becoming tedious. With what pleasure does the poet feem to exult in recollection of the former refpectable state of poets! with what feeling and what energy does he complain of that modern neglect, of which many, and none more than himself, have had occafion to complain !

V. 369. Suffice it now th'Efquilian mount to reach, With weary wing, and feek the facred rests Of Maro's humble tenement; a low

Plain wall remains; a little fun-gilt heap Grotefque and wild; the gourd and olive brown

Weave the light roof; the gourd and olive , fan,

Their am'rous foliage, mingling with the vine,

Who drops her purple clusters through the
green.

Here let me lie, with pleafing fancy footh'd:
Here flow'd his fountain; here his laurels

grew;

Here oft the meek good man, the lofty bard
Fram'd the celeftial fong; or focial walk'd
With Horace and the ruler of the world:

Dyer in general wn

fimplicity and clear inftance in which h

explicable. What

addreffed by the Nymph, it seems sc cover. Painting, Sifter Mufe, and r meant; but why

apes

elm'd

Happy Auguftus! who so well inspir'd,
Couldft throw thy pomps and royalties afide,
Attentive to the wife, the great of foul,

And dignify thy mind. Thrice glorious days
Aufpicious to the Mufes! then rever'd,
Then hallow'd was the fount, or fecret shade,
Or open mountain, or whatever scene

The Poet chose to tune the ennobling rhyme
Melodious; ev'n the rugged fons of war,
Ev'n the rude hinds rever'd the Poet's name:
But now,-another age alas! is ours-
Yet will the Muse a little longer foar,
Unless the clouds of care weigh down her
wing,

Since nature's ftores are fhut with cruel hand,
And each aggrieves his brother; fince in vain
The thirsty pilgrim at the fountain asks
The o'erflowing wave-Enough-the plaint
difdain.-

The length of this Poem, and its fuperior merit, have hitherto caused it to engross a confiderable share of attention. The remaining part is of the fame general character, and relates, in a spirited narrative, the rife, meridian, decline, and fall of the Roman Empire. The conclu

conclufion defcribes in the moft animated manner the irruption of the Goths and Vandals, with their confequences; and reflects with equal dignity and pathos on the fatal effects of national luxury.

V. 526. But fee along the north the tempeft fwell O'er the rough Alps, and darken all their fnows!

Sudden the Goth and Vandal, dreaded names,
Rush as the breach of waters, whelming all
Their domes, their villas; down the festive
piles,

Down fall their Parian porches, gilded baths,
And roll before the ftorm in clouds of duft.

Vain end of human ftrength, of human
fkill,

Conqueft, and triumph, and domain, and

pomp,

And ease and luxury! O luxury,

Bane of elated life, of affluent states,

What dreary change, what ruin is not
thine?

How doth thy bowl intoxicate the mind!
To the foft entrance of thy rofy cave,
How doft thou lure the fortunate and great!
Dreadful attraction! while behind thee gapes
The unfathomable gulph, where Afhur lies

K 4

O'erwhelm'd