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THE SIXTH EPISTLE

OF THE

FIRST BOOK OF HORACE.

66

TO MR. MURRAY.*

'NOT to admire, is all the art I know,

"To make men happy, and to keep them so." (Plain truth, dear MURRAY, needs no flow'rs of speech,

So take it in the very words of Creech.)
This vault of air, this congregated ball,
Self-center'd sun, and stars that rise and fall,
There are, my friend! whose philosophic eyes
Look through, and trust the Ruler with his skies,
To him commit the hour, the day, the year,
And view this dreadful all without a fear.
Admire we then what earth's low entrails hold,
Arabian shores, or Indian seas infold;
All the mad trade of fools and slaves for gold?
Or popularity? or stars and strings?
The mob's applauses, or the gifts of kings?

1737.

5

IC

15

Say

Afterwards the celebrated Lord Mansfield. This was written

VER. 4. Creech.] From whose translation of Horace the two first lines are taken.

VOL. IIL

Say with what eyes we ought at courts to gaze,
And pay the great our homage of amaze?

If weak the pleasure that from these can spring, The fear to want them is as weak a thing: Whether we dread, or whether we desire,

In either case, believe me, we admire ;

Whether we joy or grieve, the same the curse,
Surpriz'd at better, or surpriz'd at worse.

Thus good or bad, to one extreme betray

20

Th' unbalanc'd mind, and snatch the man away; 25
For virtue's self may too much zeal be had;
The worst of madmen is a saint run mad.

eyes:

Go then, and if you can, admire the state
Of beaming diamonds, and reflected plate;
Procure a TASTE to double the surprize,
And gaze on Parian charms with learned
Be struck with bright brocade, or Tyrian dye,
Our birth-day uobles' splendid livery.
If not so pleas'd, at council-board rejoice,
To see their judgments hang upon thy voice;
From morn to night, at Senate, Rolls, and Hall,
Plead much, read more, dine late, or not at all.
But wherefore all this labour, all this strife?
For fame, for riches, for a noble wife?

Shall one whom nature, learning, birth, conspir'd
To form, not to admire, but be admir'd,

39

35

41

Sigh, while his Chloe blind to wit and worth

Weds the rich dulness of some son of earth?

Yet

Yet time ennobles, or degrades each line;

45

It brighten❜d CRAGGS'S, and may darken thine :
And what is fame? the meanest have their day,
The greatest can but blaze, and pass away.
Grac'd as thou art, with all the pow'r of words,
So known, so honour'd, at the House of Lords:
Conspicuous scene! another yet is nigh,
(More silent far,) where kings and poets lie;
Where MURRAY (long enough his country's pride)
Shall be no more than TULLY, or than HYDE !
Rack'd with sciatics, martyr'd with the stone,

Will any mortal let himself alone?

See Ward by batter'd beaus invited over,
And desp'rate misery lays hold on Dover.
The case is easier in the mind's disease;

There all men may be cur'd, whene'er they please.
Would ye be blest? despise low joys, low gains;
Disdain whatever CORNBURY disdains;

Be virtuous, and be happy for your pains.

But art thou one, whom new opinions sway, One who believes as Tindal leads the way,

50

55

61

Who

VER. 45. It brighten'd CRAGGS's,] His father had been in a low situation; but, by industry and ability, got to be post master general and agent to the Duke of Marlborough.

Ver: 56. 57. Ward- Dover.] Celebrated empirics.

VER. 61. Whatever CORNBURY disdains ;] When Lord Cornbury returned from his travels, the late Earl of Essex, his brotherin-law, told him he had got a handsome pension for him. To which Lord Cornbury answered with a composed dignity - How could you tell, my Lord, that I was to be sold; or, at least, how came you to know my price so exactly? To this anecdote Pope alludes.

Who virtue and a church alike disowns,

65

Thinks that but words, and this but brick and stones? Fly then, on all the wings of wild desire,

Admire whate'er the maddest can admire:

Is wealth thy passion? Hence! from pole to pole, Where winds can carry, or where waves can roll, 70 For Indian spices, for Peruvian gold,

80

Prevent the greedy, and outbid the bold:
Advance thy golden mountain to the skies;
On the broad base of fifty thousand rise,
Add one round hundred, and (if that's not fair) 75
Add fifty more, and bring it to a square.
For, mark th' advantage; just so many score
Will gain a wife with half as many more,
Procure her beauty, make that beauty chaste,
And then such friends—as cannot fail to last.
A man of wealth is dubb’d a man of worth,
Venus shall give him form, and Anstis birth.
(Believe me, many a German prince is worse,
Who proud of pedigree, is poor of purse.)
His wealth brave Timon gloriously confounds;
Ask'd for a groat, he gives a hundred pounds;
Or if three ladies like a luckless play,
Takes the whole house upon the poet's day.

85

Now,

VER. 65. Who virtue and a church alike disowns,] The one he renounces in his party-pamphlets; the other in his Rights of the Christian Church.

VER. 82. Anstis birth.] Anstis was Garter King of Arms.

Now, in such exigencies not to need,

Upon my word, you must be rich indeed;
A noble superfluity it craves,

Not for yourself, but for your fools and knaves;
Something, which for your honour they may cheat,
And which it much becomes you to forget.
If wealth alone then make and keep us blest,
Still, still be getting, never, never rest.

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100

But if to pow'r and place your passion lie,
If in the pomp of life consist the joy;
Then hire a slave, or (if you will) a lord
To do the honours, and to give the word;
Tell at your levee, as the crowds approach,
To whom to nod, whom take into your coach,
Whom honour with your hand: to make remarks,
Who rules in Cornwall, or who rules in Berks:
"This may be troublesome, is near the chair:
“That makes three members, this can choose a may'r."
Instructed thus, you bow, embrace, protest,
Adopt him son, or cousin at the least,

Then turn about, and laugh at your own jest.
Or if your life be one continu'd treat,
If to live well means nothing but to eat;
Up, up! cries Gluttony, 'tis break of day,
Go drive the deer, and drag the finny-prey;

105

110

With

VER. 104. Who rules in Cornwall, &c.] Pope here seems to allude to Viscount Falmouth, who brought into Parliament several members for the Cornish boroughs.

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