Sivut kuvina
PDF
ePub

Stenn'd the wild torrent of a barb'rous age,
And drove those holy Vandals off the stage.

But fee each muse in Leo's golden days,

700

Starts from her trance, and trims her wither'd bays!
Rome's ancient genius, o'er its ruins spread,
Shakes off the duft, and rears his rev'rend head!
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 whofe honour'd brow
The poets bays, and critics ivy grow:
Cremona now shall ever boast thy name,
As next in place to Mantua, next in fame!

795

710

But foon by impious arms from Latium chac'd,

Their ancient bounds the banish'd muses paft;

Thence arts o'er all the northern world advance;
But critic learning flourish'd most in France:

715

The rules, a nation born to ferve obeys;

And Boileau ftill in right of Horace fways;

But we, brave Britons, foreign laws defpis'd,
And kept unconquer'd, and unciviliz❜d,

* Hieronymus Vida, an excellent Latin poet, who writ an art of poetry in verfe. He flourish'd in the time of Leo the tenth.

3

Fierce

Barbariæ obnixus torrentia tempora vincit,
Atque Gothos propriis facros de finibus arcet.

At Leo jam rurfus viden' aurea fecula condit, Sertaque neglectis revirefcunt laurea mufis! Antiquus Romæ Genius de pulvere facro Attollit fublime caput. Tunc cœpit amari Sculptura atque artes fociæ, cælataque rupes

755

Vivere, et in pulchras lapides mollescere formas;
Divinam harmoniam furgentia templa sonabant,

760

Atque ftylo & calamo Raphael & Vida vigebant;
Illuftris vates! cui laurea ferta poetæ

Intertexta hederis critici geminata refulgent:

Jamque æquat claram tibi, Mantua, Vida Cremonam, Utque loci, fic femper erit vicinia famæ.

765

Mox autem profugæ metuentes improba musæ
Arma, Italos fines linquunt, inque Arctica migrant
Littora; fed criticam fibi Gallia vendicat artem.
Gens ullas leges, docilis fervire, capeffit,
Boiloviufque vices domini gerit acer Horatî.
At fortes fpernunt præcepta externa Britanni,
Moribus indomiti quoque ; nam pro jure furendi

770

Angliacus

Fierce for the liberties of wit, and bold,
We still defy'd the Romans, as of old.

720

Yet fome there were among the founder few

Of those who lefs prefum'd, and better knew,

Who durft affert the juster ancient cause,
And here reftor'd wit's fundamental laws.

Such was the muse, whose rules and practice tell,

*

Nature's chief mafter-piece is writing well.

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

725

To him the wit of Greece and Rome was known,
And ev'ry author's merit but his own.

730

Such late was Walsh---the muse's judge and friend;
Who juftly knew to blame, or to commend;

To failings mild, but zealous for defert;

The clearest head, and the fincereft heart.

735

This humble praise, lamented fhade! receive,

This praise at least a grateful muse may give!

The mufe, whofe early voice you taught to fing, Prescrib'd her heights, and prun'd her tender wing; (Her guide now loft) no more pretends to rise,

740

But in low numbers fhort excurfions tries;

Content, if hence th' unlearn'd their wants may view,
The learn'd reflect on what before they knew:

*

Effay on poetry, by the duke of Buckingham.

4

Careless

Angliacus pugnat genius, Romamque magistram,
Romanumque jugum femper contemnere pergit.
At vero jam tum non defuit unus & alter

Corda, licet tumefacta minûs, magis alta gerentes,
Ingenii partes veri studiofa fovendi

Inque bafi antiquâ leges & jura locandi.

Talis, qui cecinit doctrinæ exemplar & author,

775

"Ars bene fcribendi naturæ eft fumma poteftas."
Talis Rofcommon---bonus & doctiffimus idem,
Nobilis ingenio magè nobilitatus honesto;
Qui Graios Latiofque authores novit ad unguem,
Dum veneres tcxit pudibunda industria privas.
Talis Walshius ille fuit---judex & amicus
Mufarum, cenfuræ æquus laudifque minifter,
Mitis peccantûm cenfor, vehemenfque merentûm
Laudator, cerebrum fine mendo, & cor fine fuco!
Hæc faltem accipias, lacrymabilis umbra, licebit,
Hæc debet mea musa tuæ munuscula famæ,
Illa eadem, infantem cujus tu fingere vocem,
Tu monftrare viam; horridulas componere plumas
Tu fæpe es folitus---duce jam miferanda remoto
Illa breves humili excurfus molimine tentat,
Nec jam quid fublime, quid ingens amplius audet.
Illi hoc jam fatis eft--fi hinc turba indoca docetur,
Docta recognofcit studii veftigia prifci:

[ocr errors]

780

785

790

795

Cenfuram

Careless of cenfure, nor too fond of fame,
Still pleas'd to praise, yet not afraid to blame :
Averfe alike to flatter or offend,

Not free from faults, nor yet too vain to mend.

745

« EdellinenJatka »