lightness and agility, that their footsteps are scarcely to be traced. From this accidental peculiarity of the ancient writers the criticks deduce the rules of lyrick poetry, which they have fet free from all the laws by which other compofitions are confined, and allow to neglect the niceties of tranfition, to ftart into remote digreffions, and to wander without restraint from one scene of imagery to another. A writer of later times has, by the vivacity of his effays, reconciled mankind to the fame licentioufnefs in fhort differtations; and he therefore who wants fkill to form a plan, or diligence to pursue it, needs only entitle his performance an effay, to acquire the right of heaping together the collections of half his life, without order, coherence, or propriety. In writing, as in life, faults are endured without difguft when they are affociated with tranfcendent merit, and may be fometimes recommended to weak judgments by the luftre which they obtain from their union with excellence; but it is the bufinefs of those who prefume to fuperintend the tafte or morals of mankind, to feparate delufive combinations, and diftinguish that which may be praised from that which can only be excufed. As vices never promote happiness, though when overpowered by more active and more numerous virtues, they cannot totally destroy it; fo confufion and irregularity produce no beauty, though they cannot always obftruct the brightness of genius and learning. To proceed from one truth to another, and connect diftant propofitions by regular confequences, is the great great prerogative of man. Independent and unconnected sentiments flashing upon the mind in quick fucceffion, may, for a time, delight by their novelty, but they differ from systematical reasoning, as fingle notes from harmony, as glances of lightning from the radiance of the fun. When rules are thus drawn, rather from precedents than reason, there is danger not only from the faults of an author, but from the errors of those who criticise his works; fince they may often mislead their pupils by false representations, as the Ciceronians of the fixteenth century were betrayed into barbarisms by corrupt copies of their darling writer. cc are It is established at prefent, that the proemial lines of a poem, in which the general fubject is propofed, must be void of glitter and embellishment. "The "first lines of Paradife Loft," fays Addifon, "perhaps as plain, fimple, and unadorned, as any "of the whole poem, in which particular the author <has conformed himself to the example of Homer, "and the precept of Horace." This obfervation feems to have been made by an implicit adoption of the common opinion, without confideration either of the precept or example. Had Horace been confulted, he would have been found to direct only what should be comprised in the propofition, not how it fhould be expreffed, and to have commended Homer in oppofition to a meaner poet, not for the gradual elevation of his diction, but the judicious expanfion of his plan; for difplaying unpromised events, not for producing unexpected elegancies. --Speciofa -Speciofa debine miracula promit, Antiphaten Scyllamque, & cum Cyclope Charybdim. But from a cloud of smoke he breaks to light, Charybdis barks, and Polyphemus roars. FRANCIS If the exordial verfes of Homer be compared with the reft of the poem, they will not appear remarkable for plainness or fimplicity, but rather eminently adorned and illuminated. Ανδρά μοι ἔννεπε Μοῦσα πολύτροπον, ὃς μάλα πολλὰ Πολλῶν δ ̓ ἀνθρώπων ἴδεν ἄσεα, καὶ νόον ἔγνω Πολλὰ δ ̓ ἔγ ἐν πόντῳ πάθεν αλγεα ὃν κατὰ θυμόν, ̓Αλλ ̓ οὐδ ̓ ὡς ἀτροιυς ἐξξύσσατο ιἔμενός περ* Νήπιοι δι κατὰ βοῦς ὁ περίονα. ηελίοιο Ἠσθιον· αὐτὰς ὃ τοῖσιν αφείλετο νόσιμον ἦμαρ, The man, for wildom's various arts renown'd, POPE. The first verses of the Iliad are in like manner particularly fplendid, and the propofition of the Eneid closes with dignity and magnificence not often to be found even in the poetry of Virgil. The intent of the introduction is to raise expectation, and fufpend it; fomething therefore must be discovered, and fomething concealed; and the poet, while the fertility of his invention is yet unknown, may properly recommend himfelf by the grace of his language. He that reveals too much, or promifes too little; he that never irritates the intellectual appetite, or that immediately fatiates it, equally defeats his own purpose. It is neceffary to the pleasure of the reader, that the events fhould not be anticipated, and how then can his attention be invited, but by grandeur of expreffion? NUMB. 159. TUESDAY, September 24, 1751. Sunt verba et voces, quibus hunc lenire dolorem The pow'r of words, and foothing founds, appeafe THE HOR. FRANCIS. HE imbecility with which Verecundulus complains that the prefence of a numerous afsembly freezes his faculties, is particularly incident to the ftudious part of mankind, whofe education neceffarily fecludes them in their earlier years from mingled converse, till at their difmiffion from schools and academies they plunge at once into the tumult of the world, and coming forth from the gloom of folitude are overpowered by the blaze of publick life. It is perhaps kindly provided by nature, that, as the feathers and ftrength of a bird grow together, and her wings are not completed till fhe is able to fly, fo fome proportion fhould be preserved in the human kind between judgment and courage; the precipitation of inexperience is therefore reftrained by shame, and we remain shackled by timidity, till we have learned to speak and act with propriety. I believe few can review the days of their youth, without recollecting temptations, which shame, rather than virtue, enabled them to refift; and opinions which, however erroneous in their principles, VOL. VI. I and |