MISCELLANIES. OCCASIONED BY SOME VERSES OF HIS GRACE THE DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM.* MUSE, 'tis enough; at length thy labour ends NOTES. * The verses referred to, are the first among the Commendatory Poems in the preceding volume. MACER: A CHARACTER. 5 WHEN Simple Macer, now of high renown, NOTES. Ver. 1. When simple Macer,] Said to be the character of James Moore Smith, author of the Rival Modes, a comedy, in 1726. He pilfered verses from Pope. He joined in a political paper with the Duke of Wharton, called The Inquisitor, written with such violence against government, that he was soon obliged to drop it. This character was first printed in the Miscellanies of Swift and Pope 1727. Warton. Dr. Warton thinks this character was intended for J. Moore Smith; but it seems to me more likely that Phillips, Pope's redoubted rival in Pastoral, was intended. My reasons for thinking so are, he is elsewhere called lean Phillips, "Lean Phillips and fat Johnson." "Macer" certainly alludes to this. He began his literary career with worshipping " Steele" and Addison. He "borrow'd" a play from Voltaire, the Distrest Mother; "Simplicity," is applied to the "Pastorals," and "Translated Suit," to the translation of the Persian Tales: "And turns a Persian tale for half-a-crown!" Bowles. Like stunted hide-bound Trees, that just have got Now he begs Verse, and what he gets commends, In a translated Suit, then tries the Town, And in four months a batter'd Harridan. 20 Now nothing left, but wither'd, pale, and shrunk, To bawd for others, and go shares with Punk. TO MR. JOHN MOORE, AUTHOR OF THE CELEBRATED WORM-POWDER. How much, egregious Moore, are we Deceiv'd by shews and forms! Whate'er we think, whate'er we see, All Humankind are Worms. Man is a very Worm by birth, That Woman is a Worm, we find That ancient Worm, the Devil. The Learn'd themselves we Book-worms name, The Blockhead is a Slow-worm; The Nymph whose tail is all on flame, Is aptly term'd a Glow-worm. The Fops are painted Butterflies, That flutter for a day; First from a Worm they take their rise, And in a Worm decay. The Flatterer an Earwig grows ; Thus Worms suit all conditions; Misers are Muck-worms, Silk-worms Beaus, And Death-watches Physicians. That Statesmen have the Worm, is seen, By all their winding play; Their Conscience is a Worm within, Ah Moore! thy skill were well employ'd, If thou couldst make the Courtier void O learned Friend of Abchurch-Lane, Our Fate thou only canst adjourn |