EPILOGUE TO THE SATIRE S. Written in MDCCXXXVIII. DIALOGUE I. FR.NOT twice a twelve-month you appear in Print, And when it comes, the Court fee nothing in't. VARIATIONS. After v. 2. in the MS. You don't I hope, pretend to quit the trade, NOTES. VER. I. Not twice a twelve-month c.) These two lines are from Horace; and the only lines that are fo in the whole Poem; being meant to give a handle to that which follows in the character of an impertinent Cenfurer, His VER. 2. the Court fee nothing in't.) He chofe this expreffion for the fake of its writings abound in them. elegant and fatiric ambiguity. VER. 9. And taught his Romans, in much better metre: To laugh at Fools who put their trust in Peter.,,) The general turn of the thought is from Boileau, Avant lui, Juvénal avoit dit en Latin, Qu'on eft, affis à l'aife faux fermons de Cotin. " IC You grow correct, that once with Rapture writ, VARIATIONS. P. Sir, what I write, fhould be correctly writ. Befides, you grow too moral for a Wit. NOTES. But the irony in the firft line, and the fatirical equivoque in the fecond, mark them for his own. His making the objector fay, that liorace excelled him in writing verfe, is pleasant. And the ambiguity of putting their trust in Peter, infinuates that Horace and he had frequently laughed at that specific folly arising from indolence, which ftill difpofes men to intruft their fpiritual and témporal concerns to the abfolute difpofal of any fanctified or unfanctified cheat, bearing the name of PETER. VER. 12. Bubo obferves,) Some guilty perfon very fond of making fuch an obfervation. P. VER. 14. H-ggins) Formerly Jaylor of the Fleet prifon, enriched himself by many exactions, for which he was tried and expelled. P. Who cropt our Ears, and sent them to the King. His fly, polite, infinuating style Could please at Court, and make AUGUSTUS fimile: 20 His Friend and Shame, and was a kind of Screen. VER. 18. Who cropt our Ears,) Said to be executed by the Captain of a Spanish fhip on one Jenkins a Captain of an Eng. He cut off his ears, and bid him carry them to the lifh one. King his master. VER. 22. Sereen,) P. Omne vafer vitium ridenti Flaccus amico Tangit, & admiffus circum præcordia ludit. Perf. P. Ibid. Screen.) A metaphor peculiarly appropriated to a cerain perfor in power. P. This appellation was geto the Court. Though at) had views too mean VER. 24. Patriots there are, &c.) nerally given to thofe in oppofition fome of them (which our author hints and interested to deferve that name. VER. 26. The Great man) A phrafe, by common ufe, appropriated to the fift minifter. P. P. VER. 29. Seen him I have, &c.) This and other strokes of commendation in the following poem, as well as his regard to him on all occafions, were in acknowledgment of a certain fervice the Minifter had done a Prieft at Mr. Pope's folicitation. Qur Poet, when he was about feventeen, had a very ill fever in the country, which, it was feared, would end fatally. In this condition, he wrote to Southcor; a Priest of his acquaintance Seen him I have, but in his happier hour He does not think me what he thinks mankind. NOTES. 30 then in town, to take his laft leave of him. Southcot with great affection and folicitude applied to Dr. Radcliffe for his advice. And not content with that, he rode down poft, to Mr. Pope, who was then an hundred miles from London, with the Doctor's directions; which had the defired effect. A long time after this Southcot, who had an intereft in the Court of France, writing to a common acquaintance in England, informed him that there was a good Abbey near Avignon, which he had credit enough to get, were it not from an apprehenfion that his promotion would give umbrage to the Pretender's fervice, was become very obnoxious. The person to whom this was written happening to acquaint Mr. Pope with the cafe he immediately wrote to Sir Robert Walpole about it; begged that this embargo might be taken off; and acquainted him with the grounds of folicitation: That he was indebted to Southcot for his life, and he must difcharge his obligation, either here or in purgatory. The Minister received the application favourably, and with much good-nature wrote to his brother, then in France, to remove this obstruction. In confequence of which Southcot get the Abbey. Mr. Pope ever after retained a grateful fenfe of his civility. VER. 31. Scen him, uncumber'd) These two verses were originally in the poem, though omitted in all the firft edi VER. 34. what he thinks mankind.) This requeft feems fomewhat abfurd: but not more fo than the principle it refers to. That great Minifter, it seems, thought all mankind' Rogues; and that every one had his penetration, and extenfive knowledge of the world. Others perhaps would think it an inftance of a narrow understanding, that, from a few of Rochefaucault's maxims, and the corrupt practice of those he commonly converfed with, would Come, come, at all I laugh he laughs, no doubt; 35 The only diff'rence is, I dare laugh out. F. Why yes: with Scripture ftill you may be free; A Horfe laugh, if you please, at Honefty; A Joke on JEKYL, or fome odd Old Whig Who never chang'd his Principle, or Wig: A Patriot is a Fool in ev'ry age, 40 Whom all Lord Chamberlains allow the Stage: NOTES. 45 thus boldly pronounce upon the character of his Species. It is certain, that a Keeper of Newgate, who fhould make the fame conclusion, would be heartily laughed at. VER. 37. Why yes: with Scripture &c.) A fcribler, whofe only chance for reparation is the falling in with the fashion, is apt to employ this infamous expedient for the prefervation of his fleeting existence. But a true Genius could not do a foolisher thing, or fooner defeat his own aim. The fage Boileau ufed to fay on this occafion, Une ouvrage fevere peut bien plaire aux ,,libertins; mais un ouvrage trop libre ne plaira jamais aux per,,fonnes feveres.,, Ibid. why, yes: with Scripture ftill you may be free;) Thus the Man commonly called Mother Ofborn, who was in the Minifter's pay, and wrote Journals; for one Paper in behalf of Sir Robert, had frequently two against J. C. VER. 39. A Joke on Jekyl) Sir Jofeph Jekyl, Master of the Rolls, a true Whig in his principles, and a man of the utmost probity. He fometimes voted against the Court, which drew upon him the laugh here defcribed of ONE who bestowed it equally upon Religion and Honesty. He died a few months after she publication of this poem. P. VER. 43. Thefe nothing hurts;) i. e. offends. |