"Nor let false friends seduce thy mind to fame By arrogating Jonson’s hostile name; Let father Flecknoe fire thy mind with praise, And uncle Ogleby thy envy raise."

"Three poets, in three distant ages born, Greece, Italy, and England did adorn: The first in majesty of thought surpass’d, The next in gracefulness; in both the last. The force of nature could no further go: To make a third she join’d the other two."

"Next Petrarch follow’d, and in him we see What rhyme, improved in all its height, can be; At best a pleasing sound, and sweet barbarity."

"Horace, with sly insinuating grace, Laugh’d at his friend, and look’d him in the face; Would raise a blush where secret vice he found, And tickle while he gently probed the wound; With seeming innocence the crowd beguiled, But made the desperate passes when he smiled."

"Whoe’er thou art, whose forward ears are bent On state affairs, to guide the government; Hear first what Socrates of old has said To the loved youth whom he at Athens bred."

"Great Fletcher never treads in buskins here, Nor greater Jonson dares in socks appear."

"In easy dialogues is Fletcher’s praise: He moved the mind, but had not pow’r to raise."

"Noble Boyle, not less in nature seen Than his great brother read in states and men."

"When did his muse from Fletcher scenes purloin, As thou whose Eth’ ridge dost transfuse to thine? But so transfused as oil and waters flow: His always floats above, thine sinks below."

"Would I had been disposer of thy stars, Thou shouldst have had thy wish, and died in wars."

"If but a mile she travel out of town, The planetary hour must first be known, And lucky moment, if her eye but akes, Or itches, its decumbiture she takes."

"Ganfride, who couldst so well in rhyme complain The death of Richard, with an arrow slain."

"And much more honest to be hired, and stand With auctionary hammer in thy hand; Provoking to give more, and knocking thrice For the old household stuff, or picture’s price."

"Unskill’d in schemes by planets to foreshow, I neither will nor can prognosticate To the young gaping heir his father’s fate."

"The spiteful stars have shed their venom down, And now the peaceful planets take their turn."

"Such sullen planets at my birth did shine, They threaten every fortune mixt with mine."

"Live then, thou great encourager of arts! Live ever in our thankful hearts."

"Exalted Socrates! divinely brave! Injured he fell, and dying he forgave; Too noble for revenge."

"Sorceries to raise th’ infernal pow’rs, And sigils framed in planetary hours."

"He, full of fraudful arts, This well-invented tale for truth imparts."

"Homer, whose name shall live in epic song, While music numbers, or while verse has feet."

"Grant her, besides, of noble blood that ran In ancient veins, ere heraldry began."

"The whole division that to Mars pertains, All trades of death that deal in steel for gains, Were there; the butcher, armorer, and smith, Who forges sharpen’d fauchions, or the scythe."

"Their wildness lose, and, quitting nature’s part, Obey the rules and discipline of art."

"His son builds on, and never is content Till the last farthing is in structure spent."

"His pensive cheek upon his hand reclined, And anxious thoughts revolving in his mind."

"Let this and every other anxious thought At th’ entrance of my threshold be forgot."

"The soldier then in Grecian arts unskill’d, Returning rich with plunder from the field, If cups of silver or of gold he brought With jewels set, and exquisitely wrought, To glorious trappings strait the plate he turn’d, And with the glitt’ring spoil his horse adorn’d."

"Firm Doric pillars found the solid base, The fair Corinthian crown the higher space, And all below is strength, and all above is grace."

"Casting nets were spread in shallow brooks, Drags in the deep, and baits were hung on hooks."

"Perpetual anguish fills his anxious breast, Not stopt by business, nor composed by rest; No music cheers him, nor no feast can please."

"Some on antiquated authors pore; Rummage for sense."

"He, like a patient angler, ere he strook, Would let them play awhile upon the hook."

"I beg the grace You would lay by those terrors of your face; Till calmness to your eyes you first restore, I am afraid, and I can beg no more."

"Then thus a senior of the place replies, Well read, and curious of antiquities."

"If on your head my fury does not turn, Thank that fond dotage which so much you scorn."

"What wonder if the kindly beams he shed, Revived the drooping arts again; If science raised her head, And soft humanity, that from rebellion fled."

"Obscure! why prythee what am I? I know My father, grandsire, and great grandsire too: If farther I derive my pedigree, I can but guess beyond the fourth degree. The rest of my forgotten ancestors Were sons of earth."

"When we behold an angel, not to fear, Is to be impudent."

"That we may angels seem, we paint them elves, And are but satires to set up ourselves."

"From a mean stock the pious Decii came; Yet such their virtues, that their loss alone For Rome and all our regions did atone."

"For if the sire be faint, or out of case, He will be copied in his famish’d race."

"So bright a splendour, so divine a grace, The glorious Daphnis casts on his illustrious race."

"I saw th’ angelic guards from earth ascend, Grieved they must now no longer man attend; The beams about their temples dimly shone; One would have thought the crime had been their own."

"Auspicious chief! thy race, in times to come, Shall spread the conquests of imperial Rome."

"Do then as your progenitors have done, And by their virtues prove yourself their son."

"Thus, born alike, from virtue first began The diffrence that distinguish’d man from man: He claim’d no title from descent of blood; But that which made him noble, made him good."

"What have I lost by my forefathers’ fault! Why was I not the twentieth by descent From a long restive race of droning kings?"

"That good man, who drank the pois’nous draught With mind serene, and could not wish to see His vile accuser drink as deep as he."

"When he knew his rival freed and gone, He swells with wrath; he makes outrageous moan: He frets, he fumes, he stares, he stamps the ground, The hollow tow’r with clamours rings around."