neft and unpretending part of mankind from impofition, because particular intereft ought to yield to general, and a great number who are not naturally Fools, ought never to be made fo, in complaisance to a few who are. Accordingly we find, that, in all ages, all vain pretenders, were they ever so poor or ever fo dull, have been constantly the topics of the most candid fatirists, from the Codrus of JUVENAL to the Damon of BOILEAU.

Having mentioned BOILEAU, the greatest Poet and most judicious Critic of his age and country, adınirable for his Talents, and yet perhaps more admirable for his judgment in the proper application of them; I cannot help remarking the resemblance betwixt him and our author, in Qualities, Fame, and Fortune; in the diftinctions fhewn them by their Superiors, in the general esteem of their Equals, and in their extended reputation amongst Foreigners; in the latter of which ours has met with the better fate, as he has had for his Translators perfons of the most eminent rank and abilities in their respective nations. But the resemblance holds in nothing more, than in being equally abufed by the ignorant pretenders to Poetry of their times; of which not the leaft

b Effay on Criticism in French verse, by General Hamilton; the fame, in verfe alfo, by Monfieur Roboton, Counsellor and Privy Secretary to King George I. after by the Abbé Reynel, in verse, with notes. Rape of the Lock, in French, by the Princess of Conti, Paris 1728., And in Italian verse by the Abbé Conti, a Noble Venetian; and by the Marquis Rangoni, Envoy Extraordinary from Modena to King George II. Others of his

memory will remain but in their own Writings, and in the Notes made upon them. What Boileau has done in almost all his Poems, our author has only in this; I dare answer for him he will do it in no more; and on this principle, of attacking few but who had Dandered him, he could not have done it at all, had he been confined from cenfuring obfcure and worthlefs perfons; for fcarce any other were his enemies. However, as the parity is fo remarkable, I hope it will continue to the last; and if ever he should give us an edition of this Poem himself, I may fee fome of them treated as gently, on their repentance or better merit, as Perrault and Quinault were at laft by BOILEAU.

In one point I must be allowed to think the character of our English poet the more amiable. He has not been a follower of Fortune or Success; he has lived with the Great, without flattery; been a friend to Men in power, without penfions, from whom, as he asked, fo he received, no favour, but what was done Him in his Friends. As his Satires were the more just for being delayed, fo were his Panegyrics, beftowed only on fuch perfons as he had familiarly known, only for fuch virtues as he had long obferved in them, and only at fuch times as others cease to praise, if not begin to calumniate them, I mean when out of power or out of

works by Salvini of Florence, &c. His Eflays and Differtations on Homer, several times tranflated into French. Effay on Man, by the Abbé Reynel, in verfe; by Monfieur Silhouet, in profe, 1737, and fince by others in French, Italian, and Latin..

fashion. A fatire therefore on writers, fo notorious for the contrary practice, became no man fo well as himself; as none, it is plain, was fo little in their friendships, or fo much in that of those whom they had most abused, namely the Greatest and Best of all Parties. Let me add a further reason, that, though engaged in their Friendships, he never efpoufed their Animofities; and can almoft fingly challenge this honour, not to have written a line of any man, which, through Guilt, through Shame, or through Fear, through variety of Fortune, or change of Interefts, he was ever unwilling to own.

I fhall conclude with remarking what a pleasure it must be to every reader of Humanity, to fee all along, that our Author in his very laughter is not indulging his own ill-nature, but only punishing that of others. As to his Poem, thofe alone are capable of doing it justice, who, to use the words of a great writer, know how hard it is (with regard both to his fubject and his manner) VETUSTIS DARE NOVITATEM

c As Mr Wycherley, at the time the Town declaimed against his book of Poems; Mr Walsh, after his death; Sir William Trumbull, when he had refigned the Office of Secretary of State; Lord Bolingbroke, at his leaving England after'the Queen's death; Lord Oxford in his laft decline of life; Mr Secretary Craggs at the end of the South-Sea year, and after his death: Others only in Epitaphs.

d This Gentleman was of Scotland, and bred at the Univerfity of Utrecht, with the Earl of Mar. He ferved in Spain under Earl Rivers. After the Peace, he was made one of the Commiffioners of the Cuftoms in Scotland, and then of Taxes in England; in which having shewn himself for 20 years diligent, punctual, and incorruptible, (though without any other affistance of Fortune) he was suddenly displaced by the Minifter, in the fixty-eighth year of his age; and died two months after, in 1741. He was a perfon of Univerfal Learning, and an enlarged Converfation; no man had a warmer heart for his Friend, or a Ancerer attachment to the Constitution of his Country.