formed that I am taxed of Partiality, in not mentioning an Author whofe Eclogues are publifhed in the fame Volume with Mr. Philips's; I fhall employ this Paper in Obfervations upon him, written in the free Spirit of Criticism, and without Apprehenfion of offending that Gentleman, whofe Character it is that he takes the greatest Care of his Works before they are published, and has the leaft Concern for them afterwards.

2. I have laid it down as the firft Rule of Paftoral, that its Ideas fhould be taken from the Manners of the Golden Age, and the Moral form'd upon the Representation of Innocence; 'tis therefore plain that any Deviations from that Defign degrade a Poem from being true Paftoral. In this View it will appear that Virgil can only have two of his Eclogues allow'd to be fuch: His firft and ninth must be rejected, because they describe the Ravages of Armies, and Oppreffions of the Innocent; Corydon's criminal Paffion for Alexis throws out the fecond; the Calumny and Railing in the third are not proper to that State of Concord; the eighth reprefents unlawful Ways of procuring Love by Inchantments, and introduces a Shepherd whom an inviting Precipice tempts to Self-Murder. As to the fourth, fixth, and tenth, they are given up by (*) Heinfius, Salmafius, Rapin, and the Criticks in general. They likewife obferve, that but eleven of all the Idyllia of Theocritus are to be admitted as Paftorals; and even out of that Number the greater Part will be excluded for one or other of the Reafons abovemention'd. So that when I remark'd in a former Paper, that Virgil's Eclogues taken all together are rather felect Poems than Paftorals; I might have faid the fame Thing with

(*) See Rapin de Carm. Paft. par. 5.

with no lefs Truth of Theocritus. The Reason of this I take to be yet unobserved by the Criticks, viz. They never meant them all for Paftorals.

Now it is plain Philips hath done this, and in that Particular excelled both Theocritus and Virgil.

3. As Simplicity is the distinguishing Characteriftick of Paftoral, Virgil hath been thought guilty of too courtly a Style; his Language is perfectly pure, and he often forgets he is among Peafants. I have frequently wondered, that fince he was fo converfant in the Writings of Ennius, he had not imitated the Rufticity of the Doric, as well by the Help of the old obfolete Roman Language, as Philips hath by the antiquated English: For Example, might he not have faid Quoi inftead of Cui; quicijum for cujum; volt for vult, &c. as well as our Modern hath Welladay for Alas, whilome for of old, make mock for deride, and witless Younglings for innocent Lambs, &c. by which Means he had attained as much of the Air of Theocritus, as Philips hath of Spencer?

4. Mr. Pope hath fallen into the fame Error with Virgil. His Clowns do not converse in all the Simplicity proper to the Country: His Names are borrow'd from Theocritus and Virgil, which are improper to the Scene of his Paftorals. He introduces Daphnis, Alexis, and Thyrfis on British Plains, as Virgil hath done before him on the Mantuan : Whereas Philips, who hath the ftricteft Regard to Propriety, makes choice of Names peculiar to the Country, and more agreeable to a Reader of Delicacy; fuch as Hobbinol, Lobbin, Cuddy, and Colin Clout.

5. So eafy as Paftoral Writings may feem, (in the Simplicity we have defcribed it) yet it requires great Reading, both of the Antients and Moderns, to be a Master of it. Philips hath given us manifest Proofs

of

of his Knowledge of Books: It must be confeffed his Competitor hath imitated some single Thoughts of the Antients well enough, if we confider he had not the Happiness of an University Education, but he hath dispersed them, here and there, without that Order and Method which Mr. Philips observes, whose whole third Paftoral is an Inftance how well he hath ftudied the fifth of Virgil, and how judiciously reduced Virgil's Thoughts to the Standard of Paftoral; as his Contention of Colin Clout and the Nightingale shows with what Exactnefs he hath imitated every Line in Strada.

6. When I remarked it as a principal Fault, to introduce Fruits and Flowers of a Foreign Growth, in Descriptions where the Scene lies in our Country, I did not defign that Obfervation fhould extend alfo to Animals, or the fenfitive Life; for Philips hath with great Judgment described Wolves in England in his firft Paftoral. Nor would I have a Poet flavishly confine himself (as Mr. Pope hath done) to one particular Season of the Year, one certain Time of the Day, and one unbroken Scene in each Eclogue: 'Tis plain Spencer neglected this Pedantry, who in his Paftoral of November mentions the mournful Song of the Nightingale:

Sad Philomel her Song in Tears doth steep.

And Mr. Philips, by a poetical Creation, hath raised finer Beds of Flowers than the most induup ftrious Gardener; his Rofes, Endives, Lillies, Kingcups, and Daffadils blow all in the fame Season.

7. But the better to difcover the Merits of our two contemporary Paftoral Writers, I fhall endeavour to draw a Parallel of them, by fetting feveral of their particular Thoughts in the fame Light, whereby it

will be obvious how much Philips hath the Advantage. With what Simplicity he introduces two Shepherds finging alternately?

Hobb. Come Rofalind, O come, for without thee What Pleasure can the Country have for me: Come Rofalind, O come; my brinded Kine, My fnowy Sheep, my Farm, and all, is thine.

Lang. Come Rofalind, O come; here fhady Bowers Here are cool Fountains, and here springing Flow'rs.

Come Rofalind; here ever let us ftay,

And sweetly waste our live-long Time away.

Our other Paftoral Writer, in expreffing the fame Thought, deviates into downright Poetry.

Streph. In Spring the Fields, in Autumn Hills I love, At Morn the Plains, at Noon the fhady Grove, But Delia always; forc'd from Delia's Sight, Nor Plains at Morn, nor Groves at Noon delight.

Daph. Sylvia's like Autumn ripe, yet mild as May, More bright than Noon, yet fresh as early Day; Ev'n Spring displeases, when she shines not here, But bleft with her 'tis Spring throughout the Year.

In the first of these Authors, two Shepherds thus innocently defcribe the Behaviour of their Mistresses.

Hobb. As Marian bath'd, by chance I paffed by,

She blush'd, and at me caft a fide-long Eye:
Then swift beneath the chrystal Wave the try'd
Her beauteous Form, but all in vain to hide.
Lang.

Lang. As I to cool me bath'd one fultry Day,
Fond Lydia lurking in the Sedges lay.

The Wanton laugh'd, and seem'd in hafte to fly ;
Yet often stopp'd, and often turn'd her Eye.

The other Modern (who it must be confefs'd hath a Knack of Verfifying) hath it as follows:

Streph. Me gentle Delia beckons from the Plain, Then, hid in Shades, eludes her eager Swain ; But feigns a Laugh, to see me fearch around, And by that Laugh the willing Fair is found.

Daph. The fprightly Sylvia trips along the Green, She runs, but hopes fhe does not run unseen; While a kind Glance at her Pursuer flies,

How much at Variance are her Feet and Eyes!

There is nothing the Writers of this Kind of Poetry are fonder of, than Descriptions of Paftoral Prefents. Philips fays thus of a Sheep-hook.

Of feafon'd Elm; where Studs of Brafs appear,
To fpeak the Giver's Name, the Month and Year.
The Hook of polish'd Steel, the Handle turn'd,
And richly by the Graver's Skill adorn'd.

The other of a Bowl emboss'd with Figures.

where wanton Ivy twines,

And fwelling Clusters bend the curling Vines;
Four Figures rifing from the Work appear,
The various Seasons of the rolling Year;
And What is that which binds the radiant Sky,
Where twelve brightSigns in beauteous Order lie.

The