A motley groupe! high, low; and froth, and scum; Diftinguish but fhrill fqueak, and dronish hum ?The Piper, grown luxuriant in his art,

320

With dance and flowing vest embellishes his part!
Now too, its pow'rs increas'd, the Lyre fevere
With richer numbers fmites the lift'ning ear:
Sudden burfts forth a flood of rapid fong,

Rolling a tide of eloquence along:
Useful, prophetic, wife, the ftrain divine
Breathes all the spirit of the Delphick shrine.

325

He who the prize, a filthy goat, to gain, At first contended in the tragick strain, Soon too-tho' rude, the graver mood unbroke,Stript the rough SATYRS, and essay'd a joke ; For holiday-spectators, flufh'd, and wild,

With new conceits, and mummeries, were beguil'd. Yet should the Satyrs fo chaftife their mirth, Temp'ring the jest that gives their fallies birth; 335 Changing from grave to gay, fo keep the mean, That God or Heroe of the lofty scene,

In royal gold and purple feen but late,

May ne'er in cots obfcure debase his ftate,

Loft in low language; nor in too much care 340 To fhun the ground, grafp clouds, and empty air.

Effutire leves indigna tragoedia versus,

Ut feftis matrona moveri jussa diebus,
Intererit Satyris paulum pudibunda protervis.
Non ego inornata et dominantia nomina folum
Verbaque, Pifones, Satyrorum fcriptor amabo: 235
Nec fic enitar tragico differre colori,

Ut nihil interfit Davufne loquator et audax
Pythias emuncto lucrata Simone talentum,
An cuftos famulufque Dei Silenus alumni,

Ex noto fictum carmen fequar: ut fibi quivis 240

Speret idem; fudet multum, fruftraque laboret

Aufus idem tantum feries jun&turaque pollet:

Tantum de medio fumtis accedit honoris.

Silvis deducti caveant, me judice, Fauni,

Ne velut innati triviis, ac pene forenfes,

245

Aut nimium teneris juvenentur verfibus umquam,

Aut

With an indignant pride, and coy difdain,
Stern Tragedy rejects too light a vein:
Like a grave Matron, deftin'd to advance
On folemn festivals to join the dance,

Mixt with the fhaggy tribe of Satyrs rude,
She'll hold a fober mien, and act the prude.
Ne'er would I, Pifos, in the Sylvan fcene,
Ufe abject terms alone, and phrases mean;
Nor of high Tragick colouring afraid,
Neglect too much the difference of fhade!
Davus may jeft, pert Pythias may beguile
Simo of cafh, in a familiar ftyle;
The fame low ftrain Silenus would difgrace,
Servant and guardian of the Godlike race.

345

350

355

Let me on fubjects known my verse fo frame, So follow it, that each may hope the fame; Daring the fame, and toiling to prevail, May vainly toil, and only dare to fail! Such virtues order and connection bring,

360

From common arguments fuch honours fpring.

The woodland Fauns their origin fhould heed, Take no town ftamp, nor feem the city breed: Nor let them, aping young gallants, repeat Verfes that run upon too tender feet; E 3

365 Nor

Aut immunda crepent ignominiofaque dicta. Offenduntur enim, quibus eft equus, et pater, et res; Nec, fi quid fricti ciceris probat et nucis emtor, Equis accipiunt animis, donantve coronâ.

250

Syllaba longa brevi fubjecta, vocatur Iambus, Pes citus: unde etiam Trimetris accrefcere juffit Nomen Iambeis, cum fenos redderet ictus

Primus ad extremum fimilis fibi; non ita pridem,
Tardior ut paulo graviorque veniret ad aures, 255
Spondeos ftabiles in jura paterna recepit
Commodus et patiens: non ut de fede fecundâ
Cederet, aut quartâ focialiter. Hic et in Acci
Nobilibus Trimetris apparet rarus, et Ennî.

In fcenam miffus cum magno pondere versus, 260
Aut operæ celeris nimium curaque carentis,
Aut ignoratæ premit artis crimine turpi,

Non quivis videt immodulata poëmata judex : Et data Romanis venia eft indigna poetis.

Idcircòne

Nor fall into a low, indecent ftile,

Breaking dull jefts to make the vulgar smile! 365
For higher ranks fuch ribaldry despise,
Condemn the Poet, and withhold the prize.

To a fhort Syllable a long subjoin'd Forms an Iambick foot; fo light a kind, That when fix pure Iambicks roll'd along, So nimbly mov'd, fo trippingly the song,

370

The feet to half their number loft their claim,

And Trimeter Iambicks was their name.

375

Hence, that the measure might more grave appear,

And with a flower march approach the ear,
From the fourth foot, and fecond, not displac'd,
The steady spondee kindly it embrac'd ;
Then in firm union focially unites,

Admitting the ally to equal rights.

Accius, and Ennius lines, thus duly wrought,
In their bold Trimeters but rarely fought :
Yet fcenes o'erloaded with a verfe of lead,
A mafs of heavy numbers on their head,
Speak careless hafte, neglect in ev'ry part,
Or fhameful ignorance of the Poet's art.

"Not ev'ry Critick spies a faulty strain, And pardon Roman Poets should disdain.”

E 4

380

385

Shall