Such secrets are not easily found out ;
But, once discover'd, leave no room for doubt.
Troth stamps conviction in your ravish'd breaft,
And peace and joy attend the glorious guest.

Truth ftill is one ; truth is divinely bright;
No cloudy doubts obscure her native light ;
While in your thoughts you find the leaft debate,
You may confound, but never can translate. -
Your style will this through all disguises fhew,,
For none explain more clearly than they know.
He only proves he understands a text,
Whofe exposition leaves it unperplex’d.
They who too faithfully on names infift,
Rather create than dissipate the mist;
And grow unjust by being over-nice,
(For superstitious virtue turns to vice).
Let Craffus* * ghoft and Labienus tell
How twice in Parthian plains their legions fell;
Since Rome hath been so jealous of her fame,
That few know Pacorus' or Monæses' name.

Words in one language elegantly us'd,
Will hardly in another be excus'd.
And some that Rome admir'd in Cæsar's time.
May neither fuit our genius nor our clime.
The genuine fense, intelligibly told,
Shews a translator both discreet and bold.

Excurfions

Hor. iii. Od. 6.

Excursions are inexpiably bad ; And 'uis much safer to leave out thàn add. 10 18. Abftrufe and mystic thoughts you must express slur? With painful care, bắt seeming casiness : »blist For truth shines brightelt thro’ the plainelt dress. Th’ Ænean Muse, when she appears in state, Makes all Jove's thunder on her verses wait: 1. ve Yet writes fometimes as soft and moving things :: ; 'As Venus spcaks, or Philomela fings.

* Your author always will the best advise, Fall when he falls, and when he rises rise. Affected noise is the most wretched thing That to contempt can empty scribblers bring. Vowels and accents, regularly plac'd, On even syllables (and fill the last) Though gross innumerable faults abound, In spite of nonsense, never fail of found. But this is meant of even verse alone, As being most harmonious and most known : For if you will unequal numbers try, There accents on odd syllables muft lie. Whatever filter of the learned Nine Does to your suit a willing ear incline, Urge your success, deserve a lafting name, She'll crown a grateful and a constant flame. But if a wild uncertainty prevail. And turn your veering heart with ev'ry gale, You lose the fruit of all

your

former care For the fad prospect of a just despair.

A quack

A quack (too scandalously mean to name) Had, by, man-midwifery, got wealth and fame : As if Lucina had forgot her trade, The labouring wife invokes his furer aid. Well-feafon’d bowls the gossip's spirits' raise, Who, while the guzzles, chats the doctor's praise ; And largely what she wants in words supplies, With maudlin-eloquence of trickling eyes. But what a thoughtless animal is man! How very

Worried with debts, and past all hope of bail,
Th’unpitied wretch lies rotting in a jail:
And there, with basket-alms scarce kept alive,
Shews how mistaken talents ought to thrive.

I pity, from my soul, unhappy men.
Compellid by want to prollitute their pen;
Who must, like lawyers, either flarve or plead,
And follow, right or wrong, where guineas lead!
But you, Pompilian, wealthy pamper'd heirs,
Who to your country owe your swords and cares,
Let no vain hope your easy mind feduce,
For rich ill poets are without excuse,
'Tis very dangerous, tampering wlth a mufe ;
The profit's small, and you have much to lose :
For though true wit adorns your birth and place,
Degenerate lines degrade th' atiainted race.
No poet any paflion can excite
But what they feel transport them when they write,
Have

you been led through the Cumxan cave,
And heard the impatient maid divinely rave ?
I hear her now! I see her rolling eyes :
And panting, Lo! the god, the gud, she cries ;
With words not hers, and more than human sound,
She makes th' obedient ghosts peep trembling thro' the

ground. But, tho' we muil obey when Heaven commands, And man in vain the sacred call withstands,

Beware

Beware what fpirit rages in your

breast; For ten inspir’d, ten thousand are posseft. Thus make the

proper

use of each extreme,
And write with fury, but correct with phlegm.
As when the cheerful hours too freely pass,
And sparkling wine smiles in the tempting glass,
Your pulse advises, and begins to beat
Through ev'ry swelling vein a loud retreat :
So when a muse propitiously invites,
Improve her favours, and indulge her flights ;
But when you find that vigorous heat abate,
Leave off, and for another summons wait.
Before the radiant sun a glimmering lamp,
Adulterate metals to the sterling lamp,
Appear not meaner than mere human lines,
Compar’d with those whose inspiration shines :
These nervous, bold ; those languid and remiss ;
There, cold falutes; but here a lover's kiss.
Thus have I seen a rapid headlong tide
With foaming waves the paslive Soane divide;
Whose lazy waters without motion lay,
While he, with eager force, urg'd his impetuous way.

The privilege that ancient poets claim,,
Now turn'd to licence by too just a name;
Belongs to none but an establith'd fame,
Which scorns to take it
Absurd expressions, crude, abortive thoughts,
All the lewd legion of exploded faults,

Base,