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Windfor; but I am now forced to put that quite off, being engaged to go to my corporation of Richmond in Yorkshire. I think you are perfectly in the right in your notions of Paftoral; but I am of opinion, that the redundancy of wit you mention, tho' 'tis what pleases the common people, is not what ever pleases the beft judges. Paftor Fido indeed has had more admirers than Aminta; but I will venture to fay, there is a great deal of difference between the admirers of one and the other. Corifca, which is a character generally admir'd by the ordinary judges, is intolerable in a Pastoral; and Bonarelli's fancy of making his fhepherdefs in love with two men equally, is not to be defended, whatever pains he has taken to do it. As for what you afk of the liberty of Borrowing; 'tis very evident the beft Latin Poets have extended this very far; and none fo far as Virgil, who is the best of them. As for the Greek Poets, if we cannot trace them fo plainly, 'tis perhaps because we have none before them; 'tis evident that most of them borrowed from Homer, and Homer has been accus'd of burning thofe that wrote before him, that his thefts might not be discover'd. The best of the modern Poèts in all languages, are those that have the nearest copied the Antients. Indeed in all the common fubjects of Poetry, the thoughts are fo obvious (at least if they are natural) that whoever writes laft, muft write things like what have been faid before: But they may as well applaud the Ancients for the arts of eating and drink

ing, and accufe the moderns of having ftolen those inventions from them; it being evident in all fuch cafes, that whoever liv'd firf, muft firft find them out. 'Tis true, indeed, when

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when there are one or two bright thoughts ftolen, and all the rest is quite different from it, a poem makes a very foolish figure: But when 'tis all melted down together, and the Gold of the Ancients fo mix'd with that of the Moderns, that none can distinguish the one from the other, I can never find fault with it. I cannot however but own to you, that there are others of a different opinion, and that I have fhewn your verfes to fome who have made that objection to them. I have fo much company round me while I write this, and fuch a noife in my ears, that 'tis impoffible I fhould write any thing but nonfenfe, fo muft break off abruptly. I ahi, Sir, to flor

Nods Your most affectionate,

and most bumble Servant.

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LETTERUVA

From Mr. WALSH.

Sept 9, 1706.

return from the North I received the favour of your letter, which had lain there till then. Having been abfent about fix weeks, I read over your Paftorals again, with a great deal of pleafure, and to judge the better read Virgil's Eclogues, and Spenfer's Calendar, at the fame time; and, I affure you, I continue the fame opinion I had always of them. By the little hints you take upon áll occafions to improve them, 'tis probable you will make them yet better against winter; tho' there is â mean to be kept even in that too, and a man may correct his verses till he takes away the true spirit of them; especially if he fubmits to the correction of fome who pafs for great Critics, by mechanical rules, and never enter into the true defign and Genius of an author. I have feen fome of thefe, that would hardly allow any one good Ode in Horace, who cry Virgil wants fancy, and that Homer is very incorrect.

While they talk at this rate, one would think them above the common rate of mortals: but generally they are great admirers of Ovid and Lucan and when they write themfelves, we find out all the mystery. They scan their verfes upon their fingers run after Conceits and glaring thoughts; their poems are all made up of Couplets, of which the firft may

be laft, or the laft firft, without any fort of prejudice to their works; in which there is no defign, or method, or any thing natural or just. For you are certainly in the right, that in all writings whatsoever (not poetry only) nature is to be followed, and we fhould be jealous of ourselves for being fond of Similies, Conceits, and what they call faying fine Things. When we were in the North, my Lord Wharton fhew'd me a letter he had receiv'd from a certain great General in Spain *; I told him I would by all means have that General recall'd, and fet to writing here at home, for it was impoffible that a man with fo much Wit as he fhew'd, could be fit to command an Army, or do any other bufinefst. As for what you fay of Expreffion: 'tis indeed the fame thing to Wit, as Drefs is to Beauty: I have feen many women over-drefs'd, and feveral look better in a careless night-gown, with their hair about their ears, than Mademoiselle Spanheim dress'd for a ball. I do not defign to be in London till towards the parliament: then I fhall certainly be there; and hope by that time you will have finish'd your Paftorals as you would have them appear in the world, and particularly the third, of Autumn, which I have not yet feen. Your laft Eclogue being

*The Earl of Peterborow.

† Mr. Walsh's Remark will be thought very innocent, when the reader is informed that it was made on the Earl of Peterborow, juft before the glorious campaigns of Barcelona and Valentia.

upon

upon the fame fubject as that of mine on Mrs. Tempeft's Death, I fhou'd take it very kindly in you to give it a little turn, as if it were to the Memory of the fame Lady, if they were not written for fome particular Woman whom you would make immor. tal. You may take occafion to fhew the difference between Poets Miftreffes, and other mens. I only hint this, which you may either do, or let alone just as you think fit. I shall be very much pleas'd to see you again in Town, and to hear from you in the mean time. I am, with very much esteem,

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Oct. 22, 1706.

FTER the thoughts I have already fent you on the fubject of English Verfification, you defire my opinion as to fome farther particulars. There are indeed certain Niceties, which, tho' not much observed even by correct verfifiers, I cannot but think, deferve to be better regarded.

1. It is not enough that nothing offends the ear, but a good Poet will adapt the very Sounds, as well as Words, to the things he treats of. So that there is (if one may exprefs it fo) a Style of Sound, As in defcribing a gliding ftream, the numbers fhould run eafy and flowing; in defcribing a rough torrent or deluge, fonorous and fwelling, and fo of the reft.

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