Theirs is the Vanity, the Learning thine: 45 Touch'd by thy hand, again Rome's glories shine; Her Gods, and god-like Heroes rife to view, And all her faded garlands bloom a-new. Nor blush, these studies thy regard engage; These pleas'd the Fathers of poetic rage; The verfe and sculpture bore an equal part, And Art reflected images to Art.

50

Oh when shall Britain, confcious of her claim, Stand emulous of Greek and Roman fame?

NOTES.

being poffeffed of the two nobleft pieces of Antiquity in the world, TULLY'S WIFE and CESAR'S CHAIR, that Chair in which he was affaffinated in full Senate.

VER. 49. Nor blush, thefe ftudies thy regard engage;] A fenfelefs affectation, which fome Authors of eminence have betrayed; who, when fortune or their talents have raised them to a condition to do without those arts, for which only they gained our efteem, have pretended to think letters below their character. This falfe fhame, M. Voltaire has very well, and with proper indignation, exposed in his account of Mr. Congreve : "He had one defect, which was, his entertaining too mean an idea of his firft profeffion (that of a Writer) though 'twas to this he owed his fame and fortune. "He spoke of his works as of trifles that were beneath him; "and hinted to me, in our first converfation, that I should "vifit him upon no other foot than that of a gentleman, "who led a life of plainnefs and fimplicity. I answered, "that had he been fo unfortunate as to be a mere gentleman, I should never have come to fee him; and I was very "much disgusted at fo unfeasonable a piece of vanity." Letters concerning the English Nation, xix.

VER. 53. Ob when shall Britain, &c.] A compliment to one of Mr. Addifon's papers in the Spectator, on this fubject.

In living medals fee her wars enroll'd,

And vanquish'd realms fupply recording gold?
Here, rifing bold, the Patriot's honeft face;
There Warriors frowning in hiftoric brass :
ages with delight shall fee

Then future
How Plato's, Bacon's, Newton's looks

55

agree; 60

Or in fair feries laurel'd Bards be shown,

A Virgil there, and here an Addison.

Then shall thy CRAGGS (and let me call him mine)
On the cast ore, another Pollio, shine;
With afpect open, fhall erect his head,

And round the orb in lasting notes be read,

65

Statesman, yet friend to Truth! of foul fincere, "In action faithful, and in honour clear;

"Who broke no promife, ferv'd no private end, "Who gain'd no title, and who loft no friend; 70

NOTES.

VER. 67. Statefman, yet friend to Truth, &c.] It should be remembered, that this poem was written to be printed before Mr. Addifon's Difcourfe on Medals, in which there is the following cenfure of long legends upon coins: "The first "fault I find with a modern legend is its diffufiveness. You "have fometimes the whole fide of a medal over-run with it. "One would fancy the Author had a defign of being cice"ronian-but it is not only the tediousness of these infcrip❝tions that I find fault with; fuppofing them of a moderate "length, why must they be in verfe? We fhould be furprized to fee the title of a serious book in rhyme." Dial, iii.

4

"Ennobled by himself, by all approv'd,

"And prais'd unenvy'd, by the Mufe he lov'd."

NOTES.

VER. ult. And prais'd unenvy'd, by the Mufe he lov'd.] It was not likely that men acting in fo different spheres, as were thofe of Mr. Craggs and Mr. Pope, fhould have their friendfhip difturb'd by Envy. We muft fuppofe then that fome circumftances in the friendhip of Mr. Pope and Mr. Addifon are hinted at in this place.

END of the THIRD VOLUME.