Between Excefs and Famine lies a mean; Plain, but not fordid; tho' not fplendid, clean. S Avidien, or his Wife (no matter which, For him you'll call a dog, and her a bitch) 50 But on fome w lucky day (as when they found 55 A loft Bank bill, or heard their Son was drown'd) At fuch a feast, old vinegar to fpare, X Is what two fouls fo gen'rous cannot bear: Oyl, tho' it stink, they drop by drop impart, 60 But fowse the cabbage with a bounteous heart. a y He knows to live, who keeps the middle state And neither leans on this fide, nor on that; Nor ftops, for one bad cork, his butler's pay, Swears, like Albutius, a good cook away; Nor lets, like Nævius, ev'ry error pass, The mufty wine, foul cloth, or greasy glass. NOTES. 65 VER. 50. For him you'll call a dog, and her a bitch] One cannot but admire the lively turn here given to the Ori ginal. Accipe nunc, victus tenuis quae quantaque fecum d Afferat. In primis valeas bene; nam variae res Ut noceant homini, credas, memor illius efcae, Quae fimplex olim tibi federit. at fimul affis Dulcia fe in bilem vertent, ftomachoque tumultum Coena defurgat dubia ? quin corpus onustum Hesternis vitiis animum quoque praegravat una, Atque affigit humo divinae particulam aurae. Alter, ubi dicto citius curata fopori Membra dedit, vegetus praefcripta ad munia furgit. NOTES. VER. 80. The Soul fubfides, and wickedly inclines To feem but mortal ev'n in found Divines.] Horace was an Epicurean, and laughed at the immortality of the foul. He therefore describes that languor of the mind proceeding from intemperance, on the idea, and in the Terms of Plato, affigit bumo divinae particulam aurae. To this his ridicule is pointed. Our Poet, with more fobriety . < Now hear what bleffings Temperance can bring: (Thus faid our Friend, and what he said I fing) First Health: The ftomach (cramm'd from ev'ry dish, A tomb of boil'd and roaft, and flesh and fish, 7༠ Where bile, and wind, and phlegm, and acid jar, And all the man is one inteftine war) Remembers oft the School-boy's fimple fare, The temp❜rate fleeps, and fpirits light as air. 75 How eafy ev'ry labour it purfues? How coming to the Poet ev'ry Muse? NOTES. 80 85 and judgment, has turned the ridicule, from the Doctrine, which he believed, upon those Preachers of it, whose feasts and compotations in Taverns did not edify him and fo has added furprizing humour and spirit to the eafy elegance of the Original. VER. 82. On morning wings etc.] Much happier and nobler than the original. h Hic tamen ad melius poterit tranfcurrere quon dam; Sive diem feftum rediens advexerit annus, Seu recreare volet tenuatum corpus: ubique Imbecilla volet. i Tibi quidnam accedet ad istam, Quam puer et validus praefumis, mollitiem; feu Dura valetudo inciderit, feu tarda fenectus ? k Rancidum aprum antiqui laudabant: non quia nafus Illis nullus erat; fed, credo, hac mente, quod hofpes Tardius adveniens vitiatum commodius, quam 1 Integrum edax dominus confumeret. 1 hos utinam inter Heroas natum tellus me prima tuliffet. m Das aliquid famae, quae carmine gratior aurem Occupet humanam ? grandes rhombi, patinaeque Grande ferunt una cum damno dedecus. adde • Iratum patruum, vicinos, te tibi iniquum, Et fruftra mortis cupidum, cum deerit egenti NOTES. VER. 87. Or tir'd in fearch of Truth, or search of Rhyme.] A fine ridicule on the extravagance of human purfuits; where the h Not but we may exceed, fome holy time, Or tir'd in fearch of Truth, or fearch of Rhyme; Ill health fome juft indulgence may engage, And more the sickness of long life, Old age; i For fainting Age what cordial drop remains, 95 If our intemp'rate Youth the veffel drains? k Our fathers prais'd rank Ven'son. You suppose Perhaps, young men ! our fathers had no nose. Not fo: a Buck was then a week's repast, And 'twas their point, I ween, to make it last; ICO More pleas'd to keep it till their friends could come, Than eat the sweetest by themselves at home. I Why had not I in those good times my birth, 'Ere coxcomb-pyes or coxcombs were on earth? Unworthy he, the voice of Fame to hear, 105 m That sweetest mufic to an honeft ear; (For 'faith, Lord Fanny! you are in the wrong, The world's good word is better than a fong) Who has not learn'd, a fresh sturgeon and ham-pye Are no rewards for want, and infamy! n When Luxury has lick'd up all thy pelf, Curs'd by thy neighbours, thy trustees, thyself, NOTES. moft trifling and most important concerns of life fucceed one another, indifferently. |