Should I let satire loose on English ground, 260 EPISTLE TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE PAUL METHUEN, Esq. YES, I'll maintain what you have often said, Why must we climb the Alpine mountains' sides To find the seat where Harmony resides? Why touch we not so soft the silver lute, The cheerful hautboy, and the mellow flute? 'Tis not th' Italian clime improves the sound, But there the patrons of her sons are found. Why flourish'd verse in great Augustus' reign? Yet there are ways for authors to be great; 20 25 He must indulge his patron's hate and spleen, All this seems modern preface, where we're told That wit is praised, but hungry lives and cold: Against th' ungrateful age these authors roar, And fancy learning starves because they're poor. Yet why should learning hope success at Court? Why should our patriots virtue's cause support? Why to true merit should they have regard ? They know that virtue is its own reward. Yet let not me of grievances complain, Who (though the meanest of the Muse's train) Can boast subscriptions to my humble lays, And mingle profit with my little praise. Ask Painting, why she loves Hesperian air. Go view, she cries, my glorious labours there; 30 35 40 45 There in rich palaces I reign in state, And on the temple's lofty domes create. Why didst thou, Kent, forego thy native land, While Burlington's proportion'd columns rise, Censure imputes it all to pomp and show; 50 55 бо 65 70 Had Pope with grovelling numbers fill'd his page, Dennis had never kindled into rage. 'Tis the sublime that hurts the critic's ease; Write nonsense, and he reads and sleeps in peace. 75 Were Prior, Congreve, Swift, and Pope unknown, The daily perils of deserving well. A crow was strutting o'er the stubbled plain, Just as a lark descending closed his strain. 80 The crow bespoke him thus with solemn grace : 85 The lark, who scorn'd soft flatt'øy, thus replies : AUTHOR OF THAT CELEBRATED TREATISE IN FOLIO, CALLED THE LAND-TAX BILL.' WHEN poets print their works, the scribbling crew Stick the bard o'er with bays, like Christmas pew: Can meagre poetry such fame deserve? 5 ΤΟ Whose learned lines can millions raise per ann. Great L his praise should swell the trump of fame, And rapes and wapentakes resound his name. If the blind poet gain'd a long renown squires, Their seats, their cities, parishes, and shires. Thy copious preamble so smoothly runs, Taxes no more appear like legal duns, 14 Lords, knights, and squires th' assessor's power obey, We read with pleasure, though with pain we pay. Ah, why did C thy works defame! That author's long harangue betrays his name; 20 Though forced to hear, we 're not obliged to read. 25 Under what science shall thy works be read? All know thou wert not poet born and bred; |