670

Nor suffers Horace more in

wrong Translations By Wits, thạn Critics in as wrong Quotations. See Dionysius Homer's thoughts refine,

665 And call new beauties forth from ev'ry line!

Fancy and art in gay Petronius please,
The scholar's learning, with the courtier's ease.

In grave Quintilian's copious work, we find
The jufteft rules, and cleareft method join'd:
Thus useful arms in magazines we place,
All rang'd in order, and dispos'd with grace,
But less to please the eye, than arm the hand,
Still fit for use, and ready at command.

Thee, bold Longinus ! all the Nine inspire, 675
And bless their Critic with a Poet's fire.
An ardent Judge, who zealous in his trust,
With warmth gives sentence, yet is always just;
Whose own example ftrengthens all his laws;
And is himself that great Sublime he draws.

680 Thus long fucceeding Critics jaftly reignd, * License repress’d, and useful laws ordain'd. Learning and Rome alike in empire grew; And Arts ftill follow'd where her Eagles flew ; From the same foes, at last, both felt their doom, 685 And the fame age faw Learning fall, and Rome, With Tyranny, then Superstition join'd, As that the body, this endav'd the mind; Much was believ'd, but little understood, And to be dull was constru'd to be good ; 696

VER. 665. See Dionysius] Of Halicarnaffus.

VARIATIONS.
Between ver. 690 and 691. the Author omitted these two :

Vain Wit's and Critics were no more allow'd,
When none but Saints had license to be proud.

695

A second deluge Learning thus o'er-run,
And the Monks finish'd what the Goths began.

At length Erasmus, that great injur'd name,
(The glory of the Priesthood, and the fame!)
Stem'd the wild torrent of a barb'rous age,
And drove those holy Vandals off the stage.

But fee! each Mufe, in Leo's golden days,
Starts from her trance, and crims her wither’d bays,
Rome's ancient Genius, o'er its ruins spread,
Shakes off the dust, and rears his rev'rend head. 700
Then Sculpture and her fifter-arts revive;
Stones leap'd to form, and rocks began to live ;
With sweeter notes each rifing Temple rung;
A Raphael painted, and a Vida fung.
Immortal Vida: on whose honour'd brow

705
The Poet's bays and Critic's ivy grow:
Cremona now Thall ever boast thy name,
As next in place to Mantua, next in fame!

But soon by impious arms from Latium chas'd,
Their ancient bounds the banith'd Muses pass'd; 71.
Thence Arts o'er all the northern world advance,
But Critic-learning flourish's most in France :
The rules a nation, born to serve, obeys ;
And Boileau ftill in right of Horace sways.
But we, brave Britons, foreign laws despis'd, 715
And kept unconquer'd, and unciviliz'd;
Fierce for the liberties of wit, and bold,
We still defy'd the Romans, as of old.
Yet fome there were, among the founder few
Of those who less presum'd, and better knew, 720
Who durft affert the juster ancient cause,
And here reftord Wit's fundamental laws.
Such was the Muse, whose rules and Nice tell,
“ Nature's chief Master-piece is writing well.”

VER.723. Such was the Muse] - Elay on Puetry by the Duke of
Buckingham. Our Poet is not the only one of his time whe

Such was Roscommon, not more learn’d than good, With manners gen'rous as his noble blood;

726 To him the wit of Greece and Rome was known, And ev'ry author's merit but his own. Such late was Walth-the Muse's judge and friend, Who juftly knew to blame or to commend ;

730 To failings mild, but zealous for defert; The cleareft head, and the fincereft heart. This humble praise, lamented shade! receive, This praise at least a grateful Muse may give : The Muse, whose early voice you taught to sing, 735 Prescrib'd her heights, and prun'd her tender wing, (Her guide now loft) no more attempts to rise, But in low numbers short excursions tries : Content, if hence th' unlearn'd their wants may view, The learn'd reflect on what before they knew :