Thus forcing truth with ſuch prepoſt’rous praiſe,
Our characters we leſſen when we ’d raiſe;
Like caſtles built by magic art in air,
That vaniſh at approach, ſuch thoughts appear;
But rais’d on truth by ſome judicious hand,95
As on a rock they ſhall for ages ſtand.
Our King return’d,[1] and baniſh’d Peace reſtor’d;
The Muſe ran mad to ſee her exil’d;
would give us to underſtand, that his hero was too righteous a perſon to accompany the divinities themſelves in an unjuſt cauſe; but to repreſent a mortal man to be either wiſer or juſter than the Deity, may ſhew the impiety of the writer, but add nothing to the merit of the hero; neither reaſon nor religion will allow it; and it is impoſſible for a corrupt being to be more excellent than a divine; ſucceſs implies permiſſion, and not approbation; to place the gods always on the thriving ſide, is to mate them partakers of all ſucceſsful wickedneſs: to judge rght, we muſt wait tor the concluſion of the action; the cataſtrophe will beſt decide on which side is Providence; and the violent death of Cæſar acquits the gods from being companions of his uſurpation.
Lucan was a determined Republican, no wonder he was a Free-thinker.
- ↑ King Charles II.
