themselves by washing their heads and hands every morning; which custom the Turks observe to this day.

Note IV.

Fit for Ergenna's prayer and sacrifice.-P. 223. When any one was thunderstruck, the soothsayer (who is here called Ergenna) immediately repaired to the place, to expiate the displeasure of the gods, by sacrificing two sheep.

Note V.

Our superstitions with our life begin.-P. 223.

The poet laughs at the superstitious ceremonies which the old women made use of in their lustration, or purification days, when they named their children, which was done on the eighth day to females, and on the ninth to males.

Note VI.

Should some of these, in visions purged from phlegm,
Foretell events, or in a morning dream.-P. 225.

It was the opinion both of Grecians and Romans, that the gods, in visions and dreams, often revealed to their favourites a cure for their diseases, and sometimes those of others. Thus Alexander dreamed of an herb which cured Ptolemy. These gods were principally Apollo and Esculapius; but, in aftertimes, the same virtue and good-will was attributed to Isis and Osiris. Which brings to my remembrance an odd passage in Sir Thomas Brown's Religio Medici, or in his Vulgar Errors; the sense whereof is, that we are beholden, for many of our discoveries in physic, to the courteous revelation of spirits. By the expression, of "visions purged from phlegm," our author means such dreams or visions as proceed not from natural causes, or humours of the body, but such as are sent from heaven; and are, therefore, certain remedies.

Note VII.

The priests in temples, now no longer care
For Saturn's brass.. -P. 225.

Brazen vessels, in which the public treasures of the Romans were kept it may be the poet means only old vessels, which were called Kgóvia, from the Greek name of Saturn. Note also, that the Roman treasury was in the temple of Saturn.

Note VIII.

Or Numa's earthen ware.-P. 225.

Under Numa, the second king of Rome, and for a long time after him, the holy vessels for sacrifice were of earthen ware; according to the superstitious rites which were introduced by the same Numa: though afterwards, when Memmius had taken Corinth, and Paulus Emilius had conquered Macedonia, luxury began amongst the Romans, and then their utensils of devotion were of gold and silver, &c.

Note IX.

And makes Calabrian wool, &c.-P. 225.

The wool of Calabria was of the finest sort in Italy, as Juvenal also tells us. The Tyrian stain is the purple colour dyed at Tyrus; and I suppose, but dare not positively affirm, that the richest of that dye was nearest our crimson, and not scarlet, or that other colour more approaching to the blue. I have not room to justify my conjecture.

Note X.

As maids to Venus offer baby-toys.-P. 225.

Those baby-toys were little babies, or poppets, as we call them; in Latin, pupae; which the girls, when they came to the age of puberty, or child-bearing, offered to Venus; as the boys, at fourteen or fifteen, offered their bullæ, or bosses.

Note XI.

A cake, thus given, is worth a hecatomb.-P. 226.

A cake of barley, or coarse wheat-meal, with the bran in it: The meaning is, that God is pleased with the pure and spotless heart of the offerer, and not with the riches of the offering. Laberius, in the fragments of his "Mimes," has a verse like thisPuras, Deus, non plenas aspicit manus.-What I had forgotten before, in its due place, I must here tell the reader, that the first half of this satire was translated by one of my sons, now in Italy; but I thought so well of it, that I let it pass without any alteration.

THE

THIRD SATIRE

OF

PERSIUS.

THE ARGUMENT.

Our author has made two Satires concerning study, the first and the third: the first related to men; this to young students, whom he desired to be educated in the Stoic philosophy. He himself sustains the person of the master, or preceptor, in this admirable Satire, where he upbraids the youth of sloth, and negligence in learning. Yet he begins with one scholar reproaching his fellow-students with late rising to their books. After which, he takes upon him the other part of the teacher; and, addressing himself particularly to young noblemen, tells them, that, by reason of their high birth, and the great possessions of their fathers, they are careless of adorning their minds with precepts of moral philosophy: and, withal, inculcates to them the miseries which will attend them in the whole course of their life, if they do not apply themselves betimes to the knowledge of virtue, and the end of their creation, which he pathetically insinuates to them. The title of this satire, in some ancient manuscripts, was, "The Reproach of Idleness;" though in others of the scholiasts it is inscribed, Against the Luxury and Vices of the Rich." In both of which the intention of the poet is pursued, but principally in the former.

66

[I remember I translated this satire when I was a king's scholar at Westminster school, for a Thursday night's exercise; and believe that it, and many other of my exercises of this nature in English verse, are still in the hands of my learned master, the Rev. Dr Busby.]

Is this thy daily course? The glaring sun
Breaks in at every chink; the cattle run
To shades, and noon-tide rays of summer shun;

Yet plunged in sloth we lie, and snore supine,
As fill'd with fumes of undigested wine.

This grave advice some sober student bears,
And loudly rings it in his fellow's ears.
The yawning youth, scarce half awake, essays
His lazy limbs and dozy head to raise ;

Then rubs his gummy eyes, and scrubs his pate,
And cries, I thought it had not been so late!
My clothes, make haste!-why then, if none be near,
He mutters, first, and then begins to swear;
And brays aloud, with a more clamorous note,
Than an Arcadian ass can stretch his throat.
With much ado, his book before him laid,
And parchment with the smoother side display'd,*
He takes the papers: lays them down again,
And with unwilling fingers tries the pen.

Some peevish quarrel straight he strives to pick,
His quill writes double, or his ink's too thick;
Infuse more water,-now 'tis grown so thin,
It sinks, nor can the characters be seen.

O wretch, and still more wretched every day!
Are mortals born to sleep their lives away?
Go back to what thy infancy began,

Thou, who wert never meant to be a man;
Eat pap and spoon-meat, for thy gewgaws cry;
Be sullen, and refuse the lullaby.

No more accuse thy pen; but charge the crime
On native sloth, and negligence of time.
Think'st thou thy master, or thy friends, to cheat?
Fool, 'tis thyself, and that's a worse deceit.
Beware the public laughter of the town;
Thou spring'st a leak already in thy crown;
A flaw is in thy ill-baked vessel found;
'Tis hollow, and returns a jarring sound.

*Note I.

Yet thy moist clay is pliant to command, Unwrought, and easy to the potter's hand : Now take the mould; now bend thy mind to feel The first sharp motions of the forming wheel. But thou hast land; a country seat, secure By a just title; costly furniture;

A fuming pan thy Lares to appease:

What need of learning when a man's at ease?
If this be not enough to swell thy soul,

Then please thy pride, and search the herald's roll,
Where thou shalt find thy famous pedigree

Drawn from the root of some old Tuscan tree,t And thou, a thousand off, a fool of long degree; Who, clad in purple, can'st thy censor greet, ‡ And loudly call him cousin in the street.

Such pageantry be to the people shown: There boast thy horse's trappings, and thy own, I know thee to thy bottom, from within Thy shallow centre, to the utmost skin: Dost thou not blush to live so like a beast, So trim, so dissolute, so loosely drest?

But 'tis in vain; the wretch is drench'd too deep, His soul is stupid, and his heart asleep; Fatten'd in vice, so callous, and so gross, He sins, and sees not, senseless of his loss. Down goes the wretch at once, unskill'd to swim, Hopeless to bubble up, and reach the water's brim. Great father of the gods, when for our crimes Thou send'st some heavy judgment on the times; Some tyrant king, the terror of his age, The type, and true vicegerent of thy rage; Thus punish him: set virtue in his sight,

With all her charms, adorn'd with all her graces bright;

* Note II.

† Note III.

‡ Note IV.