Tib. 
   But to approve his works of sovereign worth,
   This observation, methinks, more than serves,
   And is not vulgar.  That which he hath writ
   Is with such judgment labour’d, and distill’d
   Through all the needful uses of our lives,
   That could a man remember but his lines,
   He should not touch at any serious point,
   But he might breathe his spirit out of him.

Caes. 
   You mean, he might repeat part of his works,
   As fit for any conference he can use?

Tib.  True, royal Caesar.

Caes. 
   Worthily observed;
   And a most worthy virtue in his works. 
   What thinks material Horace of his learning?

Hor. 
   His learning savours not the school-like gloss,
   That most consists in echoing words and terms,
   And soonest wins a man an empty name;
   Nor any long or far-fetch’d circumstance
   Wrapp’d in the curious generalties of arts;
   But a direct and analytic sum
   Of all the worth and first effects of arts. 
   And for his poesy, ’tis so ramm’d with life,
   That it shall gather strength of life, with being,
   And live hereafter more admired than now.

Caes. 
   This one consent in all your dooms of him,
   And mutual loves of all your several merits,
   Argues a truth of merit in you all.—–­
                                                   [Enter Virgil. 
   See, here comes Virgil; we will rise and greet him. 
   Welcome to Caesar, Virgil!  Caesar and Virgil
   Shall differ but in sound; to Caesar, Virgil,
   Of his expressed greatness, shall be made
   A second sirname, and to Virgil, Caesar. 
   Where are thy famous AEneids? do us grace
   To let us see, and surfeit on their sight.

Virg. 
   Worthless they are of Caesar’s gracious eyes,
   If they were perfect; much more with their wants,
   Which are yet more than my time could supply. 
   And, could great Caesar’s expectation
   Be satisfied with any other service,
   I would not shew them.

Caes. 
   Virgil is too modest;
   Or seeks, in vain, to make our longings more: 
   Shew them, sweet Virgil.

Virg. 
   Then, in such due fear
   As fits presenters of great works to Caesar,
   I humbly shew them.

Caes. 
   Let us now behold
   A human soul made visible in life;
   And more refulgent in a senseless paper
   Than in the sensual complement of kings. 
   Read, read thyself, dear Virgil; let not me
   Profane one accent with an untuned tongue: 
   Best matter, badly shewn, shews worse than bad. 
   See then this chair, of purpose set for thee
   To read thy poem in; refuse it not. 
   Virtue, without presumption, place may take
   Above best kings, whom only she should make.