nor to be very anxious to inquire into the various circumstances which have given rise to so much controversy; and whilst he is too indolent to investigate the truth of the numerous imputations that have been cast on the moral character of Pope, unjustly attributes to his philosophical doctrines the most unfounded and dangerous consequences. Those subjects respecting Pope which seem to have attracted his more particular inquiry, are such as relate to his personal defects and infirmities, the weakness of his constitution, and the irritability of his temper. Whoever wishes to be acquainted with these, need resort to no other source. We may there be informed of the economy of his dressing-room, to the minutest particulars; and of his "petty peculiarities," as communicated by a female domestic of the Earl of Oxford, "who knew him perhaps after the middle of life," and shall doubtless be gratified to find (what it will be difficult to meet with elsewhere), "that the indulgence and accommodation which his sickness required, had taught him all the unpleasing and unsocial qualities of a valetudinary man.” It must also be observed, that the work of Johnson, like those before adverted to, is in a great part occupied in criticisms on the poetry of Pope, in which it is scarcely necessary to observe, that amongst much unjust and illiberal censure, there are many judicious and excellent remarks, expressed in the peculiar and forcible style of the author. Johnson has not, however, adhered to his own maxim, where he says, "the purpose of a writer is to be read; and the criticism that would destroy the power of pleasing must be blown aside." How is this to be reconciled with his

harsh, and perhaps cavilling critique on the Essay on Man, on the Elegy to the memory of an unfortunate Lady, and on the Epitaphs?

The Life of Pope, prefixed to the edition of his works, by Dr. Warton, in 1797, neither is, nor affects to be, any extraordinary effort of biographical industry. It is indeed chiefly founded on that of Johnson; enlarging on a few minuter literary subjects, which more particularly attracted the Doctor's notice. Unfortunately for Pope, Dr. Warton entered upon his task of editor with certain preconceived opinions of the poetical character of his author, which he had already brought before the public in his well known and entertaining Essay on the Genius and Writings of Pope; in which he has endeavoured to erect a standard of poetic excellence, by which it would appear that Pope was entitled to take his station only in a secondary rank of poets; and this idea he has continually kept in view, and endeavoured to enforce and expand throughout the whole of his editorial labours; which consist in a great degree of his Essay, apportioned into notes, and may be considered as calculated rather to establish and confirm his own opinions, than as illustrating and recommending the writings of Pope.

For this, as well as for other causes, Dr. Warton has been severely animadverted upon by a powerful writer2, whose high admiration of the character of Pope has induced him solemnly to impeach his editor before his country for having admitted pieces offensive to decency and good morals, which have either been falsely attri

2 The Author of the Pursuits of Literature.

buted to Pope, or excluded by him from the authentic editions of his works-a charge which I am sorry to observe it would have been difficult for the learned editor to repel.

It now only remains to advert to the Life of Pope by Mr. Bowles, prefixed to his edition of the works of that author, published in 1806. That we are not to expect much novelty from this attempt, may be inferred from the declaration of the biographer, that "as the life of this distinguished poet has been already written, by persons so eminent for literary talents and critical acumen as Johnson and Warton, all further attempts to illustrate the incidents of his fortune, or the character of his mind, must appear superfluous." He also observes, that charity might seem to suggest, that when so many years have passed since the grave closed over his virtues and his infirmities, that we should now

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'No farther seek his merits to disclose,

Nor draw his frailties from their dread abode !'"

Under these impressions it might have been expected that Mr. Bowles would either not have engaged in the undertaking, or that if he had devoted himself to it, he would have been cautious not to offend against his own precepts. Yet if we were implicitly to receive our impressions of the character of Pope from the representations of Mr. Bowles, we should be compelled to admit that the highest endowments of genius may be united, not only with failings and weaknesses that obscure their lustre, but with vices and propensities for which no intellectual accomplishments can compensate. These imputations on the moral character of Pope, have been accompanied by an apparent disposition on the part of

Mr. Bowles to detract also from his estimation as a poet; and that not merely by enforcing the opinions of Warton, but by attempting to establish new rules of criticism, by which the poetical productions of Pope are tried, and found wanting in the higher characteristics of poetry. It is not to be supposed that an attack of this kind, on the memory and works of a writer who has long been considered as an honour to his age and country, and that attack sanctioned under the sacred duty of an editor, would be suffered to pass without animadversion. Accordingly the insults on departed genius have been felt by the living, and the vindication of the fame of Pope has proceeded from those quarters where it was most to be expected; from those who have maintained, amidst the aberrations of public taste, the true principles of poetic composition, and exemplified in their own imperishable productions the sentiments they have advanced 3. The defence of the moral as well as the poetical character of Pope has also been undertaken by several writers of distinguished ability, who have combated the opinions and refuted the charges of Mr. Bowles, in a manner that must carry conviction to every impartial mind. By such efforts,

3 See Mr. Campbell's critical observations on the poetical character of Pope, in his Specimens of the British Poets, and Lord Byron's Letter to **** ****** on the Rev. W. L. Bowles's Strictures on the Life and Writings of Pope. A very able defence of Pope may also be found in "A Letter to the Rev. W. L. Bowles, in reply to his Letter to Thomas Campbell, Esq., and to his two Letters to the Right Hon. Lord Byron, containing a Vindication of their Defence of the poetical Character of Pope, &c. By Martin M'Dermot. Lond. 1822.”

4 See a Review of Spence's Anecdotes of Men and Books, in the Quarterly Review, vol. xxiii. p. 400; and the late Mr. Octavius Gilchrist's First, Second, and Third Letters to the Rev. W. L. Bowles, published in 1820 and 1821. The early death of Mr. Gilchrist must be considered as an irreparable loss to British literature.

the attacks upon the memory of the great poet have been successfully repelled, and Pope yet stands before his countrymen, not only as a proper object of literary inquiry and consideration, but as intitled, by his moral and social endowments, to rank with the best and wisest men that this country has produced.

In adverting to the sources from which we may be supposed to derive information respecting the life and character of an author, we must naturally resort to his own works. Of his abilities and genius these are decisive; of his social and moral character they afford strong indications on which to form a correct opinion. In this point of view the writings of Pope would almost furnish his history. Not only are we continually presented with the picture of his mind, under the different lights and circumstances in which it is placed; not only are we informed of his sentiments and feelings, whenever an opportunity is afforded for the display of them, but almost all the incidents of his life are touched upon in such a manner, as to enable us to form to ourselves a complete idea of his genius, temper, and character. It would not indeed be too much to assert, that this representation of himself in his works, was one of the chief objects which he perpetually kept in view. Many of them," says he, in speaking of himself and his letters in the preface to his correspondence," having been written on the most trying occurrences, and in all the openness of friendship, are a proof what were his real sentiments as they flowed warm from the heart, and fresh from the occasion. Had he sat down with a design to draw his own picture, he could not have done it so truly; for whoever sits for it (whether to himself

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