Here brisker vapours o'er the Temple creep, 345 Thence to the banks where reverend bards repose,64 350 "Receive (he said) these robes which once were mine, "Dulness is sacred in a sound divine." He ceased, and spread the robe; the crowd confess A low-born, cell-bred, selfish, servile band, 355 Prompt or to guard or stab, or saint or damn, Heaven's Swiss, who fight for any god, or man. Through Lud's famed gates, along the well-known Fleet 65 Rolls the black troop, and overshades the street, 360 Till showers of sermons, characters, essays, In circling fleeces whiten all the ways: "Ye critics! in whose heads, as equal scales, 365 I weigh what author's heaviness prevails; 370 64 "Tum canit errantem Permessi ad flumina Gallum, Utque viro Phœbi chorus assurexerit omnis; Floribus atque apio crines ornatus, amaro, Dixerit: Hos tibi dant calomos, en accipe, Muse, Ascraeo quos ante seni," &c.-Virg. Ecl. vi. 65 "King Lud repairing the City, called it after his own name, Lud's Town; the strong gate which he built in the West part, he likewise, for his own honour, named Ludgate. In the year 1260, this gate was beautified with images of Lud and other kings. Those images, in the reign of Edward VI., had their heads smitten off, and were otherwise defaced by unadvised folks. Queen Mary did set new heads upon their old bodies again. The 28th of Queen Elizabeth the same gate was clean taken down, and newly and beautifully builded, with images of Lud and others, as afore."-Stowe's Survey of London. 66 [Bishop Hoadley. See Notes] Attend the trial we propose to make: If there be man, who o'er such works can wake, To him we grant our amplest powers to sit 375 Judge of all present, past, and future wit; Three college Sophs,68 and three pert Templars came, The same their talents, and their tastes the same; 380 Each prompt to query, answer, and debate,6 69 And smit with love of poesy and prate.70 The ponderous books two gentle readers bring: The heroes sit, the vulgar form a ring;71 The clamorous crowd is hush'd with mugs of mum, Thrice Budgell72 aim'd to speak, but thrice suppress'd 385 390 395 67 See Hom. Odyss. xii.; Ovid. Met. i. After Oxford had 68 [In the early editions, "Three Cambridge Sophs." refused the degree of D.D. to his friend Warburton, Pope was by no means disposed to claim any special favour or honour for that University. In the Fourth Book he satirises it under the designation of "Apollo's Mayor and Aldermen."] 69"Ambo florentes ætatibus, Arcades ambo, Et certare pares, et respondere parati."-Virg. Ecl. vi. 70"Smit with the love of sacred song."-Milton. 71 "Consedere duces, et vulgi stante coronâ.”—Ovid. Met. xiii. 72 [Eustace Budgell.-See Notes. "Potent Arthur" was Arthur Onslow, Speaker of the House of Commons.] Toland and Tindal, prompt at priests to jeer,73 Then down are roll'd the books; stretch'd o'er 'em lies 400 405 As what a Dutchman plumps into the lakes, One circle first, and then a second makes; What Dulness dropp'd among her sons impress'd Like motion from one circle to the rest : So from the midmost the nutation spreads Round and more round, o'er all the sea of heads.74 410 73 Two persons, not so happy as to be obscure, who wrote against the religion of their country. In the first edition it was: "Collins and Tidal, prompt at priests to jeer." 74 "A waving sea of heads was round me spread, And still fresh streams the gazing deluge fed."-Blackm. Job. Boyer the state, and Law the stage gave o'er, 415 Thus the soft gifts of sleep conclude the day, 420 425 75 Norton de Foe, offspring of the famous Daniel. Fortes creantur fortibus. One of the authors of the Flying Post, in which well-bred work Mr. P. had some time the honour to be abused with his betters; and of many hired scurrilities and daily papers, to which he never set his name. 76 Alludes to Dryden's verse in the Indian Emperor: "All things are hush'd, as Nature's self lay dead." 77 This line presents us with an excellent moral, that we are never to pass judgment merely by appearances; a lesson to all men who may happen to While others, timely, to the neighbouring Fleet 78 (Haunt of the muses) made their safe retreat. see a reverend person in the same situation, not to determine too rashly: since not only the poets frequently describe a bard inspired in this posture,("On Cam's fair bank where Chaucer lay inspired," and the like) but an eminent casuist tells us, that "if a priest be seen in any indecent action, we ought to account it a deception of sight, or illusion of the devil, who sometimes takes upon him the shape of holy men on purpose to cause scandal."-Scribl. [Instead of Henley, "Laurus" was the name originally given, and there was a note pointing out that Eusden was the party intended.] 78 A prison for insolvent debtors, on the bank of the ditch. [In which Wycherley lay seven years!] |