Not ev'n when both by partial Nature giv❜n,
United blefs the Favourite of Heav'n;
Unlefs, by fecret Sympathy combin'd,
The faithful Glafs reflects its kindred Mind;
Unless from Soul to Soul th' imparted Fire
Congenial catch, and kindle warm Defire;
Ev'n fuch as lives in Rowe's enraptur'd Strain,
And gives Pharfalia to our Eyes again;
Where glowing in each animated Line,
We fee the fiery Soul of Lucan shine;
Or fuch as gilds the fair hiftoric Page,
For Smith referv'd, to grace our latter Age;
Such as o'er Dryden all its Influence thed,
And bade his Mufe recall the mighty Dead,
Such as in Pope's extenfive Genius fhone,
And made immortal Homer all our own.
View all that proud Antiquity difplays,
Count o'er her boafted Heirs of endless Praise,
Who thought fo nobly, or who wrote fo well,
Britain can fhew th' illuftrious Parallel.
Methinks I hear each venerable Shade
For bafe Neglect his genuine Sons upbraid.
Why would not Congreve Afer' Charms revive,
Or tender Hammon bid Tibullus live?
LINE 147. Unless by fecret, &c.] A Bias of Inclination towards a particular Author, and a Similarity of Genius in the Tranflator, feem more immediately neceffary than Wit or Learning.
LINE 154. See Rowe's Tranflation of Lucan's Pharfalia, at the End of which is a fhort Supplement written in the true Spirit of the Original.
LINE 156. See Smith's Tranflation of Thucydides, lately published.
LINE 168. Hammond, Author of Love Elegies.
Plautus had pleas'd in Vanbrugh's loofer Page,
And Otway fhould have trod the Gracian Stage; 170
Lucian wou'd fhine unveil'd by Swift alone,
And Tully calls in vain for Middleton;
A Livy's Senfe demands a St. John's Style,
And Plato afks a Melmoth or a Boyle.
Ev'n now there are, ere Learning take her Flight,
And Gothick Darkness fpread a fecond Night
Tho Science droop, and ling'ring Arts decay,
There are, who gild the Evening of our Day.
Once more behold, majeftic in her Tears,
By Gray adorn'd, fair Elegy appears,
Whilft by her Side the foft Elfrida stands,
And all our Love and all our Grief demands;
With Roman Spirit Johnson's manly Page
Rifes fevere to fcourge a venal Age;
Brown draws the Pen in facred Truth's Defence, 185
And Armfirong paints his own Benevolence.
From ancient Models thefe exalted few
Their fairest Forms and bright Ideas drew;
LINE 180. See Elegy in a Country Church-yard, LINE 181. Elfrida, by Mr. Mafon.
LINE 183. Samuel Johnfon, Author of the Ram, Bler, and alfo of two fine Imitations of Juvenal.
LINE 185. See Effay on the Characteristics of Lord Shaftesbury.
LINE 186. See an Epiftle on Benevolence, by Dr. Armstrong; fo well known for his celebrated Poem on Health, one of the beft Performances in the English Language."
We know the Fountain whence the Waters came;
Nor wonder at the Clearness of the Stream.
Yet ftill, fair Greece, we fee thy Garlands torn,
We fee there ftill thy widow'd Altars mourn
On us thy Heroes ftill fuperior frown,
Or look with awful Indignation down;
The Tears of Rome for injur'd Learning flow, 195
And Athens grieves that Britain is her Foe.
Will you not rise then, Oh! you Sons of Fame To vindicate the Greek and Roman Name? On Friends opprefs'd your gen'rous Aid bestow,. And pay the Debt of Gratitude you owe? Or can you ftill their Wrongs unpitying fee, Nor focial join with Warton and with Me? Whilft round his Brows the Mantuan Ivy twine, Cautious to tread in Attic Paths be mine; To Fame unknown, but emulous to please, Trembling I feek th' immortal Sophocles. Genius of Greece do thou my Breast inspire With fome warm Portion of thy Poet's Fire, From Hands profane defend his much-lov❜d Name; From cruel Tibbald wreft his mangled Fame; Give him once more to bid the Heart o'er-flow In graceful Tears, and fympathizing Woe; A Father's Death while foft Electra mourn, Or fhed her Sorrows o'er a Brother's Urn;
LINE 202. Mr. Warton has lately publifhed a new Tranflation of the Eclogues and Georgics of Virgil, and joined it to Mr. Pit's excellent Tranflation of the Æneid.
LINE 210. Tibbald (or Theobald) tranflated two or three Plays of Sophocles, and threatened the Publick with more.
Or fair Antigone her Griefs relate ;
Or poor Tecmeffa weep her hapless State;
Or OEdipus revolve the dark Decrees of Fate.
Could I like him the various Paffions move,
Granville wou'd fmile, and Chesterfield approve;
Each letter'd Son of Science wou'd commend, 220
Each gentle Mufe wou'd mark me for her Friend;
fis well pleafed wou'd join a Sifter's Praise,
And Cam applauding confecrate the Lays,
END OF THE SECOND VOLUME.
Written for the occasion
Dr Johnson.
Spoken by W. Hull.
This night presents a play is public rage,
Or right or wrong,
once hooted fromy Flage.
From yeal or malice now no more we dread
For English vengeance wars not w
generous for regards wt pitying eye,
The man whom fate has laid where all must.
Ge
Towrt reviving from it's author's dust
Be kind ye judges, or at least be just :
For no renew'd hostilities invade
Th' oblivious grave's inviolable shade.
Let one great payment evry claim appease
And him who cannot hurt, allow to please.
To please by scenes unconscious of offence,
By harmless merriment or useful sense;
Where aught of bright or fair the piece
Approve it only - tis too late to praise.
displays,
If want of skill, or want of care appear,
Forbear to his __ the fleet cannot hear
poet
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