
 
 -*^' At once all beauties of the year ! 
 
 See how the Zephyrs of her breath 
 
 Fan gently all the flow'rs beneath ! 
 
 See the gay flow'rs, how bright they glow, 
 
 Tho' planted in a bed of fnow ! 
 
 Yet fee how foon they fade and die, 
 
 Scorch'd by the funfhine of her eye ! 
 
 Nor wonder if, o'ercome with blifs, 
 
 They droop their heads to fteal a kifs ; 
 
 Who would not die on that dear bread ? 
 
 Who would not die to be fo bleft ? 
 
 * Maria Countefs of Coventry, the eldeft daughter of 
 John Canning, Efq; by his wife Bridget, daughter of John 
 Bourk, Lord Vifcount Mayo in Ireland. She was married 
 to George William, the fixth Earl of Coventry, March 5, 
 1752, and departed this life Oftober 1 , 1760. Her tranfcen- 
 dent beauty was the admiration of all who beheld her. 
 
 The
 
 C 173 3 
 
 The 'SQUIRE and the PARSON. 
 AN ECLOGUE. 
 
 WRITTEN ON THE CONCLUSION OF THE PEACE, 1748. 
 
 T)Y his hall chimney, where in rufty grate 
 
 *~^ Green faggots wept their own untimely fate, 
 
 In elbow-chair, the penfive 'Squire reclin'd, 
 
 Revolving debts and taxes in his mind : 
 
 A pipe juft fill'd upon a table near 
 
 Lay by the London-Evening * ftain'd with beer, 
 
 With half a bible, on whofe remnants torn 
 
 Each parifli round was annually forfworn. 
 
 The gate now claps, as ev'ning juft grew dark, 
 
 Tray ftarts, and with a growl prepares to bark ; 
 
 But foon difcerning, with fagacious nofe, "J 
 
 The well-known favour of the parfon's toes, 
 
 Lays down his head, and finks in foft repofe : 
 
 The doctor ent'ring, to the tankard ran, 
 
 Takes a good hearty pull, and thus began : 
 
 * The London Evening Port, the only paper at that time* 
 taken in and read by the enemies to the Houfe of Hanover. 
 
 PARSON.
 
 [ 174 J 
 
 PARSON. 
 
 Why fit'ft thou thus, forlorn and dull, my friend, 
 Now war's rapacious reign is at an end ? 
 Hark, how the diftant bells infpire delight ! 
 See bonfires fpangle o'er the veil of night ! 
 
 'S QJJ i R E. 
 
 What's peace, alas ! in foreign parts to me ? 
 At home, nor peace nor plenty can I fee ; 
 Joylefs I hear drums, bells, and fiddles found, 
 'Tis all the fame Four (hillings in the pound. 
 My wheels, tho' old, are clog'd with a new tax ; 
 My oaks, tho' young, muft groan beneath the axe i 
 My barns are half unthatch'd, until'd my houfe, 
 Loft by this fatal ficknefs all ray cows : 
 See there's the bill my late damn'd law-fuit coft \ 
 Long as the land contended for, and loft : 
 Ev'n Ormond's head J can frequent no more, 
 So fhort my pocket is, fo long the fcore ; 
 At (hops all round I owe for fifty things. 
 This comes of fetching Hanoverian kings. 
 
 PARSON.
 
 [ 175 ] 
 
 PARSON. 
 
 I muft confefs the times are bad indeed, 
 No wonder ; when we fcarce believe our creed ; 
 When purblind Reafon's deem'd the fureft guide, 
 And heav'n-born Faith at her tribunal try'd ; 
 When all church-pow'r is thought to make men flaves, 
 Saints, martyrs, fathers, all call'd fools and knaves. 
 
 'S Qju IRE. 
 Come, preach no more, but drink, and hold your 
 
 tongue : 
 I'm for the church : but think the parfons wrong. 
 
 PARSON. 
 
 See there ! free-thinking now fo rank is grown, 
 It fpreads infe&ion thro' each country town ; 
 Deiftic feoffs fly round at rural boards, 
 'Squires, and their tenants too, profane as lords, 
 Vent impious jokes on every facred thing. 
 
 'S QJJ i R E. 
 
 P A R S O V
 
 J 
 
 PARSON. 
 Here's to you then, to church and king : 
 
 'S QJJ IRE. 
 Here's church and king ; I hate the glafs fhou'd 
 
 ftand, 
 Tho' one takes tythes, and t'other taxes land. 
 
 PARSON. 
 Heav'n with new plagues will fcourge this finful 
 
 nation, 
 
 Unlefs we foon repeal the toleration, 
 And to the church reftore the convocation. 
 
 'S QJU i R . 
 
 Plagues we (hou'd feel fufficienr, on my word, 
 Starv'd by two houfes, priefl-rid by a third. 
 For better days we lately had a chance, 
 Had not the honeft Plaids been trick'd by France. 
 
 PARSON. 
 
 Js not mod gracious GEORGE our faith's defender ? 
 You love the church, yet wifh for the Pretender ! 
 
 'S QJLT i R .
 
 C '77 3 
 
 'S QJJ I R E. 
 
 Preferment, I fuppofe, is what you mean ; 
 Turn Whig, and you, perhaps, may be a dean : 
 But you muft firft learn how to treat your betters. 
 What's here ? fure fome ftrange news, a boy with 
 
 letters ; 
 
 Oh, ho ! here's one, I fee, from parfon SLY : 
 " My rev'rend neighbour SQUAB being like to die ; 
 " I hope, if Heav'n fhould pleafe to take him hence, 
 " To afk the living would be no offence." 
 
 PARSON. 
 
 Have you not fwore, that I (hou'd SQUAB fucceed ? 
 Think how for this I taught your fons to read j 
 How oft difcover'd pufs on new-plow'd land, 
 How oft fupported you with friendly hand i I . 
 
 When I cou'd fcarcely go, nor cou'd your worfhip f 
 ftand. 
 
 'S QJJ I R E. 
 
 'Twas yours, had you been honeft, wife, or civil ; 
 Now ev'n go court the bifhops, or the devil. 
 
 VOL. I. N PARSON.
 
 PARSON. 
 
 If I meant any thing, now let me die ; 
 I'm blunt, and cannot fawn and cant, not I, 
 Like that old Prefbyterian rafcal SLY. 
 I am, you know, a right true-hearted Tory, 
 Love a good glafs, a merry fong, or ftory. 
 
 'S QJU 1 R E. 
 
 Thou art an honeft dog, that's truth, indeed 
 Talk no more nonfenfe then about the creed. 
 I can't, I think, deny thy firft requeft ; 
 'Tis thine ; but firft a bumper to the beft. 
 
 PARSON* 
 
 Moft noble 'Squire, more gen'rous than your 
 How pleafing's the condition you aflign ? 
 Give me the fparkling glafs, and here, d'ye fee, 
 With joy I drink it on my bended knee : 
 Great queen ! who governeft this earthly ball, 
 And mak'ft both kings and kingdoms rife and fall ; 
 Whofe wond'rous pow'r in fecret all things rules, 
 Makes fools of mighty peers, and peers of fools ; 
 
 5 Difpenfes
 
 C '79 ] 
 
 Difpenfes mitres, coronets, and ftars ; 
 Involves far diftant realms in bloody wars, 
 Then bids wars fnaky trefles ceafe to hifs, 
 And gives them peace again * nay gave us this 
 Whofe health does health to all mankind impart, 
 Here's to thy much-lov'd health : 
 
 , rubbing his bands. 
 
 With all my heart. 
 
 * Madam de Pompadour, 
 
 N Z ON
 
 GIVEN TO A LADY 
 
 WITH A WATCH WHICH SHE BORROWED TO HANG 
 AT HER BED'S HEAD. 
 
 T T THILST half afleep my CHLOE lies, 
 * And all her fofteft thoughts arife ; 
 
 Whiift, tyrant Honour lay'd at reft, 
 
 Love fteals to her unguarded breaft ; 
 
 Then whifper to the yielding Fair, 
 
 Thou witnefs to the pains I bear, 
 
 How oft her flave with open eyes, 
 
 All the long night defpairing lies ; 
 
 Impatient till the rofy day 
 
 Shall once again its beams difplay, 
 
 And withjt he again may rife, 
 
 To greet with joy her dawning eyes. 
 Tell her as all thy motions ftand, 
 
 Unlefs recruited by her hand, 
 
 So (hall my life forget to move ; 
 
 Unlefs, each day, the Fair I love 
 
 Shall
 
 Shall new repeated vigour give 
 
 With fmiles, and make me fit to live. 
 
 Tell her, when far from her I ftray, 
 
 How oft I chide thy flow delay ; 
 
 But when beneath her fmiles I live, 
 
 Bleft with all joys the Gods can give, 
 
 How often I reprove thy hafte, 
 
 And think each precious moment flies too faft. 
 
 BELPHEGOR,
 
 BEtPHEGOR, 
 
 A FABLE. 
 
 FROM MACHIAVEL. 
 
 Fugit indignata fub umbras. 
 
 VUG. 
 
 fTT^ H' infernal monarch once, as {lories tell, 
 
 * Review'd his fubjects from all parts of hell ; 
 Around his throne unnumber'd millions wait, 
 He fcarce believ'd his empire was fo great ; 
 Still as each pafs'd, he afk'd with friendly care 
 What crime had caus'd their fall, and brought them 
 
 there : 
 
 Scarce one he queftion'd, but reply'd the fame, 
 And on the marriage noofe lay'd all the blame ; 
 Thence ev'ry fatal error of their lives 
 They all deduce, and all accufe their wives. 
 Then to his peers, and potentates around, 
 Thus SATAN fpoke 3 hell trembled with the found. 
 
 My
 
 f 183 ] 
 
 My friends, what vaft advantages wou'd flow 
 To thefe our realms ? cou'd we but fully know 
 The form and nature of thefe marriage chains, 
 That fend fuch crouds to our infernal plains ; 
 Let fome bold patriot then, who dares to fhow 
 His gen'rous love to this our ftate below, 
 For his dear country's good the taflc effay, 
 And animate awhile fome human clay ; 
 Ten years in marriage bonds he (hall remain, 
 Enjoy its pleafures, and endure its pain, 
 Then to his friends return'd, with truth relate 
 The nature of the matrimonial ftate, 
 
 He fpoke j the lift'ning crowds his fcheme approv'd : 
 But who fo much his prince, or country loy'd, 
 As thus, with fearlefs heart, to undertake 
 This hymeneal trial, for their fake ? 
 
 At length with one confent they ail propofe, 
 That fortune mail by lot the tafk impofe ; 
 The dreaded chance on bold BELPHEGOR fell, 
 Sighing h' obey'd, and took his leave of hell. 
 
 Firft in fair FLORENCE he was pleas'd to fix, 
 Bought a large houfe, fine plate, a coach and fix ; 
 
 N 4 Drefs'd
 
 Drefs'd rich and gay, play'd high, drank hard, and 
 
 whor'd, 
 
 And liv'd in fhort in all things like a lord : 
 His feafts were plenteous, and his wines were ftrong, 
 So poets, priefts, and pimps his table throng, 
 Bring dedications, fermons, whores, and plays, 
 The dev'l was ne'er fo flatter'd in his days : 
 The ladies too were kind, each tender dame 
 Sigh'd, when fhe mehtion'd RODERIGO'S name j 
 For fo he's call'd : rich, young, and debonnair, 
 He reigns fole monarch of the longing fair j 
 No daughter, fure, of EVE cou'd e'er efcape 
 The dev'l, when cloath'd in fuch a tempting {hape. 
 
 One nymph at length, fuperior to the reft, 
 Gay, beautiful, and young, infpir'd his breaft ; 
 Soft looks and fighs his paflion foon betray'd, 
 Awhile he woos, then weds the lovely maid. 
 I fhall not now, to grace my tale, relate 
 What feafts, what balls, what drefles, pomp and irate, 
 Adorn'd their nuptial day, left it fliou'd feem 
 As tedious to the reader, as to him, 
 
 Wh
 
 Who big with expectation of delight, 
 Impatient waited for the happy night ; 
 The happy night is come, his longing arms 
 Prefs clofe the yielding maid in all her charms, 
 The yielding maid, who now no longer coy 
 With equal ardour loves, and gives a loofe to joy: 
 Diflblv'd in blifs more exquiiite than all 
 He e'er had felt in Heav'n, before his fall, 
 With rapture clinging to his lovely bride, 
 In murmurs to himfelf BELPHEGOR cry'd, 
 Are thefe the marriage chains ? are thefe my fears ? 
 Oh had my ten, but been ten thoufand years ! 
 But ah thefe happy moments laft not long ! 
 For in one month his wife has found her tongue, 
 All thoughts of love and tendernefs are loft, 
 Their only aim is, who (hall fquander moft ; 
 She dreams of nothing now but being fine, 
 Whilft he is ever guzzling nafty wine ; 
 She longs for jewels, equipage, and plate, 
 And he, fad man ! ftays out fo very late ! 
 Hence ev'ry day domeftic wars are bred, 
 A truce is hardly kept, while they're abed } 
 
 They
 
 f 186 J 
 
 They wrangle all day long, and then at night, 
 Like wooing cats, at once they love and fight. 
 
 His riches too are with his quiet flown, 
 And they once fpent, all friends on courfe are gone j 
 The fum defign'd his whole ten years to laft, 
 Is all confum'd before the firft is part : 
 Where hall be hide ? ah whither muft he fly ? 
 Legions of duns abroad in ambufh lie, 
 For fear of them, no more he dares to roam, 
 And the worflr dun of all, his wife's at home. 
 
 Quite tir'd at length, with fuch a wretched life, 
 He flies one night at once from debts, and wife ; 
 But ere the morning dawn his flight is known ; 
 And crowds purfue him clofe from town to town ; 
 He quits the public road, and wand'ring ftrays 
 Thro' unfrequented woods, and pathlefs ways ; 
 At laft with joy a little farm he fees, 
 Where liv'd a good old man, in health and eafe ; 
 MATTHEW his name : to him BELPHEGOR goes, 
 And begs protection from purfuing foes, 
 With tears relates his melancholy cafe, 
 Tells him from whence he came, and who he was, 
 
 And
 
 C i7 1 
 
 And vows to pay for his reception well, 
 When next he fhou'd receive his rents from hell : 
 The farmer hears his tale with pitying ear, 
 And bids him live in peace, and fafety there ; 
 Awhile he did ; no duns, no noife, or ftrife, 
 Difturb'd him there ; for MATT had ne'er a wife. 
 But ere few weeks in this retreat are paft 
 MATT too hi mfelf becomes a dun at laft ; 
 Demands his promis'd pay with heat and rage, 
 Till thus BELPHEGOR'S words his wrath aflwage. 
 
 My friend, we dev'ls, like Englifh peers, he cryM, 
 Tho' free from law, are yet by honour ty'd ; 
 Tho' tradefmcn's cheating bills I fcorn to view, 
 I pay all debts that are by honour due ; 
 And therefore have contriv'd long fmce a way, 
 Beyond all hopes thy kindnefs to repay ; 
 We fubtile fpirits can, you know, with eafe 
 Poflefs whatever human breafts we pleafe, 
 With fudden frenzy can o'ercaft the mind, 
 Let paflions loofe, and captive reafon bind : 
 Thus I three mortal bofoms will infeft, 
 And force them to apply to you for reft ; 
 
 Vaft
 
 Vaft fums for cure they willingly fhall pay, 
 Thrice, and but thrice, your pow'r I will obey. 
 
 He fpoke, then fled unfeen, like rufhing wind, 
 And breathlefs left his mortal frame behind : 
 The corps is quickly known, and news is fpread 
 That RODERIGO'S in the defert dead ; 
 His wife in fafhionable grief appears, 
 Sighs for one day, then mourns two tedious years. 
 
 A beauteous maid, who then in FLORENCE dwelt, 
 In a fhort time unufual fymptoms felt j 
 Phyficians came, prefcrib'd, then took their fees, 
 But none could find the caufe of her difeafe j 
 Her parents thought 'twas love difturb'd her reft, 
 But all the learn'd agreed {he was pofieft ; 
 In vain the doctors all their art apply'd, 
 In vain the priefts their holy trump'ry try'd ; 
 No pray'rs nor med'cines cou'd the daemon tame, 
 Till MATTHEW heard the news, and haft'riing came ; 
 He afks five hundred pounds ; the money's pay'd ; 
 He forms the magic fpell, then cures the maid-: 
 Hence chas'd, the dev'l to two rich houfes flies, 
 And makes their heirs fucceflively his prize, 
 
 Who
 
 XVho both by MATTHEW'S (kill reliev'd from pain?, 
 Reward his wond'rous art with wond'rous gains. 
 
 And now BELPHEGOR, having thrice obey'd, 
 With reafon thinks his hoft is fully pay'd ; 
 Next free to range, to GALLIA'S king he flies, 
 As dev'ls ambitious ever love to rife ; 
 Black hideous fcenes diffract his royal mind, 
 From all he feeks relief, but none can find, 
 And vows vaft treafures (hall his art repay, 
 Whoe'er can chafe the ftrange difeafe away : 
 At length, inftru&ed by the voice of fame, 
 To MATTHEW fends ; poor MATT reluctant came ; 
 He knew his pow'r expir'd, refus'd to try, 
 But all excufes fail'd, he muft, or die ; 
 At laft defpairing he the tafk eflay'd, 
 Approach'd the monarch's ear, and whifp'ring faid. 
 
 Since force, not choice, has brought thy fervant 
 
 here, 
 
 Once more, BELPHEGOR, my petition hear, 
 This once at my requeft, thy poft refign, 
 And fave my life, as once I refcu'd thine. 
 
 Cruel
 
 Cruel BELPHEGOR, deaf to his requeft, 
 Difdain'd his pray'rs, and made his woes a jeft ; 
 With tears and fighs he beg'd, and beg'd again^ 
 Still the ungrateful fiend but mock'd his pain ; 
 Then turning round he told th' expe&ing court, 
 This dev'l was of a moft malignant fort j 
 And that he could but make one tryal more, 
 And if that faiPd, he then muft give him o'er : 
 Then placing num'rous drums, and trumpets round, 
 Inftru&ed when he mov'd his hand to found, 
 He whifper'd in his patient's ear again, 
 BELPHEGOR anfwer'd, all his arts were vain : 
 He gives the fign, they found j th' outrageous din 
 Startles the king, and frights the dev'l within ; 
 He aflcs what 'tis, and vows that in his life 
 He ne'er had heard the like except his wife ; 
 By Heav'n's, 'tis fhe, MATT cries, you'd beft be 
 
 gone, 
 
 She comes once more to feize you for her own ; 
 BELPHEGOR frighted, not one word replies, 
 But to th' infernal (hades for refuge flies j 
 
 There
 
 C 191 } 
 
 There paints a dreadful fketch of marry'd lives, 
 
 And feelingly confirms the charge on wives : 
 
 MATTHEW o'erpay'd with honours, fame, and fees 4 
 
 Returns to bleft obfcurity, and eafe, 
 
 With joy triumphant lo Paean fings, 
 
 And vows to deal no more with dev'ls or kings*
 
 [ '9* 3 
 
 LIB. III. CARMEN IX. 
 DIALOGUS HORATII ET LYDI^, 
 
 Ho RAT. 
 
 DO N E C gratus eram tibi, 
 Nee quifquam potior brachia candidae 
 Cervici juvenis dabat, 
 Perfarum vigui Rege beatior. 
 
 L Y D 1 A.
 
 C '93 ] 
 
 A- DIALOGUE 
 
 Between the Right Hon. H E N R Y P E L H A M and 
 Madam POPULARITY*. 
 
 IN IMITATION OF HORACE, BOOK III. ODE IX. 
 H. P E L H A M. 
 
 I. XTff THILST I was pleafing in your eyes, 
 
 And you was conftant, chafte, and wife ; 
 Ere yet you had your favours granted 
 To ev'ry knave or fool who canted, 
 In peaceful joy I pafs'd each hour, 
 Nor envy'd WALPOLE'S wealth and pow'r. 
 
 * From the commencement of the Spanifh war in 1739, 
 to the Treaty of Aix la Chapelle, figned Oftober 7, 1748, 
 the land-tax was raifed from two {hillings to four ihillings. 
 In 1749 it was lowered to three millings, at which rate ic 
 was continued till 1752, when Mr. Pelham, at that time 
 the minifter, reduced it to two millings, at which rate it 
 continued till the time of his death in 1734. This was one, 
 amongft others, of thofe popular meafures which gilded the 
 evening of this minifter's life, and rendered his death an 
 object of public lamentation. To this event we owe this 
 happy imitation, wrote foon after the Land-tax Aft of that 
 year parted. E. 
 
 VOL. I. O MADAM
 
 C 194 ] 
 
 JL Y D i A. 
 
 Donee non alii magis 
 Arfifti, neque erat Lydia poft Chlcxin, 
 Multi Lydia nominis 
 Romana vigui clarior Ilia, 
 
 H O R A T, 
 
 Me tune Threfla Chloe regit, 
 Dulces do&a modes, & citharae fciens } 
 Pro qua non metuam mori, 
 Si parcant animae fata fuperftiti, 
 
 LYDIA. 
 
 Me torret face mutua 
 Thurini Calais filius Ornithi 5 
 
 Pre
 
 [ 195 ] 
 
 MADAM POPULARITY. 
 
 2. While I poflefs'd your love alone, 
 
 My heart and voice were all your own j 
 .But on my foul 'twou'd vex a faint, 
 When I've moil: reafon for complaint, 
 To hear you thus begin to fcold : 
 Think on BRITANNIA ! proud and old! 
 Are not her interefts all your theme, 
 Your daily labour, nightly dream ? 
 
 H. PELHAM, 
 
 3. My juft regard I can't deny 
 For her and her profperity ; 
 Nor am afliam'd it is fo great, 
 That, to deliver her from debt, 
 From foreign wars and civil ftrife, 
 I'd freely facrifice my life. 
 
 MADAM POPULARITY. 
 
 4. To her your warmeft vows are plighted. 
 For her I ev'ry day am flighted ; 
 
 O2 Her
 
 [ i 9 6 ] 
 
 Pro quo bis patiar mori, 
 
 Si parcant puero fata fuperftiti. 
 
 H o R A T. 
 
 Quod fi prifca redit Venus, 
 I}idutofque jugo cogit aeneo : 
 Si flava excutitur Chloe, 
 Eje&seque patet janua Lydiae ? 
 
 L Y D I A. 
 
 Quanquam fiderc pulchrior 
 
 Ule eft ; tu levior cortice, & improbo 
 
 Ijacundior Adria : 
 
 Tecum vivere airiem ) tecum obeam libens.
 
 [ '97 3 
 
 Her welfare always is preferr'd, 
 And my neglected voice unheard : 
 Examples numerous I cou'd mention, 
 A peace ! bad as the old convention j 
 Money reduc'd to three per cent, 
 No pity on the poor who lent ; 
 Armies that muft for ever ftand, 
 And ftill three {hillings laid on land. 
 
 H. PEL HAM. 
 
 5. Suppofe now, Madam, I was willing 
 For once to bate this grievous {hilling, 
 To humour you I know 'tis wrong, 
 But you have fuch a curfed tongue. 
 
 MADAM POPULARITY. 
 
 6. Why then, tho' rough as winds or feas, 
 You fcorn all little arts to pleafe, 
 
 Yet thou art honeft, faith, and I 
 With thee alone will live and die. 
 
 03 A SIMILE,
 
 [ '98 J 
 
 A SIMILE. 
 
 O R I N N A, in the country bred, 
 
 Harbour'd ftrange notions in her head, 
 Notions in town quite out of fafliion j 
 Such as that love's a dangerous paffion, 
 That virtue is the maiden's jewel, 
 And to be fafe, (he muft be cruel. 
 
 Thus arm'd flie'ad long fecur'd her honour 
 From all aflaults yet made upon her, 
 Had fcratch'd th' impetuous Captain's hand, 
 Had torn the Lawyer's gown and band, 
 And gold refus'd from Knights and Squires- 
 To bribe her to her own defires : 
 For, to fay truth, fhe thought it hard, 
 To be of pleafures thus debarr'd, 
 She faw by others freely tailed, 
 So pouted, pin'd, grew pale, and wafted : 
 Yet, notwithftanding her condition, 
 Continu'd firm in oppofition. 
 
 At
 
 [ J99 3 
 
 At length a troop of horfe came down, 
 And quarter'd in a neighb'ring town ; 
 The Cornet he was tall and young, 
 And had a moft bewitching tongue. 
 They faw and lik'd : the fiege begun : 
 Each hour he fome advantage won. 
 He ogled firft ; fhe turn'd away ; 
 But met his eyes the following day ; 
 Then her reluctant hand he feizes, 
 That foon fhe gives him, when he pleafes ! 
 Her ruby lips he next attacks :- 
 She ftruggles ; in a while fhe fmacks t 
 Her fnowy breaft he then invades ; 
 That yields too after fome parades ; 
 And of that fortrefs once pofieft, 
 He quickly matters all the reft. 
 No longer now, a dupe to fame, "1 
 
 She fmothers or refifts her flame, 
 But loves without or fear or fhame, ^ 
 
 So have I feen the Tory race 
 Long in the pouts for want of place, 
 
 O 4 Never
 
 1 
 
 [ 200 ] 
 
 Never in humour, never well, 
 Wifhing for what they dar'd not tell, 
 Their heads with country-notions fraught, 
 Notions in town not worth a groat, 
 Thefe tenets all relu&ant quit, 
 And ftep by ftep at laft fubmit 
 To reafon, eloquence, and PITT. 
 
 At firft to Hanover a Plum 
 Was fentj They faid A trivial fum, 
 But if he went one tittle further, 
 They vow'd and fwore they'd cry out murder ; 
 Ere long a larger fum is wanted ; rfl 
 
 They pifh'd and frown'd but {till they granted : 
 He pufh'd for more, and more agen 
 Well Money's better fent, than Men : 
 Here virtue made another ftand. 
 No not a man (hall leave the land. 
 W T hat ? not one regiment to Embden ? 
 They ftart but now they're fairly hem'd in : 
 Thefe foon, and many more are fent ; 
 They're filent Silence gives confent. 
 
 Our
 
 [ 201 ] 
 
 Our troops, they now can plainly fee, 
 
 May Britain guard in Germany : 
 
 Hanoverians, Heflians, Pruflians 
 
 Are paid, t'oppofe the French and Rufilans : 
 
 Nor fcruple they with truth to fay, 
 
 They're fighting for America : 
 
 No more they make a fiddle-faddle 
 
 About an Heflian horfe or faddle ; 
 
 No more of continental meafures, 
 
 No more of wafting Britifh txeafure3 ; 
 
 Ten millions, and a vote of credit. 
 
 'Tis right He can't be wrong, who did it: 
 
 They're fairly fous'd o'er head and ears, 
 
 And cur'd of all their ruftic fears. 
 
 A PASSAGE IN OSSIAN VERSIFIED. 
 
 TH E deeds of ancient days fhall be my theme ; 
 O Lora, the foft murmurs of thy ftream, 
 Thy trees, Garmallar, ruftling in the wind, 
 Recall thofe days with pleafure to my mind. 
 
 See/ft
 
 t 202 ] 
 
 See'ft thou that rock, from whofe hcath-cover'd 
 
 crown, 
 
 Melvina, three old bended firs look down ? 
 Green is the plain which at its feet is fpread, 
 The mountain flower there fhakes its milk-white head ; 
 Two ftones, memorials of departed worth, 
 Uplift their mofs-cap'd heads, half funk in earth ; 
 The mountain deer, that crop the grafs around, -\ 
 See the pale ghfcfts who guard the facred ground, > 
 Then flatting, fly the place, and at a diftance bound. J 
 
 On feeing the Earl of CHESTER FIELD 
 at a BALL, at BATH. 
 
 WRITTEN IN 1770, 
 
 T N times by felfifhnefs and faHon four'd, 
 -* When dull Importance has all Wit devour 'd; 
 When Rank, as if t' infult alone defign'd, 
 Affe&s a proud feclufion from mankind ; 
 And Greatnefs, to all focial converfe dead, 
 Efteems it dignity to be ill-bred ; 
 
 .5 See !
 
 See ! CHESTERFIELD alone refifts the tide, 
 Above all party, and above all pride, 
 Vouchfafes each night thefe brilliant fcenes to grace, 
 Augments and fhares th' amufements of the place j 
 Admires the Fair, enjoys the fprightly ball, 
 Deigns to be pleas'd, and therefore pleafes all. 
 Hence, tho' unable now this ftile to hit, 
 Learn what was once politenefs, eafe, and wit. 
 
 THE AMERICAN COACHMAN. 
 
 l ROWN'D be the man with lading praifej 
 
 Who firftcontriv'd the pin 
 From vicious fteeds to loofe a chaife, 
 And fave the necks within. 
 
 See how they prance, and bound, and flap, 
 
 And all controul difdain ; 
 Defy the terrors of the whip, 
 
 And rend the filken rein ! 
 
 Awhile
 
 Awhile we try if art or ftrength 
 
 Are able to prevail j 
 But hopelefs, when we find at length 
 
 That all our efforts fail, 
 
 With ready foot the fpring we prefs, 
 
 Out flies the magic plug, 
 Then, difengag'd from all diftrefs, 
 
 We fit quite fafe and fnug. 
 
 The pamper'd fteeds, their freedom gain'd, 
 
 Run off full fpeed together ; 
 But having no plan afcertain'd, 
 
 They run they know not whither. 
 
 Boys, who love mifchief and a courfe, 
 
 Enjoying this difafter, 
 Bawl, Stop them ! Stop them! till they're hoarfe, 
 
 But mean to drive them fafter. 
 
 Each claiming now his native right, 
 
 Scorns to obey his brother; 
 So they proceed to kick and bite. 
 
 And worry one another. 
 
 Hungry
 
 C ao S ] 
 
 Hungry at laft, and blind, and lame, 
 
 Bleeding at nofe and eyes ; 
 By fufferings growing mighty tame, 
 
 And by experience wife; 
 
 With bellies full of liberty, 
 
 But void of oats and hay ; 
 They both fneak back, their folly fee, 
 
 And run no more away. 
 
 Let all who view th' inftrudtive fcene, 
 
 And patronize the plan, 
 Give thanks to Gloucefter's honeft Dean, 
 
 For, Tucker*, thou'rt the man. 
 
 * Early in the unfortunte conteft between the mother 
 country and her American colonies, the Rev. Dr. Tucker, 
 Dean of Gloucefter, publifhed a pamphlet, intitled, An Ad- 
 drefs and Appeal to the Landed Intercft ; in which he propofed 
 and recommended to the nation a total feparation from the 
 colonies, the rejection of them from being fellow members, 
 and joint partakers in the privileges and advantages of the 
 Britim Empire, becaufe they refufe to fubmit to the autho- 
 rity and jurifdidion of the Britim Legiflature ; offering at 
 the fame time to enter into alliance of friendfhip and trea- 
 ties of commerce with them, as with any other fovereign in- 
 dependent
 
 [ 206 ] 
 
 dependent ftates. Not any one of thofe who are recorded 
 in the hiftory of this country in the renowned lift of her 
 ablefl ftatefmen, had he lived at this time, could have fore- 
 feen with more iagacity what was likely to happen from that 
 fad bufmefs, or with greater wifdom provided a remedy to 
 prevent it, than what the Dean's propofitions contained. 
 But, alas ! they were not attended to by thofe who only at 
 that time could endeavour to carry them into execution ; 
 and, after a long ftruggle, in which much blood was fpilt, 
 enormous treafures wafted, and two Britifli armies compel- 
 led to go into captivity, the parent ftate fuffered the dif- 
 grace of being compelled to furrender that, of which the 
 Dean of Glouceiter long before, with the foundeft policy, ad- 
 vifed her to make a free-will offering. This pamphlet was 
 the foundation of the preceding mort poem, written about 
 a year after it, in which the author, with that concifenefs 
 as to the matter, and humour in the manner, fo peculiar to 
 himfelf, recommends and fupports the Dean's plan. E. 
 
 A N
 
 A N 
 
 OD E . 
 
 Piadarum qui/quis fiudet xmulari.
 
 T O 
 
 THE EARL OF CARLISLE. 
 
 MY LORD, 
 
 IB EG leave to prefent to your lordfhip, the fol- 
 lowing Ode ; for at whofe fhrine can it be offered 
 with more propriety, than at your lordfliip's, whofe 
 tafte for poetry, as well as for every other part of po- 
 lite literature, is fo juftly and fo univerfally acknow- 
 ledged ? Your lordfhip has yourfelf made no incon- 
 fiderable figure in the lyric ; but I will not fo much 
 flatter you, even in a Dedication, as to affirm, that 
 you have perfectly fucceeded. I allow, that the very- 
 few pieces with which you have favoured the public, 
 are as elegant and beautiful as any in our language : 
 I own, that in every one of them there are juft con- 
 ception, lively imagination, correct exprefllon, and 
 clear connection j but I know your lordfliip's good- 
 nefs will pardon me, when I prefume to aflert, that 
 all thefe excellencies are utterly repugnant to the 
 VOL. I. P noble
 
 noble frenzy, and fublime obfcurity of the Ode ; both 
 which are fufficiently vifible in this, which I have 
 here the honour to lay before your lordfhip, and 
 which I take to be a model of perfection : My ob- 
 ligations, perhaps, may make me partial to its merits, 
 as to the publication of it, I am indebted for this 
 opportunity of affuring your lordfhip that I am, 
 
 MY LORD, 
 
 Your lordfhip's moft devoted, and 
 
 Obedient humble fervant, 
 THE EDITOR. 
 
 PREFACE.
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 f "|"^ H E following Ode was found in the cabinet of 
 * a late celebrated writer; and is efteemed, by 
 the beft judges, to be the moft perfect compofition of 
 the kind that is any where to be met with amongft 
 the productions of the numerous lyric poets of mo- 
 dern times. 
 
 That learned and judicious critic, Dr. Jofeph 
 Trap, in his Preslefltones Poetuce^ thus defcribes the 
 moft excellent compofers of lyric Poems or Odes. 
 * c Conceptus omnium ardentiffimi ; a vulgaribus co- 
 t gitatis remotiflimi j methodum fugere videntur ; 
 * c tranfitiones affe&ant, quae nulla arte fieri viden- 
 ** tur, nihilo licet plus artis infit. Sententiarum 
 ** nexus & copulas negligere amant ; modo abrupto 
 " & improvifo poema incipiunt, & finiunt ; & fu- 
 " rore quodam ufitatis legibus & regulis fuperiore, 
 *' ab hoc ad illud de volant, nulla loquendi formulis 
 " venia vel obtenta prius, aut petita." Which, fof 
 the benefit of ladies and gentlemen, I thus tranflate : 
 ? 2 " Thejr
 
 [ 212 ] 
 
 u Their conceptions are the moft daring and mofl: 
 41 remote from all vulgar 1 ideas, or common fenfej 
 " they feem to fly from all method ; they affect 
 tc tranfitions, which appear to be void of all art, 
 " though in them there is a great deal ; they arc 
 " fond of neglecting all connections ; they begin and 
 " end their poem in a manner abrupt, fudden, and 
 " unexpected j and with a madnefs fuperior to all 
 ** the laws and rules of writing, dafli about from 
 " one thing to another, without obtaining pardon, 
 " or even condefcending to afk it." Thefe rules 
 have been obferved with great diligence, and fome 
 fuccefs, by moft of the writers of modern Odes ; 
 but have never been adhered to with that happy 
 exadtnefs, as in the piece which is now before us. It 
 begins in a manner the moft abrupt and unexpected, 
 and ends .as abruptly as it begins. It opens with 
 a moft fublime fpeech of a giant, fuppofed to have run 
 mad from fome difappointment in ambition or love ; 
 and this, in conformity to the ftricteft laws of criti- 
 cifm, and the example of our moft admired writers 
 f Odes, is fo artificially contrived, that the reader, 
 
 however
 
 [ *i3 J 
 
 however fagacious he may be, cannot poffibly dif- 
 cover, before he arrives at the end of the fecond 
 ftanza, whether it is the fpeech of the giant or the 
 poet, or any fpeech at all. 
 
 The tranfition from the giant's fpeech, to that 
 beautiful defcription of the morning, is truly Pin- 
 daric ; the fudden apoftrophe to the fun, is perfectly 
 fublime j and that to the moon no lefs tender and 
 pathetic : the defcriptions of the four feafpns are 
 wonderfully pi&urefque, and are not, as ufual, copies 
 drawn from the fcenery of Italian groves, and the 
 plains of Arcadia, but true originals, taken on the 
 fpot in Old England, and forrned of ideas entirely 
 new. And the addrefs to Liberty, which concludes 
 this admirable Ode, is far fuperior to any thing of 
 that kind, with which we are fo frequently enter- 
 tained by our moft admired poets ; as it is more ex- 
 preffive cf the truefenfe andfpirit of an Englimman, 
 
 Juft and lively pictures are the very eflence of an 
 
 Ode, as well as of an Auction-room, whether there 
 
 are any proper places to hang them in or not ; and 
 
 fuch there are in the narrow compafs of this little 
 
 P 3 piece,
 
 C 2'4 .1 
 
 piece, of every thing that is great and beautiful lit 
 nature j of the morning rifmg from the ocean ; 
 of the fun, the moon, and the planetary fyftem ; 
 of a giant and a hermit ; of woods, rocks, and 
 mountains, and the feafons of the revolving year : 
 and in all thefe, the images are fo entirely new, 
 the tranfitions fo fudden and unexpected, fo void 
 of all apparent art, yet not without much of that 
 which is quite invifible ; the thoughts are fo fublime, 
 fo diftant from all vulgar ideas, or common fenfe, 
 that the judicious reader will fcarcely find in it a 
 fmgle deviation from the fevereft laws of juft criti- 
 cifm ; and if he can perufe this incomparable work 
 without an enthufiaftic admiration, he ought to 
 conclude, that whatever delight he may receive from 
 poetry of other kinds, he is one of thofe unfortunate 
 genius's who have no tafte for that moft fublime 
 ipecies of it, the Ode. 
 
 ODE.
 
 O D E. 
 
 T 'L L combat Nature, interrupt her courfe, 
 -* And baffle all her ftated laws by force ; 
 Tear from its bed the deeply-rooted pine, 
 
 And hurl it up the craggy mountain's fide; 
 Divert the tempeft from its deftin'd line, 
 
 And ftem the torrent ofth' impetuous tide j 
 Teach the dull ox to dance, the afs to play, 
 And even obftinate Americans t' obey. 
 
 Like fome dread Herald, tygers I'll compel 
 In the fame field with flags in peace to dwell : 
 The rampant lion now erecl: mail ftand, 
 
 Now couchant at my feet fhall lie depreft ; 
 And if he dares but queftion my command, 
 
 With one ftrong blow I'll halve him to a creft. 
 Thus fpoke the giant Gogmagog : the found 
 Reverberates from all the echoing rocks around. 
 
 Now Morning, rob'd in faffron-colour'd gown, 
 Her head with pink and pea.green ribbands dreft, 
 
 P 4 Climbs
 
 Qimbs the celeftial ftaircafe, and looks down 
 From out the gilt balcony of the Eaft ; 
 From whence around fhe fees 
 The cryftal lakes and tufted trees, 
 The lawns all powder'd o'er with ftraggling flocks, 
 The fcarce-enlighten'd vales, and high o'er-fhadowing 
 rocks. 
 
 Enamour'd with her newly-dawning charms, 
 
 Old Ocean views her with defiring eyes, 
 And longs once more to clafp her in his arms, 
 Repenting he had fuffer'd her to rife j 
 Forth from his tumbled bed, 
 From whence fhe juft had fled, 
 To the flow, loitering hours he roars amain, 
 To haften back the lovely fugitive again. 
 
 Parent of life ! refulgent lamp of day ! 
 
 Without whofe genial animating ray 
 
 Men, beafts, the teeming earth, and rolling feas, 
 
 Courts, camps, and mighty cities, in a trice 
 Muft (hare one common fate, intenfely freeze. 
 
 And all become one folid mafs of ice ; 
 
 Ambition
 
 Ambition wou'd be froze, and Faction numb, 
 Speeches congeal'd, and orators be dumb. 
 
 Say, what new worlds and fyftems you furvey ! 
 In circling round your planetary way; 
 What Beings Saturn's orb inhabit, tell, 
 
 Where cold in everlafting triumph reigns ; 
 Or what their frames, who unconfiim'd can dwell 
 
 In Mercury's red-hot and molten plains ; 
 Say ! for moft ardently I wifh to know, 
 What bodies can endure eternal fire, or fnow ! 
 
 And thou, fweet Moon ! canft tell a fofter tale -, 
 To thee the maid, thy likenefs, fair and pale, 
 In penfive contemplation oft applies, 
 
 When parted from her lov'd and loving fvvain, 
 And looks on you with tear-befprinkled eyes, 
 
 And fighs and looks, and looks and fighs again ; 
 Say, for thou know'ft what conftant hearts endure ; 
 And by thy frequent changes teach the cure. 
 
 Thy gentle beams the lonely hermit fees, 
 Gleam thro' the waving branches of the trees, 
 
 Which,
 
 C 218 ] 
 
 Which, high-embow'ring, (hade his gloomy cell, 
 Where undifturb'd perpetual filence reigns, 
 
 Unlefs the owl is heard, or diftant bel], 
 
 Or the wind whittling o'er the furzy plains. 
 
 How bleft to dwell in this fequefter'd fpot : 
 
 Forgetting parliaments ; by them forgot ! 
 
 Now lovely Spring her velvet mantle fpreads, 
 And paints with green and gold the flow'ry meads ; 
 Fruit-trees in vaft white perriwigs are feen, 
 
 Refembling much fome antiquated beau, 
 Which north-eaft winds, that blow fo long and keen, 
 
 Powder full oft with gentle flakes of fnow j 
 Soft nightingales their tuneful vigils hold, 
 And fiveetly fing and fhake and fhake with cold. 
 
 Summer fucceeds ; in ev'nings foft and warm, 
 'Thrice-happy lovers faunter arm in arm ; 
 The gay and fair now quit the dufty town, 
 
 O'er turnpike-roads inceflant chaifes fweep, 
 And whirling, bear their lovely ladings down, 
 To brace their nerves beneath the briny deep ; 
 
 -There
 
 C 219 ] 
 
 There with fuccefs each fwain his nymph aflails, 
 As birds, they fay, are caught can we bnt fait their 
 tails. 
 
 Then Autumn, more ferene, if not fo bright, 
 Regales at once our palate, and our fight ; 
 With joy the ruddy orchards we behold, 
 
 And of its purple clufters rob the vine ; 
 The fpacious fields are cover'd o'er with gold 1 , 
 
 Which the glad farmer counts as ready coin : 
 But difappointment oft his hopes attends 
 In tythes and mildews the rich profpe6t ends. 
 
 Laft, Winter comes ; decrepit, old, and dull ; 
 Yet has his comforts too his barns are full ; 
 The focial converfe, circulating glafs, 
 
 And chearful fire, are his : to him belong 
 Th' enlivening dance that warms the chilly lafs, 
 
 The ferious game at whift, and merry fong ; 
 Nor wants he beauties fee the fun-beams glow 
 O'er lakes of cryftal ice, and plains of filver fnow \ 
 
 Thus,
 
 C o ] 
 
 Thus roll, the feafons o'er Britannia's land, 
 But none her freeborn- weather can command ; 
 Seafons unlike to thofe in fervile climes, 
 
 Which o'er Hifpania's or Italia's plains 
 Difpenfe, at regular and ftated times, 
 
 Succefllve heat and cold, and drought and rains ; 
 Her's fcorning, like her fons, to be controul'd, 
 Breathe heat in winter oft, and oft in fummer cold. 
 
 Hail, Liberty, fair Goddefs of this ifle ! 
 Deign on my verfes, and on me, to fmile ; 
 Like them unfetter'd by the bonds of fenfe, 
 
 Permit us to enjoy life's tranfient dream, 
 To live, and write, without the leaft pretence 
 
 To method, order, meaning, plan, or fcheme : 
 And fhield us fafe beneath thy guardian wings, 
 From Law, Religion, Minifters, and Kings. 
 
 WROTE
 
 t "I ] 
 
 WROTE AT THE 
 
 COUNTESS OF SALISBURY'S ASSEMBLY, 
 1787- 
 
 RO M SALISBURY'S Garter dropp'd, th' hiftoriau 
 
 knows, 
 
 Th' illuftrious Order fo intitled rofe ! 
 Another SALISBURY now our bofoms warms, 
 With equal elegance and equal charms. 
 Let then her form, her trophies, and her name, 
 With juftice be confign'd to equal fame ; 
 Let Kings with no lefs pride her Garter wear, 
 Then every noble Knight may have a pair. 
 
 EPITAPH
 
 [ 222 J 
 
 EPITAPH 
 
 On Dr. SAMUEL JOHNSON. 
 
 HERE lies SAM JOHNSON : Reader, have a care, 
 Tread lightly, left you wake a fleeping Bear : 
 Religious, moral, generous, and humane 
 He was j but felf-fufficient, proud, and vain, 
 Fond of, and overbearing in difpute, 
 A Chriftian, and a Scholar but a Brute. 
 
 ON A LATE EXECRABLE ATTEMPT ON 
 
 HIS MAJESTY'S LIFE, 1786. 
 
 LONG had our gracious GEORGE, with gentle 
 hand, 
 
 And love paternal, Britain's fcepter fway'd ; 
 To render this a free and happy land, 
 Was all for which he wifh'd to be obey'd. 
 
 With
 
 [ "3 .1 
 
 With radiance bright, tho' mild, his virtues fhone, 
 
 For he of every virtue was pofleft, 
 Which can add luftre to a Monarch's throne, 
 
 Or warm an undifiembling patriot's breaflr. 
 
 Pattern of female excellence ! his toils 
 
 His Royal Confort ever foothes and (hares j 
 
 Imparting fweet domeilic blifs, with finiles 
 That can difperfe the heavieft cloud of cares. 
 
 Tho' Faction, Difappointment's reftlefs child, 
 Has fometimes dar'd to interrupt his peace; 
 
 Yet aw'd at once, and charm'd, whene'er he fmil'd, 
 She bade diforder and confufion ceafe. 
 
 Lov'd and ador'd by all, to all a friend, 
 
 Caution feem'd needlefs to protect his life ; 
 .Till Hell and Madnefs fent abroad a fiend, 
 
 And arm'd that fiend with a deftrudlive knife. 
 
 But Britain's Guardian Angel, who ftill watch'd, 
 To fhield her favourite fon from every harm, 
 
 Juft in th' important moment trembling catch'd, 
 And turn'd afide th' aflaffinating arm, 
 5
 
 [ "4 3 
 
 Let then earth, air, and the high-vaulted fky, 
 
 With praifes, pray'rs, and loud thankfgivings ring, 
 
 Joy fire each breaft, and fparkle in each eye, 
 
 That Heav'n has thus preferv'd our Country and our 
 King. 
 
 END OF THE FIRST VOLUME.
 
 RY 
 
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