Les Monfignors, foy difant Grands,
Seuls dans leurs Palais magnifiques
Y font d'illuftres faineants,
Sans argent, & fans domeftiques.

Pour les Petits, fans liberté,
Martyrs du joug qui les domine,
Ils ont fait vau de pauvreté,
Priant Dieu par oifiveté
Et toûjours jeunant par famine.

Ces beaux lieux du Pape benis
Semblent habitez par les Diables;
Et les Habitans miferables
Sont damnez dans le Paradis.

LETTER

LETTER XXL

ON THE

Earl of ROCHESTER

AND

Mr. WALLER.

T

HE Earl of Rochefter's Name is univerfally known. Mr. de St. Evremont has made very frequent mention of him, but then he has represented this famous Nobleman in no other Light than as the Man of Pleasure, as one who was the Idol of the Fair; but with regard to my felf, I would willingly defcribe in him the Man of 0 3

Genius,

Genius, the great Poet. Among other Pieces which difplay the fhining Imagination his Lordship only cou'd boast, he wrote fome Satyrs on the fame Subjects as those our celebrated Boileau made choice of. I don't know any better Method of improving the Taste, than to compare the Productions of fuch great Genius's as have exercis'd their Talent on the fame Subject. Boileau declaims as follows against human Reason in his Satyr on Man.

Cependant à le voir plein de vapeurs légeres,

Soi-même fe bercer de fes propres chi

meres,

Lui feul de la nature eft la baze &
l'appui,

Et le dixieme ciel ne tourne que pour lui.
De tous les Animaux il eft ici le Maître;
Qui pourroit le nier, pourfuis tu? Moi
peut-être.

Ce maître prétendu qui leur donne des
loix,

Ce Roi des Animaux, combien à-t'il de

Rois?

Yet,

Yet, pleas'd with idle Whimfies of his Brain,

And puff'd with Pride, this haughty. Thing wou'd fain

Be thought himself the only Stay and Prop

That holds the mighty Frame of Nature up.

The Skies and Stars his Properties must feem,

Of all the Creatures he's the Lord, he

cries.

And who is there, fay you, that dares deny

So own'd a Truth? That may be, Sir, do I.

This boafted Monarch of the World who

awes

The Creatures here, and with his Nod gives Laws;

This felf-nam'd King, who thus pretends to be

The Lord of all, how many Lords has he?

OLDHAM a little alter'd.

THE Lord Rochefter expreffes himself, in his Satyr against Man, in pretty near the following Manner: But I must first defire you always to remember, that the Verfions I give you from the English Poets are written with Freedom and Latitude; and that the Restraint of our Verfification, and the Delicacies of the French Tongue, will not allow a Tranflator to convey into it the licentious Impetuofity and Fire of the English Numbers.

Cet Efprit que je bais, cet Esprit plein d'erreur,

Ce n'eft pas ma raison, c'est la tienne

Docteur.

C'est la raison frivôle, inquiete, orgeuilleufe

Des fages Animaux, rivale dédaigneuse, Qui croit entr'eux & l'Ange, occuper le milieu,

Et penfe être ici bas l'image de fon Dieu. Vil atôme imparfait, qui croit, doute, difpute

Rampe, s'eleve, tombe, & nie encore fa

chûte.