IMPROVISO TRANSLATION Of the following Distich on the Duke of Modena's running away from the Comet in 1742 or 1743. Se al venir vostro i principi se n' vanno Deh venga ogni dì durate un anno. and stay a year. IF at your coming princes disappear, Comets! come ev'ry day IMPROVISO TRANSLATION Of the following Lines of M. BENSERADE À son Lit, THEATRE des ris, et des pleurs, Lit! où je nais, et où je meurs, IN bed we laugh, in bed we cry, EPITAPH FOR MR. HOGARTH. THE hand of him here torpid lies, That drew th' essential form of grace; TRANSLATION Of the following Lines written under a Print representing Persons skaiting. SUR un mince chrystal l'hyver conduit leurs pas, O'ER ice the rapid skaiter flies, With sport above, and death below; IMPROMPTU TRANSLATION OF THE SAME. O'ER crackling ice, o'er gulphs profound, TO MRS. THRALE, On her completing her thirty-fifth Year, AN IMPROMPTU. Orr in danger, yet alive, Could philosophers contrive Time his hours should never drive For, howe'er we boast and strive, And all who wisely wish to wive IMPROMPTU TRANSLATION Of an AIR in the CLEMENZA DE TITO of METAS TASIO, beginning, "Deh se piacermi vuoi." WOULD you hope to gain my heart, Bid your teasing doubts depart; He, who blindly trusts, will find TRANSLATION Of the SPEECH of AQUILEIO in the ADRIANO of METASTASIO, beginning "Tu che in Corte "invechiasti." GROWN old in courts, thou surely art not one And then lament his fall with seeming friendship: Thou know'st those arts which blast with envious praise, Which aggravate a fault with feign'd excuses, And drive discountenanc'd virtue from the throne; POEMATA. MESSIA*. Ex alieno ingenio poeta, ex suo tantum versificator. TOLLITE Concentum, Solymææ tollite nymphæ Immatura calens rapitur per secula vates *This translation has been severely criticised by Dr. Warton, in his edition of Pope, vol. i. p. 105. 8vo. 1797. It cer tainly contains some expressions that are not classical. Let it be remembered, however, that it was a college-exercise, performed with great rapidity, and was at first praised beyond all suspicion of defect, C. |