The navigable wave is led Through towns; or marshes, late o'erspread With putrid pools, and useless, now Productive made, admit the plough: Our daily thoughts, not long remain, Vicinas urbes alit, et grave sentit aratum : What measure the relation needs, * Of heaven's, or earth's heroic deeds For other strains, through the repute Res gestæ1 regumque ducumque, et tristia bella Quo scribi possent numero, monstravit Homerus. 2 Versibus impariter junctis querimonia primùm, Post etiam inclusa est voti sententia compos, Quis tamen exiguos elegos emiserit auctor, Grammatici certant, et adhuc 3 sub judice lis est. 4 Archilochum 5 proprio rabies armavit Iambo. • Which verse the drama chose to quit, Experience proving 'twas unfit To enforce belief of feign'd distress; To sing of peaceful deeds, or one Hunc socci cepere pedem, grandesque cothurni, Alternis aptum sermonibus, et populares Vincentem strepitus et natum rebus agendis. Musa dedit fidibus divos puerosque deorum, Et pugilem victorem, et equum certamine primun 3 Et juvenum curas, et libera vina referre. Descriptas servare vices, operumque colores, Grace foreign to the work my aim, A poet's honour do I claim? Why scorn, the silly title sought Of genius, knowledge, if untaught ? 1 No genuine comic bard would choose The cumbrous clog of verse to use : Styles Nature ne'er together link'd If even her voice she should exalt; Cur ego, si nequeo ignoroque, poeta salutor ? Cur nescire, pudens pravè, quàm discere malo ? I Versibus exponi tragicis res comica non vult. Indignatur item privatis et prope socco Dignis carminibus narrari * cœna Thyestæ. Singula quæque locum teneant sortita decenter. Interdum tamen et vocem Comœdia tollit, And, with genteel vexation warm, 'Lord Townly is still heard to storm. Nor always Tragedy alike With swelling diction seeks to strike: * Wolsey and Buckingham, now lost Their hopes, and proud ambition cross'd, Must simply give their feelings vent, 4 * To drop the minister content, If to claim pity they presume, Or fix attention on their doom. Works should not only strike, but please, Conducted with all Nature's ease; Iratusque Chremes tumido delitigat ore; Et tragicus plerumque dolet sermone pedestri. 2 Telephus aut 3 Peleus, cum pauper et exul uterque • Projicit ampullas, et sesquipedalia verba, Si curat cor spectantis tetigisse loquela. Non satis est pulchra esse poëmata; dulcia sunto, Et quocunque volent, animum auditoris agunto. |