No zealous Paftor blame a failing Spouse, 195 Th' Affront is mine, my friend, and fhould be yours Who think a Coxcomb's Honour like his Sense; 20.1 P. So proud, I am no Slave: So impudent, I own myself no Knave: So odd, my Country's Ruin makes me grave. Men not afraid of God, afraid of me : 206 Safe from the Bar, the Pulpit, and the Throne, 210 Yet touch'd and fham'd by Ridicule alone. ! O facred weapon left for Truth's defence, Sole Dread of Folly, Vice, and Infolence! The Mufe may give thee, but the Gods muft guide: VER. 204. And mine as Man, who feel for all Mankind.] From Terence: "Homo fum: humani nihil a me alienum puto.` VER. 208. Yes, I am proud, etc.] In this ironical exultation the Poet infinuates a fubject of the deepest humiliation. VER. 211. Yet touch'd and foam'd by Ridicule alone.] The Paf hions are given us to awaken and fupport Virtue. But they frequently betray their truft, and go over to the Interests of Vice. Ridicule, when employed in the cause of Virtue, fhames and brings them back to their duty. Hence the ufe and importance of Satire. VER. 214. To all but Heav'n-directed hands] "The Citizen (fays Plato, in his fifth book of Laws) who does no injury to "any one, without question, merits our esteem. He who, not content with being barely juft himself, oppofes the course of in 216 220 Rev'rent I touch thee! but with honest zeal; 224 When black Ambition ftains a public Cause, A Monarch's Sword when mad Vain-glory draws, Not Waller's Wreath can hide the Nation's Scar, 230 Not Boileau turn the Feather to a Star. "juftice, by profecuting it before the Magistrate, merits our efteem " vaftly more. The first difcharges the duty of a fingle Citizen : the aber does the office of a Body. But he whofe zeal ftops not here, "but proceeds to ASSIST THE MAGISTRATE IN PUNISHING, "is the most valuable bleffing of Society. This is the PERFECT CITIZEN, to whom we should adjudge the prize of Virtue." VER. 222. Cobwebs] Weak and flight fophiftry against virtues and honour. Thin colours over vice, as unable to hide the light of Truth, as cobwebs to fhade the fun. VER. 228. When black Ambition, etc.] The cafe of Cromwell in the civil war of England; and (ver. 229) of Louis XIV. in his conqueft of the Low Countries. VER. 231. Nor Boileau turn the Feather to a Star.] See his Ode VARIATION 5. After ver. 227. in the MS. Where's now the Star that lighted Charles to rife? Angels, that watch'd the Royal Oak so well, Not fo, when diadem'd with rays divine, There, other Trophies deck the truly brave, 235 240 And may defcend to Mordington from STAIR; 245 250 Yes, the laft Pen for Freedom let me draw, When Truth stands trembling on the edge of Law; Here, laft of Britons! let your names be read; Are none, none living? let me praise the Dead, And for that Cause which made your Fathers fhine, Fall by the Votes of their degen'rate Line. on Namur; where (to ufe his own words) "il a fait un Aftre de "la Plume blanche que le Roy porte ordinairement a fon Chapeau, et qui eft en effet une efpece de Comete, fatale à nos ennemis.' VER. 137. Anftis] The chief Herald at Arms. It is the custom, at the funeral of great Peers, to caft into the grave the broken ftaves and enfigns of honour. VER. 239. Stair;] John Dalrymple Earl of Stair, Knight of the Thiftle; ferved in all the wars under the Duke of Marlborough ; and afterwards as Ambaffador in France. VER. 240, 241. Hough and Digby] Dr. John Hough Bishop of Worcester, and the Lord Digby. The one an affertor of the Church of England, in oppofition to the falfe measures of King James II. The other as firmly attached to the caufe of that King. Both acting out of principle, and equally men of honour and virtue. F. Alas! alas! pray end what you' began, And write next winter more Essays on Man. 255 VER. 255.] This was the laft poem of the kind printed by our author, with a refolution to publish no more; but to enter thus, in the most plain and folemn manner he could, a fort of PROTEST against that infuperable corruption and depravity of manners, which he had been so unhappy as to live to fee. Could he have hoped to have amended any, he had continued thofe attacks: but bad men were grown fo fhamelefs and fo powerful, that Ridicule was become as unfafe as it was ineffectual. The Poem raifed him, as he knew it would, fome enemies; but he had reason to be fatisfied with the approbation of good men, and the testimony of his own confcience. VARIATION S. VER. ult. in the MS. Quit, quit these themes, and write Effays on Man. ON RECEIVING FROM THE RIGHT HONOURABLE The Lady FRANCES SHIRLEY A STANDISH AND TWO PENS. ES, I beheld th' Athenian Queen YES, Defcend in all her fober charms; "And take (the faid, and fmil'd ferene) "Take at this hand celeftial arms. "Secure the radiant weapons wield; Aw'd on my bended knees I fell, And dipt them in the fable Well, What Well? what Weapon? (Flavia cries) "A ftandish, fteel, and golden pen! "It came from Bertrand's, not the skies; "I gave it you to write again. The Lady Frances Shirley] A Lady whofe great Merit Mr. Pope took a real pleasure in celebrating. |