But thou, Supreme, by whose eternal hands Fair Liberty's heroic empire stands; Whose thunders the rebellious deep control, And quell the triumphs of the traitor's soul, Oh! turn this dreadful omen far away: On Freedom's foes their own attempts repay: Relume her sacred fire so near suppress'd, And fix her shrine in every Roman breast: Though bold Corruption boast around the land, 'Let virtue, if she can, my baits withstand!' 330 Though bolder now she urge the accursed claim, Gay with her trophies raised on Curio's shame; Yet some there are who scorn her impious mirth, Who know what conscience and a heart are worth.-- O friend and father of the human mind, Whose art for noblest ends our frame design'd! If I, though fated to the studious shade Which party-strife, nor anxious power invade, If I aspire in public virtue's cause, To guide the Muses by sublimer laws, 340 Do thou her own authority impart, And give my numbers entrance to the heart. Perhaps the verse might rouse her smother'd flame, And snatch the fainting patriot back to fame; Perhaps by worthy thoughts of human kind, To worthy deeds exalt the conscious mind; Or dash Corruption in her proud career, And teach her slaves that Vice was born to fear. [Footnote 1: Curio was a young Roman senator, of distinguished birth and parts, who, upon his first entrance into the forum, had been committed to the care of Cicero. Being profuse and extravagant, he soon dissipated a large and splendid fortune; to supply the want of which, he was driven to the necessity of abetting the designs of Csesar against the liberties of his country, although he had before been a professed enemy to him. Cicero exerted himself with great energy to prevent his ruin, but without effect, and he became one of the first victims in the civil war. This epistle was first published in the year 1744, when a celebrated patriot, after a long and at last successful opposition to an unpopular minister, had deserted the cause of his country, and became the foremost in support and defence of the same measures he had so steadily and for such a length of time contended against.] [Fotnote 2: The two brothers, Tiberius and Caius Gracchus, lost their lives in attempting to introduce the only regulation that could give stability and good order to the Roman republic. L. Junius Brutus founded the commonwealth, and died in its defence.] [Footnote 3: Titles which have been generally ascribed to the most pernicious of men.] [Footnote 4: Appius Claudius the Decemvir, and L. Cornelius Cinna both attempted to establish a tyrannical dominion in Rome, and both perished by the treason.] THE VIRTUOSO. IN IMITATION OP SPENSER'S STYLE AND STANZA. 'Videmus Nugari solitos.'--PERSIUS.