POEMS. LONDON; A Poem; IN IMITATION OF THE THIRD SATIRE OF JUVENAL. WRITTEN IN 1738. Quis ineptæ Tam patiens urbis, tam ferreus ut teneat se? Juv. 'THOUGH grief and fondness in my breast rebel, JUV. SAT. III. Quamvis digressu veteris confusus amici; Laudo, tamen, vacuis quod sedem figere Cumis Destinet, atque unum civem donare Sibyllæ. Sir John Hawkins says, that by Thales we are here to understand Savage. Mr. Boswell asserts that this is entirely groundless, and adds, "I have been assured that Dr. Johnson said, he was not so much as acquainted with Savage when he wrote his London." This, added to the circumstance of the date, for Savage did not set out for Wales till July, 1739, might be decisive, if unfor And, fix'd on Cambria's solitary shore, For who would leave, unbrib'd, Hibernia's land, Their ambush here relentless ruffians lay, 3 While THALES waits the wherry that contains -Ergo vel Prochytam præpono Suburra, Tectorum assiduos, & mille pericula sæva Urbis, et Augusto recitantes mense poetas ? 3 Sed, dum tota domus rhedâ componitur unâ, Substitit ad veteres arcus. tunately for Mr. Boswell he had not, a few pages after, given us some highly complimentary lines which, "he was assured were written by Dr. Johnson." Ad Ricardum Savage, in April, 1738, about a month before London was published. This surely implies previous acquaintance with Savage, for Dr. Johnson would not have praised a stranger in such terms, and gives a very strong probability to Sir John Hawkin's conjecture. That Savage did not set out for Wales until the following year, is a matter of little consequence, as the intention of such a journey would justify the lines alluding to it. See Boswell's Life of Johnson, vol. i. p. 100, and p. 139, 8vo. edit. 1804. * Queen Elizabeth, born at Greenwich. Ere masquerades debauch'd, excise oppress'd, A transient calm the happy scenes bestow, Since worth, he cries, in these degenerate days live here, for Some secret cell, ye Pow'rs, indulgent give, * Hic tunc Umbritius; Quando artibus, inquit, honestis Ire, fatigatis ubi Dædalus exuit alas; Dum nova canities. et pedibus me Porto meis, nullo dextram subeunte bacillo. "Cedamus patriâ; vivant Arturius istic Et Catullus; maneant qui nigra in candida vertunt. ment. The invasions of the Spaniards were defended in the houses of parlia Let such raise palaces, and manors buy, Collect a tax, or farm a lottery; With warbling eunuchs fill our lisenc'd stage, And lull to servitude a thoughtless age. Heroes, proceed! What bounds your pride shall hold ? What check restrain your thirst of power and gold? Behold rebellious virtue quite o'erthrown, Behold our fame, our wealth, our lives, your own. To such, the plunder of a land is giv'n, Who scarce forbear, though BRITAIN'S court he sing, 9 Others with softer smiles, and subtler art, Well may they rise, while I, whose rustic tongue 10 For what but social guilt the friend endears? Who shares Orgilio's crimes, his fortune shares, 7 Queis facile est ædem conducere, flumina, portus, Siccandam eluviem, portandum ad busta cadaver.Munera nunc edunt. 8 Quid Romæ faciam? mentiri nescio; librum, Si malus est, nequeo laudare et poscere. 9 Ferre ad nuptas quæ mittit adulter, Quæ mandat norint alii; me nemo ministro Fur erit, atque ideo nulli comes exco. 19 Quis nunc diligitur nisi conscius? Carus erit Verri, qui Verrem tempore, quo vult, ⚫ The licensing act was then lately made. The paper which at that time contained apologies for the court. |