confifts in the Size and Dimension, instead of the Proportion and Harmony of the whole, ver. 97. and the Second, either in joining together Parts incoherent. or too minutely resembling, or in the Repetition of the fame too frequently, ver. 105, etc. A word or two of falfe Tafte in Books, in Music, in Painting, even in Preaching and Prayer, and laftly in Entertainments, ver. 133, etc. Yet PROVIDENCE is justified in giving Wealth to be fquandered in this manner, fince it is difperfed to the Poor and Laborious part of mankind, ver. 169. [recurring to what is laid down in the first Book, Ep. ii. and in the Epiftle preceeding this, ver. 159, etc.] What are the proper Objects of Magnificence, and a proper field for the Expence of Great Men, ver. 177, etc. and finally the Great and Public Works which become a Prince, ver. 101, to the end.

EPISTLE

'TIS

IV.

IS ftrange, the Mifer should his Cares employ
To gain those riches he can ne'er enjoy :

Is it less strange, the prodigal fhould waste
His wealth, to purchase what he ne'r can tafte?

EPISTLE IV.] Ths extremes of Avarice and Profufion being treated of in the foregoing Epiftle; this takes up one particular branch of the latter, the Vanity of Expence in people of wealth and quality; and is therefore a corollary to the preceeding, juft as the epiftle on the Characters of Women is to that of the Knowledge and Characters of Men.

Not for himself he fees, or hears, or cats;
Artists inuft chuse his Pictures, Mufic, Meats;
He buys for Topham, Drawings and Designs,
For Pembroke Statues, dirty Gods, and Coins;
Rare monkish Manufcripts for Hearne alone,
And Books for Mead, and Butterflies for Sloane.
Think we all thefe are for himself? no more
Than his fine Wife, alas! or finer Whore.

For what has Virro painted, built, and planted? Only to fhew, how many tastes he wanted.

5

10

What brought Sir Visto's ill-got wealth to waste? 15 Some Dæmon whisper'd, "Vifto! have a Tafte. " Heav'n vifits with a Tafte the wealthy fool,

And needs no Rod but Ripley with a Rule.
See! fportive fate, to punish aukward pride,

Bids Bubo build, and fends him fuch a Guide :
A ftanding fermon at each year's expence,
That never Coxcomb réach'd Magnificence!

20

VER. 7 Topham, ] A Gentleman famous for a judicious collection of Drawings.

VER. 10. And Books for Mead, and Butterflies for Sloane ] Two eminent Phyficians; the one had an excellent Library, the other the finest collection in Europe of natural curiosities; both men of great learning and humanity,

VER. 18. Ripley] This man was a carpenter, employed by a firft Minifter, who raifed him to an Architect, without any genius in the art; and after fome wretched proofs of his infufficiency in public Buildings, made him Comptroller of the

Board of works.

You show us, Rome was glorious, not profufe, And pompous buildings once were things of Ufe. Yet fhall (my Lord) your juft, your noble rules Fill half the land with Imitating-Fools; Who random drawings from your fheets fhall take, And of one beauty many blunders make; Load fome vain Church with old Theatric state, Turn Arcs of triumph to a Garden -gate';

25

30

Reverse your ornaments, and hang them all

On fome patch'd dog-hole ek'd with ends of wall;

Then clap four flices of Pilafter on't,

That, lac'd with bits of ruftic makes a Front;

Shall call the wind thro' long arcades to roar,
Proud to catch cold at a Venetian door;
Conscious they act a true Palladian part,
And if they starve, they ftarve by rules of art.
Oft have you hinted to your brother Peer,
A certain truth, which many buy too dear:
Something there is more needful than Expence,
And fomething previous ev'n to Taste- 'tis Sense:
Good Senfe, which only is the gift of Heav'n,
And tho' no Science, fairly worth the feven:

35

40

VER. 23. The Earl of Burlington was then publishing the Defigns of Inigo Jones, and the Antiquities of Rome by Palladio.

After ver. 22. in the MS.

Muft Bishops, Lawyers, Statefmen, have the skill
To build, to plant, judge painting, what you will?
Then why not Kent as well our treaties draw,
Bridgman explain the Gospel, Gibbs the Law?

A Light, which in yourself you must perceive;
Jones and Le Nôtre have it not to give.

To build, to plant, whatever you intend,
To rear the Column, or the Arch to bend,
To fwell the Terras, or to fink the Grot;
In all, let Nature never be forgot.

But treat the Goddess, like a modeft fair,
Nor over-drefs, nor leave her wholly bare;
Let not each beauty ev'ry where be spy'd,
Where half the skill is decently to hide.

45

50

He gains all points, who pleafingly confounds,
Surprizes, varies, and conceals the Bounds.

55

Confult the Genius of the Place in all;

That tells the waters or to rise, or fall;

Or helps th' ambitious Hill the heav'ns to scale,
Or fcoops in circling theatres the Vale;
Calls in the Country, catches op'ning glades,

Joins willing woods, and varies fhades from shades;
Now breaks, or now directs, th'intending Lines;
Paints as you plant, and, as you work, designs.

Still follow fenfe, of ev'ry Art the Soul,
Parts answering parts shall slide into a whole,
Spontaneous beauties all around advance,
Start ev'n from Difficulty, strike from Chance ;
Nature shall join you; Time fhall make it grow
A Work to wonder at-perhaps a STOW.

60

65

70

VEE. 46. Inigo Jones the celebrated Architect, and M. Le Nêtre, the defigner of the best Gardens in France.