incy and Youth, than when we grow up to rier Years. Thus we are more apt to imitate a Catiline, than a Brutus, or the Uncle of Brutus, Cato Uticenfis. For thefe Reasons he is inftant with all Parents, that they permit not their Children to hear lafcivious Words, and that they banifh Pimps, Whores, and Parafites from their Houfes. If they are careful, fays the Poet, when they make any Invitation to their Friends, that all things fhall be clean, and fet in order; much more is it their Duty to their Children, that nothing appear corrupt or undecent in their Family. Storks Land Vultures, because they are fed by the Old Ones with Snakes and Carrion, naturally, and without_Inftruction, feed on the fame uncleanly Diet. But the generous Eaglet, who is taught by her Parent to fly at Hares, and fowfe on Kids, difdains afterwards to pursue a more ignoble Game. Thus the Son of Centronius was prone to the Vice of raising stately Structures, beyond his Fortune; because his Father had ruin'd himfelf by Building. He whofe Father is a Jew, is naturally prone to Superftition, and the Obfervation of his Country-Laws. From hence the Poet defcends to a Satyr against Avarice, which he efteems to be of worfe Example than any of the former. The remaining Part of the Poem is wholly employ'd on this Subject, to fhew the Mifery of this Vice. He concludes with limiting our Defire of Riches to a certain Measure; which he confines within the Compass of what Hunger, and Thirst, and Cold, require for our Prefervation and Subfiftence: With which Neceffaries if we are not contented, then the Treasures of Croefus, of the Perfian King, or of the Eunuch Narciffus, K s wbe who commanded both the Will and the Fortunes of Claudius the Emperor, wou'd not be fufficient to fatisfy the Greediness of our Defires. To his Friend FUSCINUS. Ufcinus, thofe Ill Deeds that fully Fame, And lay fuch Blots upon an honeft Name, Then my young Mafter swiftly learns the Vice, Who 2 1 gorge themselves with Man, can fuch as thefe And tell Us how we all began from Earth 1 J Eaters. I doubt not but the Leftrygons, who were a People of Italy, learnt this Diet of King Saturn, when he hid himfelf among 'em, and gave this Example, by making a Mealsmeat of his own Children. Th'inhuman 4 Lord, who with a cruel Gust With little Theft of two coarses Towels fraught? 6 Whom Goals, and Blood, and Butchery delight? The Girl took Breath full thirty times, and more:: To hold the Door, but now fets up for Man; Some Sons, indeed, fome very few, we see 4 By this Lord, is still meant :the fame cruel Rutilus. 5 Suppos'd Bath-Rubbers: The : Romans were great Bathers. Country Goals, where they kept their working Slaves im great Numbers. 7 Larga, a fictitious Name for fome very common Buttock. Survey. Survey the World, and where one & Cato fhines, Then may we not conclude the Sire unjust, A Son fo copy'd from his Vice, fo much This very Rev'rend Letcher, quite worn out 8 Cato of Utica, a Roman | fighted in thofe Days, and Patriot, who flew himself, rather than he wou'd fubmit to Ju ins Cafar. 9 Catiline, a Plotter against the Commonwealth of Rome. 10 Parafite, a Greek Word, among the Romans used for a Flatterer and Feaft-Hunter. This fort of Creature they us'd very fcurvily, terming II This Cenfor of Good Manners, was an Officer of confiderable Power in Rome: in fome refpects not unlike our Midnight Magistrate, but not altogether fo Saucy. Το |