Horace is known for detailed self-portraits in genres such as epodes, satires and epistles, and lyrics. By offering a poetic persona who speaks to so many human concerns, Horace has encouraged each reader to feel that he or she is one of the poet's circle, a friend in whom he confides.

Horace Smith: Horace Smith was an American inventor and one of the founders of Smith & Wesson, a prominent firearms manufacturing company. He contributed to the field of firearms by co-designing and patenting the Volcanic rifle, which incorporated a new breech-loading mechanism.

The poet is free to indulge his fancy, but he must not lapse into absurdity and create monsters or impossible figures. The poet must choose only those subjects which he is able to deal with. The subject must suit both the power and style of the poet. Discretion must be exercised in the use and choice of words.

In 1857 business partners, Horace Smith and Daniel Wesson, introduced the Model One, which used a self-contained metal cartridge that offered much improved reliability and reloading times.