Quaere fugam morbi. * vis recte vivere ? quis non?

Si virtus hoc una poteft dare, fortis omiffis

Hoc age deliciis.

y virtutem verba putes, et

Lucum ligna? cave ne portus occupet alter:

Ne Cibyratica, ne Bithyna negotia perdas :

• Mille talenta rotundentur, totidem altera, porro et

Tertia fuccedant, et quae pars quadret acervum.
Scilicet uxorem cum dote, fidemque, et amicos,
Et genus, et formam, regina Pecunia donat ;
Ac bene nummatum decorat Saudela, Venufque.

Mancipiis locuples, egit aeris Cappadocum rex.

NOTES.

VER. 65. Who Virtue and a Church alike difowns] The

X

Would ye be bleft? defpife low Joys, low Gains;
Difdain whatever CORNBURY difdains;
Be virtuous, and be happy for your pains.

}

y But art thou one, whom new opinions sway, One who believes as Tindal leads the way, Who Virtue and a Church alike difowns,

61

65

Thinks that but words, and this but brick and ftones?
Fly then, on all the wings of wild defire,
Admire whate'er the maddeft can admire :

Is Wealth thy paffion? Hence! from Pole to Pole,
Where winds can carry, or where waves can roll, 170
For Indian fpices, for Peruvian Gold,

Prevent the greedy, and out-bid the bold:
a Advance thy golden Mountain to the skies;
On the broad base of fifty thousand rise,
Add one round hundred, and (if that's not fair)
Add fifty more, and bring it to a square.
For, mark th' advantage; just so many score
Will gain a
b Wife with half as many more,
Procure her beauty, make that beauty chafte,
And then fuch Friends-as cannot fail to laft.
Ad Man of wealth is dubb'd a Man of worth,
Venus fhall give him Form, and Anftis Birth.
(Believe me, many a German Prince is worse,
Who proud of Pedigree, 'is poor of Purfe)

C

e

NOTES.

75

80

one appears from his party pamphlets; the other, from his Rights of the Chrifin Church.

Ne fueris hic tu. f chlamydes Lucullus, ut aiunt,

Si poffet centum fcenae praebere rogatus,

Qui poffum tot? ait: tamen et quaeram, et quot habebo

h

Mittam: poft paulo fcribit, fibi millia quinque
Effe domi chlamydum: partem, vel tolleret omnes.
Exilis domus eft, ubi non et multa fuperfunt,
Et dominum fallunt, et profunt furibus. » ergo,
Si res fola poteft facere et fervare beatum,
Hoc primus repetas opus, hoc poftremus omittas.
i Si fortunatum fpecies et gratia praeftat,

* Mercemur fervum, qui dictet nomina, laevum
Qui fodicet latus, et cogat trans pondera dextram
Porrigere: Hic multum in Fabia valet, ille Velina:
Cui libet, is fafces dabit; eripietque curule,

NOTES.

VER. 86. Or if three Ladies like a luckless Play,] The common reader, I am fenfible, will be always more folicitous about the names of these three Ladies, the unlucky Play, and every other trifling circumftance that attended this piece of gallantry, than for the explanation of our Author's fenfe, or the illuftration of his poetry; even where he is most moral and fublime. But had it been in Mr. Pope's purpose to indulge fo impertinent a curiofity, he had fought elsewhere for a commentator on his writ-ings.

His Wealth brave Timon gloriously confounds; 85
Afk'd for a groat, he gives a hundred pounds;
Or if three Ladies like a luckless Play,

Takes the whole House upon the Poet's day.
* Now, in fuch exigencies not to need,
Upon my word, you must be rich indeed;
A noble fuperfluity it craves,

Not for yourself, but for your Fools and Knaves;
Something, which for your Honour they may cheat,
And which it much becomes you to forget.
b If Wealth alone then make and keep us bleft, 95
Still, ftill be getting, never, never rest.

k

But if to Pow'r and Place your paffion lie, If in the Pomp of Life confist the joy; Then hire a Slave, or (if you will) a Lord To do the Honours, and to give the Word; Tell at your Levee, as the Crouds approach, To whom to nod, whom take into your Coach, Whom honour with your hand: to make remarks, Who rules in Cornwall, or who rules in Berks: "This may be troublesome, is near the Chair: 106 "That makes three Members, this can chuse a " May'r.”

m

90

100

NOTES.

VER. 91. A noble fuperfluity, etc.] These four lines are an admirable paraphrate on

Exilis domus eft, ubi non et multa fuperfunt,
Et dominum fallunt, et profunt furibus.

Cui volet, importunus ebur: " Frater, Pater, adde:
Ut cuique eft aetas, ita quemque facetus adopta.
Si è bene qui coenat, bene vivit: lucet, eamus
Quo ducit gula: pifcemur, venemur, ut olim
Gargilius: qui mane plagas, venabula, servos,
Differtum tranfire forum populumque jubebat,
Unus ut e multis populo fpectante referret

Emtum mulus aprum. crudi, tumidique lavemur,

Quid deceat, quid non, obliti; Caerite cera

Digni: remigium vitiofum Ithacenfis Ulyffei;

Cui potior patria fuit interdicta voluptas.

S

t

V

Si, Mimnermus uti cenfet, fine amore jocifque

Nil eft jucundum; vivas in amore jocifque.

Vive, vale. fi quid novifti rectius iftis,

Candidus imperti: fi non, his utere mecum.

NOTES.

VER. 127. Wilmot] Earl of Rochefter.