Hercule: si, quod adest, gratum juvat: hâc prece te oro, Pingue pecus domino facias, et cætera, præter (Quid prius illustrem Satiris Musâque pedestri?) get NOTES. Ver. 30. on this side Trent ;] He was perpetually expressing his discontent at his Irish preferment, and forming schemes for exchanging it for a smaller in England; and courted Queen Caroline and Sir Robert Walpole to effect such a change. A negociation had nearly taken place between the Dean and a Mr. Talbot for the living of Burfield, in Berkshire. Mr. Talbot himself informed me of this negociation. Burfield is in the neighbourhood of Bucklebery, Lord Bolingbroke's seat. Warton. Preserve, Almighty Providence! Something in verse as true as prose; Let me but live on this side Trent; Send for him up, take no excuse.' It is but so much more in debt, 66 Good Mr. Dean, go change your gown, Let my Lord know you're come to town." I hurry me in haste away, Not thinking it is Levee-day; Hemm'd by a triple circle round, 25 30 35 40 45 50 Iratis precibus; tu pulses omne quod obstat, NOTES. Ver. 82. And, Mr. Dean] Very happily turned from Si vis Warton. potes. "I thought the Dean had been too proud, To justle here among a crowd." Another in a surly fit, Tells me I have more zeal than wit, So eager to express your love, 55 I own, I'm pleased with this rebuke, 60 I get a whisper, and withdraw: This, humbly offers me his case- Septimus octavo propior jam fugerit annus, Hoc genus: Hora quota est? Thrax est Gallina Matutina parum cautos jam frigora mordent: Et quæ rimosâ benè deponuntur in aure. Per totum hoc tempus, subjectior in diem et horam Luserat in campo, fortunæ filius, omnes. NOTES. Ver. 85, Since HARLEY bid me] The rise and progress of Swift's intimacy with Lord Oxford is minutely detailed in his very interesting Journal to Stella. And the reasons why a man, that served a ministry so effectually, was so tardily, and so difficultly, and so poorly rewarded, are well explained in Sheridan's Life of Swift, and arose principally from the insuperable aversion the Queen had conceived to the author of a Tale of a Tub as a profane book; which aversion was kept alive, and increased by the Duchess of Somerset, against whom Swift had written a severe lampoon. It appears from this life that Lords Oxford and Bolingbroke always kept concealed from Swift their inability to serve him. With whatever secrets Swift might have been trusted, it does not appear he knew any thing of a design to bring in the Pretender. Swift was a true Whig. His political principles are amply unfolded in an excellent letter written to Pope, Jan. 20, 1721; and indeed they had been sufficiently displayed, many years before, in The Sentiments of a Church of England Man; a treatise replete with strong sense, sound principles, and clear reasoning. Warton. The real cause of Swift's disappointment in his hopes of preferment, is explained in Coxe's Memoirs of Walpole. Both Gay and Swift conceived every thing was to be gained by the interest of Mrs. |