I'm stopp'd by all the fools I meet,
And catechis'd in ev'ry street.
"You, Mr. Dean, frequent the great,
"Inform us, will the emp'ror treat?
"Or, do the prints and papers lie?"
"Faith, Sir, you know as much as I."
"Ah! Doctor, how you love to jest!"
"""Tis now no secret"" I protest

"

'Tis one to me." - "Then tell us, pray, "When are the troops to have their pay?" And tho' I solemnly declare

I know no more than my Lord Mayor,
They stand amaz'd, and think me grown
The closest mortal ever known.

Thus in a sea of folly tost,

My choicest hours of life are lost,
Yet always wishing to retreat :
Oh, could I see my country seat!
There, leaning near a gentle brook,
Sleep, or peruse some ancient book,
And there in sweet oblivion drown

Those cares that haunt the Court and Town.

Quicunque obvius est, me consulit..

Jurantem me scire nihil, mirantur, ut unum
Scilicet egregii mortalem altique silenti.

95

100

105

110

101

Orus, quando ego te aspiciam? quandoq; licebit 108 Nunc veterum libris, nunc somno, et inertibus horis Ducere solicite jucunda oblivia vitæ ?

TO THE EARL OF OXFORD,

LATE LORD TREASURER.

Sent to him

When he was in the Tower, before his Trial.

OUT OF HORACE.

Written in the year 1716.

How bless'd is he who for his country dies,
Since Death pursues the coward as he flies!
The youth in vain would fly from Fate's attack,
With trembling knees, and Terror at his back;
Tho' Fear should lend him pinions like the wind, 5
Yet swifter Fate will seize him from behind.

Virtue repuls'd yet knows not to repine,
But shall with unattainted honour shine;
Nor stoops to take the staff, nor lays it down,
Just as the rabble please to smile or frown.

Virtue, to crown her fav'rites, loves to try
Some new unbeaten passage to the sky,
Where Jove a seat among the gods will give
To those who die for meriting to live.

Next, faithful Silence hath a sure reward; Within our breast be ev'ry secret barr'd: He who betrays his friend shall never be Under one roof, or in one ship, with me:

10

15

For who with traitors would his safety trust,
Lest with the wicked Heav'n involve the just?
And tho' the villain 'scape a while, he feels
Slow Vengeance, like a blood-hound, at his heels.

20

TOLAND'S INVITATION TO DISMAL,

TO DINE WITH THE CALF'S-HEAD CLUB.

Imitated from Horace, Lib. i. Epist. 5. IF, dearest Dismal! you for once can dine Upon a single dish and tavern-wine, T--nd to you this invitation sends, To eat the Calf's-head with your trusty friends. Suspend a while your vain ambitious hopes, Leave hunting after bribes, forget your tropes; To-morrow we our mystic feast prepare, Where thou, our latest proselite, shalt share, When we, by proper signs and symbols, tell How, by brave hands, the royal traitor fell;

Si potes archaicis conviva recun:bere lectis, Nec modica cœnare times olus omne patella: Supremo te sole domi, Torquate, manebo.

Mitte leves spes, et certamina divitiarum,
Et Moschi causam. Cras, nato Cæsare, festus
Dat veniam somnumque dies: impune licebit

15

The meat shall represent the tyrant's head, The wine his blood our predecessor shed; Whilst an alluding hymn some artist sings, We toast confusion to the race of kings: At monarchy we nobly shew our spight, And talk what fools call treason all the night. Who, by disgraces or ill fortune sunk, Feels not his soul enliven'd when he's drunk? Wine can clear up G-d-lph-n's cloudy face, And fill Jack Sm-th with hopes to keep his place; By force of wine ev'n Sc-rb-r-gh is brave, 21 Hal grows more pert, and S-mm-rs not so grave: Wine can give P-rt-d wit, and Cl-v-nd sense, M-t-ge learning, B-lt- n eloquence : Ch-ly, when drunk, can never lose his wand, 25 And L-nc-n then imagines he has land.

My province is to see that all be right, Glasses and linen clean, and pewter bright;

Estivam sermone benigno tendere noctem.

Quid non ebrietas designat? Operta recludit ;
Spes jubet esse ratas; in prælia trudit inermem,
Sollicitis animis onus eximit; addocet artes.
Fœcundi calices quem non fecere disertum ?
Contracta quem non in paupertate solutum ?
Hæc ego procurare et idonius imperor, et non
Invitus; ne turpe toral, ne sordida mappa

From our mysterious club to keep out spies,
And Tories (dress'd like waiters) in disguise. 30
You shall be coupled as you best approve,

love.

Seated at table next the men you
S-nd-nd, Or-rd, B-le, and R-ch-d's Grace
Will come; and H-mp-n shall have W―p-le's
W—rt—n, unless prevented by a whore, [place.
Will hardly fail, and there is room for more; 36
But I love elbow-room whene'er I drink,
And honest Harry is too apt to stk.

40

Let no pretence of business make you stay; Yet take one word of counsel by the way; If Gu-rn-sy call, send word you're gone abroad, He'll tease you with King Charles and Bishop Laud, Or make you fast, and carry you to pray'rs ; But if he will break in, and walk up stairs, Steal by the back-door out, and leave him there, Then order Squash to call a hackney-chair..

Corruget nares, ne non et cantharus, et lanx,
Ostendat tibi te; ne fidos inter amicos
Sit qui dicta foras eliminet; ut coëat par,
Jungaturque pari. Brutum tibi, Sepțimiumque,
Et, nisi cœna prior potiorque puella Sabinum
Detinet, assumam; locus est et pluribus umbris :
Sed nimis arêta premunt olidæ convivia capræ.
Tu, quotus esse velis, rescribe, et, rebus omissis,
Atria servantem postico falle clientem.

Vol. IV.

Q

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