THE

PROLOGUE.

N

EVER did I fo much as fip;
Or wet with Hippocrene a lip;
I never dream'd, one fingle night,
Upon Parnaffus' forked height;
(Or if I did fo, do not know it)
To make me thus ftart up a poet.

No; my pretenfions to the Nine,
And pale Pirene, I refign;
Refign to thofe, whofe better claim
Stands witnefs'd by approving fame;
By facred ftatues, plac'd around,
With twining wreaths of ivy crown'd!

Thefe rude, unpolish'd ftrains of mine,

1, at Apollo's hallow'd fhrine,
Lay humbly, unprefaming, down ;
1, half a poet, half a clown.

Who taught the pie's or parrot's throat,
To emulate the human note ?

Thofe founds which nature had deny'd,
Ingenious want, to both, fupply'd.
Ingenious want, in nature's fpite,
Taught them to fpeak-and me to write.

Nay, hang but lure enough in view,
And they fhall ftrait turn poets too:
Ev'n crows and pies fhall chatter verfe,
And like their brother bards, rehearse.

SATIRE I

THE ARGUMENT.

We may fuppofe the Author to be just feated in his study, and beginning to vent his indignation in fatire. At this very juncture, comes in an acquaintance, who upon hearing the first line, diffuades him, by all means, from an undertaking fo perilous; advifing him rather, if he needs must write, to accommodate his vein to the talte of the times, and to write like other people.

Perfius acknowledges that this, indeed, were the readieft method to gain countenance and applaufe; but then adds, that the approbation of such patrons as this compliance would recommend him to, was a thing to be delired, on no terms at all; much lefs upon terms fo fhameful.

After this, he takes occafion to expofe the wretched taste that prevailed then at Rome, both in their verfe and profe; and informs us what abominable stuff their noble poetafters not only fcribbled them. felves, but encouraged in others. Of these their miferable attempts in the way of poetry, the Author exhibits to us a fmall specimen : at the fame time lamenting, that he dares not speak out with the freedom allowable in former times, and practifed by his predeceffors in fatire, Lucilius and Horace. He then concludes, expreffing a generous difdain for all worthless blockheads whatever: The only readers whole applaute he covets, must be men of virtue and men of fenfe.

PERSIU S.

MONITOR.

P. VAIN Card learns! Who'll read this canting preachAIN cares of man! all earthly things how vain!

ing ftrain?

P. Speak'it thou to me? Not one, i'faith, not one.
M. Yes, twe perhaps, or-P. None, most likely, none.

M. The

M. The cafe is piteous-P. Why a piteous cafe?
Polydamas forfooth, and all the race
Of master-miffes, join in my disgrace!
Admit they do, need I for this repine,
That fuch e'en Labeo's page prefer to mine?
Ridiculous! If muddy-headed Rome
Condemn our wit, muft we abide the doom?
Stand to th' award of an ill-judging town?
And by their falfer fcale adjuft our own?
No, no; for others' judgments ask no more:
To know thy felf, thy felf alone explore.

For who at Rome is not a-? Might I fay,
O might I mention what!-But fure I may.
For fee what toys, their fenfelefs lives engage,
From playful childhood up to reverend age!
Yet mark the folemn cheat, the fage grimace!
Cenforian beard, feverity of face!

Viewing these hoary fools, enrag'd I glow :
Out, out it muft-You must excufe me.

M. No.

P. But my unruly fpleen with laughter fwells:

What must I do when nature thus rebels?

M. What must you do? The fame that others do:

Obferve the course our other bards pursue.

Pent in their lonely ftudies, they compote.

Some, meafur'd numbers, fome, unfetter'd profe:

But, be it profe or numbers, all they write

30

Is quite fublime. P. Sublime, no doubt on't, quite!

Alike fublime: for fee from first to lait,

The profe is fuftian, and the verse bombaft!

It's author too, alike, the heavy load

Puffs from his huge, rehearsing lungs, abroad.

35

Ver. 6. Polydamas frjooth!] He means here Nero and his minions; alluding to a paffage in a fpeech of Hector's. Homer's Iliad, b. 22. ver. 100 and 105.

Ver. 9. Labea's page. Actius Labeo was a court fcribbler, who made a literal and wretched tranflation of ieveral books of Homer's Iliad into Latin. See verfe 115 and 272.

Ver. 14. No, no; for others' judgments. This is fpoken conformably to that principle of the Stoic philofophy, which maintained that a wife man fhould not make other people's opinion, but his own right reafon only, his rule of action.

And lo the promis'd Day! At length, 'tis here:
New-cloath'd, new-powder'd, fee the wit appear!
A finish'd beau, forfooth, behold him ftand,
A birth-day jewel fparkling on his hand!
A foftning gargle tunes his warbling throat,
And fits the varying pipe for every note.

A desk, rais'd high, the liftening throng controlls;

He mounts, and out the melting poem rolls.

His eye, a comment to his fenfe affords ;

And adds immodeft looks, to wanton words.

These are the means, the shameful means! that please :

Rome's very nobles own the power of these.

What! at this age, with thefe grey reverend hairs, Turn't thou a pander to fuch ears as theirs?

Theirs! at whofe glutting praife, e'en thou wou'dft cry, Forbear! For bear! or elfe I burst, I die.

"Well but, (Say you) what ufe does science yield,

40

45

"If in the parent mind it lie conceal'd?

"If there the leaven fwell, in vain, for vent,

60

"If there the barren fig-tree ftill be pent?"

O men! O manners! toils thy dotard head,

Refigns thy cheek, for this, it's healthful red?

Muft then the pageant, knowledge, needs be shown?
Ufelefs to thee, unless to others known.
"O but the pointing finger who can fee,

65

"Who hear, uncharm'd the whisper, there, that's be ?”

"Nay more, the beauish sons of Rome rehearse,

Their tutors teach, the beauties of your verse :

And is it nothing, nothing, to become

70

"A leffon to the beauifh fons of Rome ?"

Lo next our furfeit fots, call, o'er their wine,

To hear the labours of a bard divine.

Come, the productions of fome heavenly mufe,

Who can repeat? cry they-And what enfues?

75

Why one, or other, of the purple beaus,

A naufeous preface fnuffles thro' the nose;

Some old, fome fad old tale, then forth he whines,

Made fadder ftill by lamentable lines.

Tells how Hypfipile a captive figh'd,

80

Or how poor fond deferted Phyllis died.

Some fuch trite ditty, his refining throat
Fritters; and melts and minces every note.

All

All hear attentive; and to crown the end,
All generous nods of approbation lend.

O happy author! thou art fure at rest;
Thy afhes, after this muft needs be bleft!
Thy tomb, no doubt! the monumental flones,
Muft, after this, lie lighter on thy bones!
But approbation only, will not do:
Behold, applaufes are thy portion too!

The guests all ring thy praife-Thrice happy thou!
Feel not thy manes joys exceffive, now?

Now, raife not violets, from thy duft their head,
And proudly make thy precious urn their bed?

66

"O Sir, (jays one) your worship's pleas'd to fneer, (That nofe informs us) but you need not here.

"For breathes there he, fo ftupid to difclaim

The praife of men, the general voice of fame? "When fuch his labours, fuch his facred page, "As cedar's juice fhould vindicate from age; "Should bid to latest times, unfoil'd endure;

66

Of grocers, fearless; and of cooks, fecure?"
Whoe'er thou art, to whom, fo lately I
Affign'd th' opponent's part, take this reply.
If in my writings, by fome lucky hit,
(Luck it must be) I deviate into wit;
Know, then, howe'er I fcorn applause undue,
Then, i can praife accept-approve it too.
To glory's charms, not callous is my heart,
Such glory, as refults from true defert.
But that thefe eulogies of fools, fhou'd be
The final aim-to that, I can't agree.
For Gift (I beg) all this their mighty praife:
Includes it not ev'n Labeo's paltry lays?
His very Iliad? and each fuftian train
Teem'd in that purg'd, helleborated brain ?

85

95

100

105

110

115

Ver. 101. As cedar's juice.] Bookfellers, to preserve their valuable books from growing mouldy, or worm-caten, rubbed them over with the liquor that diffilled from the cedar tree. See Pliny, b. 13. c. 13.

Ver. 117. Helebcrated brain?] The antients made ufe of Hellebore, not only when they were difordered, but oftentimes too in found Health, purely to quicken the appicheafion. See Pliny, b. 25. C. 5•