How should I fret to mangle ev'ry line, Feign what I will, and paint it e'er so strong 2, F. Yet none but you by Name the guilty lash; 3 Spare then the Person, and expose the Vice. P. How, Sir? not damn the Sharper, but the Dice? Come on then, Satire! gen'ral, unconfin'd, 5 ΙΟ Spread thy broad wing, and souse on all the kind. 15 Ye Statesmen, Priests, of one Religion all! Ye Tradesmen vile, in Army, Court, or Hall, Ye Rev'rend Atheists F. Scandal! name them! Who? P. Why that's the thing you bid me not to do. Who starv'd a Sister, who forswore a Debt 4, 20 I never nam'd; the Town's enquiring yet. The pois'ning Dame- F. You mean- P. I don't. F. You do! P. The brib'd Elector- F. There you stoop too low. P. I fain would please you, if I knew with what; F. A Dean, Sir? no: his Fortune is not made; You hurt a man that's rising in the Trade. P. If not the Tradesman who set up to-day, Or, if a Court or Country's made a job, [i. e. of next year.] 2 Feign what I will, etc.] The Poet has here introduced an oblique apology for himself with great art. You attack personal characters, say his enemies. No, replies he, so far from that, I paint from my invention; and to prevent a likeness I exaggerate every feature. But alas! the growth of vice is so monstrous quick, that it rises up to a resemblance before I can get from the press. 3 Ev'n Guthry] The Ordinary of Newgate, who publishes the memoirs of the Malefactors, and is often prevailed upon to be so tender of their reputation, as to set down no more than the initials of their name. P. 4 Cf. ante, Dial. I. v. 112.] 25 30 35 40 5 Must great Offenders, etc.] The case is archly put. Those who escape public justice being the particular property of the Satirist. 6 Like royal Harts, etc.] Alluding to the old Game Laws. Warburton. 7 wretched Wild,] Jonathan Wild, a famous Thief, and Thief-Impeacher, who was at last caught in his own train and hanged. P. [Fielding's Jonathan Wild appeared in 1743, nearly a quarter of a century after the death of its hero. But highwaymen flourished till a considerably later date.] Have you less pity for the needy Cheat, Alas! the small Discredit of a Bribe Scarce hurts the Lawyer, but undoes the Scribe. To tax Directors, who (thank God) have Plums; May pinch ev'n there-why lay it on a King. P. Must Satire, then, nor rise nor fall? F. What? always Peter? Peter thinks you mad; P. Do I wrong the Man? 65 (Where Kent and Nature vie for PELHAM'S 6 Love) 9 But does the Court a worthy Man remove? Ev'n Peter trembles only for his ears, Peter had, the year before this, narrowly escaped the Pillory for forgery: and got off with a severe rebuke only from the bench. P. 2 [V. ante, Dial. 1. v. 92.] 3 Scarb'row] Earl of, and Knight of the Garter, whose personal attachments to the king appeared from his steady adherence to the royal interest, after his resignation of his great employment of Master of the Horse; and whose known honour and virtue made him esteemed by all parties. P. [He committed suicide in a fit of melancholy in 1740; and was mourned by Lord Chesterfield as 'the best man he ever knew, and the dearest friend he ever had.'] Esher's peaceful Grove,] The house and gardens of Esher in Surrey, belonging to the Honourable Mr Pelham, Brother of the Duke of Newcastle. The author could not have given a more amiable idea of his Character than in comparing him to Mr Craggs. P. [The architect and friend of Lord Burling ton.] 70 75 6 [Henry Pelham became First Lord of the treasury in 1743, through Walpole's influence; and died in 1754, the King exclaiming on his death: 'Now I shall have no more peace.'] 7 [Thos. Secker (1693-1768), successively bishop of Bristol and of Oxford, and archbishop of Canterbury. His career is accounted for by his personal reputation for liberality and moderation.] 9 [Dr Rundel, bishop of Derry, esteemed equally by Pope and Swift. See their letters of Sept. 3, 1735 and foll.] 9 [Bishop of Gloucester. He ordained Whitfield.] 10 [Dr Berkeley, bishop of Cloyne (born 1684, died 1707), the illustrious author of Alciphron. Ä very different bishop (Atterbury) said of him that so much understanding, so much knowledge, so much innocence, and such humility, I did not think had been the portion of any but angels, till I saw this gentleman.'] I shun his Zenith, court his mild Decline; Thus SOMERS' once, and HALIFAX, were mine. Oft, in the clear, still Mirror of Retreat, I study'd SHREWSBURY 3, the wise and great: CARLETON'S calm Sense, and STANHOPE'S5 noble Flame, 80 How shin'd the Soul, unconquer'd in the Tow'r! 85 Or WYNDHAM 10, just to Freedom and the Throne, Names, which I long have lov'd, nor lov'd in vain, 90 Rank'd with their Friends, not number'd with their Train; And if yet higher the proud List should end 11, Still let me say: No Follower, but a Friend. Yet think not, Friendship only prompts my lays; I follow Virtue; where she shines, I praise: Din'd with the MAN of Ross 12, or my LORD MAY'R 13. 1 Somers] John Lord Somers died in 1716. He had been Lord Keeper in the reign of William III. who took from him the seals in 1700. The author had the honour of knowing him in 1706. A faithful, able, and incorrupt minister; who, to the qualities of a consummate statesman, added those of a man of Learning and Politeness. P. 2 Halifax] A peer, no less distinguished by his love of letters than his abilities in Parliament. He was disgraced in 1710, on the Change of Q. Anne's ministry. P. 3 Shrewsbury,] Charles Talbot, Duke of Shrewsbury, had been Secretary of state, Embassador in France, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Lord Chamberlain, and Lord Treasurer. He several times quitted his employments, and was often recalled. He died in 1718. P. 4 Carleton] Hen Boyle, Lord Carleton (nephew of the famous Robert Boyle), who was Secretary of state under William III. and President of the Council under Q. Anne. P. 5 Stanhope] James Earl Stanhope. A Nobleman of equal courage, spirit, and learning. General in Spain, and Secretary of state. P. [The first Earl Stanhope, and the uncle of Chatham.] 6 [Francis Atterbury, bishop of Rochester, the friend of Pope and Swift and a consistent Jacobite, was arrested in 1722 on a charge of treasonable complicity in a plot for bringing back the Pretender, and sentenced to banishment. He joined the Pretender's Court, and for some time directed his affairs. He died in 1731.] 7 [William Pulteney (Earl of Bath in 1742), 95 the great opponent of Sir Robert Walpole; eloquent as an orator and witty as a pamphleteer.] 8 Chesterfield] Philip Earl of Chesterfield, commonly given by Writers of all Parties for an EXAMPLE to the Age he lives in, of superior talents, and public Virtue. Warburton. [Philip Dormer, Earl of Chesterfield, lord lieutenant of Ireland in 1744 and Secretary of State in 1747. His Irish administration is the highest point in his political career. As a writer he is famous for the sceptical Letters to his Son; of his wit some instances are given in Hayward's Essay on Lord C.] 9 [This Duke of Argyll, after defending Scotland against the Pretender's invasion of 1715, played a very changeful part in political life; and at his death in 1744 was one of the chiefs of the opposition against the Whigs The two lines in the text are said to have been added in consequence of a threat of the Duke's that he would run any man through the body who should dare to use his name in an invective.] 10 Wyndham] Sir William Wyndham, Chancellor of the Exchequer under Queen Anne, made early a considerable figure; but since a much greater both by his ability and eloquence, joined with the utmost judgment and temper. P. [Bolingbroke's friend.] And if yet higher, etc.] He was at this time honoured with the esteem and favour of his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales. Warburton. 12 [cf. Moral Essays, Ep. 1.] v. 85.] Some, in their choice of Friends (nay, look not grave) To find an honest man I beat about, P. Not so fierce! What RICH'LIEU wanted, LOUIS scarce could gain1, No Pow'r, when Virtue claims it, can withstand: 120 O let my Country's Friends illumine mine! -What are you thinking? F. 'Faith the thought's no sin: I think your Friends are out, and would be in. The way they take is strangely round about. 125 F. They too may be corrupted, you'll allow? But pray, when others praise him, do I blame? Call Verres, Wolsey, any odious name? 1 Louis scarce could gain,] By this expression finely insinuating, that the great Boileau always falls below himself in those passages where he flatters his Master. Warburton. 2 To Cato, Virgil pay'd one honest line.] It is in the En. [VIII. 670] His dantem jura CatoWarburton. nem. 3 Spirit of Arnall!] Look for him in his place. Dunc. B. II. v. 315. P. 130 135 140 A Polwarth.] The Hon. Hugh Hume, Son of Alexander Earl of Marchmont, Grandson of Patrick Earl of Marchmont, and distinguished, like them, in the cause of Liberty. P. [Afterwards one of Pope's Executors.] 5 Walpole's maxim was 'to go his own way, and let madam go hers.' Carruthers. To break my Windows, if I treat a Friend? Of Honour bind me, not to maul his Tools; His Saws are toothless, and his Hatchet's Lead. 145 It anger'd TURENNE, once upon a day, 150 But when he heard th' Affront the Fellow gave, And begg'd, he'd take the pains to kick the rest: 155 Which not at present having time to do- F. Hold, Sir! for God's sake where's th' Affront to you? Against your worship when had S-k writ1? Or P-ge pour'd forth the Torrent of his Wit?? 160 Or grant the Bard whose distich all commend 3 The Priest whose Flattery be-dropt the Crown 4, 163 P. 'Faith, it imports not much from whom it came; As pure a mess almost as it came in; P. So does Flatt'ry mine; 1 1 [Dr Wm. Sherlock, Dean of St Paul's, and the bête noire of the Nonjurors in the reign of William III.] 2 [Judge Page. Warton.] [Sir Francis Page, who seems to have deserved his soubriquet of 'the hanging judge.' He died, according to Carruthers, in 1741.] 3 the Bard] A verse taken out of a poem to Sir R. W. P. By Lord Melcombe [Bubb Doddington]. Warton. Some years afterwards Lord M. addressed the same epistle to Lord Bute. Bowles. 183 4 The Priest, etc.] Spoken not of any particular priest, but of many priests. P. [Meaning Dr Alured Clarke, who wrote a panegyric on Queen Caroline.] Warton. self. 5 Lord Hervey. Alluding to his painting himBowles. 6 And how did, etc.] This seems to allude to a complaint made v. 71 of the preceding Dialogue. P. |