Dryden had great abilities for fatire. The generality of his pieces are almost the refuse of our language, but in some appears the richness of his genius, and in none more than his fatirical compofitions. Abfalom and Achitophel, and Mar Flecno, are mafter-pieces: in these poems, but particularly the former, we discover fuch a pomp and harmony of numbers, fuch a happy turn and elegance of expreffion, and fuch exquifite art in pourtraying characters, that, to

traduifible. Qui croiroit qu'un livre qui faifit tous les ridicules du genre humain, & qui a plus de pensées que de mots, ne put fouffrir la traduction? C'est que prefque tout y fait allufion à des avantures particulieres. Le plus grand ridicule tombe fur tout fur les théologiens que peu de gens du monde entendent. Il faudroit à tout moment un commentaire, & la plaifanterie expliquée ceffe d'etre plaifanterie. Tout commentateur de bons mots eft un fot.-Lettres fur les Anglois, p. 196.

ufe

ufe an expreffion of Mr. Hume's, we cannot but wonder at the great inferiority, or rather abfurdity of many of his other writings *. Poffibly there never

was

That many of the writings of this great man are very mean, must be allowed, and perhaps fome of the abuse which was levelled at him in his lifetime might be well grounded; but not a thousandth part of fuch flanders are true. Of all others, the viperous pen of Bishop Burnet deferves the molt contempt: He pours out all the malice of his foul in a heavy, dull, prolix ftile.

"I have been informed from England, fays he, that a gentleman, who is famous both for poetry and several other things, has fpent three months tranflating Mr. Varillas's hiftory; but that, as foon as my reflections appeared, he difcontinued his labour, finding the credit of his author was gone. Now, if he thinks it is recovered by his anfwer, he will perhaps go on with his tranflation; and this may be, for aught I know, as good an entertainment for him, as the converfation he has fet on foot between the hinds and panthers, and all VOL. II.

D

the

was a character drawn in a more mafterly manner than that of Zimri, As often

as

the rest of the animals, for whom Mr. Varillas may ferve well enough as an author: and this hiftory and that poem are fuch extraordinary things of their kind, that it will be but fuitable to fee the author of the worst poem become likewise the tranflator of the worst hiftory that the age has produced. If his grace and his wit improve both proportionably, we shall hardly find, that he has gained much by the change he has made, from having no religion to chufe one of the worft. It is true, he had fomewhat to fink from in matter of wit; but as for his morals, it is scarce poffible for him to grow a worfe man than he was, He has lately wreaked his malice on me for spoiling his three months labour; but in it he has done me all the honour that any man can receive from him, which is to be railed at by him. If I had ill-nature enough to prompt me to wish a very bad wish for him, it should be, that he would go on and finish his tranflation. By that it will appear, whether the English nation, which is the

moft

as it has been quoted, its many beauties will plead for my inferting it here.

༧༦༢1

,

In

moft competent judge in this matter, has, upon the feeing our debate, pronounced in Mr. Varillas's favour or mine. It is true, Mr. Dryden will suffer a little by it; but at least it will serve to keep him in from other extravagancies; and, if he gains little honour by this work, yet he cannot lofe fo much by it, as he has done by his last employment." This paffage, befides the fact it lets us into, fhews how ill an opinion Dr. Burnet had entertained of Mr. Dryden and his morals. Dr. Burnet fpeaks of him alfo in another place, in terms of equal difhonour: "The flage, fays he, was defiled beyond all example; Dryden, the great mafter of dramatic poefy, being a monfter of immodefty and impurities of all forts." But here the poet found an advocate in the Lord Lanfdown, who has flatly oppofed the bishop's affertion: "Why, fays his lordfhip, is Mr. Dryden ftigmatized as a monfter of immodefly and impurities of all forts? He was fo much a ftranger to immodefty, that modefty in too great a degree was his failing. A monfler of impurities of all forts? Good God! what an idea must that give?,

In the first rank of thefe did Zimri ftand.
A man fo various that he feemed to be
Not one, but all mankind's epitome.
Stiff in opinions, always in the wrong;
Was every thing by starts, and nothing long;
But in the course of one revolving moon,
Was chymift, fidler, ftatesman, and buffoon:
Then all for women, painting, rhyming, drinking,
Befides ten thoufand freaks that dy'd in thinking.
Bleft madman, who cou'd every hour employ,
With fomething new to wish or to enjoy !
Railing and praifing were his ufual themes;
And both (to fhow his judgment) in extremes;
So over violent or over civil,

That every man with him was god or devil.
In fquandering wealth was his peculiar art;
Nothing went unrewarded but defert:

Beggar'd by fools, whom ftill he found too late,
He had his jeft, and they had his eftate.

He

Is there any wickednefs under the fun, but what is comprised in those few words? But, as it happens, he was the reverfe of all this a man of regular life and converfation, as all his acquaintance can vouch. And I cannot but grieve, that fuch expreffions fhould efcape from a bishop's pen."