To where the Seine, obfequious as fhe runs, To happy Convents, bofom'd deep in vines, 300 305 Love-whifp❜ring woods, and lute-refounding waves. REMARKS. VER. 33. lilly filver'd vales,] Tuberofes. 311 315 VER. 307. But chief, etc.] Thefe two lines, in their force of imagery and colouring, emulate and equal the pencil of Rubens. VER. 308. And Cupids ride the Lion of the Deeps ;] The winged Lion, the Arms of Venice, This Republic heretofore the most confiderable in Europe, for her Naval Force and the extent of her Commerce; now illuftrious for her Carnivals. Try'd all hors-d'œuvres, all liqueurs defin'd, Spoil'd his own language, and acquir'd no more; 321 As much Eftate, and Principle, and Wit, REMARK S. 325 VER. 318. greatly daring din'd ;] It being indeed no small rifque to eat thro' thofe extraordinary compofitions, whose difguis'd ingredients are generally unknown to the guests, and highly inflammatory and unwholefome. VER. 322. And last turn'd Air, the Echo of a Sound!] Yet lefs a Body than Echo itself; for Echo reflects Sense or Words at leaft, this Gentleman only Airs and Tunes: Sonus eft, qui vivit in illo. Ovid. Met So that this was not a Metamorphofis either in one or the other, but only a Refolution of the Soul into its true Principles; its real Effence being Harmony, according to the doctrine of Orpheus, the Inventor of Opera, who first performed to a felect affembly of Beasts. SCRIBL. VER. 324. With nothing but a Solo in his head ;] With nothing but a Solo? Why, if it be a Solo, how should there be any thing else? Palpable Tautology! Read boldly an Opera, which is enough of confcience for fuch a head as has loft all its Latin. BENTL. VER. 326. Janfen, Fleetwood, Cibber,] Three very eminent perfons, all Managers of Plays; who, tho' not Governors by profeffion, had, each in his way, concerned themselves in the Stol'n from a Duel, follow'd by a Nun, And, if a Borough chufe him, not undone ! This glorious Youth, and add one Venus more. 330 Her too receive (for her my foul adores) So may the fons of fons of fons of whores, Prop thine, O Emprefs! like each neighbour Throne, And make a long Pofterity thy own. REMARKS. Education of Youth: and regulated their Wits, their Morals, or their Finances, at that Period of their age which is the most important, their entrance into the polite world. Of the laft of these, and his Talents for this end, fee Book i. ver. 199. &c. VER. 331. Her too receive, &c.] This confirms what the learned Scriblerus advanced in his Note on ver. 272, that the Governor, as well as the Pupil, had a particular interest in this lady. Ibid. fons of whores.] For fuch have been always esteemed the ableft supports of the Throne of Dulness, even by the confeffion of those her most legitimate Sons, who have unfortunately wanted that advantage. The illuftrious Vanini in his divine encomiums on our Goddefs, intitled, De Admirandis Naturæ Reginæ Deæque mortalium Arcanis, laments that he was not born a Bastard: 0 utinam extra legitimum ac connubialem thorum effem procreatus! &c. He expatiates on the prerogatives of a free birth, and on what he would have done for the Great Mother with thofe advantages; and then forrowfully concludes, At quia Conjugatorum fum foboles, bis orbatus fum bonis. IMITATIONS. VER. 332. So may the fons of fons, &c.] Virg, Pleas'd, fhe accepts the Hero, and the Dame, Wraps in her Veil, and frees from sense of Shame. Then look'd, and faw a lazy, lolling fort, Unfeen at Church, at Senate, or at Court, Of ever-liftless Loit'rers, that attend No Cause, no Truft, no Duty, and no Friend. 340 Thee too, my Paridel! the mark'd thee there, Stretch'd on the rack of a too eafy chair. She pity'd! but her Pity only shed Benigner influence on thy nodding head. 345 But Annius, crafty Seer, with ebon wand, And well-diffembled em'rald on his hand, REMARK S. VER. 341. Thee too, my Paridel !] The Poet feems to speak of this young gentleman with great affection. The name is taken from Spenfer, who gives it to a wandering Courtly 'Squire, that travell'd about for the fame reason, for which many young Squires are now fond of travelling, and especially to Paris. VER. 347. Annius,] The name taken from Annius the Monk of Viterbo, famous for many Impositions and Forgeries of ancient manuscripts and inscriptions, which he was prompted to IMITATIONS. VER. 342. Stretch'd on the rack And beard, &c.] Sedet, æternumque fedebit, Infelix Thefeus, Phlegyafque miferrimus omnes Virg Falfe as his Gems, and canker'd as his Coins, Came, cramm'd with capon, from where Pollia dines. Soft, as the wily Fox is seen to creep, Where bask on funny banks the fimple fheep, 359 Walk round and round, now prying here, now there, So he; but pious, whisper'd first his pray'r. Grant, gracious Goddess! grant me ftill to cheat, 0 may thy cloud ftill cover the deceit ! REMARK S. 356 by mere Vanity, but our Anniús had a more fubftantial motive. VER. 348. well-dissembled em'rald on his band] The Poet feems here, as Wits are ever licentious, to upbraid this useful Member of Society for his well-dissembled em'rald; whereas in truth it was by that circumstance he should have been commended. This worthy perfon was, I fuppofe, a Factor between the poor and rich, to fupply these with their imaginary wants, and to relieve thofe from their real ones. Now I ask how can this Factorage be carried on without well diffembling. The rich Man wants an Em'rald; his want is allowed on all hands to be imaginary. And what fitter for an imaginary want than an imaginary em'rald? For Philofophers agree, that imaginations are not to be cured by their contrary realities, but to be removed, if troublesome, by other imaginations; and these again in their turn, by other. Confider it in another light. An Em'rald, we agree, is an imagiIMITATIONS, VER. 355. grant me fill to cheat! O may thy cloud ftill cover the deceit !] -Da, pulchra Laverna, Da mibi fallere---- Noctem peccatis & fraudibus objice zubem. 3 Hør. |