Poets, a race long unconfin'd, and free, 650 Receiv'd his laws; and ftood convinc'd 'twas fit, Who conquer'd Nature; fhould prefide o'er Wit. Horace still charms with graceful negligence, And without method talks us into sense, 655 Will, like a friend, familiarly convey The trueft notions in the easiest way: He, who fupreme in judgment, as in wit, 659 Yet judg'd with coolness, tho' he fung with fire; His Precepts teach but what his work pire. Our Critics take a contrary extreme, They judge with fury, but they write with flegm NOTES. VER. 653. Who conquer'd Nature, should prefide o'er With By this is not meant phyfical Nature, but moral. The force of the obfervation confifts in our understanding it in this fenfe. For the Poet not only uses the word Nature for human nature, throughout this poem; but also, where, in the beginning of it, he lays down the principles of the arts he treats of, he makes the knowledge of human nature the foundation of all Criticifm and Poetry. Nor is the obfervation lefs true than appofite. For, Ariftotle's natural enquiries were fuperficial, and ill made, tho' extenfive: But his logical and moral works are incomparable. In thefe he has unfolded the human mind, and laid open all the receffes of the heart and understanding; and by his Catego ries, not only conquered Nature, but kept her in tenfold chains: Not as Dulness kept the Mufes, in the Dunciad, to filence them; but as Ariftaus held Proteus in Virgil, to deliver Ora cles. Nor fuffers Horace more in wrong Tranflations The scholar's learning, with the courtier's ease, 675 Thee, bold Longinus! all the Nine inspire, With warmth gives fentence, yet is always juft; COMMENTARY. VER. 682. Thus long fucceeding Critics, etc.] The nest riod in which the true Critic (he tells us) appear'd, was revival and restoration of letters in the Weft. This oce his giving a short history [from y 683 to 710.] of the NOTES. Poets, a race long unconfin'd, and free, 650 Receiv'd his laws; and ftood convinc'd 'twas fit, Who conquer'd Nature; should prefide o'er Wit. Horace still charms with graceful negligence, And without method talks us into sense, 655 Will, like a friend, familiarly convey The trueft notions in the easiest way: He, who fupreme in judgment, as in wit, 659 Yet judg'd with coolness, tho' he fung with fire; His Precepts teach but what his work pire. Our Critics take a contrary extreme, They judge with fury, but they write with flegn NOTES. VER. 653. Who conquer'd Nature, should prefide o'er Wit By this is not meant phyfical Nature, but moral. The force of the obfervation confifts in our understanding it in this fenfe. For the Poet not only uses the word Nature for human nature, throughout this poem; but also, where, in the beginning of it, he lays down the principles of the arts he treats of, he makes the knowledge of human nature the foundation of all Criticism and Poetry. Nor is the obfervation lefs true than appofite. For, Ariftotle's natural enquiries were fuperficial, and ill made, tho' extenfive But his logical and moral works are incomparable. In thefe he has unfolded the human mind, and laid open all the receffes of the heart and understanding; and by his Catego ries, not only conquered Nature, but kept her in tenfold chains: Not as Dulness kept the Mufes, in the Dunciad, to filence them; but as Ariftaus held Proteus in Virgil, to deliver Oracles. Nor fuffers Horace more in wrong Tranflations The scholar's learning, with the courtier's ease 675 Thee, bold Longinus! all the Nine inspire, And bless their Critic with a Poet's fire. An ardent Judge, who zealous in his trust, With warmth gives fentence, yet is always juft; Whofe own example ftrengthens all his laws; 680 And is himself that great Sublime he draws. Thus long fucceeding Critics justly reign'd, Licence reprefs'd, and useful laws ordain'd. COMMENTARY. VER. 682. Thus long fucceeding Critics, etc.] The next period in which the true Critic (he tells us) appear'd, was at the revival and restoration of letters in the Welt. This occafions his giving a fhort hiftory [from 683 to 710.] of the decline NOTES. Learning and Rome alike in empire grew; 684 As that the body, this enflav'd the mind; Between VARIATIONS. 691. and 692. the author omitted these two, Vain Wits and Critics were no more allow'd, When none but Saints had licence to be proud. P. COMMENTARY. and re-establishment of arts and fciences in Italy. He fhews that they both fell under the fame enemy, defpotic power; and that when both had made fome little efforts to restore themfelves, they were foon again overwhelmed by a fecond deluge of another kind, Superftition; and a calm of Dulnefs finish'd upon Rome and Letters what the rage of Barbarifm had begun : A fecond deluge learning thus c'er-run, And the Monk finifh'd what the Goth begun. When things had been long in this condition, and all recovery now appear'd defperate, it was a CRITIC, our Author fhews us for the honour of the At he here teaches, who at length broke the charm of Dulnefs, diffipated the inchantment, and, like another Hercules, drove thofe cowl'd and hooded ferpents from the Hefperiantree of knowledge, which they had fo long guarded from human approach. |