Can they direct what measures to purfue, Who know themfelves fo little what to do? с Just half the land would buy, and half be fold: 125 The reft, fome farm the Poor-box, fome the Pews; C t 135 Pars hominum geftit conducere publica: funt qui e Multis occulto crefcit res fenore. f verum NOTE S. VER. 124 Alike in nothing but one Luft of Gold-Just half the land would buy, and half be fold:] Here the argument fuffers a little for the fake of the fatire. The reafon why the People fhould not be followed is because Bellua multorum eft capitum, nam quid fequar, aut quem? they are fo divers in their purfuits (fays Horace) that one cannot follow this man without being condemned by that. The imitator fays, they go all on one common principle, the luft of gold. This inaccuracy, tho' Horace has a little, of it, yet he has however artfully difguifed it, by fpeaking of the various objects of this one Paffion, avarice, as of fo many various paffions. Pars hominum geftit conducere publica: funt qui, etc. Cruftis et pomis Multis occulto, etc. but his imitator has unwarily drawn them to a point, by the introductory addition of the two lines above: Alike in nothing, etc. But fhew me one who has it in his pow'r 140 Sir Job fail'd forth, the ev'ning bright and fill, "For Snug's the word: My dear! we'll live in Town." At am'rous Flavio is the ftocking thrown; That very night he longs to lie alone. The Fool, whofe Wife elopes fome thrice a quarter, For matrimonial folace dies a martyr. Did ever Proteus, Merlin, any witch, Transform themfelves fo ftrangely as the Rich? Well, but the Poor-The Poor have the fame itch; 8 Nullus in orbe finus Baiis praelucet amoenis, Si dixit dives; lacus et mare fentit amorem Feftinantis heri: cui fi vitiofa libido K Fecerit aufpicium; cras ferramenta Teanum Quo teneam vultus mutantem Protea nodo? Quid "pauper? ride: mutat coenacula, lectos, NOTE S. 151 VER. 143. Now let fome whimfy, etc.] This is very spirited, but much inferior to the elegance of the Original, Cui fi vitiofa Libido Fecerit aufpicium; which alluding to the religious manners of that time, no modern imitation can reach. They change their weekly Barber, weekly News, 155 Difcharge their Garrets, move their beds, and run When (each opinion with the next at strife, One ebb and flow of Follies all my life) I plant, root up; I build, and then confound; น Turn round to fquare, and fquare again to round; 170 You never change one muscle of your face, You think this Madness but a common cafe, P Balnea, tonfores; conducto navigio aeque NOTE S. VER. 155. They change their weekly Barber, etc.] These fix lines much more fpirited than the Original. In Horace, the people's inconftancy of temper is fatirized only in a fimple exposure of the cafe. Here the ridicule on the folly is heightened by an humorous picture of the various objects of that inconftancy. Nor once to Chanc'ry, nor to Hale apply; Yet hang your lip, to fee a Seam awry! Careless how ill I with myfelf agree, 175 Kind to my drefs, my figure, not to Me. X 180 Is this my Guide, Philofopher, and Friend? Nec medici credis, nec curatoris egere a d Ad fummam, Sapiens uno minor eft Jove, dives, b Liber, honoratus, pulcher, rex denique regum; Praecipue fanus, e nifi cum pituita molefta eft. NOTE S. VER. 182. when plunder'd,] i. e. By the Public; which has rarely her revenge on her plunderers; and when he has, more rarely knows how to use it. M 3 |
