; and the tyrants were suspicious, as they
had reason, that their subjects had them in the wind; so, every man,
in his own defence, set as good a face upon the business as he could.
It was known before-hand that the monarchs were to be crowned
laureats; but when the show was over, and an honest man was suffered
to depart quietly, he took out his laughter which he had stifled; with
a firm resolution never more to see an emperor's play, though he had
been ten years a making it. In the mean time the true poets were they
who made the best markets, for they had wit enough to yield the prize
with a good grace, and not contend with him who had thirty legions[4].
They were sure to be rewarded, if they confessed themselves bad
writers, and that was somewhat better than to be martyrs for their
reputation. Lucan's example was enough to teach them manners; and
after he was put to death, for overcoming Nero, the emperor carried it
without dispute for the best poet in his dominions. No man was
ambitious of that grinning honour; for if he heard the malicious
trumpeter proclaiming his name before his betters, he knew there was
but one way with him. Mecaenas took another course, and we know he was
more than a great man, for he was witty too: But finding himself far
gone in poetry, which Seneca assures us was not his talent, he thought
it his best way to be well with Virgil and with Horace; that at least
he might be a poet at the second hand; and we see how happily it has
succeeded with him; for his own bad poetry is forgotten, and their
panegyricks of him still remain. But they who should be our patrons,
are for no such expensive ways to fame; they have much of the poetry
of Mecaenas, but little of his liberality. They are for persecuting
Horace and Virgil, in the persons of their successors; for such is
every man, who has any part of their soul and fire, though in a less
degree. Some of their little zanies yet go farther; for they are
persecutors even of Horace himself; as far as they are able, by their
ignorant and vile imitations of him; by making an unjust use of his
authority and turning his artillery against his friends. But how would
he disdain to be copied by such hands! I dare answer for him, he would
be more uneasy in their company, than he was with Crispinus, their
forefather, in the Holy Way; and would no more have allowed them a
place amongst the critics, than he would Demetrius the mimic, and
Tigellius the buffoon;

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