6 Exules.] Horace calls the Romans, Exules, or Fugi tives, on account of their being derived from the Trojans who were obliged to quit their own Country. For the fame Reafon Virgil calls Æneas, fato profugus.

7 Juno here applauds, in a very noble Manner, the Virtue of the ancient Romans, who preferred Poverty to all the Riches of the World.

8 Troy was actually rebuilt in the Time of Horace. The Romans are, therefore, here forbid only to restore it to the fame flourishing Condition it had formerly enjoyed; which would have been the Cafe, if Augustus had transferred the Seat of his Empire thither.

9 Horace here follows the Opinion of thofe, who have faid, that Apollo affifted Neptune in building the Walls of Troy For Homer intimates, that Neptune built them alone; and that Apollo, in the mean while, attended Flocks on Mount Ida.

10 Non hac jocofa conveniunt lyra. Horace could not urge this Argument farther, without fpeaking in a more open Manner. On which Account he breaks off abruptly, pretending that his Verfes are not noble enough for fo great a Subject. But we clearly fee, that this is a falfe Modefty. It was not from the Fear of offending thofe Gods, that he left this Ode imperfect, but from the Fear of offending Auguftus, whofe Anger he dreaded as much, at leaft, as that of the Gods. DACIER.

The SAME ODE Imitated.

By WILLIAM WALSH, Efq;

TH

I.

HE Man that's refolute and just, Firm to his Principles and Truft, Nor Hopes, nor Fears, can blind :

No

In vain the coftly Feaft was spread,

In vain the tuneful Minstrel fung:
Sleep weighs his Eyelids down no more,

Nor Philomel's sweet Strains his murder'd Peace reftore.

Lolling at Ease, in humble Cells,
Gentle Morpheus ever dwells;

Or by the hoary Foreft's Side,

Or where the murmuring Waters glide-
Seek what Nature can fuffice,
And fearless view the troubled Shore,
When the black Tempest veils the Skies,
And the tumultuous Surges roar

Whither, at length, will human Pride aspire!
The Great their Fathers' Palaces difdain,
Encumbering with vaft Towers the Main:
From the contracted Latian Shore,
Old Ocean's various Broods retire,
And diftant, and more fpacious Seas explore -
Go, climb thy lofty Argo's Side,

Or truft thy Courfer's fwift Career;
Or in thy Marble Towers confide ;
Vain is thy Flight, alas! from Care;
There's no Retreat, proud Man! from Guilt and
Fear.

Since, then, fair Peace and Innocence, Difdaining Pomp, and Power, and Pride, United fhed their fweeteft Influence,

Where artless Maids and lab'ring Hinds refide,

Grant

Grant my Defire, a homely Seat,
Far from the Guilty and the Great ;
A limpid Stream, an ancient Grove;
And Health and Joy to her I love ;
Grant my Defue, propitious Jove!

Digreffion to his Wife, formerly Mifs St. Loe.

Happy the Hour, when firft our Souls were join'd!
The focial Virtues, and the chearful Mind,
Have ever crown'd our Days, beguil'd our Pain,
Strangers' to Difcord, and her clamorous Train..
Connubial Friendship, hail! But haste away;
The Lark and Nightingale reproach thy Stay :
From fplendid Theatres to rural Scenes
Joyous retire-So bounteous Heaven ordains!
There we may dwell in Peace;

There bless the rifing Morn, and flowery Field,.
Charm'd with the guileless Sports the Woods and
Waters yield!

THE

O DE II.

To his FRIENDS.

By Mr. J. DUNCOMBE.

HE Youth, my Friends! robuft in War,
Should learn to feed on fcanty Fare;

To launch the Javelin from the Horfe,
And make the Parthian feel his Force;

Hardy, and refolutely bold,

In Summer's Heat, and Winter's Cold.
Him from the Walls the Tyrant's Wife
Views, trembling for her Confort's Life:
"O may he not, unfkill'd in Fight,
"Provoke this Lion's dreaded Might,
"Whofe Thirft of Slaughter thins the Plain;
"Nor can the Foe his Shock sustain !"
In our dear Country's Caufe to die
Is glorious; nor can they, who fly,
Escape; for Fate, more fwift than Fear,
Pursuing, ftrikes them in the Rear;

With dreadful Groans they bite the Ground,

Their Backs transfix'd with many a Wound.

I

No bafe Repulfe can Virtue know;

Her Honours unpolluted flow:

The Crowd nor gives, nor takes away,
The fplendid Fafces of her Sway;
Through Paths untrod fhe mounts on high,
And to her Votaries points the Sky;
Difdainful spurns the fordid Clay,
And foars to Realms of endless Day!
Nor lefs the Gods reward the Just,
Tenacious of their 3 fecret Truft.
Who Ceres' Rites prefumes to tell,
With Me fhould never fail, nor dwell:
For oft' the Good and Wicked prove
Óne common Lot from angry Jove.
Where Guilt precedes, 'tis rare to find
That halting Vengeance lags behind.

NOTES.

NOTES.

The Order or Method of this Ode is perfectly rational, according to the Roman Way of Thinking; for, firft, the Poet recommends Valour, or Fortitude, which was the chief Support of the Roman State, as it is at prefent of the Switzers; then, moral or civil Virtue; and, laftly, a reverential Regard for the Myfteries, or (as fome would chufe to express themselves) for the pofitive Inflitutions of Religion.

1 Virtus repulfa nefcia fordida,] Virtue is incapable of Repulfe, because the Dignities the covets are not dependent on the People: She is her own Reward : The greatest Employments are fubject to her: She commands every where; and places the Man, who chufes her for his Guide, on a Throne, crowning him with an immortal Wreath of Glory. DACIER.

2 Intaminatis fulget bonoribus.] Horace ftyles the Honours which are infeparable from Virtue, pure, or unpolluted, in Oppofition to thofe beftowed by the People; for, in order to obtain the latter, it was neceffary to perform a thousand mean Actions, which foiled all their Luftre. DACTER.

This is the third and laft Part of the Ode. Horace here praifes Silence, which is an effential Part of Religion. Those Interpreters, who have imagined that he digreffed from his Subject, did not enter into the Design of the Author.

Since Horace fays, that there is also a Reward for Silence, he must neceffarily have propofed one, in the firft Part, for Valour. Accordingly we find this expreffed in the 13th Verfe;

Dulce et decorum eft pro patria mori.

And there must be another, in the fecond Part, for Civil
Virtue, which is contained in these Lines;

Virtus recludens immeritis mori
Cælum, negata tentat iter viê.

I just mention thefe Particulars, to fhow the Decorum and Propriety, which thefe great Masters always obferved in their Compofitions. DACIER.