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IMITATIONS

O F

HORACE.

B

EPISTOLA VII.

Q

UINQUE dies tibi pollicitus me rure fu-
turum,

Sextilem totum mendax defideror. atqui,
Si me vivere vis fanum recteque valentem ;
Quam mihi das aegro, dabis aegrotare timenti,
Maecenas, veniam dum ficus prima calorque
Dengnatorem decorat lictoribus atris:

orquer

Dum pueris omnis pater, et matercula pallet;
Officiofaque fedulitas, et opella forenfis
Adducit febris, et teftamenta refignat.
Quod fi bruma nives Aaniillinet agris;
Ad mare descendet vates tuus, et fibi parcet,
Contractufque leget; te, dulcis amice, reviset
Cum Zephyris, fi concedes, et hirundine prima.
Non, quo mere pyris vefci Calaber jubet hofpes,
Tume fecifti locupletem. Vefcere fodes.
Jam fatis eft. At tu quantumvis tolle. Benigne.
Non invifa feres pueris munufcula parvis.

Tam

EPIST LEVII.

'T

Imitated in the Manner of Dr. SWIFT.

·I

IS true, my Lord, I gave my word,
I would be with you, June the third;
Chang'd it to August, and (in short)
Have kept it as you do at Court.
You humour me when I am fick,
Why not when I am splenetick?
In town, what Objects could I meet ?
The shops thut up in ev'ry street,
And Fun'rals black ning all the Doors,
And yet more melancholy Whores :
And what a duft in every place?
And a thin Court that wants your Face,
And Fevers raging up and down,

And W* and H** both in town!

"The Dog-days are no more the cafe." "Tis true, but Winter comes apace: Then fouthward let your Bard retire, Hold out fome months 'twixt Sun and Fire, And you shall see the first warm Weather, Me and the Butterflies together.

My Lord, your Favours well I know; 'Tis with Diftinction you beftow;

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15

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And not to ev'ry one that comes,

Juft as a Scotfman does his Plumbs.

"Pray take them, Sir,-Enough's a Feast : "Eat fome and pocket up the reft

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Tam teneor dono, quam fi dimittar onuftus.
Ut libet: haec porcis hodie comedenda relinques.
Prodigus et ftultus donat quae fpernit et odit :
Haec feges ingratos tulit et feret omnibus annis.
Vir bonus et fapiens, dignis ait effe paratus?
Nec tamen ignorat, quid diftent aera lupinis !
Dignum praeftabo me, etiam pro laude merentis.
Quod fi me noles ufquam difcedere; reddes
Forte latus, nigros angufta fronte capillos :
Reddes dulce loqui: reddes ridere decorum, et
Inter vina fugam Cynarae moerere protervae.

Forte per anguftam tenuis vulpecula rimam Repferat in cumeram frumenti; paftaque, rurfus Ire foras pleno tendebat corpore frustra.

What rob your Boys? thofe pretty rogues!!

"No, Sir, you'll leave them to the Hogs.

Thus Fools with Compliments befiege ye,,

Contriving never to oblige ye...

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Scatter your Favours on a Fop,
Ingratitude's the certain crop;

And 'tis but juft, I'll tell ye wherefore,

You give the things you never care for.
A wife man always is or fhou'd
Be mighty ready to do good;

But makes a diff'rence in his thought
Betwixt a Guinea and a Groat.

Now this I'll fay, you'll find in me

A fafe Companion, and a free;

But if you'd have me always near

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4.0

A word, pray, in your Honour's ear.
I hope it is your Resolution

To give me back my Constitution!

The sprightly Wit, the lively Eye,
Th' engaging Smile, the Gaiety,

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That laugh'd down many a Summer Sun,
And kept you up fo oft till one:

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VER. 50. As when Belinda] A compliment he pays himfelf and the public on his Rape of the Look.

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