Gold in our Temples has affum'd a Right,
And Numa's frugal Veffels put to flight:
The humble Brass of old Saturnian Years,
Owns its prevailing Power, and disappears:
The Veftal Urns, fee now are gilded o'er;
Plain honeft Tuscan Ware will down no more.

130

135

O abject Souls, funk, ever, deep in Clay!
Souls, unenlightned by celeftial Ray!
Elfe, could we, thus, affront each facred Shrine?
Could we, to Gods, mere human Wants affign?
Conclude them pleas'd with Presents of Expence,

Like us, poor Things of Flesh, and groveling Senfe?

To pleafe, forfooth, this groveling Senfe of ours,

To the prest Olive, Cafia joins its Powers.

This taught the Pearl, to draw th' admiring Eye;

140

This taught the Fleece, to drink the Tyrian Dye: 145 This, the crude Ore, to quit the Mother Mine;

While Chymic Arts the golden Mafs refine,

Vain Arts, 'tis true: but yet, however vain, Some Ufe, fome Ufe, thefe Vanities attain.

But come, ye Priefts! ye Pontiffs, come unfold!

In Temples, tell me, what avails your Gold?
No more alas! than jointed Babies, laid

At Venus' Altar, by the nubile Maid.

150

But, to the Gods, be fuch the Gift we bear, Such, as the great Meffala's daftard Heir,

155

From his capacious Cenfer, pil'd on high,
Never, my Friend! no, never can fupply.

A Soul, where settled Virtue reigns enshrin'd: • Where Justice dwells, with Sanctity combin'd:

Ver. 152.] Boys, when they arrived at Puberty, offered up their Bulle to their respective Houfhold Gods: and Girls, when they became marriageable, dedicated, in like manner, their Pupa to Venus: hoping by the kind Influence of that Goddefs, to be foon the joyful Mothers of real Babies.

Ver. 71. Of the Original-de magnâ quod dare Lance] The Lanx was a large Cenfer, appropriated to the Rich: but fometimes they made use of the Acerra likewife; (see Verse 5.) a little Cenfer belonging more particularly to the Poor. The meaner Sort of People were content to offer a few Grains only, of Incense; but the Great-ones confumed much larger Quantities. Datis, one of Darius his Captains, is faid to have poured upon the Altar of Apollo at Delos, above 300 pound Weight of Incense at one time. Herodotus. B. VI.

• Within

• Within whofe inmost close Receffes lie

• Tinctures of generous Honour's deepest Dye."

Such is the Sacrifice the Gods demand:

A Cake fuffices, from a fpotlefs Hand.

The End of the Second S ATIRE.

160

SATIRA SECUNDA.

Ad PLOTIUM MACRINUM,

UNC, MACRINE, Diem numera meliore Lapillo,

HUNC,

Qui Tibi labentes apponit candidus Annos.

Funde Merum Genio : Non tu Prece pofcis emaci,
Quæ, nifi feductis, nequeas committere Divis.

At bona Pars Procerum, tacita libabit Acerrâ,

Haud cuivis promptum eft, Murmurque humilefque

Sufurros

Tollere de Templis, et aperto vivere Voto.

5

'Mens bona, Fama, Fides;' hæc clarè, & ut audiat

Hofpes.

Illa fibi introrsùm, & fub Linguâ immurmurat, Ofi

Ebullet Patrui præclarum Funus!-et, O fi

Sub Raftro crepet Argenti Mihi Seria, dextro

ΙΟ

Hercule!-Pupillumve utinam, quem proximus Hæres

• Impello

• Impello, expungam! Namque eft fcabiofus, et acri • Bile tumet-NERIO jam tertia conditur Uxor.'

Hæc fan&tè ut pofcas, Tiberino in Gurgite mergis 15 Mane Caput, bis, térque; & Noctem Flumine purgas.

Heus age, refponde; minimum eft quod fcire laboro De fove quid fentis?-Eftne ut præponere cures

Hunc

"CUINAM" ?-Cuinam ? vis Staio? an, sci

licet, hæres

Quis potior Judex? Puerifve quis aptior orbis?
Hoc igitur, quo Tu Jovis Aurem impellere tentas,
Dic agedum Staio. Proh Jupiter! O bone, clamet,
Jupiter!-At fefe non clamet Jupiter ipfe ?
Ignoviffe putas, quia, cum tonat, ocyùs Ilex

Sulfure difcutitur facro, quàm Tuque Domufque ? 25

An, quia non Fibris Ovium, Ergennaque jubente,

Trifte jaces Lucis, evitandumque Bidental,

20

Idcircò ftolidam præbet Tibi vellere Barbam

Jupiter? Aut quidnam eft, qua Tu Mercede, Deorum

Emeris Auriculas? Pulmone & lactibus unctis?

30

E 4

Ecce