Elfe might he take to Virtue fome years hence
P. As S-k, if he lives, will love the PRINCE.
F. Strange spleen to Sk!

P. Do I wrong the Man?

God knows, I praise a Courtier where I can.
When I confefs, there is who feels for Fame, 64
And melts to Goodness, need I SCARB'ROW name?
Pleas'd let me own, in Efher's peaceful Grove
(Where Kent and Nature vye for PELHAM'S Love)
The Scene, the Master, opening to my view,
I fit and dream I fee my CRAGGS anew!

Ev'n in a Bishop I can spy Defert;

Secker is decent, Rundel has a Heart,

NOTES.

70

VER. 64. feels for Fame, And melts to Goodness] This is a fine compliment; the expreffion fhewing, that fame was but his second paffion.

VER. 65. Scarb'row] Earl of; and Knight of the Garter, whofe perfonal attachments to the king appeared from his fteddy adherence to the royal intereft, after his refignation of his great employment of Mafter of the Horfe; and whofe known honour and virtue made him efteemed by all parties. P.

VER. 66. Efher's peaceful grove,] The house and gardens of Efher in Surry, belonging to the Honourable Mr. Pelham, Brother of the Duke of Newcastle. The author could not have given a more amiable idea of his Character than in comparing him to Mr. Craggs. P.

VER. 67. Kent and Nature] Means no more than art and nature. And in this confifts the compliment to the Artist.

VER. 71. Secker is decent] Thefe words (like thofe 135. of the first Dialogue) are another inftance of the malignity of

Manners with Candour are to Benson giv'n,
To Berkley, ev'ry Virtue under Heav'n.

75

But does the Court a worthy Man remove? That inftant, I declare, he has my Love : I shun his Zenith, court his mild Decline; Thus SOMMERS once, and HALIFAX, were mine.

NOTES.

the public judgment. The Poet thought, and not without reafon, that they conveyed a very high idea of the worthy perfon to whom they are applied; to be DECENT (or to become every station of life in which a man is placed) being the nobleft encomium on his wifdom and virtue. It is the very topic he employs in speaking of a favourite friend, one he moft efteemed and loved,

Noble and young, who ftrikes the heart,

With ev'ry sprightly, ev'ry DECENT part.

The word in both places implying every endowment of the heart. As in that celebrated verfe of Horace, from whence the expreffion was taken, and which no one has a better right to apply to himfelf than this excellent prelate:

Quid verum atque DECENS curo et rogo, et omnis in hoc fum. So that to be decent is to excell in the moral character.

VER. 76. But does the court a worthy Man remove?] The poet means, remove him for his worth not that he esteemed the being in or out a proof either of corruption, or virtue. "I "had a glympfe of a letter of yours lately (fays he to Dr. Swift) "by which I find you are, like the vulgar, apter to think well of "people out of power, than of people in power. Perhaps 'tis "a miftake; but, however, there is fomething in it generous." Lett. xvii. Sept. 3, 1726.

VER. 77. Sommers] John Lord Sommers died in 1716. He had been Lord Keeper in the reign of William III. who took from him the feals in 1700. The author had, the honour of knowing him in 1706. A faithful, able, and incorrupt minifter; who, to the qualities of a consummate statesman, added thofe of a man of Learning and Politenefs. P.

Oft, in the clear, ftill Mirrour of Retreat,

I ftudy'd SHREWSBURY, the wife and great:
CARLETON'S calm Senfe, and STANHOPE's noble
Flame,
80

Compar'd, and knew their gen'rous End the fame:
How pleasing ATTERBURY's fofter hour!
How fhin'd the Soul, unconquer'd in the Tow'r!
How can I PULT'NEY, CHESTERFIELD forget,
While Roman Spirit charms, and Attic Wit: 85
ARGYLL, the State's whole Thunder born to wield,
And shake alike the Senate and the Field:
Or WYNDHAM, just to Freedom and the Throne,
The Mafter of our Paffions, and his own.

NOTES.

89

VER. 77. Halifax] A peer, no lefs diftinguished by his love of letters than his abilities in Parliament. He was difgraced in 1710, on the Change of Q. Anne's miniftry. P.

VER. 79. Shrewsbury,] Charles Talbot, Duke of Shrewfbury, had been Secretary of ftate, Embassador in France, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Lord Chamberlain, and Lord Treafurer. He feveral times quitted his employments, and was often recalled. He died in 1718. P.

VER. 80. Carleton] Hen. Boyle, Lord Carleton (nephew of the famous Robert Boyle) who was Secretary of state under William III. and Prefident of the Council under Q. Anne. P.

Ibid. Stanhope] James Earl Stanhope. A Nobleman of equal courage, fpirit, and learning. General in Spain, and Secretary of state. P.

VER. 84. Chesterfield] Philip Earl of Chesterfield, commonly given by Writers of all Parties for an EXAMPLE to the Age he lives in, of fuperior talents, and public Virtue.

VER. 88. Wyndham] Sir William Wyndham, Chancellor of

Names, which I long have lov'd, nor lov'd in vain,

Rank'd with their Friends, not number'd with their
Train ;

And if yet higher the proud Lift should end,
Still let me fay! No Follower, but a Friend.
Yet think not, Friendship only prompts my lays;
I follow Virtue; where the fhines, I praise :
Point she to Priest or Elder, Whig or Tory,
Or round a Quaker's Beaver caft a Glory,
I never (to my forrow I declare)

95

Din'd with the MAN of Ross, or my LORD MAY'R. Some, in their choice of Friends (nay look not grave) Have still a fecret Byass to a Knave :

To find an honest man I beat about,

ΙΟΙ

And love him, court him, praise him, in or out.

NOTES.

the Exchequer under Queen Anne, made early a confiderable figure; but fince a much greater both by his ability and eloquence, joined with the utmost judgment and temper. P.

VER. 92. And if yet higher, etc.] He was at this time honoured with the efteem and favour of his Royal Highness the Prince.

VER. 93. Still let me fay! No Follower, but a Friend.] i. e. Unrelated to their parties, and attached only to their perfons. VER. 99. my Lord May'r.] Sir John Barnard, Lord Mayor in the year of the Poem, 1738. A Citizen eminent for his virtue, public Spirit, and great talents in Parliament. An excellent Man, Magiftrate, and Senator. In the year 1747, the City of London, in memory of his many and fignal fervices to his Country, erected a Statue to him. But his image had been placed long before in the heart of every good Man.

F. Then why fo few commended?

P. Not fo fierce;

Find you the Virtue, and I'll find the Verfe. 105
But random Praife-the tafk can ne'er be done;
Each Mother asks it for her booby Son,
Each Widow afks it for the Beft of Men,
For him the weeps, and him the weds
agen.
Praise cannot stoop, like Satire, to the ground; 110
The Number may be hang'd, but not be crown'd.
Enough for half the Greatest of these days,

To 'scape my Cenfure, not expect my Praise.
Are they not rich? what more can they pretend?
Dare they to hope a Poet for their Friend?
What RICHLIEU wanted, Louis fcarce could gain,
And what youngAMMON wish'd, but wish'd in vain.

NOTES.

115

VER. 102. To find an honest man, etc.] In this search, in which he was very fincere, it would have been well if he had not sometimes trufted to the reports of others, who had lefs penetration, but more paffions to gratify.

VER. 116. What Richlieu wanted, etc.] The thing here infinuated is, that the greatest character for Politics, Munificence, or Conquefts, when feparate from virtue, would never gain the praises of the true Poet. But munificence approaching nearer to Virtue than the other two qualities, he fays, Louis fcarce could gain; while Richlieu and young Ammon went without.

Ibid. Louis fearce could gain,] By this expreffion finely infinuating, that the great Boileau always falls below himself in those paffages where he flatters his Mafter. Of which flattery he gives