That deed, I ween, demands superior thanks :
The British Commons were the dupes of BANKS.

PRETTYMAN.

Say, in what regións are those fathers found,

For deep-dissembling policy renown'd;
Whose subtle precepts for perverting truth,
To quick perfection train'd our patron's youth,
And taught him all the mystery of lies?
Resolve me this, and I resign the prize.

BANKS.

90

Say, what that mineral, brought from distant climes, 95
Which screens delinquents, and absolves their crimes;
Whose dazzling rays confound the space between
A tainted strumpet and a spotless Queen;

Which Asia's Princes give, which Europe's take;
Tell this, dear Doctor, and I yield the stake.

IMITATIONS.

Ver. 89. Dic quibus in terris, &c.

NOTES.

100

salutary and constitutional measure, which, through his friend Mr. Bks, he had solemnly pledged himself not to adopt. How truly does this conduct mark" the statesman born!"

-Dolus an virtus, quis in hoste requirit?

Ver. 98. It must be acknowledged that there is some obscurity in this passage, as well as in the following line,

"Which Asia's princes give, which Europe's take:"

and of this, certain seditious, malevolent, disaffected critics have taken advantage, and have endeavoured, by a forced construction, to discover in them an unwarrantable insinuation against the highest and most sacred characters; from which infamous imputation, however, we trust, the well-known and acknowledged loyalty of our author's principles will suffi ciently protect him.

PITT.

Enough, my friends-break off your tuneful sport,
Tis levee-day, and I must dress for Court.
Which hath more boldly or expertly lied,
Not mine th' important contest to decide.

Take thou this MITRE, Doctor, which before
A greater hypocrite sure never wore;
And if to services rewards be due,

105

Dear BANKS, this CORONET belongs to you:
Each from that Government deserves a prize,
Which thrives by shuffling, and subsists by lies.

110

IMITATIONS.

Ver. 104. Non nostrum inter vos tantas componere lites.

Ver. 105. Et vitulâ tu dignus et hic,

MARGARET NICHOLSON.

ARGUMENT.

Mr. WILKES and Lord HAWKESBURY alternately congratulate each other on his Majesty's late happy Escape. The one describes the Joy which pervades the Country: the other sings the Dangers from which our Constitution has been preserved. Though in the following Eclogue our Author has not selected any single one of Virgil for a close and exact Parody, he seems to have had his eye principally upon the Vth, or the DAPHNIS, which contains the Elegy and APOTHEOSIS of Julius Cæsar.

THE Session up: the INDIA-BENCH appeas'd,
The LANSDOWNES satisfied, the LOWTHERS pleas'd,
Each job despatch'd:-the Treasury boys depart,
As various fancy prompts each youthful heart;
PITT, in chaste kisses seeking virtuous joy,
Begs Lady CHATHAM's blessing on her boy;
While MORNINGTON, as vicious as he can,
To fair R-L-N in vain affects the man:
With lordly BUCKINGHAM retir'd at STOWE,
GRENVILLE, whose plodding brains no respite know, 10
Το
prove next year, how our finances thrive,
Schemes new reports, that two and two make five.
To plans of Eastern justice hies DUNDAS;

And comely VILLIERS to his votive glass;

To embryo tax-bills ROSE; to dalliance STEELE;
And hungry hirelings to their hard-earn'd meal.

15

A faithful pair, in mutual friendship tried,
Once keen in hate, as now in love allied,
(This, o'er admiring mobs in triumph rode,
Libell'd his monarch and blasphem'd his God;
That, the mean drudge of tyranny and BUTE,
At once his practis'd pimp and prostitute,)
Adscomb's proud roof receives, whose dark recess
And empty vaults, its owner's mind express,
While block'd-up windows to the world display

How much he loves a tax, how much invites the day.
Here the dire chance that godlike GEORGE befell,
How sick in spirit, yet in health how well;

What Mayors by dozens, at the tale affrighted,

20

25

Got drunk, address'd, got laugh'd at, and got knighted; 30
They read, with mingled horror and surprise,
In London's purè Gazette, that never lies.

Ye Tory bands, who, taught by conscious fears,

Have wisely check'd your tongues, and sav'd your ears,
Hear, ere hard fate forbids-what heavenly strains
Flow'd from the lips of these melodious swains.
Alternate was the song; but first began,

With hands uplifted, the regenerate man.

WILKES.

35

Bless'd be the beef-fed guard, whose vigorous twist Wrench'd the rais'd weapon from the murderer's fist; 40 Him Lords in waiting shall with awe behold

In red tremendous, and hirsute in gold.

On him, great monarch, let thy bounty shine; What meed can match a life so dear as thine ?

Well was that bounty measur'd, all must own,
That gave him half of what he sav'd-a crown.

Bless'd the dull edge, for treason's views unfit,
Harmless as SYDNEY's rage, or BEARCROFT'S, wit.
Blush, clumsy patriots, for degenerate zeal ;
WILKES had not guided thus the faithless steel!

Round your sad mistress flock, ye maids elect,
Whose charms severe your chastity protect;
Scar'd by whose glance, despairing love descries
That virtue steals no triumph from your eyes.
Round your bold master flock, ye mitred hive,
With anathems on Whigs his soul revive!
Saints! whom the sight of human blood appals,
Save when to please the Royal will it falls.

He breathes! he lives! the vestal choir advance,
Each takes a bishop, and leads up the dance,
Nor dreads to break her long-respected vow,

For chaste-ah strange to tell!-are bishops now:
Saturnian times return!-the age of truth,
And-long foretold-is come the virgin youth.

IMITATIONS.

Ver. 59. Ergo alacris sylvas et cetera rura voluptas,
Panaque pastoresque tenet, Dryadasque puellas.

Ver. 61. Nec lupus insidias pecori, &c.

Ver. 63. Jam redit et Virgo, redeunt Saturnia regna.

45

50

55

60

NOTES.

—a crown !—-Literally so.

Ver. 46. halfVer. 63, 64. It is remarkable that these are the only lines which our poet has imitated from the IVth Eclogue (or the Pollio) of Virgil. Perhaps the direct and obvious application of that whole Eclogue appeared to our author to be an undertaking too easy for the exercise of his superior talents; or perhaps he felt himself too well anticipated by a similar imitation of Pope's Messiah, which was inserted some time since in one

P