This harmless grove no lurking viper hides, 70 The mofly fountains, and the green retreats! Invoke the Muses, and refound your praise! 80 VER. 67, 68.] I think these two lines would not have paffed without animadverfion in any of our great schools. VER. 79, 80. VARIATIONS. Your praise the tuneful birds to heav'n fhall bear, So the verses were originally written. But the Author, young as he was, foon found the abfurdity which Spenfer himself overlooked, of introducing wolves into England. IMITATIONS. VER. 8o. And winds fhall waft, &c.] "Partem aliquam, venti, divûm referatis ad aures?" P. Virg. P. But But fee, the fhepherds fhun the noon-day heat, VARIATIONS. VER. 91. Me love inflames, nor will his fires allay. IMITATIONS. VER. 88. Ye Gods, &c.] "Me tamen urit amor, quis enim modus adfit amori ?" P. Idem. P. 86 90 Virgil in his Epic, attempted to paint thofe manners which he had never feen; and in his Paitoral, thofe ruftic manners which he was little acquainted with. [76] AUTUM N: THE THIRD PASTORAL." OR, HYLAS and AEGON. BENE TO MR. WYCHERLEY.† ENEATH the fhade a spreading Beech displays, This mourn'd a faithlefs, that an abfent Love, REMARKS. This Paftoral confifts of two parts, like the viiith of Virgil: The Scene, a Hill; the Time at Sun-fet. P. + His intrigues with the Dutchefs of Cleveland, his marriage with the Countess of Drogheda, Charles the Second's difpleasure on this marriage, his debts and diftreffes, and other particulars of his life, are well related by Dennis in a Letter to Major Pack, 1720. In Dennis's collection of Letters, publifhed in two volumes, 1721, to which Mr. Pope fubfcribed, Lord Lanfdown has drawn his character, as a Writer, in an elegant manner; chiefly with a view of fhewing the impropriety of an epithet given to him by Lord Rochefter, who called him Slow Wycherley; for that, notwithstanding his pointed wit, and forcible expreffion, he compofed with facility and hafte. Thou, Thou, whom the Nine, with Plautus' wit infpire, The art of Terence, and Menander's fire; Whose sense inftructs us, and whofe humour charms, Whose judgment fways us, and whose spirit warms! Oh, skill'd in Nature! fee the hearts of Swains, Their artless paffions, and their tender pains. II REMARKS. VER. 7. Thou, whom the Nine,] Mr. Wycherley, a famous author of Comedies; of which the most celebrated were the Plain-Dealer and Country-wife. He was a writer of infinite fpirit, fatire, and wit. The only objection made to him was, that he had too much. However, he was followed in the fame way by Mr. Congreve; tho' with a little more correctness. P. Surely with much more correctnefs, tafte, and judgment. VER. 8. The art of Terence, and Menander's fire ;] This line alludes to that famous character given of Terence, by Caefar: "Tu quoque, tu in fummis, ô dimidiate Menander, Poneris, et merito, puri fermonis amator: Lenibus atque utinam fcriptis adjuncta foret vis Comica." So that the judicious critic fees he fhould have faid-with Menander's fire. For what the Poet meant, was, that his friend had joined to Terence's art, what Caefar thought wanting in Terence, namely, the vis comica of Menander. Befides,-and Menander's fire, is making that the Characteristic of Menander which was not. He was diftinguished for having art and comic Spirit in conjunction, and Terence having only the first part, is called the half of Menander. W. VER. 9. Whofe fenfe inftructs us,] He was always very careful in his encomiums not to fall into ridicule, the deferved fate of weak and prostitute flatterers, and which they rarely escape. For fenfe, he would willingly have faid moral; propriety required it. But this dramatic Poet's moral was remarkably faulty. His plays are all shamefully profligate both in the Dialogue and Action. W. VER. 11. Oh, skill'd] Few writers have lefs nature in them than Wycherley. Now Now fetting Phoebus fhone ferenely bright, And fleecy clouds were streak'd with purple light; When tuneful Hylas with melodious moan, 15 Taught rocks to weep, and made the mountains groan. Go, gentle gales, and bear my fighs away! To Delia's ear the tender notes convey. As fome fad turtle his loft love deplores, And with deep murmurs fills the founding fhores; Go, gentle gales, and bear my fighs along! Go, gentle gales, and bear my fighs away! 21 25 30 Die ev'ry flow'r, and perifh all, but fhe, Let fpring attend, and fudden flow'rs arise; 35 REMARKS. VER. 25.] This rich affemblage of very pleafing paftoral images, is yet excelled by Sheaftone's beautiful Pastoral Ballad in four parts. Let |