CLAREMONT: Addreffed to the Right Honourable the Earl of CLARE, afterwards Duke of NEWCASTLE. "Dryadum fylvas, faltufque fequamur "Intactos, tua, Macenas, haud mollia juffa." VIrg. THE PREFACE. HEY that have seen those two excellent poems of Cooper's-hill and Windfor-foreft; the one by Sir J. Denham, the other by Mr. Pope; will fhew a great deal of candour if they approve of this. It was written upon giving the name of Claremont to a villa, now belonging to the earl of Clare. The fituation is fo agreeable and furprizing, that it inclines one to think fome place of this nature put Ovid at firft upon the ftory of Narciffus and Echo.. It is probable he had obferved fome fpring arifing amongst woods and rocks, where chos were heard; and fome flower bending over the ftream, and by confequence reflected from it. After reading the story in. the third book of the Metamor. phofis, phofis, it is obvious to object (as an ingenious friend has already done) that the renewing the charms of a nymph, of which Ovid had difpoffeffed her, is too great a violation of poetical authority. I dare fay the gentleman who is meant, would have been well pleafed to have found no faults. There are not many authors one can fay the fame of: experience fhews us every day that there are writers who cannot bear a brother should fucceed, and the only refuge from their indignation is by being inconfiderable; upon which reflection, this thing ought to have a pretence to their favour. They who would be more informed of what relates to the ancient Britons, and the Druids their priests, may confult Pliny, Ovid, and the other claffic authors that have mentioned them. CLAREMONT. WHAT frenzy has of late poffefs'd the brain! Though few can write, yet fewer can refrain. So rank our foil, our bards rife in such store, So fhameless, fo abandon'd, are their ways; They poach Parnaffus, and lay fnares for praise. None None ever can without admirers live, The herald gives them blood; the poet, parts. 15 Falfe Fame cries-Athens; honeft Truth-Moorfields. Thus fool'd, he flounces on through floods of ink; Flags with full-fail; and rifes but to fink. Some venal pens fo proftitute the bays, Their panegyrics lafh; their fatires praise. So naufeously, and fo unlike, they paint, N's an Adonis; Mr, a faint. Metius with those fam'd heroes is compar'd, That led in triumph Porus and Tallard. 20 25 But fuch a fhamelefs Mufe muft laughter move, To form great works, puts Fate itself to pain; 30 Churchills and Drydens rife but once an age. With earthquakes towering Pindar's birth begun ; 35 The fire of Gods o'er Phoebus caft a fhade; But, with a hero, well the world repaid. No No bard for bribes fhould prostitute his vein; I hate fuch mercenaries, and would try 40 45 And to court-preachers leave the fulsome part. What then-You'll fay, Muft no true sterling pafs, And, when I meet with merit, fcribble too. 50 Forgiving others, to himself fevere; Though earnest, easy; civil, yet fincere ; Who feldom but through great good-nature errs; 55 Detefting fraud as much as flatterers; 'Tis he my Mufe's homage should receive; If I could write, or Holles could forgive. 60 But, when new-gathering ftreams enlarge his courfe, 65 And wealth on nations, as he runs, beflows. Direct me, Clare, to name fome nobler Muse, That for her theme thy late recess may choose ; Such bright defcriptions fhall the fubject dress, Such vary'd scenes, fuch pleafing images, 70 That fwains fhall leave their lawns, and nymphs their bowers, And quit Arcadia for a feat like yours. But fay, who fhall attempt th' adventurous part And all the bright Horizon fmiling round. In times of old, when British nymphs were known To love no foreign fashions like their own; 75 80 85 When dress was monftrous, and fig-leaves the mode, 90 And quality put on no paint but woad; Of Spanish red unheard was then the name (For cheeks were only taught to blush by shame); No beauty, to increase her crowd of flaves, Rofe out of wash, as Venus out of waves; Not yet lead-comb was on the toilet plac'd; Not yet broad eye-brows were reduc'd by pafte; 95 No |