AN EPISTLE FROM Mr. POPE to Mr. GAY, Occasioned by Two STANZAS in his BALLAD of Black-Ey'd SUSAN. 1726

Oft, as thou know'st, I've dar'd the Critic-Croud Unseen, like HOMER's Heroes in a Cloud. And oft, like TEUCER, hast thou ta'en the Field Beneath mine ample Telamonian Shield.

YET hence since Wits undue Advantage raise, Studious to censure both, but neither praise, Thee I'll espouse, my Friend, in open Light, Careless, tho' CURLL should print, or DENNIS write. My Lit'ral-self, that partial I commend, In thee my Figurative-self, my Friend.

WHO thy Poetic Worth can sitter tell? So well who knows it, or who loves so well? Tho' grov'ling oft, sometimes thou durst, like me, Degenerate into loftiest Poetry! How does th' applauding World with Wonder view A Nymph, or Heroine, in a Black-Ey'd Sue! Whose Charms thy Verse has spread from Pole to Pole, Where Winds can carry, or where Waves can roll. To noblest Heights did humblest Ballad rise. When Indian Diamonds sparkled for her Eyes. When far-fetch'd Iv'ry taught the Lover's Sight Her Skin how spotless, or her Teeth how white! Her op'ning Lips Arabian Sweets exhale Fragrant as od'rous Afric's spicy Gale. Such choice Perfumes, nor VIRGIL's happy Field, Nor fam'd Alcinous' Magic Garden yield. Nor fairer seem'd of old the Paphian QUEEN, When unadorn'd on Ide by PARIS seen. Nor e'en Romance can brighter Charms display, Nor more cou'd PETRARCH for his LAURA say. For Flights like these, the Learn'd may search in vain The Sabine Cygnet, or the Theban Swan. But finest Genii ne'er should fetter'd be By Character and dull Propriety. But leave your real Life your simple Strains, To English Milk Maids and Sicilian Swains. Yet most thine Art, O Bard divine! is seen, When CUPID guards his WILLIAM in Machine. And turns the missive Balls that round him fly, Lest Tears, alas! shou'd drop from SUKEY's Eye. Submissive at his Feet the Bullets fall, Tho' shot with Force to sink an Admiral. No more from MARS let VENUS Succour find, But list her CUPID, now, no longer blind, Improv'd by modern Marksmen let him know The Use of Fire-Arms, and resign his Bow. Such Art, tho' tasteless Vandals disregard, Is old, and worthy the Maeonian Bard. So silver Thetis from her Ouze shall rise The dead PATROCLUS to preserve from Flies; Ambrosial Drops a kind Receipt afford, Lest Maggots harm him after HECTOR's Sword.

SOONER mine ODE that hail'd CAECILIA's Day, Shall yield the Palm to sing-song Opera; And veil its weighty Sense and Thought profound, To wav'ring, quav'ring, undulating Sound: The knotty Question shall determin'd be, Of DRYDEN, Bard immortal, and of ME, Which most excels in Verse and Piety: Dan CHAUCER's Tales; Dan DURFEY shall outshine, And PHILIPS' Pastorals compare with MINE, Than GAY forgotten lye.— Or take Allusions in a nat'ral Strain, Drawn from the Seaman's proper Place, the Main.

SOONER shall British Sailors Cowards grow, And count their Numbers when they meet their Foe; The rough old Tar, a supple Courtier be, And leave off Flip for elemental Tea, Than Thou shalt Die—till then, as VIRGIL says, Shall last thy Name, thy Honour, and thy Praise