A SCHOOLBOY'S THEME
The following lines were enclosed in a letter from Mr. Pulteney,
(afterwards Earl of Bath,) to Swift, in which he says—"You must give me
leave to add to my letter a copy of verses at the end of a declamation
made by a boy at Westminster school on this theme,—Ridentem dicere
verum quid vetat?"
Dulce, Decane, decus, flos optime gentis Hibernae
Nomine quique audis, ingenioque celer:
Dum lepido indulges risu, et mutaris in horas,
Qur nova vis animi, materiesque rapit?
Nunc gravis astrologus, coelo dominaris et astris,
Filaque pro libitu Partrigiana secas.
Nunc populo speciosa hospes miracula promis,
Gentesque aequoreas, akriasque creas.
Seu plausum captat queruli persona Draperi,
Seu levis a vacuo tabula sumpta cado.
Mores egregius mira exprimis arte magister,
Et vitam atque homines pagina quaeque sapit;
Socraticae minor est vis et sapientia chartae,
Nec tantum potuit grande Platonis opus.
VERSES ON THE BATTLE OF THE BOOKS, BY MR. JAMES STERLING, OF THE COUNTY OF MEATH
While the Dean with more wit than man ever wanted,
Or than Heaven to any man else ever granted,
Endeavours to prove, how the ancients in knowledge
Have excell'd our adepts of each modern college;
How by heroes of old our chiefs are surpass'd
In each useful science, true learning, and taste.
While thus he behaves, with more courage than manners,
And fights for the foe, deserting our banners;
While Bentley and Wotton, our champions, he foils,
And wants neither Temple's assistance, nor Boyle's;
In spite of his learning, fine reasons, and style,
—Would you think it?—he favours our cause all the while:
We raise by his conquest our glory the higher,
And from our defeat to a triumph aspire;
Our great brother-modern, the boast of our days,
Unconscious, has gain'd for our party the bays:
St. James's old authors, so famed on each shelf,
Are vanquish'd by what he has written himself.