ATY R.

SA

IS a ftrange Age we've liv'd in, and a lewd

As 'ere the Sun in all his Travels view'd; An Age as vile, as ever Juftice urg'd, Like a fantastic Letcher, to be fcourg'd: 5 Nor has it fcap'd, and yet has only learn'd, The more 'tis plagu'd to be the lefs concern'd. Twice have we seen two dreadful Judgments

rage,

Enough to fright the ftubborn'st-hearted

Age;

As the preceding Satyr was upon Mankind in general, with fome Allufion to that Age in which it was wrote, this is particularly levelled at the licentious and debauched Times of Charles II. humourously contrasted with the puritanical ones which went before; and is a fresh Proof of the Author's Impartiality, and that he was not, as is generally, but falfely imagined, a Bigot to the Cavalier Party.

7. Twice have we seen two dreadful Judgments, &c.] The Poet, one may venture to affirm, without the Hazard of a Conjecture, alJudes here to the Plague and Fire of London in the Years 1665 and 1666; but what the two mighty Miracles were which fucceeded, is not with fo much Precifenefs to be ascertained. It is however very probable, that he means the prodigious Expedition, with which the City was rebuilt, and the very healthy Seafon which followed. The following Faflage from Hume's Hiftory of Great Britain, confirms the Obfervation. "The Fire of London, though at that Time a great "Calamity, has proved in the Iffue beneficial both to the City and

F 3

the

The one to mow vaftCrowds of People down, 10 The other (as then needlefs) half the Town; And two as mighty Miracles restore, What both had ruin'd and destroy'd before; In all as unconcern'd, as if th' had been But Paftimes for Diverfion to be seen. 15 Or, like the Plagues of Ægypt,meant a Curse, Not to reclaim us, but to make us worse, Twice have Men turn'd the World (that filly Blockhead!)

The wrong Side outward, like a Jugler's
Pocket,

Shook out Hypocrify, as fast and loose,
20 As e're the Dev'l could teach, or Sinners use,
And on the other Side at once put in
As impotent Iniquity, and Sin.

As Sculls, that have been crack'd, are often found

Upon the wrong Side to receive the Wound, 25 And, like Tobacco-pipes at one End hit, To break at th'other ftill that's oppofite:

the Kingdom. The City was rebuilt in a very little Time; and "Care was taken to make the Streets wider and more regular than "before.-London became much more healthy after the Fire. The

Plague, which uted to break out with great Fury twice or "thrice every Century, and indeed was always lurking in fome "Corner of the City, has not once difcovered itself fince that Calamity."

22. As impotent Iniquity.] The Term intotent is here ufed in the Latin Senfe of it for ungovernable or unrestrained.-So Horace fays Aquila impotens.

So Men, who one Extravagance would shun,
Into the contrary Extreme have run;

And all the Difference is, that, as the first 30 Provokes the other Freak to prove the worst ;

So, in return, that strives to render less
The laft Delufion, with its own Excefs;
And, like two unfkill'd Gamefters, use one
Way

With bungling t'help out one another'sPlay. 35 For those, who heretofore fought private Holes,

Securely in the Dark to damn their Souls, Wore Vizards of Hypocrify, to steal And flink away, in Masquerade, to Hell. Now bring their Crimes into the open Sun, 40 For all Mankind to gaze their worst upon, As Eagles try their Young against his Rays, prove, if they're of generous Breed, or

To

bafe;

23. As Sculls that have been crack'd,] It is a common Obfervation, whether true or falfe is fufficient for a poetical Allufion, that when a Scull is broke, the Crack is not in the Part which receives the Blow, but on the oppofite Side, and is occafioned by the Violence of the Concuffion.

30. Provokes the other Freak to prove the Worf.] The Word Freak, though it now always fignifies fome Extravagance of the gay and frolickfome fort, is frequently ufed by Butler, for one of any Kind.

Call Heav'n and Earth to witness, how they've aim'd

With all their utmost Vigour to be damn'd, 45 And by their own Examples, in theView, Of all the World, ftriv'd to damn others too: On all Occafions fought to be as civil, As poffible they cou'd, t'his Grace the Devil, To give him no unneceffary Trouble,

50 Nor in fmall Matters ufe a Friend fo noble, But with their conftant Practice done their best

T'improve, and propagate his Interest.

For Men have now made Vice so great an
Art,

The matter of Fact's become the slightest

Part;

55 And the debauched'ft Actions they can do,

Mere Trifles, to the Circumftance and Show. For 'tis not what they do,that's now the Sin, But what they lewdly affect, and glory in; As if prepoft'rously they would profess 60 A forc'd Hypocrify of Wickedness:

53, 54, c. For Men have now made Vice fo great an Art,—The Matter of Fact's become the flightest Part.-c.]This is bitter and fevere, but very applicable to the Times he is defcribing, and to the Characters of Buckingham, Rochefter, and other wicked and abandoned Wits of that Age, who ftudied not only to be, but also to appear as vicious and debauched as poffible.

67, 68.

And Affectation, that makes good Things bad,

Must make affected Shame accurft,and mad; For Vices for themselves may find Excuse, But never for their Complement, and Shews. 65 That, if there ever were a Mystery Of moral fecular Iniquity,

70

And that the Churches may not lofe their Due
By being encroach'd upon,'tis now, and new.
For Men are now as fcrupulous, and nice,
And tender-confcienc'd of low paltry Vice,
Difdain as proudly to be thought to have
To do in any Mischief, but the brave,

As the most fcrup'lous Zealot of late Times
but the horrid'ft Crimes;

any,

T'appear in
75 Have as precife and ftrict Punctilios

Now to appear, as then to make no Shows;
And steer the World by disagreeing Force
Of diff'rent Customs 'against her nat'ral
Course.

So pow'rful's ill Example to incroach, 80 And Nature spite of all her Laws debauch; Example, that imperious Dictator

Of all that's good, or bad to human Nature;

67, 68. And that the Churches may not lofe their Due-By being encroach'd upon.] The Poet's Meaning feems to be, either that the Phrafe Myftery of Iniquity was appropried to Divinity; or archly and fatirically to infinuate, that the real and great Mystery of Iniquity was to be found in the Churches of that Age.

94, 95.