And upon the five following verses has this general remark: Toutes ces expressions nobles qu'Horace entasse dans ces six vers servant a rendre plus plaisante cette chute: Ne Dum verborum stet bonos.--

Car rien ne contribue tant au ridicule que le grand. He indeed would be severe upon himself alone who should censure this way of writing, when he must plainly see that it is affected on purpose, only to raise the ridicule, and give the reader a more agreeable entertainment. Nothing can improve a merry tale so much as its being delivered with a grave and serious air.--Our imaginations are agreeably surprised, and fond of a pleasure so little expected; whereas, he who would bespeak our laughter by an affected grimace and ridiculous gesture, must play his part very well indeed, or he will fall short of the idea he has raised. It is true Virgil was very sensible that it was difficult thus to elevate a low and mean subject:

Nec sum animi dubius, verbis ea vincere magnum

Quam sit, et angustis hunc addere rebus honorem.--But tells us, for our encouragement, in another place,

In tenui labor, at tenuis non gloria, si quem

Numina laeva sinunt, auditque vocatus Apollo.

Mr. Addison is of the same opinion, and adds, that the difficulty is very much increased by writing

66

in blank verse. "The English and French," says he, "who always use the same words in verse as in "ordinary conversation, are forced to raise their "language with metaphors and figures, or by the pompousness of the whole phrase to wear off any "littleness that appears in the particular parts that compose it; this makes our blank verse, where "there is no rhyme to support the expression, ex"tremely difficult to such as are not masters of the "tongue, especially when they write upon low sub"jects." Remarks upon Italy, p. 99.

But there is even yet a greater difficulty behind : the writer in this kind of burlesque must not only keep up the pomp and dignity of the style, but an artful sneer should appear through the whole work; and every man will judge that it is no easy matter to blend together the hero and the harlequin.

If any person should want a key to this poem, his curiosity shall be gratified: I shall, in plain words, tell him, "It is a satire against the luxury, the "pride, the wantonness, and quarrelsome temper "of the middling sort of people." As these are the proper and genuine causes of that barefaced knavery, and almost universal poverty, which reign without controul in every place; and as to these we owe our many bankrupt farmers, our trade decayed, and lands uncultivated, the Author has reason to hope, that no Volume 1.

K

honest man, who loves his country, will think this 'short reproof out of season; for perhaps this merry way of bantering men into virtue may have a better effect than the most serious admonitions, since many who are proud to be thought immoral are not very fond of being ridiculous.

OR,

THE RURAL GAMES.

A BURLESQE POEM,

IN THREE CANTOS.

Nec sum animi dubius, verbis ea vincere maznum
Quam sit, et angustis hunc addere rebus honorem :
Sed me Parnassi deserta per ardua dulcis
Raptat Amor. Juvat ire jugis, qua nulla priorum
Castaliam molli divertitur orbita clivo.

VIRG. Georg. iii.

CANTO I.

THE ARGUMENT.

PROPOSITION. Invocation, addressed to Mr. John Philips, author of the Cyder Poem and Splendid Shilling. Description of the vale of Evesham. The seat of Hobbinol; Hobbinol, a great man in his village, seated in his wicker, smoking his pipe, has one only son. Young Hobbinol's education, bred up with Ganderetta, his near relation Young Hobbinol and Ganderetta chosen king and queen of May: her dress and attend. ants. The May-games. Twangdillo the fiddler, his character. The dancing. Ganderetta's extraordinary perform nce. Bagpipes good music in the Hihia ds. Milonides, master of the ring, disciplines the mob.; proc aims th several prizes; his speech. Pastorel takes up the belt: his character; his heroic figure; his confidence. Hobbinol, by permission of Ganderetta, accepts the challenge, vaults into the ring: his honourable behaviour: escapes a scouring. Ganderetta's agony. Pastorel fuiied. Ganderetta not a little pleased.

WHAT Old Menalcus at his feast reveal'd

I sing, strange feats of ancient prowess, deeds

Of high renown, while all his list'ning guests
With eager joy receiv'd the pleasing tale.

O thou!* who late on Vaga's flow'ry banks
Slumb'ring secure, with Stirom† well bedew'd,
Fallacious cask, in sacred dreams were taught
By ancient seers, and Merlin, prophet old,
To raise ignoble themes with strains sublime,
Be thou my guide, while I thy track pursue,
With wing unequal, thro' the wide expanse
Advent'rous range, and emulate thy flights.
In that rich vale, || where with Dobunian ‡ fields
Cornavian borders meet, far fam'd of old
For Montfort's hapless fate, undaunted earl,
Where from her fruitful urn Avona pours
Her kindly torrent on the thirsty glebe,
And pillages the hills t' enrich the plains;
On whose luxurious banks flow'rs of all hues
Start up spontaneous, and the teeming soil
With hasty shoots prevents its owner's pray'r;
The pamper'd wanton steer, of the sharp axe
Regardless, that o'er his devoted head
Hangs menacing, crops his delicious bane,
Nor knows the price is life; with envious eye
His lab'ring yoke-fellow beholds his plight,

* Mr. John Philips. Vale of Evesham.

Strong Herefordshire cyder. t Gloucestershire. § Worcestershire. Simon de Montfort, killed at the battle of Evesham.