ON

FUL VI A,

THE

WIFE OF ANTHONY.

FROM THE LATIN OF AUGUSTUS CÆSAR.

W

HILE from his confort falfe Antonius flies, And doats on Glaphyra's far brighter eyes, Fulvia, provok'd, her female arts prepares, Reprifals feeks, and fpreads for me her fnares. "The husband's falfe"-But why must I endure This naufeous plague, and her revenge procure? What though the ask?-How happy were my doom,

Should all the difcontented wives of Rome

Repair in crowds to me, when fcorn'd at home! "'Tis war," fhe fays, "if I refufe her charms :" Let's think-She's ugly-Trumpets, found to arms!

HUDIBRAS IMITATED.

O

WRITTEN IN 1710.

Bleffed time of reformation,

That's now beginning through the nation! The Jacks bawl loud for church triumphant, And fwear all whigs fhall kifs the rump on't.

See

See how they draw the beaftly rabble
With zeal and noifes formidable,
And make all cries about the town
Join notes to roar fanatics down!
As bigots give the fign about,

They ftretch their throats with hideous fhout.
Black tinkers bawl aloud "to fettle
"Church-privilege"-for "mending kettle."
Each fow-gelder, that blows his horn,
Cries out 66 to have diffenters fworn."
The oyster-wenches lock their fish up,
And cry "no Presbyterian bishop!
The mouse-trap men lay fave-alls by,
And 'gainst "low church men” loudly cry,
A creature of amphibious nature,
That trims betwixt the land and water,
And leaves his mother in the lurch,
To fide with rebels 'gainst the church!
Some cry for "penal laws,” instead
Of "pudding-pies, and ginger-bread :"
And fome, for "brooms, old boots, and fhoes,"
Roar out, "God bless our commons houfe!
Some bawl the votes" about the town,
And with they'd "vote diffenters down.”
Inftead of "kitchen-ftuff," fome cry,
"Confound the late whig-miniftry !"
And fome, for " any chairs to mend,”,
The commons late addrefs commend.
Some for "old gowns for china ware,”
Exclaim against "extempore prayer :'

And

And fome for "old fuits, cloaks, or coats,"
Cry, "D-n your preachers without notes!"
He that cries " coney-fkins, or onions,"
Blames "toleration of opinions,"

Blue- apron whores, that fit with furmety,
Rail at occafional conformity."
Inftead of "cucumbers to pickle,"
Some cry aloud, "No conventicle!"
Mafons, instead of "building houses,"

To build the church," would starve their spouses,
And gladly leave their trades, for forming
The meeting-houfes, or informing.

Bawds, ftrumpets, and religion-haters,

Pimps, pandars, atheifts, fornicators,

Rogues, that, like Falftaff, fcarce know whether
A church's infide 's ftone or leather,

Yet join the parfons and the people,

To cry

"the church," but mean "the steeple."

If, holy mother, fuch you'll own For your true fons, and fuch alone, Then Heaven have mercy upon you, But the de'il take your beaftly crew!

AN

" Unde nil majus generatur ipfo,

"Nec viget quicquam fimile aut fecundum."

HORAT.

HAT the praises of the Author of Nature, which

THAT

is the fitteft fubject for the fublime way of writ ing, was the most ancient use of Poetry, cannot be learn'd from a more proper inftance (next to examples of holy writ) than from the Greek fragments of Orpheus; a relique of great antiquity: they contain feveral verfes concerning God, and his making and governing the univerfe; which, though imperfect, have many noble hints and lofty expreffions. Yet whether these verses were indeed written by that celebrated Father of Poetry and Mufick, who preceded Homer, or by Onomacritus who lived about the time of Pifistratus, and only contain fome of the doctrines of Orpheus, is a question of little use or importance.

A large paraphrafe of thefe in French verfe has been prefixed to the translation of Phocylides, but in a flat ftile, much inferior to the defign. The following Ode, with many alterations and additions proper to a modern poem, is attempted upon the fame model, in a language which, having ftronger finews than the French, is, by the confeffion of their beft critick Rapin, more capable of fuftaining great fubjects.