The Odes, Satyrs, and Epistles of Horace Done into English.

Preface.

QUintilian in the First Book of his In∣stitutions instructs the Young Orator what to read, and after Homer and Virgil are chiefly commended to his Study; He tells him, That considerable improvement may be made from the Lyrick Poets, but there is great Care to be taken in the choice, some select parts only out of each Author to be permitted Youths: And he says particularly of Horace, That He would not have all in Him interpre∣ted: What He means by Interpretation, is evident to every one that understands the Ex∣tent of the word, and the Antients Method of instructing: and why this Caution is restrain'd to the Odes, and not apply'd to the Satyrs as well, since the reason upon which He fixes it seems common to both must be taken from the design and subject matter of the Poems; To describe and reform a vitious man, necessarily

requires some expressions which an Ode can never want: The Paint which an Artist uses must be agreeable to the Piece which He de∣signs; Satyr is to instruct, and that suppo∣seth a knowledge and discovery of the Crime; Whilst Odes are made only to delight and please, and therefore every thing in them that justly offends is unpardonable. In our Com∣mon Schools this Rule of Quintilian is grie∣vously neglected, all is permitted to every Eye, and laid open to the dullest sight by the most shameful Notes that can be pen'd: You may see a Grammarian with a demure mouth cry out, O Foedum! at a loose expression, and yet presently fill a Page with a more fulsom ex∣plication; and the design of all his pains is only to indulge a petulant Humor, or assist the lazy Ignorance of the common Instructors of our Youth: If any should reckon this amongst the considerable Causes of the Corruptions of our Manners, certainly all those would assent, who see that a Stream will be foul when the Foun∣tain it self is muddy: Nor is this a single opi∣nion, as is evident from their happy industry, who have corrected some of our Authors, and

sent them abroad naked, and uncorrupted with forreign Notes; This Method as it spares the Modesty of the Youth, so it must be a con∣siderable improvement to his Parts, since his Mind and Memory, and not only his Eye must be employ'd: I am bound thankfully to acknow∣ledg the Pious Care of Mr. Thomas Curgan∣ven, now of Shirburn in Dorsetshire, in this matter, He did not want, or if he had, His Vertue and Industry had contemn'd, such helps, having searcht into the Secrets of the Classicks, and being an excellent Example of unweary'd Diligence, and regular Carriage to All under his Tuition: To his Instruction I owe what at present I understand of these Books, and to his Rules my hopes of future Attainments: The same Principles made me Cautious of some Odes, tho I have past by three more upon a different account.

This just debt being paid to my Honored Instructer, the part that concerns my self, Rea∣der, will give Thee little trouble: I cannot choose but smile now and then to think that I who have not Musick enough to understand one

Note, and too little ill Nature (for that is commonly thought a necessary ingredient) to be a Satyrist, should venture upon Horace: 'Tis certain our Language is not Capable of the numbers of the Poet, and therefore if the Sense of the Author is deliver'd, the variety of Expression kept, (which I must despair of after Quintilian hath assur'd us that he is most happily bold in his words) and his Fancy not debas'd, (for I cannot think my self able to improve Horace) 'tis all that can be expected from a Version; This the Admirable Cowly consider'd when he undertook Pindar, and hath drawn a short and full Apology for the like un∣dertakings:

We must consider, says He, the great difference of time betwixt his Age, and ours: which changes, as in Pictures, at least the Colors of Poetry; the no less diffe∣rence betwixt the Religions and Customs of our Countrys, a Thousand particularities of Places, Persons and Manners, which do but confused∣ly appear to our Eyes at this distance; and lastly (which were enough alone for my purpose) we must consider that our Ears are Strangers to the Musick of his numbers, which sometimes,

(especially in Songs and Odes) almost without any thing else makes an excellent Poet:

'Tis true he improves this consideration, and urges it as concluding against all strict and faithful versions; in which I must beg leave to dissent, thinking it better to convey down the Learning of the Antients, than their empty sound suited to the present times, and show the Age their whole substance, rather than their thin Ghost imbody'd with some light Air of my own:

As for ill Nature, Horace requires none, nay disclaims it in a Satyrist; his sharpest touches, if we believe both himself, and those that best understood him, are innocent Waggery, admissus circum praecordia ludit, He endeavours to laugh men out of their Vices, and doth not lance or cauterize the sores, but tickles till He heals; and how much this me∣thod surpasses the rougher handling, every one may imagine who knows that 'tis more grievous to any man to be Ridicul'd than beaten; and who is there that would not rather appear in Company with a black Eye, than a smutted Face? Some few advis'd me to turn the Sa∣tyrs

to our own Times, they said that Rome was now rivall'd in her Vices, and Parallels for Hypocrisie, Profaneness, Avarice and the like were easie to be found; But those Crimes are much out of my acquaintance, and since the Character is the same whoever the Person is, I am not so fond of being hated as to make any disobliging applications: Such pains would look like an impertinent labor to find a dunghill, only that I might satisfy an unaccountable humor of dirting one Man's Face, and bespattering an∣other: Some have taken this way, and the ill-Nature of the World hath conspir'd to think their rudeness Wit; All their smartness pro∣ceeds from a sharp Humor in their Body, which falls into their Pen, and if it drops upon a Man's Reputation that is as bright and solid as polisht Steel, it sullys it presently, and eats thro. Such are never lov'd, or prais'd, but shun'd and fear'd, like Mad-Dogs, for their Teeth and Foam; and are excellently represented by Lu∣ca's Basilisk,

Who drives all other Serpents from the Plains, And all alone in the vast Desart reigns.

What I have borrow'd from others, if ever I have stock enough, I will honestly endeavour to repay; But the debt which I have contracted from my Lord Roscommon is so vast, that I shall never be able to discharge; To his ad∣mirable Version I must gratefully acknowledge, That I owe the sence, and the best lines in the Art of Poetry.