Dadalian arguments but few can trace,
But all can read the language of grimace.
Hence mighty Ridicule's all-conquʼring hand 215
Shall work Herculean wonders thro' the Land:
Bound in the magic of her cobweb chain,

You, mighty WARBURTON, shall rage in vain,
In vain the tracklefs maze of Truth you scan,
And lend th' informing Clue to erring Man: 220
No more shall Reason boast her pow'r divine,
Her Base eternal fhook by Folly's mine!

Truth's facred Fort th' exploded laugh shall win;
And Coxcombs vanquish BERKLEY by a grin,

But you, more fage, reject th' inverted rule, 225
That Truth is e'er explor'd by Ridicule :
On truth, on falfehood let her colours fall,
She throws a dazzling glare alike on all;
As the gay Prism but mocks the flatter'd eye,
And gives to ev'ry object ev'ry dye.

Beware the mad Advent'rer: bold and blind
She hoifts her fail, and drives with ev'ry wind;
Deaf as the Storm to finking Virtue's groan,
Nor heeds a Friend's deftruction, or her own.

230

235

Let clear-ey'd Reafon at the helm prefide,
Bear to the wind, or ftem the furious tide;
Then Mirth may urge, when Reason can explore,
This point the way, that waft us glad to fhore.

Tho' diftant Times may rife in SATIRE's page, Yet chief 'tis Her's to draw the prefent Age: 240 With Wisdom's luftre, Folly's fhade contrast, And judge the reigning Manners by the paft: Bid Britain's Heroes (awful Shades!) arife, And ancient Honour beam on modern Vice: Point back to minds ingenuous, actions fair, 245 Till the Sons blush at what their Fathers were: Ere yet 'twas beggary the great to trust ; Ere yet 'twas quite a folly to be just; When low-born Sharpers only dar'd a lie, Or falfify'd the card, or cogg'd the Dye; Ere Lewdness the stain'd garb of Honour wore, Or Chastity was carted for the Whore;

250

Vice flutter'd, in the plumes of Freedom dress'd; Or public Spirit was the public jest.

Be ever, in a juft expreffion, bold,
Yet ne'er degrade fair SATIRE to a Scold;

Let no unworthy mien her form debase,
But let her fmile, and let her frown with grace:
In mirth be tempʼrate, temp'rate in her spleen;
Nor, while the preaches modesty, obscene.
260
Deep let her wound, not rankle to a fore,
Nor call his Lordship, her Grace a —
The Mufe's charms refiftless then affail,
When wrapt in Irony's tranfparent veil :
Her beauties half-conceal'd the more furprize, 265
And keener luftre sparkles in her eyes.
Then be your line with fharp encomiums grac'd:
Style Clodius honourable, Bufa chaste.

Dart not on Folly an indignant eye:

270

Who e'er discharg'd Artillery on a Fly?
Deride not Vice: Abfurd the thought and vain,

To bind the Tiger in so weak a chain.

Nay more when flagrant crimes your laughter

move,

The Knave exults: to fmile is to approve.
The Mufe's labour then fuccefs fhall crown, 275
When Folly feels her smile, and Vice her frown.

Know next what measures to each Theme belong, And fuit your thoughts and numbers to your fong:

VOL. III.

B

On wing proportion'd to your quarry rise,
And stoop to earth, or foar among the skies. 280
Thus when a modish folly you rehearse,
Free the expreffion, fimple be the verse.

285

In artless numbers paint th' ambitious Peer,
That mounts the box, and fhines a Charioteer :
In ftrains familiar fing the midnight toil
Of Camps and Senates difciplin'd by Hoyle;
Patriots and Chiefs, whofe deep design invades
And carries off the captive King-of Spades!
Let SATIRE here in milder vigour fhine,
And gayly graceful sport along the line;
Bid courtly Fashion quit her thin pretence,
And smile each Affectation into fenfe.

290

Not fo when Virtue by her Guards betray'd, Spurn'd from her Throne, implores the Muse's aid: When crimes, which erft in kindred darkness lay, Rife frontless, and infult the eye of day;

Indignant Hymen veils his hallow'd fires,
And white-rob❜d Chastity with tears retires
When rank Adultery on the genial bed
Hot from Cocytus rears her baleful head :

296

300

When private Faith and public Trust are sold,
And Traitors barter Liberty for gold:

When fell Corruption dark and deep, like fate,
Saps the foundation of a finking State :

When Giant-Vice and Irreligion rife,

On mountain'd falfehoods to invade the fkies:

rage:

305

Then warmer numbers glow thro' SATIRE's page,
And all her smiles are darken'd into
On eagle-wing the gains Parnaffus' height,
Not lofty EPIC foars a nobler flight :

310

Then keener indignation fires her eye;

Then flash her lightnings, and her thunders fly; Wide and more wide her flaming bolts are hurl'd, Till all her wrath involves the guilty World.

315

Yet SATIRE oft affumes a gentler mien, And beams on Virtue's friends a smile ferene: She wounds reluctant; pours her balm with joy; Glad to commend where Worth attracts her eye. But chief, when Virtue, Learning, Arts decline, She joys to fee unconquer'd merit fhine; 320 Where bursting glorious, with departing ray, True Genius gilds the clofe of Britain's Day: With joy the fees the ftream of Roman art From MURRAY's tongue flow purer to the heart : Sees YORKE to Fame, e'er yet to Manhood known, And just to ev'ry virtue, but his own :