But there are steps in Villany, which these
Obferve to tread and follow, by degrees.
Money they borrow, and from all that lend,
Which, never meaning to restore, they spend;
But that and their fmall Stock of Credit gone,
Left Rome fhou'd grow too warm, from thence they run:
For of late Years 'tis no more Scandal grown,
For Debt and Roguery to quit the Town,

Than in the midst of Summer's fcorching Heat,
From Crouds and Noife and Bufinefs to retreat.
One only Grief fuch Fugitives can find;
Reflecting on the Pleasures left behind;
The Plays and loofe Diverfions of the Place:
But not one Blush appears for the Disgrace.
Ne'er was of Modesty so great a Dearth,
That out of Count'nance Virtue's fled from Earth ;
Baffled, expos'd to Ridicule and Scorn,
She's with 10 Aftraa gone, ne'er to return.
This Day, my 11 Perficus, thou fhalt perceive
Whether my felf I keep thofe Rules I give,
Or else an unfufpected Glutton live;
If mod'rate Fare and Abftinence I prize
In publick, yet in private Gormandize.
Evander's 12 Feaft reviv'd, to-day thou'lt fee;
The poor Evander, I, and thou fhalt be
Alcides 3 and Eneas both to me.

To The Goddess of Justice, whom the Poets feign to have fled to Heav'n after the Golden Age.

unluckily killing his Father, forfook his own Country and came into Italy; fettling in that place, where afterwards A-Rome was built. Virgil, A. 8. tells us that he entertain'd both Hercules and Æneas, when he was in a low Condition.

Vlima Cœleftum Terras ftraa reliquit. Ovid. II Juvenal'sFriend, to whom he makes an Invitation, and addreffes this Satyr.

13 Hercules, fo called from 12 A Prince of Arcadia, who his Grandfather Alcans.

Mean

Mean-time, I fend you now your Bill of Fare;
Be not furpriz'd, that 'tis all homely cheer:
For nothing from the Shambles I provide.
But from my own fmall Farm, the tender'ft Kid,
And Fatteft of my Flock, a Suckling yet,
That ne'er had Nourishment, but from the Teat;
No bitter Willow-tops have been its Food,
Scarce Grafs; its Veins have more of Milk than Blood.
Next that, fhall Mountain 'Sparagus be laid,
Pull'd by fome plain, but cleanly Country-Maid.
The largest Eggs, yet warm within the Neft,
Together with the Hens which laid 'em, drest ;
Clufters of Grapes, preferv'd for half a Year,
Which, plump and fresh as on the Vines appear;
Apples, of a ripe Flavour, fresh and fair,
Mixt with the Syrian and the Signian Pear,
Mellow'd by Winter from their cruder Juice,
Light of Digestion now, and fit for use.

Such Food as this, wou'd have been heretofore
Accounted Riot, in a Senator:

When the good 14 Curius thought it no Disgrace,
With his own Hands, a few fmall Herbs to drefs;
And from his little Garden cull'd a Feast,
Which fetter'd Slaves wou'd now disdain to taste;
For fcarce a Slave, but has to Dinner, now,
The well-drefs'd's Paps of a fat pregnant Sow.
But heretofore 'twas thought a sumptuous Treat,
On Birth-Days, Festivals, or Days of State,
A falt dry Flitch of Bacon to prepare ;

If they had fresh Meat, 'twas delicious Fare!

Which rarely happen'd, and 'twas highly priz'd
If 16 ought was left of what they Sacrific'd.
To Entertainments of this kind, wou'd come
The Worthieft and the Greatest Men in Rome;
Nay, feldom any at fuch Treats were seen,
But those who had at least thrice 17 Confuls been;
Or the 18 Dictator's Office had discharg'd,
And now from Honourable Toil enlarg'd,
Retir'd to Husband and Manure their Land,
Humbling themselves to those they might Command.
Then might y' have feen the good old Gen'ral hafte,
Before th' appointed 19 Hour, to fuch a Feast;
His Spade aloft, as 'twere in Triumph held,
Proud of the Conquest of some stubborn Field.
'Twas then, when pious Confuls bore the Sway,
When Vice difcourag'd, pale and trembling lay.

16 If they kill'd a Sacrifice, | time expired (if occafion were) and any Flesh remain'd to fpare, it was priz'd as an accidental Rarity.

17 By the Tyranny of Tarquinius Superbus, (the last Roman King) the very Name of King became hateful to the People. After his Expulfion, they affembled, and refolv'd to commit the Government, for the future, into the Hands of two Perfons, who were to be chofen every Year anew, and whom they call'd Confuls.

18 Dictator was a General chofen upon fome emergent Occafion; his Office was limited for fix Months; which

they chose another, or continued the fame, by a new Election. The Dictator differed in nothing from a King, but in his Name, and the Duration of his Authority: His Power being full as great, but his Name not so hateful to the Romans.

19 It was accounted Greedinefs, and fhameful, to eat before the ufual Hour, which was their Ninth Hour; and our three a Clock, Afternoon. But upon Festival Days, it was permitted them to prevent the ordinary Hour; and always excufable in old People.

Our

Our 20 Cenfors then were subject to the Law,
Ev'n Pow'r it felf, of Justice stood in awe.
It was not, then, a Roman's anxious Thought,
Where largest Tortoise-Shells were to be bought,
Where Pearls might of the greatest Price be had,
And fhining Jewels to adorn his Bed,

That he at vaft Expence might loll his Head.
Plain was his Couch, and only rich his Mind;
Contentedly he flept, as cheaply, as he din'd.
The Soldier then, in 22 Gracian Arts unskill'd,
Returning rich with Plunder, from the Field:
If Cups of Silver, or of Gold he brought,
With Jewels fet, and exquifitely wrought,
To glorious Trappings ftreight the Plate he turn'd,
And with the glitt'ring Spoil his Horse adorn'd;
Or elfe a Helmet for himself he made,
Where various warlike Figures were inlaid:

The Roman Wolf fuckling the 23 Twins was there,
And Mars himself, arm'd with his Shield and Spear,'

20 Cenfors were two great, Officers, part of whofe Bufinefs was to infpe&t the Lives and Manners of Men; they had Power even to degrade Knights and exclude Senators, when guilty of great Mifdemeanors: And in former Days they were fo ftrict, that they ftood in awe one of another. 21 The manner of the Romans Eating, was to lye upon Beds or Couches about the Table, which formerly were made of plain Wood, but afterwards at great Expence, adorn'd with Tortoise-Shells,

I

Pearls, and Ivory.

22 The Romans copied their Luxury from the Greeks; the imitation of whom, was among them as fashionable, as of the French among us. Which occafions this Saying, with fo much Indignation in our Poet Sat. 3.

Non poffum ferre, Quirites, Gracam Vrbem

23 Romulus and Remus, Twins, and Founders of the Roman Empire; whom the Poets feign were nurft by a Wolf: The Wo man's Name being Lupa.

Hov'ring

Hov'ring above his Creft, did dreadful show,
As threatning Death to each resisting Foe.
No ufe of Silver, but in Arms, was known;
Splendid they were in War, and there alone.

No Side-boards, then, with gilded Plate were dress'd,
No fweating Slaves, with maffive Dishes prefs'd;
Expenfive Riot was not understood,

But Earthen Platters held their homely Food.
Who wou'd not envy them, that Age of Blifs,
That fees with fhame the Luxury of This?
Heav'n unwearied then, did Bleffings pour,
And pitying Jove foretold each dang'rous Hour;
Mankind were then familiar with the God,
He fnuff'd their Incense with a gracions Nod:
And wou'd have ftill been bounteous, as of Old,
Had we not left him for that Idol, Gold.
His Golden 24 Statues, hence the God have driv'n:
For well he knows, where our Devotion's giv❜n,
'Tis Gold we Worship, though we pray to Heav'n.
Woods of our own afforded Tables then,
Tho' none can please us now but from Japan.
Invite my Lord to Dine, aud let him have
The nicest Dish his Appetite can crave;
But let it on an Oaken Board be fet,

His Lordship will grow fick, and cannot eat :
Something's amifs, he knows not what to think,
Either your Venfon's rank, or 25 Ointments stink.
Order fome other Table to be brought,
Something, at great Expence in India bought,

24 Formerly the Statues of the Gods were made of Clay: But now of Gold. Which Extravagance was difpleafing even to the Gods themselves.

25 The Romans used to anoint themfelves with fweet at their Feafts, Ointments, immediately after bathing.

Beneath