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490

While through poetic scenes the Genius roves,
Or wanders wild in academic groves;
That Nature our society adores,

500

Where Tindal dictates, and Silenus snores.
Rous'd at his name, up-rose the bowzy sire,
And shook from out his pipe the seeds of fire;
Then snapt his box, and stroak'd his belly down;
Rosy, and rev'rend, though without a gown. 496
Bland and familiar to the throne he came,
Led up the youth, and call'd the Goddess Dame.
Then thus: From priestcraft happily set free,
Lo! ev'ry finish'd son returns to thee:
First slave to words, then vassal to a name,
Then dupe to party; child and man the same;
Bounded by Nature, narrow'd still by art,
A trifling head, and a contracted heart.
Thus bred, thus taught, how many have I seen,
Smiling on all, and smil'd on by a queen? 506
Mark'd out for honors, honor'd for their birth,
To thee the most rebellious things on earth :
Now to thy gentle shadow all are shrunk,
All melted down in pension, or in punk!
So K*, so B** sneak'd into the grave,
A monarch's half, and half a harlot's slave.
Poor W** nipt in folly's broadest bloom,
Who praises now? his chaplain on his tomb.

REMARKS.

510

v. 492. Silenus.] Sitenus was an Epicurean philosopher, as appears from Virgil, Ecl. vi. where he sings the principles of that philosophy in his drink.

1

520

Then take them all, oh take them to thy breast!
Thy Magus, Goddess! shall perform the rest. 516
With that a wizard old, his cup extends,
Which whoso tastes, forgets his former friends,
Sire, ancestors, himself. One casts his eyes,
Up to a star, and like Endymion dies:
A feather, shooting, from another's head,
Extracts his brain, and principle is fled;
Lost in his God, his country, ev'ry thing,
And nothing left but homage to a king!
The vulgar herd turn off to roll with hogs,
To run with horses, or to hunt with dogs;
But, sad example! never to escape
Their infamy, still keep the human shape.
But she, good Goddess, sent to every child
Firm Impudence, or Stupefaction mild; 530
And strait succeeded, leaving Shame no room,
Cibberian forehead, or Cimmerian gloom.

Kind self-conceit to some her glass applies,
Which no one looks in with another's eyes;

REMARKS.

525

v. 517...his cup.. Which whoso tastes, &c.] The cup of SelfOve, which causes a total oblivion of the obligations of friendhip or honor; and of the service of God or our country: all acrificed to vain-glory, court-worship, or the yet meaner consierations of lucre and brutal pleasures. From ver. 520, to 528,

IMITATIONS.

v. 518. Which whoso tastes, forgets his former friends, Sire, &c.] Homer of the Nepenthe, Odyss. IV.

But as the flatt'rer, or dependant, paint,
Beholds himself a patriot, chief, or saint.

On others' int'rest, her gay liv'ry flings, Intʼrest, that waves on party-color'd wings: Turn'd to the sun, she casts a thousand dyes, And, as she turns, the colors fall, or rise.

Others the Syren Sisters warble round, And empty heads console with empty sound. No more, alas! the voice of Fame they hear, The balm of Dulness trickling in their ear. Great C**, H**, 'P**, R**, K*,

535

540

545

Why all your toils? your sons have learn'd to sing. How quick Ambition hates to ridicule !

The sire is made a peer, the son a fool.

550

On some, a priest succinct in amice white Attends; all flesh is nothing in his sight! Beeves at his touch, at once to jelly turn, And the huge boar is shrunk into an urn: The board, with spacious miracles, he loads, Turns hares to larks, and pigeons into toads. Another (for in all, what one can shine?) Explains the seve and verdeur of the vine. What cannot copious sacrifice atone? Thy truffles, Perigord! thy hams, Bayonne! With French libation, and Italian strain, Wash Bladen white, and expiate Hays's stain. 560

REMARKS.

555

v. 560... Bladen.. Hays.] Names of gamesters. Bladen is a black man. Robert Knight, Cashier of the South sea Company, who fled from England in 1720 (afterwards pardoned in 1749)◄

Kaight lifts the head; for what are crowds undone,
To three essential partridges in one
?

Gone ev'ry blush, and silent all reproach,
Contending princes mount them in their coach.

566

Next bidding all draw near on bended knees,
The Queen confers her titles and degrees.
Her children first of more distinguish'd sort,
Who study Shakespeare at the Inns of Court,
Impale a glow-worm, or vertu profess,
Shine in the dignity of F. R. S.

570

575

Some, deep Free-masons, join the silent race,
Worthy to fill Pythagoras's place :
Some, botanists, or florists at the least,
Or issue members of an annual feast.
Nor past the meanest unregarded, one
Rose a Gregorian, one a Gormogon.
The last, not least in honor or applause,
Isis and Cam made Doctors of her Laws.
Then, blessing all, Go, children of my care!
To practice now from theory repair.
580
All my commands are easy, short, and full:
My Sons! be proud, be selfish, and be dull.
Guard my prerogative, assert my throne:
This nod confirms each privilege your own.
The cap and switch be sacred to his Grace; 585
With staff and pumps the Marquis leads the race;
From stage to stage the licens'd Earl may run,
Pair'd with his fellow-charioteer, the Sun;

REMARKS.

These lived with the utmost magnificence at Paris, and kept open tables frequented by persons of the first quality of England, and even by princes of the blood of France.

The learned Baron butterflies design,

590

595

Or draw to silk Arachne's subtile line;
The Judge to dance his brother serjeant call!
The Senator at cricket urge the ball;
The Bishop stow (pontific luxury!)
An hundred souls of turkeys in a pye ;
The sturdy Squire to Gallic masters stoop,
And drown his lands and manors in a soup.
Others import yet nobler arts from France,
Teach kings to fiddle, and make senates dance.
Perhaps more high some daring son may soar,
Proud to my list to add one monarch more; 600
And, nobly conscious, princes are but things
Born for first ministers, as slaves for kings,
Tyrant supreme! shall three estates command,
And make one mighty Dunciad of the land! [nods:
More she had spoke, but yawn'd—All Nature
What mortal cán resist the yawn of gods?
Churches and Chapels instantly it reach'd;
(St. James's first, for leaden G— preach'd ;)
Then catch'd the Schools; the Hall scarce kept
awake;

606

The Convocation gap'd, but could not speak: 610
Lost was the Nation's sense, nor could be found,
While the long solemn unison went round:
Wide, and more wide, it spread o'er all the realm;
Ev'n Palinurus nodded at the helm:

The vapour mild o'er each Committee crept; 615
Unfinish'd treaties in each office slept;

And chiefless Armies doz'd out the campaign;
And Navies yawn'd for orders on the main.

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