Like Ariftophanes, let him but fmile

On this my honeft work, though writ in homely ftile:

And if two lines or three in all the vein
Appear lefs droffy, read thofe lines again.
May they perform their author's just intent, 260
Glow in thy ears, and in thy breaft ferment.
But from the reading of my book and me,
Be far, ye foes of virtuous poverty :
Who fortune's fault upon the poor can throw ;
Point at the tatter'd coat, and ragged fhoe: 265
Lay nature's failings to their charge, and jeer
The dim weak eye-fight, when the mind is
clear.

When thou thyself, thus infolent in state,
Art but, perhaps, fome country magistrate;
Whose power extends no farther than to speak
Big on the bench, and fcanty weights to break.
Him, alfo, for my cenfor I difdain,
Who thinks all fcience, as all virtue, vain ;
Who counts geometry, and numbers, toys ;
And, with his foot, the facred duft destroys: 275

272

Ver. 264. Who fortune's fault &c.] The people of Rome in the time of Perfius, were apt to fcorn the Grecian philofophers, particularly the Cynicks and Stoicks, who were the poorest of them.

Ver. 275. And, with his foot, &c.] Arithmetic and geometry were taught on floors which were ftrewed with duft, or fand; in which the numbers and diagrams were made and drawn, which they might strike out again at pleasure.

Whose pleasure is to fee a ftrumpet tear
A Cynick's beard, and lug him by the hair.
Such, all the morning, to the pleadings run;
But when the bus'nefs of the day is done,
On dice, and drink, and drabs, they fpend
their afternoon.

280

Ver. 280. On dice,] Barten Holiday obferves that " in Perfius the difficulty is to find a meaning; in Juvenal to chufe a meaning: fo crabbed is Perfius, and fo copious is Juvenal. So much is the understanding employed in the one, and so much the judgment in the other. So difficult is it to find any sense in the former, and the best sense of the latter."

Dr. J. WARTON.

THE

SECOND SATIRE

OF

PERSIUS.

THE ARGUMENT.

This fatire contains a moft grave and philofophical argument, concerning prayers and wishes. Undoubtedly it gave occafion to Juvenal's tenth fatire; and both of them had their original from one of Plato's dialogues, called the fecond Alcibiades. Our author has induced it with great mastery of art, by taking his rife from the birth-day of his friend; on which occafions, prayers were made, and facrifices offered by the native. Perfus commending the purity of his friend's vows, defcends to the impious and immoral requests of others. The fatire is divided into three parts. The first is the exordium to Macrinus, which the poet confines within the compafs of four verfes. The fecond relates to the matter of the prayers and vows, and an enumeration of those things, wherein men commonly finned against right reafon, and offended in

their requests. The third part confifts in fhewing the repugnancies of those prayers and wishes, to thofe of other men, and inconfiftencies with themfelves. He fhews the original of these vows, and Sharply inveighs against them: and lastly, not only corrects the falfe opinion of mankind concerning them, but gives the true doctrine of all addreffes. made to Heaven, and how they may be made acceptable to the Powers above, in excellent precepts, and more worthy of a Chriftian than a Heathen.

THE

SECOND SATIRE.

DEDICATED TO HIS FRIEND PLOTIUS MACRINUS, ON HIS

BIRTH-DAY.

LET this aufpicious morning be exprest
With a white stone, distinguish'd from the reft:
White as thy fame, and as thy honour clear;
And let new joys attend on thy new added

year.

Indulge thy genius, and o'erflow thy foul, 5 Till thy wit fparkle, like the chearful bowl.

Ver. 2. white ftone,] The Romans were used to mark their fortunate days, or any thing that luckily befell them, with a white stone which they had from the island Creta; and their unfortunate with a coal.