the Town, whofe humour it was to magnify the Authors of the preceding Age; fecondly against the Court and Nobility, who encouraged only the Writers for the Theatre; and lastly against the Emperor himself, who had conceived them of little Ufe to the Government. He fhews (by a View of the Progrefs of Learning, and the Change of Taste among the Romans) that the Introduction of the Polite Arts of Greece had given the Writers of bis Time great advantages over their Predeceffors; that their Morals were much improved, and the Licence of those ancient Poets reftrained: that Satire and Comedy were become more just and useful; that whatever extravagancies were left on the Stage, were owing to the Ill Tafte of the Nobility; that Poets under due Regulations, were in many refpects useful to the State; and concludes, that it was upon them the Emperor himself must depend, for his Fame with Pofterity. We may farther learn from this Epiftle, that Horace made his Court to this Great Prince by writing with a decent Freedom toward him, with a juft Contempt of his low Flatterers, and with a manly Regard to his own Character. EPISTLES EPISTLES O F HORA CE. W BOOK II. EPISTLE I. Hile You, great Patron of Mankind! I sustain The balanc'd World, and open all the Main ; Your Country, chief, in Arms abroad defend, At home, with Morals, Arts, and Laws amend; 2 How fhall the Muse, from fuch a Monarch, fteal An hour, and not defraud the Publick Weal? CU UM tot 1 fuftineas & tanta negotia, folus ; Res Italas armis tuteris, moribus ornes, Legibus emendes; in 2 publica commoda peccem, Si longo fermone morer tua tempora, Cafar. 3 Edward 3 Edward and Henry, now the Boast of Fame, 6 Finds Envy never conquer'd, but by Death. 10 15 20 3 Romulus, & Liber pater, & cum Caftore Pollux, Poft ingentia falta, 4 Deorum in templa recepti, Dum terras hominumque colunt genus, afpera bella Componunt, agros adfignant, oppida condunt; 5 Ploravere fuis non refpondere favorem Speratum meritis. Dirum qui contudit Hydram, Notaque fatali portenta labore fubegit, Comperit 6 Invidiam fupremo fine domari. 7 Urit enim fulgore fuo qui prægravat artes Infra fe pofitas: extinctus amabitur idem. 8 Præfenti Tibi maturos largimur honores : Great Great Friend of LIBERTY! in Kings a Name 25 30 Authors, like coins, grow dear as they grow old; 35 It is the ruft we value, not the gold. 11 Chaucer's worst ribaldry is learn'd by rote, And beaftly† Skelton Heads of houfes quote: 9 Jurandafque tuum per nomen ponimus aras, + Skelton, Poet Laureat to Hen. 8. a volume of whofe verfes has been lately reprinted, confifting almoft wholly of ribaldry, obfcenity, and fcurrilous lan guage. D One One likes no language but the Faery Queen; A Scot will fight for * Chrift's Kirk o' the Green; 40 And each true Briton is to Ben fo civil, 12 He fwears the Muses met him at the Devil. Tho' juftly 13 Greece her eldeft fons admires, 45 We build, we paint, 14 we fing, we dance as well, If 16 Time improve our Wit as well as Wine, 12 Dictitet Albano Mufas in monte locutas Si, quia 13 Græcorum funt antiquiffima quaeque Si 16 meliora dies, ut vina, poemata reddit ; 50 * Chrift's Kirk o' the Green, a Ballad made by a King of Scotland. + The Devil Tavern, where Ben Johnson held his Poetical Club. "Who |