To help who want, to forward who excel;
This, all who know me, know; who love me, tell;

And who unknown defame me, let them be

Scriblers or Peers, alike are Mob to me.

140

This is my Plea, on this I rest my cause-
* What faith my Council, learned in the laws ?

F. Your Plea is good; but still I say, beware!
Laws are explain'd by men-so have a care.
It stands on record, that in Richard's times
A man was hang'd for very honest rhymes;
Consult the Statute, quart. I think, it is,
*Edwardi fext. or prim. et quint. Eliz.
See Libels, Satires-here you have it-read.
P.

145

Libels and Satires! lawless things indeed! 150

Diffentis.

* nifi quid tu, docte Trebati,

T. Equidem nihil hinc diffingere poffum. Sed tamen ut monitus caveas, ne forte negotî Incutiat tibi quid fanctarum inscitia legum :

- " Si mala condiderit in quem qui carmina, jus eft "Judiciumque."

H. Esto, fiquis a mala, sed bona fi quis

NOTES.

VER. 146. A man was bang'd, etc.] Si mala condiderit.- A great French Lawyer explains this matter very truly. "L' Ariftocratie " est le Gouvernement qui proscrit les plus les Ouvrages satiriques. "Les Magistrats y font de petits Souverains, qui ne font pas allez " grands pour mepriser les injures. Si dans la Monarchie quelque "trait va contre le Monarque, il est si haut que le trait n'arrive

point jusqu'à lui; un Seigneur Aristocratique en est percé de part en part. Aussi les Decemvirs, qui formoient une Ariftb"cratie, punirent-ils de mort les Ecrits Satiriques." De L'Efprit des Loix, L. xii. c. 13.

VER. 150. Libels and Satires! lawless things indeed!-But grave Epiftles, etc.] The legal objection is here more justly and decently taken off than in the Original. Horace evades the force of it with a quibble,

Esto, siquis mala; fed bona fi quis

But grave Epistles, bringing Vice to light,
Such as a King might read, a Bishop write,
Such as Sir ROBERT would approve-

F. Indeed?

The Case is alter'd you may then proceed;
• In such a cause the Plaintiff will be hiss'd,
My Lords the Judges laugh, and you're dismiss'd.

Judice condiderit laudatus CAESARE? fi quis
Opprobriis dignum laceraverit, integer ipse?
T. Solventur risu tabulae: tu missus abibis.

NOTES.

155

But the Imitator's grave Epistles shew the Satire to be a serious reproof, and therefore juftifiable; which the integer ipfe of the Ori ginal does not: for however this might plead in mitigation of the offence, nothing but their being grave Epistles could justify the

attack.

VER. 153. F. Indeed?] Hor.
Solventur rifu tabulae.

Some Critics tell us, it is want of tafte to put this line in the mouth of Trebatius. But our poet confutes this cenfure, by shewing how well the sense of it agrees to his Friend's character. The Lawyer is cautious and fearful; but as foon as SIR ROBERT, the Patron both of Law and Gospel, is named as approving them, he changes his note, and, in the language of old Plouden, owns the Cafe is alter'd. Now was it not as natural, when Horace had given a hint that Augustus himself supported him, for Trebatius, a Court Advocate, who had been long a Client to him and his Uncle, to confels the Cafe was alter'd?

THE

SECOND SATIRE

OF THE

SECOND BOOK

OF

HORACE.

W

II.

SATİRE

To Mr. BETHEL.

HAT, and how great, the Virtue and the Art
To live on little with a cheerful heart;

▸ (A doctrine sage, but truly none of mine)
Let's talk, my friends, but talk a before we dine.
• Not when a gilt Buffet's reflected pride

5

Turns you from found Philosophy afide;

Not when from plate to plate your eye-balls roll,
And the brain dances to the mantling bowl.

Hear BETHEL's Sermon, one not vers'd in schools,

4 But strong in sense, and wife without the rules.

10

► Go work, hunt, exercise! (he thus began)

Then scorn a homely dinner, if you can.

2

SATIRA

II.

UAE virtus & quanta, boni, fit vivere parvo,
(Nec meus hic fermo; fed quae praecepit Ofellus,

Rufticus, dabnormis Sapiens, crafsaque Minerva)
Discite, non inter lances mensasque nitentes's
Cum stupet infanis acies fulgoribus, et cum
Acclinis falsis animus meliora recufat:

• Verum hic impranfi mecum disquirite. Cur hoc ?
Dicam, si potero. male verum examinat omnis
Corruptus judex. h Leporem sectatus, equove
Lassus ab indomito; vel (fi Romana fatigat

NOTES.

VER. 5. a gilt Buffet's reflected pride-Turns you from found Pbilofopky afide; More forcibly and happily expressed than the original, acclinis falfis; though that be very elegant.

VER. 9. BETHEL.] The fame to whom feveral of Mr. Pope's Letters are addressed.

i Your wine lock'd up, your Butler stroll'd abroad,
Or fish deny'd (the river yet unthaw'd)
If then plain bread and milk will do the feat,
The pleasure lies in you, and not the meat.

15

* Preach as I please, I doubt our curious men
Will chufe a pheasant still before a hen;
Yet hens of Guinea full as good I hold,
Except you eat the feathers green and gold.

20

Of carps and mullets why prefer the great, (Tho' cut in pieces ere my Lord can eat)

Militia assuetum graecari) seu pila velox,
Molliter austerum studio fallente laborem;
Seu te discus agit, pete cedentem aëra disco :
Cum labor extulerit fastidia; ficcus, inanis,
Sperne cibum vilem: nisi Hymettia mella Falerno,
Ne biberis, diluta. foris est promus et atrum
Defendens pisces hiemat mare: cum sale panis
Latrantem ftomachum bene leniet. unde putas, aut
Qui partum ? non in caro nidore voluptas
Summa, sed in teipfo eft. tu pulmentaria quaere
Sudando. pinguem vitiis albumque neque ostrea,
Nec scarus, aut poterit peregrina juvare lagoïs.

* Vix tamen eripiam, posito pavone, velis quin
Hoc potius quam gallina tergere palatum;
Corruptus vanis rerum: quia veneat auro
Rara avis, et picta pandat spectacula cauda ::
Tamquam ad rem attineat quidquam. Num vesceris ista,
Quam laudas, pluma ? coctove num adest honor idem?
Carne tamen quamvis distat nihil hac, magis illa;
Imparibus formis deceptum te patet, esto..
Unde datum sentis, lupus hic, Tiberinus, an alto
Captus hiet? pontesne inter jactatus, an amnis
Ostia fub Tufci? laudas, infane, trilibrem

Mullum; in fingula quem minuas pulmenta necesse est.