THE

SECOND EPISTLE

OF THE

SECOND BOOK

OF

HORAC E.

Ludentis fpeciem dabit, et torquebitur. HOR.

EPISTOLA II.

FL

LORE, bono claroque fidelis amice Neroni, b Si quis forte velit puerum tibi vendere natum Tibure vel Gabiis, et tecum fic agat: "Hic et "Candidus, et talos a vertice pulcher ad imos, "Fiet eritque tuus nummorum millibus octo; "Verna ministeriis ad nutus aptus heriles ; "Litterulis Græcis imbutus, idoneus arti "Cuilibet: argilla quidvis imitaberis uda: "Quin etiam canet indoctum, fed dulce bibenti. "Multa fidem promiffa levant, ubi plenius aequo "Laudat venales, qui vult extrudere, merces. "Res urget me nulla: meo fum pauper in aere. "Nemo hoc mangonum faceret tibi: non temere a

me

"Quivis ferret idem: femel hic ceffavit, et (ut fit) "In fcalis latuit metuens pendentis habenae : "Des nummos, excepta nihil te si fuga laedit.

< Ille ferat pretium, poenae fecurus, opinor. Prudens emifti vitiofum: dicta tibi eft lex. Infequeris tamen hunc, et lite moraris iniqua.

VER. 4. This Lad, Sir, is of Blois :] A Town in Beauce, where the French tongue is spoken in great purity.

EPISTLE II.

DEAR Col'nel, COBHAM's and your country's

Friend!

You love a Verfe, take fuch as I can fend.

A Frenchman comes, prefents you with his Boy, Bows and begins-" This Lad, Sir, is of Blois : "Observe his shape how clean! his locks how curl'd!

"

My only fon, I'd have him fee the world:

"His French is pure; his Voice too-you shall hear.
"Sir, he's your flave, for twenty pound a year.
"Mere wax as yet, you fashion him with ease,
"Your Barber, Cook, Upholft'rer, what you please:
"A perfect genius at an Op'ra-fong-

"To fay too much, might do my honour wrong.
"Take him with all his virtues, on my word;
"His whole ambition was to ferve a Lord:

II

"But, Sir, to you, with what I would not part? 15 "Tho 'faith, I fear, 'twill break his Mother's heart. "Once (and but once) I caught him in a lye, "And then, unwhipp'd, he had the grace to cry: "The fault he has I fairly fhall reveal, "(Could you o'erlook but that) it is to steal. If, after this, you took the gracelefs lad Could you complain, my Friend, he prov'd fo bad?

20

d Dixi me pigrum proficifcenti tibi, dixi Talibus officiis prope mancum : ne mea faevus Jurgares ad te quod epiftola nulla veniret.

Quid tum profeci, mecum facientia jura

Si tamen attentas? quereris fuper hoc etiam, quod
Exfpectata tibi non mittam carmina mendax.
e Luculli miles collecta viatica multis
Aerumnis, laffus dum noctu ftertit, ad assem
Perdiderat hoft hoc vehemens lupus, et fibi et hofti
Iratus pariter, jejunis dentibus acer,
Praefidium regale loco dejecit, ut aiunt,
Summe munito, et multarum divite rerum,
Clarus ob id factum, donis ornatur honeftis,
Accipit et bis dena fuper seftertia nummûm,
Forte fub hoc tempus caftellum evertere praetor
Nefcio quod cupiens, hortari coepit eundem

Verbis, quae timido quoque poffent addere mentem;

I, bone, quo virtus tua te vocat ; i pede faufto,
Grandia laturus meritorum praemia: quid ftas?

VER. 24. I think Sir Godfrey] An eminent Justice of Peace, who decided much in the manner of Sancho Pancha. ---Sir Godfrey Kneller.

VER. 33. In Anna's Wars, etc.] Many parts of this story are well told; but, on the whole, it is much inferior to the original.

VER. 37. This put the man, etc.] Greatly below the Original, Poft hoc vehemens lupus, et fibi et hofti

Iratus pariter, jejunis dentibus acer.

The last words are particularly elegant and humorous,

Faith, in fuch cafe, if you should profecute,

I think Sir Godfrey should decide the fuit;
Who fent the Thief that ftole the Cash, away,
And punish'd him that put it in his way.

25

d Confider then, and judge me in this light; I told you when I went, I could not write; You faid the fame; and are you discontent With laws to which you gave your own assent? 30 Nay worse, to ask for Verfe at fuch a time!

D'ye think me good for nothing but to rhyme?

e In ANNA's Wars, a Soldier poor and old Had dearly earn'd a little purfe of gold:

Tir'd with a tedious march, one luckless night, 35
He flept, poor dog! and loft it, to a doit.
This put the man in such a defp'rate mind,
Between revenge, and grief, and hunger join'd
Against the foe, himself, and all mankind,
He leap'd the trenches, scal'd a Castle-wall,
Tore down a Standard, took the Fort and all.
"Prodigious well;" his great Commander cry'd,
Gave him much praise, and some reward befide.
Next pleas'd his Excellence a town to batter;
(Its name I know not, and it's no great matter) 45

40

VER. 43. Gave him much praife, and some reward befide.] For the fake of a stroke of fatire, he has here weakened that circumstance on which the turn of the story depends. Ho-, race avoided it, tho' the avaricious character of Lucullus was a tempting occafion to indulge his raillery.