Dadalian arguments but few can trace,
But all can read the language of grimace.
Hence mighty Ridicule’s all-conqu’ring hand 215
Shall work Herculean wonders thro' the Land :
Bound in the magic of her cobweb chain,
You, mighty WARBURTON,

Thall

rage in vain, In vain the trackless maze of Truth And lend th' informing Clue to erring Man: 220 No more shall Reason boast her pow'r divine, Her Base eternal shook by Folly's mine! Truth's sacred Fort th' exploded laugh shall win; And Coxcombs vanquish BERKLEY by a grin.

you scan,

But you, more fage, reject th’inverted rule, 225 That Truth is e’er explor'd by Ridicule : On truth, on falsehood let her colours fall, She throws a dazzling glare alike on all; As the gay Prism but mocks the flatter'd eye, And gives to ev'ry object ev'ry dye. 230 Beware the mad Advent'rer : bold and blind She hoists her fail, and drives with ev'ry wind; Deaf as the Storm to sinking Virtue’s groan, Nor heeds a Friend's destruction, or her own.

Let clear-ey'd Reason at the helm preside, 235
Bear to the wind, or stem the furious tide;
Then Mirth may urge, when Reason can explore,
This point the way, that waft us glad to shore.

Tho' distant Times may rise in SATIRE's page, Yet chief 'tis Her's to draw the present Age: 240 With Wisdom's lustre, Folly's shade contrast, And judge the reigning Manners by the past : Bid Britain's Heroes (awful Shades !) arise, And ancient Honour beam on modern Vice: Point back to minds ingenuous, ' actions fair, 245 Till the Sons blush at what their Fathers were : Ere yet 'twas beggary the great to trust; Ere yet ’twas quite a folly to be just; When low-born Sharpers only dar'd a lie, Or falsify'd the card, or cogg'd the Dye; 250 Ere Lewdness the stain'd garb of Honour wore, Or Chastity was carted for the Whore ; Vice flutter'd, in the plumes of Freedom dress'd; Or public Spirit was the public jest.

Be ever, in a just expression, bold,
Yet ne'er degrade fair SATIRE to a Scold :-

Let no unworthy mien her form debase,
But let her smile, and let her frown with grace :
In mirth be temp’rate, temp?rate in her spleen ;
Nor, while the preaches modesty, obscene. 260
Deep let her wound, not rankle to a fore,
Nor call his Lordship-, her Grace a ~:
The Muse's charms refiftless then assail,
When wrapt in Irony's transparent veil :
Her beauties half-conceal'd the more surprize, 265
And keener lustre sparkles in her eyes.
Then be

your line with sharp encomiums grac'd: Style Clodius honourable, Bufa chaste.

Dart not on Folly an indignant eye : Who e'er discharg'd Artillery on a Fly? 270 Deride not Vice: Absurd the thought and vain, To bind the Tiger in so weak a chain. Nay more : when flagrant crimes your laughter

move, The Knave exults : to smile is to approve. The Muse's labour then success shall crown, 275 When Folly feels her smile, and Vice her frown.

Know next what measures to each Theme belong, And fuit your thoughts and numbers to your song:

VOL. III.

B

On wing proportion’d to your quarry rise,
And stoop to earth, or foar among the skies. 280
Thus when a modifh folly you rehearse,
Free the expression, simple be the verfe.
In artless numbers paint th' ambitious Peer,
That mounts the box, and shines a Charioteer :
In strains familiar sing the midnight toil 285
Of Camps and Senates disciplin'd by Hoyle;
Patriots and Chiefs, whose deep design invades
And carries off the captive King-of Spades !
Let Satire here in milder vigour shine,
And gayly graceful sport along the line ; 290
Bid courtly Fashion quit her thin pretence,
And smile each Affectation into sense.

of day;

Not To when Virtue by her Guards betray'd, Spurn’d from her Throne, implores the Muse's aid: When crimes, which erst in kindred darkness lay, Rise frontless, and insult the

eye

296 Indignant Hymen veils his hallow'd fires, And white-rob’d Chastity with tears retires ; When rank Adultery on the genial bed Hot from Cocytus rears her baleful head :

300 When private Faith and public Trust are sold, And Traitors barter Liberty for gold :

When fell Corruption dark and deep, like fate,
Saps the foundation of a sinking State :
When Giant-Vice and Irreligion rise, 305
On mountain'd falsehoods to invade the skies :
Then warmer numbers glow thro'SATIRE's page,
And all her smiles are darken'd into rage :
On eagle-wing she gains Parnassus' height,
Not lofty Epic foars a nobler flight :
Then keener indignation fires her eye ;
Then flash her lightnings, and her thunders fly;
Wide and more wide her flaming bolts are hurld,
Till all her wrath involves the guilty World.

310

Yet Satire oft assumes a gentler mien, 315 And beams on Virtue's friends a smile serene: She wounds reluctant ; pours her balm with joy; Glad to commend where Worth attracts her

eye. But chief, when Virtue, Learning, Arts decline, She joys to see unconquer'd merit shine ; 320 Where bursting glorious, with departing ray, True Genius gilds the close of Britain's Day : With joy she sees the stream of Roman art

From Murray's tongue flow purer to the heart : | Sees YORKE to Fame, e'er yet to Manhood known, And just to ev'ry virtue, but his own :