Her eloquence was sweeter than her fong,
Soft as her heart, and as her reason strong;
Her form each beauty of her mind express'd,
Her mind was Virtue by the Graces dress'd.

HORACE. BOOK IV. O DE IV.

Written at Oxford 1725 *.

Qualem miniftrum fulminis alitem, &c."

I.

III.

Then, darting with impetuous fury down,
The flocks he flaughter'd, an unpractis'd foe;
Now his ripe valour to perfection grown.
The fcaly fnake and crested dragon know:

IV.

Or, as a lion's youthful progeny,

Wean'd from his favage dam and milky food, The grazing kid beholds with fearful eye,

Doom'd first to stain his tender fangs in blood:

ས.

Such Drufus, young in arms, his foes beheld,
The Alpine Rhæti, long unmatch'd in fight :
So were their hearts with abject terror quell'd;
So funk. their haughty fpirit at the fight...

VI.

Tam'd by a boy, the fierce Barbarians find

How guardian Prudence guides the youthful flame, And how great Cæfar's fond paternal mind Each generous Nero forms to early fame;

VII.

A valiant son springs from a valiant fire:
Their race by mettle fprightly courfers prove ; ;
Nor can the warlike eagle's active fire

Degenerate to form the timorous dove.
VIII.

But education can the genius raise,
And wife inftructions native virtue aid;
Nobility without them is difgrace,

And Honour is by vice to shame betray'd.

IX. Let

IX.

Let red Metaurus, ftain'd with Punic blood,
Let mighty Afdrubal fubdued, confefs
How much of empire and of fame is ow'd
#By thee, O Rome, to the Neronian race.
X.

Of this be witnefs that aufpicious day,

Which, after a long, black, tempestuous night, First fmil'd on Latium with a milder ray,

And chear'd our drooping hearts with dawning light.

XI.

Since the dire African with wasteful ire
Rode o'er the ravag'd towns of Italy;
As through the pine-trees flies the raging fire,
Or Eurus o'er the vext Sicilian. fea.

XII.

From this bright æra, from this profperous field,
The Roman glory dates her rising power;

From hence 'twas given her conquering fword to wield,
Raffe her fall'n gods, and ruin'd Thrines restore.
XIII.

Thus Hannibal at length despairing spoke:
"Like ftags to ravenous wolves an easy prey,
Our feeble arms a valiant foe provoke,
"Whom to elude and 'scape were victory;
XIV.

A dauntless nation, that from Trojan fires,
"Hoftile Aufonia, to thy deftin'd shore

Her gods, her infant fons, and aged fires,

Through angry feas and adverse tempests bore:
XV." As

XV.

"As on high Algidus the fturdy oak,

"Whofe fpreading boughs the axe's sharpness feel, Improves by lofs, and, thriving with the ftroke, "Draws health and vigour from the wounding steel.

XVI.

Not Hydra fprouting from her mangled head "So tir'd the baffled force of Hercules;

Nor Thebes, nor Colchis, fuch a monfter bred, "Pregnant of ills, and fam'd for prodigies.

XVII.

Plunge her in ocean, like the morning fun, "Brighter the rifes from the depths below : To earth with unavailing ruin thrown, "Recruits her strength, and foils the wondering for.

XVIII.

No more of victory the joyful fame

"Shall from my camp to haughty Carthage fly; Loft, loft, are all the glories of her name! "With Afdrubal her hopes and fortune die !

XIX.

"What shall the Claudian valour not perform, "Which Power Divine guards with propitious care, "Which Wisdom steers through all the dangerous ftorm Through all the rocks and fhoals of doubtful war?"

VIRTUE AND FAME.

TO THE COUNTESS OF EGREMONT.

VIRTUE and Fame, the other day,

Happen'd to cross each other's way; Said Virtue," Hark ye! madam Fame, "Your ladyship is much to blame; "Jove bids you always wait on me, "And yet your face I feldom fee :

"The Paphian queen employs your trumpet, "And bids it praise some handsome strumpet; "Or, thundering through the ranks of war, "Ambition ties you to her car.

Saith Fame, "Dear madam, I protest, " I never find myself so bleft

you

!

"As when I humbly wait behind But 'tis fo mighty hard to find you! In fuch obfcure retreats you lurk! To feek you, is an endless work.” "Well," anfwer'd Virtue, "I allow Your plea. But hear, and mark me now. I know (without offence to others) "I know the best of wives and mothers; "Who never pass'd an useless day "In scandal, goffiping, or play: Whose modeft wit, chaftis'd by fenfe, Is lively chearful innocence;

"Whofe