THE WISH Written by Dr. POPE Fellow of the ROYAL SOCIETY Haec satis est orare Jovem Hor. nil Divitiae poterint regales addere majus Id. LONDON Printed in the Year MDCXCVII To the Right Honourable CHARLES Lord Clifford Grandson and Heir to Richard E. of Burlington and Cork AND One of the Gentlemen of His Majesty's BED CHAMBER MY LORD THE Honour and Respect which I had for your Lordships Father is not wholly unknown to you as also with what Condescention Familiarity and Kindness he always used me I own those Days which I spent in his Lordship's Conversation in France were without Comparison the very best Part of my Life I design'd to have made my Gratitude Public and to that End Composed a small Treatise and Dedicated it to him which he not only saw but was also pleased graciously to accept But before I could get it Printed he died to the great Loss of the Public and all good Men but to none so much as me for my Dammage is irreparable unless your Lordship succeeds him in his Favour to me as you do in his Honour and Vertues which I hope but dare not expect I humbly present your Lordship with this Copy of Verses an Earnest of something of a greater Bulk but I dare not say of a better Composition for if the Approbation of my Friends has not imposed upon my Credulity and my Taste does not deceive me this is the most kindly and palatable Fruit that ever my Cultivation has produc'd I wish it were worthy your Acceptation however I hope I am excusable having offer'd to your Lordship the best of my Substance I conclude begging pardon for my Presumption and praying Heaven to continue and increase the Felicities of your noble Family I am My LORD your Lordship 's most humble and obedient Servant W. POPE THE PROLOGUE TO THE WISH Being a Parafrase on these Verses of Horace QUid dedicatum poscit Apollinem Vates quid orat de patera novum Fundens Liquorem Hor. Ode 31. Lib. 1. Me quoties reficit gelidus Digentia Rivus Quem Mandela bibit Rugosus frigore Pagus Quid sentire putas Quid credis Amice precari Id. Ep. 18. Lib. 1. That is When Poets offering at Apollo's Shrine Out of the sacred Goblets pour new Wine What do they wish what do they then desire When I 'm at Epsom or on Bansted Down Free from the Wine and Smoak and Noise o' th' Town When I those Waters drink and breath that Air What are my Thoughts what 's my continual Prayer THE WISH I. IF I live to be Old 1 for I find I go 2 down Let this be my Fate In a 3 Country Town May I have a warm House with a 4 Stone at the Gate And a 5 cleanly young Girl to rub my bald Pate CHORVS May I govern my 6 Passion with an absolute Sway And grow 7 Wiser and Better as my Strength wears away Without Gout or Stone by a gentle decay Krom en stijf van Ouderdom gheboghen Crooked and stiff and bow'd with Age. 1 La lunga Eta m' imbianchi il Crine E la Vecchiezza pur in'incurvi e prema Petr. Vedendo la notte e'l verno a tato E dopo le Spalle i mesi Gai. 1. Petr. That is With Snowy Hairs Temples with Furrows plow'd And by the Weight of Years my Body bow'd Winter and an eternal Night comes on And all my merry Years and Days are gone 2 Labuntur anni nec pietas moram Rugis instanti senectae Afferet indomitaeque morti Hor. Ocyor Cervis agente Ventos Ocyor Euro Id. That is Years fly away nor can our Piety stop The approach of wrinkled Age and certain Death Swifter than Harts or Wind. Ocyor Caeli flammis Tigride foeta Lucan That is Swifter than Lightning and Tigres new with young Son giunto a'l loco Ove vita scende chi al sin cade Petr. Sondo Jo cola giunto ove declina L' Etate omai cadente a la vecchiezza Id. La vita fugge e non s' arresta un ' hora E la Morte vien dietro a gram giornate Id. Morte gia per ferir ha' alzato il brachio Per l'estre megiornate del mia vita Rotto da gli anni e d'ul camino stanco Id. Volan l' hore e i giorni egli anni e i mesi E con brevissimo intervallo Habbiamo a cercar altri paesi Id. E bien che il giorno che la vita serra Sia forse assai vicino e non previsto Tasso La vita fugge e la morte e soura le Spalle Petr. La morte s' appressa e el viver fugge I di miei piu leggier che nissun Cervo Fuggon come ombre Id. I di miei piu correnti che Saetta Fra miserie e peccati Se son andati e Sol morte n' aspetta Non corse mai si lieuamente a'l varco Di fugitivo Cervo un Leopardo Id. Non posso il giorno che la vita serra Antiveder per la corporea Vela Ma variarsi il pelo Veggio e dentro cangiarsi ogni desire Hor che I' me credo al tiempo de'l partire Esser vicino o non molto d'a Lungo Id. Mai non usci Veltro di Catena Ne mai Saetta d' Arco fu mandata Ne falcon mai d'al Ciel discese a Valle Che non restasse a lei dietro alle Spalle Boiardo Falcon mai non fu si veloce Quando da'l Ciel in giu con gran ruina Viena la preda rapido e feroce Agostini Si presto s'en fugge e si leggiero Ch'e tardo a seguirlo once o'l pensiero Q. Marini Pui lento di molto e men Veloce Giran Turco o Parto da grand'ossa arcata Da concavo mettal globo di piombo E da racchiusa Valle il Turbo Sbocca O da Squarciata nube il fulgor Scocca Rondine sopra rio Vola men presta Bracciol Nonsi rapida mai Cerva da l'onde Dore il ' Arcier attende a rivolge il piede Ne d'avanti a Sparrier per l'arria pura Sua salute a cercar Tortora Vola Idem E va men presto Fulgore che per nube ardendo scoppia Idem Gns tijt gael al 's cen snelle stroom Ond zijn al 's skhymmen van een droom Jac. Cats Which may be thus Translated I am thither come Where Life makes haste down and grows near its end In my Old Age and with one Foot i th' Grave Life flies apace and does not rest one Hour And Death makes great Marches to overtake her With his hand listed up ready to strike In the last Day of Life Broken with Years and tired with the long Way The Hours Days Months and Years do swiftly pass All of us here in a small Space of Time Must march from hence and other Quarters seek I can't foresee the last Day of my Life Altho perhaps it may not be
far off Life flies away and Death treads on his Heels Life flies and Death comes nearer every hour My Days are swifter than a Hart or Arrow No Leopard ever ran so fast After a flying Bear I can't foresee thro' my corporeal Veil The precise Day whereon my Life shall end But I perceive by my chang'd Hair and Thoughts There 's little distance betwixt me and Death The fleetest Greyhound slipt after a Hare The Arrow shot with great strength from a Bow The Falcon stooping at his Prey i' th' air Are Slow if with Life's Swiftness they compare Times course so nimble is and light No Leopard nor no Thought can move so fast Much more slow Are Arrows sent from Turc or Parthian Bow Faster than Globe of Lead From Concave-Metal or Lightning flies from Heaven Swallows upon a River fly more flow Faster than a Hart Who 's seen a Huntsman with his Gun in hand Faster than from a Hawk the Turtle flies To save her Life or Lightning from the Skies Time passes faster than the swiftest Stream Our Life is as the Shadow of a Dream 3 O Rus quando ego te videam quandoque licebit Nunc veterum libris nunc somno inertibus horis Ducere sollicitae jucunda oblivia vitae That is Oh Country when shall I retire to thee With a few Books well chose and a true Friend Free from the hurries which great Towns attend Lead such a Life the Gods shall envy me 4 By the help whereof I may mount my easie Pad Nag mentioned in the Third Stanza in the West of England they call it an Upping-stock 5 Quae non offendat sordibus Hor. That is One whose Look may not turn your Stomach 6 Animum rege qui nisi paret Imperat hunc Frenis hunc tu compescae Catenis That is Over your Passions keep a watchful hand For if they don't obey they will command Lenior melior fiam accedento Senecta Hor. That is Milder and better may I be The nearer I approach to my last Day II. May my 1 little House stand on the 2 Side of a Hill With an easy Descent to a Mead and a 3 Mill That when I 've a mind I may bear my Boy read In the Mill if it rains if it 's dry in the Mead. May I govern c. 1 Parva sed apta Domus i. e. A little but convenient House Cheto annidarmi in retirato Albergo Senza mai paventar d' Arme od ' Armati Forze insidie rapine Oltraggi aguati Imp. That is In a retired and quiet Cell From Soldiers free and dire Effects of Arms Thefts Robberies Murders Insults Rapes Alarms May I in Peace and Safety dwell Cui siu di giunco il suol di Canne il Muro E di fraschi e di paglie il tetto intesto Consumero con gioia il tempo e le hore E fia che Jo rida d'auer bel cerchio al meno Si non di Lauro il Crin d'uliva il Seno Imperiale That is In quiet Cottage with green Rushes pav'd And wall'd about with Reeds together joyn'd Cover'd with Straw or Boughs o th' Neighb'ring Trees I could spend all my Life in Joy and Ease And tho' to crown my Head no Bays I find The Peaceful Olive shall adorn my Mind Be ato chi in parte Erme e lontane Chi d'al Vulgo e dal mondo hor ti sequestri E'l vasto mar de le miserie umane Mirando vai da quelli scogli Alpestri Bella tranquillita che men villane Le belue sono e gli animal Silvestri Che non e l'uom men fido e men Sincero Che quanto fera è men tanto è piu fera Qui non palâ—hi dorati O marmi impressi Con pompa d'arte imitatrice appare Ma bella di natura erbe cipresse Palme Valli boschetti apre piu rare Fontane a rivo rami e spesse Cantan semplici Augei note piu chiare Che'l finto suon di lusingtuera voce Ch' a'l Orecchie piacendo al' Alman noce Bracciolini In English thus Happy are they if any such there be Who live retird from worldly Business free In some remote and solitary place Sequester'd from the Vulgar and the World Who see with Scorn from the Alps snowy Tops The immense Sea of human Misery Oh blest Tranquility Oh heavenly Life And better Company of Beasts than men For men less faithful are and less sincere The best Man comes the nearest to a Beast Instead of Marble Pillars here are seen Tall Pyramids of Cypress always green Then arch'd and gilded Roofs the azure Sky Heavens Canopy yields more Delight to th' Eye Palms Myrtle Groves Green Valleys Mountains Hills And Springs branch'd into various murmuring Rills Here the untaught Bird sings his natural Song More valuable than Sirens vocal Art Pleasant to th' Ear and hurtful to the Heart 1 Neither on the Top or the Bottom the best situation for a House or a City affording both Conveniency of Cellars and a Descent to carry off the Waters 2 It will be thought the Old Man has made a very ill Choice of a Mill to hear his Boy read in but they who make this Objection either know not or at least do not consider that Noise helps Deafness which is incident to Old Age. That this is a Truth both Experience and Reason evidence I have known several who could hear little or nothing in their Chambers but when they were in a Coach rattling upon the Stones heard very well I also knew a Lady in Essex whose Name was Tyrrel who while she had occasion to discourse used to beat a great Drum without which she could not hear at all the Reason whereof is this The most frequent Cause of Deafness is the Relaxation of the Tympanum or Drum of the Ear which by this violent and continual Agitation of the Air is extended and made more Tight and Springy and better reflects Sounds like a Drum new brac'd III. Near a shady 1 Grove and a murmuring Brook With the Ocean at 2 Distance whereupon I may look With a spacious Plain without Hedge or Stile And an easy Pad-Nag to ride out a 3 Mile May I govern c. 1 Et paulum silvae super his foret Hor. That is And on my Land a little Tuft of Trees Fons etiam Rivo dare nomen idoneus ut nec Frigidior Thracum neque purior ambiat Hebrum Id. Et tecto vicinus Jugis Aquae Fons Id. That is And near my House a Spring that always flows Labuntur altis interim ripis aquae Fontesque lymphis obstrepunt manantibus Somons quod invitet leves Hor. Per pronum trepidans cum murmure rivum Id Levis crepante lympha desilit Pede Id. Vnde loquaces Lymphae desiliunt Idem The Sence whereof is this And a Spring fit to give a River Name Colder than it none are in Thracia found Clearer than it none Hebrus Hill surround The Noise of Water tumbling down the Hills
in Tuscany clebrated for good Wine and the Epitaf of a Dutch Man buried there all the Books which treat of Travelling through Italy relate the story at large But since it may be new to some who shall read this I will set it down in few words A Dutch Traveller with his Servant lighted at the Inn which lies out of the Town and thence sent his Servant into it to find the best Wine ordering him to write Est upon the door of the House wherein he found good Wine where he found better Est Est where the best Est Est Est The Servant obeyed his Commands punctually The Master follows and finds the Tavern bearing this last Inscription and drank so much that it cast him into a Fever whereof he died His Servant buried him in the Church ingraving upon his Tomb-stone this Epitaf which is still to be seen there Est Est Est Propter nimium Est Jo de Fuc. D. meus mortuus est That is Here lies my Master due East and West By taking too much of Est Est Est 3 Beauln A Town in the Dukedom of Burgundy famous for a magnificent Hospital and the excellency of its Wines which are incomparably the best in France if not in the World Experto crede Roberto i. e. I do not speak this by hear-say 4 So Horace writing to Augustus Hinc ad vina redit laetus alteris Te mensis adhibet Deum Te multa prece te prosequitur mero Diffuso Pateris laribus tuum Miscet nomen ut Graecia Castoris Et magni memor Herculis Longas ô utinam Rex bone ferias Praestes Hesperiae dicimus integro Sicci mane die dicimus Vvidi Cum nox Oceano subest This may be thus Parafrased When second Course comes in Then we begin To bless the Gods and thee mingling your Names With many Prayers and Glasses fill'd with Wine We drink your Health crying King live for ever Not Hercules nor Castor ever found Such Love in Greece as thou in English ground For the Worlds good may Heavens preserve thee long This is our sober and our drunken Song Our first i' th' Morning and last Prayer at Night VI. May my Wine be Uermillion may my Malt-drink be pale In neither extream or too mild or too stale In lieu of Deserts Unwholsome and Dear Let 1 Lodi or Parmisan bring up the Rear May I govern c. 1 Laus Pompei a wonderful fertil Town in the Dutchy of Millan whose Cheese is of greater Fame than Parmisan VII Nor 1 Tory or Wig Observator or Trimmer May I be nor against the Laws torrent a Swimmer May I mind what I speak what I write and hear read But with matters of State ne'er trouble my head May I govern c. 1 Those odious Names of Distinction kindled great Animosity and Strangeness and even Hatred betwixt Friends and Relations which are not I fear yet throughly extinguished VIII Let the Gods who dispose of every Kings Crown Whomsoever they please set up and pull down I le pay the whole Shilling impos'd on my head Tho I go without 1 Claret that Night to my Bed May I govern c. 1 If that should happen it would be a shrewd Affliction to the Poet. IX I 'll bleed without grumbling tho' 1 that Tax should appear As oft as New Moons or Weeks in a Year For why should I let a seditious Word fall 2 Since my Lands in 3 Utopia pay nothing at all May I govern c. 2 A Poll Bill 2 A good Encouragement to pay for his Head c. 3 A Place in Jupiter or the Moon or some other of the Planets for it is not to be found in the Map of the World X. Tho' I care not for Riches may I not be so poor That the Rich without shame cannot enter my Door 1 May they court my converse may they take much delight My 2 old Stories to hear in a Winters long Night May I govern c. 1 Pauperemque dives me petet 2 Aniles ex re fabellas Hor. That is Let the Rich look after me Old Stories aptly applied XI My small stock of Wit may I not misapply To flatter great men be they never so high Nor mispend the 3 few Moments I steal from the Grave In fawning or cringing like a Dog or a Slave May I govern c. 3 Quel poco viver che m' avanza Petr. That is The small remainder of my Life XII May none whom I love to so great 1 Riches rise As to slight their Acquaintance and their old Friends despise So Low or so High may none of them be As to move either Pity or Envy in me May I govern c. 1 No de Dios tanto bien a nuestros Amigos que nos desconoscam A Spanish Proverb In English thus Let not God make our Friends so rich as to forget us XIII A Friendship I wish for but alas t is in vain Joves Store-House is empty and can't it supply So firm that no change of Times Envy or Gain Or Flattr'y or Woman should have Pow'r to unty May I govern c. XIV But if Friends prove unfaithful and Fortune a 1 Whore Still may I be Uirtuous though I am Poor My Life then as useless may I freely resign When no longer I relish true Wit and good Wine May I govern c. 1 Fortuna saevo laeta negocio Ludum insolentem ludere pertinax Transmutat incertos honores Nunc mihi nunc alii benigna Hor. Laudo manentem si celeres quatit Pennas resigno quae dedit mea Virtute me involvo Hor. Hinc apicem rapax Fortuna cum stridore acuto Sustulit hic posuisse gaudet Hor. Something to this purpose Fortune delights to play her cruel Game And as the wind is never long the same But to change Favorites always inclin'd Sometimes to me sometimes to thee she 's kind When thou thinkst thou hast her as sure as a Gun She 'll up with her Scut and away she 'll run I am well pleas'd while she vouchsafes to stay But if she claps her wings and scuds away What I 've receiv'd I patiently lay down And wrap my self in my own Vertue 's Gown Fortune fly's wantonly about the World And changes Crowns and Kingdoms every day XV. To out live my 1 Senses may it not be my Fate To be blind to be deaf to know nothing at all But rather let Death come before 't is so late And while there 's some Sap in it may my Tree fall May I govern c. 3 May I not lose my Sight my Hearing and my Memory and be a Burden to my Friends and my self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Telluris inutile Pondus a dead unuseful Burden to the Ground Di guai pieno e d'angoscie e fatto in tutto Spiacevol e molesto a tutti anzi a me medessimo Petr. That is In Pain and Anguish altogether troublesome Not only to my Friends