Virtutes habeat, fic collige: vatis avarus Non temere eft animus: P verfus amat, hoc ftudet * Militiae quanquam piger et malus, utilis urbi ; Si das hoc, parvis quoque rebus magna juvari. ▾ Os tenerum pueri balbumque poeta figurat: NOTES. VER. 201. Of little ufe, etc.] There is a poignancy in the following verles, which the original did not aim at, nor affect. VER. 204. And (tho' no Soldier)] Horace had not acquitted himself much to his credit in this capacity (non bene relicta parmula) in the battle of Philippi. It is manifeft he alludes to himself, in this whole account of a Poet's character; but with an intermixture of irony: Vi : Sometimes the Folly benefits mankind; And rarely Av'rice taints the tuneful mind. Allow him but his plaything of a Pen, He ne'er rebels, or plots, like other men: Flight of Cashiers, or Mobs, he'll never mind; 195 And knows no loffes while the Mufe is kind. I To cheat a Friend, or Ward, he leaves to Peter; The good man heaps up nothing but mere metre, NOTES. 200 205 210 vit filiquis et pane fecundo has a relation to his Epicurism ; Os tenerum pueri, is ridicule: The nobler office of a Poet follows, Torquet ab obfcoenis - Mox etiam pectus — Recte facta refert, etc. which the Imitator has apply'd where he thinks it more due than to himfelf. He hopes to be pardoned, if, as he is fincerely inclined to praise what deferves to be praised, he arraigns what deferves to be arraigned, in the 210, 211, and 212th Verfes. P. VER. 226. the Idiot and the Poor.] A foundation for the maintenance of Idiots, and a fund for affifting the Poor, by lending fmall fums of money on demand. P. VER. 229. Not but there are, etc.] Nothing can be more truly humourous or witty than all that follows to Yet the noble fobriety of the original, or, at leaft, the appearance of fobriety, which is the fame thing here, is of a tafle vaftly fuperior to it. 240. Or Virtue, or Religion turn to fport, 215 220 Behold the hand that wrought a Nation's cure, 225 a The Boys and Girls whom charity maintains, 231 Implore your help in these pathetic strains : NOTES. VER. 230. Sternhold.] One of the verfifiers of the old finging palms. He was a Courtier, and Groom of the Robes to Hen. VIII. and of the Bedchamber to Edward v1. Fuller, in his Church liftory, fays he was cfteemed an excellent Poet. b Difceret unde preces, vatem ni Mufa dediffet? Pofcit opem chorus, et praefentia numina fentit ; Avertit morbos, metuenda pericula pellit; Impetrat et pacem, et locupletem frugibus annum. a Carmine Dî fuperi placantur, carmine Manes. e Agricolae prifci, fortes, parvoque beati, Condita poft frumenta, levantes tempore festo Corpus et ipfum animum fpe finis dura ferentem, Floribus et vino Genium memorem brevis aevi. Fefcennina per hunc inventa licentia morem Dente laceffiti: fuit intactis quoque cura NOTES. VER. 241. Our rural Ancestors, etc.] This is almost literal; and shews, that the beauty and spirit, fo much ad |