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PART III.

The History of Satire. Roman Satirifts, Lucilius,
Horace, Perfius, Juvenal, ✯ 357, etc. Causes of the
Decay of Literature, particularly of Satire, 389. Re-
vival of Satire, 401. Erafmus one of its principal
Restorers, 405. Donne, 411. The Abufe of Satire
in England, during the licentious Reign of Charles II.

415. Dryden, & 429. The true Ends of Satire pur-
Jued by Boileau in France, & 439; and by Mr. Pope in
England, 445.

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v)

PART I.

FA the Word; the cruel arrow fped;

ATE gave

And POPE lies number'd with the mighty

Dead!

Refign'd he fell; fuperior to the dart,
That quench'd its rage in YOURS and BRITAIN'S
Heart:

You mourn: but BRITAIN, lull'd in reft profound,
(Unconscious Britain !) flumbers o'er her wound.
Exulting Dulness ey'd the fetting Light,
And flapp'd her wing, impatient for the Night:
Rouz'd at the signal, Guilt collects her train,
And counts the Triumphs of her growing Reign:
With inextinguishable rage they burn;
And Snake-hung ENVY hiffes o'er his Urn:
Th' envenom'd Monster fpit their deadly foam,
To blaft the Laurel that furrounds his Tomb.

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But You, O WARBURTON! whofe eye refin'd Can see the greatness of an honest mind;

Can fee each Virtue and each Grace unite,
And taste the Raptures of a pure Delight;
You vifit oft his awful Page with Care,

And view that bright Affemblage treafur'd there;
You trace the Chain that links his deep Defign,
And pour new Luftre on the glowing Line.
Yet deign to hear the efforts of a Muse,

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Whofe eye, not wing, his ardent flight pursues;
Intent from this great Archetype to draw
SATIRE'S bright Form, and fix her equal Law;
Pleas'd if from hence th’unlearn'd may comprehend,
And rev'rence HIS and SATIRE's gen'rous End.

IN ev'ry Breast there burns an active flame,
The Love of Glory, or the Dread of Shame: 30
The Paffion ONE, tho' various it appear,

As brighten'd into Hope, or dimm'd by Fear.
The lifping Infant, and the hoary Sire,

And Youth and Manhood feel the heart-born fire:
The Charms of Praise the Coy, the Modeft wooe,
And only fly, that Glory may pursue:
'She, Pow'r refiftless, rules the wise and great,
Bends ev'n reluctant Hermits at her feet ;

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- Haunts the proud City, and the lowly Shade, And fways alike the Scepter and the Spade.

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Thus Heav'n in Pity wakes the friendly Flame, To urge Mankind on Deeds that merit Fame: But Man, vain Man, in folly only wife, Rejects the Manna sent him from the Skies: With rapture hears corrupted Paffion's call, Still proudly prone to mingle with the stall. As each deceitful fhadow tempts his view, He for the imag'd Subftance quits the true; Eager to catch the vifionary Prize, In queft of Glory plunges deep in Vice; 'Till madly zealous, impotently vain, He forfeits ev'ry Praise he pants to gain.

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Thus ftill imperious NATURE plies her part; And still her Dictates work in ev'ry heart.

Each Pow'r that fov'reign Nature bids enjoy, 55
Man
may corrupt, but Man can ne'er destroy.
Like mighty rivers, with refiftless force

The Paffions rage, obftructed in their course;
Swell to new heights, forbidden paths explore,
And drown those Virtues which they fed before.

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