_Life_ and _Manners_ scarce more _regular_.
With _Strength_ and _Flame_ prodigious _D----s_ writes
Of _Loves_ lost _Wars_, and cruel martial _Fights_:
Scarce LEE himself strove with a _mightier Load_,
Or _labour'd_ more beneath th' _Incumbent God_:
Whate'er of old to _Rome_ or _Athens_ known, 710
What _France_ or _We_ have _glean'd_, 'tis all his _own_.
How few can equal _Praise_ with _C----ch_ obtain,
Who made _Lucretius smooth_, and _chast_, and _plain_?
Courted by _Fame_ he could her _Charms_ despise, }
Still woo'd by that _false Fair_ he still denies, }
And press'd, for _Refuge_ to the _Altar_ flies; }
Like _votive Tablets_ offers up his _Bays_,
"_And leaves to our lewd Town the Drudgery of Plays_."
In lofty _Raptures_, born on Angels Wings }
Above the _Clouds_, above _Castalian Springs_, } 720
N---- inspir'd, of God and _Nature_ sings; }
And if one _Glance_ on this _poor World_ he throw,
If e'er he mind the _Croud_ and _Buzz_ below;
Pities our _fruitless Pains_ for _Fame_ and _Praise_,
And wonders why we _drudge_ for _Crowns_ and _Bays_.
Could _B_---- be _sober_, many he'd excel,
Few know the _Antients_, or could use so well;
But ah! his _Genius_ with his _Virtue's_ fled,
Condemn'd to _Want of Grace_ and _Want of Bread_.
Ev'n Envy _B----re's Subject_ must confess } 730
_Exact_ and _rare_, a _curious Happiness_, }
Nor many could the _Fable better dress_: }
Of _Words_ what _Compass_, and how vast a _Store_!
His _Courage_ and his _Vertue's_ only more:
More various _Scenes of Death_ his _Fights_ display
Then _Aghrim's_ Field or _London's_ fatal Day:
Let beauteous _Elda's Tears_ and _Passion_ prove
His _Soul_ is not _unknowing how to love_:
Disrob'd of _Clouds_ he view'd the _Stagyrite_
As _Nature_ he, confess'd to _Human sight_:
His _Rules_ surveys, and traces to their _Springs_, } 740
Where the _blind Bard_ of flaming _Ilium_ sings; }
Thence with the _Mantuan Swan_ in narrower Rings, }
Tho more _exact_, he, stooping from his height,
Reviews the same _fierce Wars_ and _Gods_ and _Heroes_ fight:
That beauteous antient _Palace_ he surveys }
Which _Maro's Hands_ had only Strength to raise, }
_Models_ from thence, and _copies_ every _Grace_: }
Each _Page_ is big with _Virgil's Manly Thought_,
To _follow him to