TRANSLATION

OF THE FOLLOWING LINES WRITTEN UNDER A PRINT REPRE
SENTING PERSONS SKAITING,

SUR un mince crystal l'hyver conduit leurs pas,
Le précipice est sous la glace:
Telle est de nos plaisirs la légère surface:
Glissez, mortels; n'appuyez pas.

O'ER ice the rapid skaiter flies,

With sport above, and death below;
Where mischief lurks in gay disguise,
Thus lightly touch and quickly go.

IMPROMPTU TRANSLATION

OF THE SAME.

O'ER crackling ice, o'er gulphs profound, With nimble glide the skaiters play; O'er treach'rous Pleasure's flow'ry ground Thus lightly skim and haste away.

TO MRS. THRALE,

ON HER COMPLETING HER THIRTY-FIFTH YEAR.

AN IMPROMPTU.

OFT in danger, yet alive,
We are come to thirty-five;
Long may better years arrive,
Better years than thirty-five!

Could philosophers contrive
Life to stop at thirty-five,

Time his hours should never drive
O'er the bounds of thirty-five.

High to soar, and deep to dive,
Nature gives at thirty-five.
Ladies, stock and tend your hive,
Trifle not at thirty-five;

For, howe'er we boast and strive,
Life declines from thirty-five.
He that ever hopes to thrive
Must begin by thirty-five;
And all who wisely wish to wive
Must look on Thrale at thirty-five.

IMPROMPTU TRANSLATION

OF AN AIR IN THE CLEMENZA DE TITO OF METASTASIO

WOULD you hope to gain my heart,
Bid your teasing doubts depart;
He, who blindly trusts, will find
Faith from ev'ry gen'rous mind:
He, who still expects deceit,
Only teaches how to cheat.

TRANSLATION

OF A SPEECH OF AQUILEIO IN THE ADRIANO OF METASTASIO, BEGINNING "TU CHE IN CORTE INVECHIASTI."

GROWN old in courts, thou surely art not one Who keeps the rigid rules of ancient honour; Who skill'd to soothe a foe with looks of kindness, To sink the fatal precipice before him,

And then lament his fall with seeming friendship: Open to all, true only to thyself,

Thou know'st those arts which blast with envious praise,

Which aggravate a fault with feign'd excuses,
And drive discountenanc'd virtue from the throne;
That leave the blame of rigour to the prince,
And of his ev'ry gift usurp the merit ;
That hide in seeming zeal a wicked purpose,
And only build upon another's ruin.

POEMATA.

MESSIA. *

Ex alieno ingenio poeta, ex suo tantum versificator. SCALIG. Poet.

TOLLITE Concentum, Solymææ tollite nymphæ, Nil mortale loquor; cœlum mihi carminis alta Materies; poscunt gravius cœlestia plectrum. Muscosi fontes, sylvestria tecta valete, Aonidesque Deæ, et mendacis somnia Pindi: Tu, mihi qui flammâ movisti pectora sancti Sidereâ Isaiæ, dignos accende furores!

Immatura calens rapitur per secula vates Sic orsus-Qualis rerum mihi nascitur ordo! Virgo! virgo parit! felix radicibus arbor Jessæis surgit, mulcentesque æthera flores Cœlestes lambunt animæ, ramisque columba, Nuncia sacra Dei, plaudentibus insidet alis. Nectareos rores, alimentaque mitia cœlum Præbeat, et tacite fœcundos irriget imbres. Huc, fœdat quos lepra, urit quos febris, adeste, Dia salutares spirant medicamina rami ;

*This translation has been severely criticised by Dr. Warton, in his edition of Pope, vol. i. p. 105, 8vo. 1797. It certainly contains some expressions that are not classical. Let it be remembered, however, that it was a college exercise, performed with great rapidity, and was at first praised beyond all suspicion of defect. C.

Hic requies fessis: non sacra sævit in umbra
Vis Boreæ gelida, aut rapidi violentia solis.
Irrita vanescent prisca vestigia fraudis,
Justitiæque manus pretio intemerata bilancem
Attollet reducis; bellis prætendet olivas
Compositis pax alma suas, terrasque revisens
Sedatas niveo virtus lucebit amictu:

Volvantur celeres anni! lux purpuret ortum
Expectata diu! naturæ claustra refringens,
Nascere, magne puer! tibi primas, ecce, corollas
Deproperat tellus, fundit tibi munera quicquid
Carpit Arabs, hortis quicquid frondescit Eois.
Altius, en! Lebanon gaudentia culmina tollit.
En! summo exultant nutantes vertice sylvæ.
Mittit aromaticas vallis Saronica nubes,
Et juga Carmeli recreant fragrantia cœlum.
Deserti lætâ mollescunt aspera voce,

Auditur Deus! ecce Deus! reboantià circum,
Saxa sonant, Deus! ecce Deus! deflectitur æther,
Demissumque Deum tellus capit; ardua cedrus,
Gloria sylvarum, dominum inclinata salutet.
Surgite convalles, tumidi subsidite montes!
Sternite saxa viam, rapidi discedite fluctus;
En! quem turba diu cecinerunt enthea, vates,
En salvator adest; vultus agnoscite cæci
Divinos, surdos sacra vox permulceat aures.
Ille cutim spissam visus hebetare vetabit,
Reclusisque oculis infundet amabile lumen ;
Obstrictasque diu linguas in carmina solvet.
Ille vias vocis pandet, flexusque liquentis
Harmoniæ purgata novos mirabitur auris.
Accrescunt teneris tactu nova robora nervis :
Consuetus fulcro innixus reptare bacilli

Nunc saltu capreas, nunc cursu provocat euros.
Non planctus, non mæsta sonant suspiria; pectus