Imatges de pàgina
PDF
EPUB

more.

It is past a doubt that they wrote many things

quite quelled, it being judged that the first part did | some harm that way. Our love again and again in conjunction, and Gay usually held the pen. to the dear Dean. Fuimus torys, I can say no And yet I do not remember any productions which ARBUTHNOT." were the joint effort of this society, as doing it honour. There is something feeble and quaint in all "When a man is conscious that he does no good their attempts, as if company repressed thought, himself, the next thing is to cause others to do and genius wanted solitude for its boldest and hap some. I may claim some merit this way, in hasten- piest exertions. Of those productions in which ing this testimonial from your friends above writ-Parnell had a principal share, that of the Origin ing: their love to you indeed wants no spur, their of the Sciences from the Monkeys in Ethiopia, is ink wants no pen, their pen wants no hand, their particularly mentioned by Pope himself, in some hand wants no heart, and so forth (after the man- manuscript anecdotes which he left behind him. ner of Rabelais; which is betwixt some meaning The Life of Homer also, prefixed to the translation and no meaning); and yet it may be said, when of the Iliad, is written by Parnell and corrected by present thought and opportunity is wanting, their Pope; and, as that great poet assures us in the same pens want ink, their hands want pens, their hearts place, this correction was not effected without great want hands, etc. till time, place, and conveniency, labour. "It is still stiff," says he, "and was writconcur to set them writing, as at present, a sociable ten still stiffer; as it is, I verily think it cost me meeting, a good dinner, warm fire, and an easy more pains in the correcting, than the writing it situation do, to the joint labour and pleasure of this would have done." All this may be easily creditepistle. ed; for every thing of Parnell's that has appeared "Wherein if I should say nothing I should say in prose, is written in a very awkward inelegant much (much being included in my love), though manner. It is true, his productions teem with immy love be such, that, if I should say much, I agination, and show great learning, but they want should yet say nothing, it being (as Cowley says) that ease and sweetness for which his poetry is so equally impossible either to conceal or to express it. much admired; and the language is also shame"If I were to tell you the thing I wish above all fully incorrect. Yet, though all this must be althings, it is to see you again; the next is to see lowed, Pope should have taken care not to leave here your treatise of Zoilus, with Batrachomuoma- his errors upon record against him, or put it in the chia, and the Pervigilium Veneris, both which power of envy to tax his friend with faults that do poems are masterpieces in several kinds; and I not appear in what he has left to the world. A question not the prose is as excellent in its sort as poet has a right to expect the same secrecy in his the Essay on Homer. Nothing can be more glo- friend as in his confessor; the sins he discovers are rious to that great author than that the same hand not divulged for punishment but pardon. Indeed, that raised his best statue, and decked it with its Pope is almost inexcusable in this instance, as what old laurels, should also hang up the scarecrow of he seems to condemn in one place he very much his miserable critic, and gibbet up the carcass of applauds in another. In one of the letters from Zoilus, to the terror of the witlings of posterity. him to Parnell, abovementioned, he treats the Life More, and much more, upon this and a thousand of Homer with much greater respect, and seems to other subjects, will be the matter of my next letter, say, that the prose is excellent in its kind. It must wherein I must open all the friend to you. At be confessed, however, that he is by no means inthis time I must be content with telling you, I am consistent; what he says in both places may very faithfully your most affectionate and humble ser- easily be reconciled to truth; but who can defend vant, "A. POPE." his candour and sincerity.

It would be hard, however, to suppose that there If we regard this letter with a critical eye, we was no real friendship between these great men. must find it indifferent enough; if we consider it The benevolence of Parnell's disposition remains as a mere effusion of friendship, in which every unimpeached; and Pope, though subject to starts writer contended in affection, it will appear much of passion and envy, yet never missed an opporto the honour of those who wrote it. To be mind-tunity of being truly serviceable to him. The comful of an absent friend in the hours of mirth and merce between them was carried on to the common feasting, when his company is least wanted, shows interest of both. When Pope had a Miscellany to no slight degree of sincerity. Yet probably there publish, he applied to Parnell for poetical assistwas still another motive for writing thus to him in ance, and the latter as implicitly submitted to him conjunction. The above named, together with for correction. Thus they mutually advanced each Swift and Parnell, had some time before formed other's interest or fame, and grew stronger by conthemselves into a society, called the Scribblerus junction. Nor was Pope the only person to whom Club, and I should suppose they commemorated Parnell had recourse for assistance. We learn him thus, as being an absent member. from Swift's letters to Stella, that he submitted his

pieces to all his friends, and readily adopted their be alone. The death of his wife, it is said, was a alterations. Swift, among the number, was very loss to him that he was unable to support or reuseful to him in that particular; and care has been cover. From that time he could never venture to taken that the world should not remain ignorant court the Muse in solitude, where he was sure to of the obligation. find the image of her who first inspired his attempts. But in the connexion of wits, interest has gene- He began therefore to throw himself into every rally very little share; they have only pleasure in company, and seek from wine, if not relief, at least view, and can seldom find it but among each other. insensibility. Those helps that sorrow first called The Scribblerus Club, when the members were in for assistance, habit soon rendered necessary, and town, were seldom asunder, and they often made he died before his fortieth year, in some measure a excursions together into the country, and generally martyr to conjugal fidelity.

on foot. Swift was usually the butt of the compa

Thus, in the space of a very few years, Parnell ny, and if a trick was played, he was always the attained a share of fame equal to what most of his sufferer. The whole party once agreed to walk contemporaries were a long life in acquiring. He down to the house of Lord B—, who is still is only to be considered as a poet; and the univer living, and whose seat is about twelve miles from sal esteem in which his poems are held, and the town. As every one agreed to make the best of reiterated pleasure they give in the perusal, are a his way, Swift, who was remarkable for walking, sufficient test of their merit. He appears to me to soon left the rest behind him, fully resolved, upon be the last of that great school that had modelled his arrival, to choose the very best bed for himself, itself upon the ancients, and taught English poetry for that was his custom. In the meantime Par- to resemble what the generality of mankind have nell was determined to prevent his intentions, and allowed to excel. A studious and correct observer taking horse, arrived at Lord B's by another of antiquity, he set himself to consider nature with way, long before him. Having apprised his lord- the lights it lent him: and he found that the more ship of Swift's design, it was resolved at any rate aid he borrowed from the one, the more delightto keep him out of the house; but how to affect this fully he resembled the other. To copy nature is a was the question. Swift never had the small-pox, task the most bungling workman is able to exeand was very much afraid of catching it: as soon cute; to select such parts as contribute to delight, is therefore as he appeared striding along at some reserved only for those whom accident has blessed distance from the house, one of his lordship's ser- with uncommon talents, or such as have read the vants was dispatched to inform him, that the small- ancients with indefatigable industry. Parnell is pox was then making great ravages in the family, ever happy in the selection of his images, and scrubut that there was a summer-house with a field-bed pulously careful in the choice of his subjects. His at his service, at the end of the garden. There the productions bear no resemblance to those tawdry disappointed Dean was obliged to retire, and take things, which it has for some time been the fashion a cold supper that was sent out to him, while the to admire; in writing which the poet sits down rest were feasting within. However, at last they without any plan, and heaps up splendid images took compassion on him; and upon his promising without any selection; where the reader grows never to choose the best bed again, they permitted dizzy with praise and admiration, and yet soon him to make one of the company.

grows weary, he can scarcely tell why. Our poet, There is something satisfactory in these accounts on the contrary, gives out his beauties with a more of the follies of the wise; they give a natural air to sparing hand; he is still carrying his reader forthe picture, and reconcile us to our own. There ward,and just gives him refreshment sufficient to have been few poetical societies more talked of, or support him to his journey's end. At the end of productive of a greater variety of whimsical con- his course, the realer regrets that his way has been ceits, than this of the Scribblerus Club, but how so short, he wonders that it gave him so little troulong it lasted I can not exactly determine. The ble, and so resolves to go the journey over again. whole of Parnell's poetical existence was not of His poetical language is not less correct than his more than eight or ten years' continuance; his first subjects are pleasing. He found it at that period excursions to England began about the year 1706, in which it was brought to its highest pitch of reand he died in the year 1718; so that it is probable finement: and ever since his time it has been the club began with him, and his death ended the gradually debasing. It is indeed amazing, after connexion. Indeed, the festivity of his conversa- what has been done by Dryden, Addison, and tion, the benevolence of his heart, and the gene- Pope, to improve and harmonize our native tongue rosity of his temper, were qualities that might serve that their successors should have taken so much to cement any society, and that could hardly be pains to involve it into pristine barbarity. These replaced when he was taken away. During the misguided innovators have not been content with two or three last years of his life, he was more fond restoring antiquated words and phrases, but have of company than ever, and could scarcely bear to indulged themselves in the most licentious transpo

LIFE OF DR. PARNELL.

sitions, and the harshest constructions, vainly ima- and in general all Parnell's translations are excelgining, that the more their writings are unlike lent. The Battle of the Frogs and Mice, which prose, the more they resemble poetry. They have follows, is done as well as the subject would admit: adopted a language of their own, and call upon but there is a defect in the translation which sinks mankind for admiration. All those who do not it below the original, and which it was impossible understand them are silent and those who make to remedy; I mean the names of the combatants, out their meaning are willing to praise, to show which in the Greek bear a ridiculous allusion to they understand. From these follies and affecta- their natures, have no force to the English reader. tions the poems of Parnell are entirely free; he A bacon-eater was a good name for a mouse, and has considered the language of poetry as the language of life, and conveys the warmest thoughts in the simplest expression.

Pternotractas in Greek was a very good sounding word that conveyed that meaning. Puffcheek would sound odiously as a name for a frog, and yet Physignathos does admirably well in the original.

The letter to Mr. Pope is one of the finest

Parnell has written several poems besides those published by Pope, and some of them have been made public with very little credit to his reputation. There are still many more that have not yet seen compliments that ever was paid to any poet; That the light, in the possession of Sir John Parnell his the description of his situation at the end of it nephew, who, from that laudable zeal which he has is very fine, but far from being true. for his uncle's reputation, will probably be slow in part of it where he deplores his being far from publishing what he may even suspect will do it wit and learning, as being far from Pope, gave injury. Of those which are usually inserted in particular offence to his friends at home. Mr. his works, some are indifferent, and some moderate-Coote, a gentleman in his neighbourhood, who ly good, but the greater part are excellent. A thought that he himself had wit, was very much slight stricture on the most striking shall conclude displeased with Parnell for casting his eyes so far this account, which I have already drawn out to off for a learned friend, when he could so conveniently be supplied at home. a disproportionate length.

The translation of a part of the Rape of the Lock into monkish verse, serves to show what a

Hesiod, or the Rise of Woman, is a very fine illustration of a hint from Hesiod. It was one of his earliest productions, and first appeared in a miscel-master Parnell was of the Latin; a copy of verses lany published by Tonson.

Of the three songs that follow, two of them were written upon the lady he afterwards married; they were the genuine dictates of his passion, but are not excellent in their kind.

made in this manner, is one of the most difficult trifles that can possibly be imagined. I am assured that it was written upon the following occasion. Before the Rape of the Lock was yet completed, Pope was reading it to his friend Swift, who sat

The Anacreontic, beginning with, "When very attentively, while Parnell, who happened to Spring came on with fresh delight," is taken from a French poet whose name I forget, and, as far as I am able to judge of the French language is better than the original. The Anacreontic that follows "Gay Bacchus," etc., is also a translation of a Latin poem by Aurelius Augurellus, an Italian poet, beginning with,

Invitat olim Bacchus ad cœnam suos
Comum, Jocum, Cupidinem.

be in the house, went in and out without seeming to take any notice. However, he was very diligently employed in listening, and was able, from the strength of his memory, to bring away the whole description of the toilet pretty exactly. This he versified in the manner now published in his works; and the next day, when Pope was reading his poem to some friends, Parnell insisted that he had stolen that part of the description from an old monkish manuscript. An old paper with the Latin

after some time that Pope was delivered from the confusion which it at first produced.

Parnell, when he translated it, applied the cha-verses was soon brought forth, and it was not till racters to some of his friends, and, as it was written for their entertainment, it probably gave them more pleasure than it has given the public in the perusal. It seems to have more spirit than the original; but it is extraordinary that it was published as an original and not as a translation. Pope should have acknowledged it, as he knew.

The fairy tale is incontestably one of the finest pieces in any language. The old dialect is not perfectly well preserved, but this is a very slight defect, where all the rest is so excellent.

The Pervigilium Veneris, (which, by the by, Jas not belong to Catullus) is very well versified,

The Book-worm is another unacknowledged translation from a Latin poem by Beza. It was the fashion with the wits of the last age to conceal the places whence they took their hints or their subjects. A trifling acknowledgment would have made that lawful prize, which may now be considered as plunder.

The Night Piece on Death deserves every praise, and I should suppose, with very little amendment, might be made to surpass all those night pieces and church-yard scenes that have since appeared.

But the poem of Parnell's best known, and on to England, and are sensible how much that Docwhich his best reputation is grounded, is the Her- tor is cursed and hated, who introduced their spemit. Pope, speaking of this in those manuscript cies into your nation; therefore, as you dread the anecdotes already quoted, says "That the poem is wrath of St. Patrick, send them hither, and rid the very good. The story,” continues he, "was writ- kingdom of those pernicious and loquacious animals. ten originally in Spanish, whence probably Howel "I have at length received your poem out of Mr. had translated it into prose, and inserted it in one Addison's hands, which shall be sent as soon as of his letters. Addison liked the scheme, and was you order it, and in what manner you shall appoint. not disinclined to come into it." However this I shall in the mean time give Mr. Tooke a packet may be, Dr. Henry Moore, in his dialogues, has for you, consisting of divers merry pieces. Mr. the very same story; and I have been informed by Gay's new farce, Mr. Burnet's letter to Mr. Pope, some, that it is originally of Arabian invention. Mr. Pope's Temple of Fame, Mr. Thomas Burnet's With respect to the prose works of Parnell, I Grumbler on Mr. Gay, and the Bishop of Ailshave mentioned them already; his fame is too well bury's Elegy, written either by Mr. Cary or some grounded for any defects in them to shake it. I other hand. will only add, that the Life of Zoilus was written at the request of his friends, and designed as a satire upon Dennis and Theobald, with whom his club had long been at variance. I shall end this account with a letter to him from Pope and Gay, in which they endeavour to hasten him to finish that production.

"London, March 18.

"Mr. Pope is reading a letter; and in the mean time, I make use of the pen to testify my uneasiness in not hearing from you. I find success, even in the most trivial things, raises the indignation of Scribblers: for I, for my What-d'ye-call-it, could neither escape the fury of Mr. Burnet, or the German doctor; then where will rage end, when Homer is to be translated? Let Zoilus hasten to your friend's assistance, and envious criticism shall be no more. I am in hopes that we may order our "I must own I have long owed you a letter, but affairs so as to meet this summer at the Bath; for you must own, you have owed me one a good deal Mr. Pope and myself have thoughts of taking a longer. Besides, I have but two people in the trip thither. You shall preach, and we will write whole kingdom of Ireland to take care of; the Dean lampoons; for it is esteemed as great an honour to and you but you have several who complain of leave the Bath for fear of a broken head, as for a your neglect in England. Mr. Gay complains, Terræ Filius of Oxford to be expelled. I have no Mr. Harcourt complains, Mr. Jervas complains, place at court; therefore, that I may not entirely Dr. Arbuthnot complains, my Lord complains; I be without one every where, show that I have a complain. (Take notice of this figure of iteration, place in your remembrance.

"DEAR SIR,

"Your most affectionate,
"Faithful servants,

"A. POPE and J. GAY."

"Homer will be published in three weeks."

when you make your next sermon.) Some say you are in deep discontent at the new turn of affairs; others, that you are so much in the archbishop's good graces, that you will not correspond with any that have seen the last ministry. Some affirm you have quarrelled with Pope (whose friends they observe daily fall from him on account of his satirical I can not finish this trifle without returning my and comical disposition;) others that you are in- sincerest acknowledgments to Sir John Parnell, sinuating yourself into the opinion of the inge- for the generous assistance he was pleased to give nious Mr. What-do-ye-call-him. Some think you me, in furnishing me with many materials, when are preparing your sermons for the press; and he heard I was about writing the life of his uncle, others, that you will transform them into essays and as also to Mr. and Mrs. Hayes, relations of our moral discourses. But the only excuse that I will poet; and to my very good friend Mr. Stevens, allow, is your attention to the Life of Zoilus. The who, being an ornament to letters himself, is very frogs already seem to croak for their transportation ready to assist all the attempts of others.

THE LIFE

OF

Henry, Lord Viscount Bolingbroke.

[FIRST PRINTED IN 1771.]

THERE are some characters that seem formed | know, was strongly attached to the republican by nature to take delight in struggling with oppo- party, Henry, the subject of the present memoir, sition, and whose most agreeable hours are passed was brought up in his family, and consequently in storms of their own creating. The subject of imbibed the first principles of his education amongst the present sketch was, perhaps, of all others, the the dissenters. At that time, Daniel Burgess, a most indefatigable in raising himself enemies, to fanatic of a very peculiar kind, being at once posshow his power in subduing them; and was not sessed of zeal and humour, and as well known for less employed in improving his superior talents the archness of his conceits as the furious obstinathan in finding objects on which to exercise their cy of his principles, was confessor in the presbyactivity. His life was spent in a continual con- terian way to his grandmother, and was appointed flict of politics; and, as if that was too short for the to direct our author's first studies. Nothing is so combat, he has left his memory as a subject of last-apt to disgust a feeling mind as mistaken zeal; and, ing contention.

It is, indeed, no easy matter to preserve an acknowledged impartiality in talking of a man so differently regarded on account of his political, as well as his religious principles. Those whom his politics may please will be sure to condemn him for his religion; and, on the contrary, those most strongly attached to his theological opinions are the most likely to decry his politics. On whatever side he is regarded, he is sure to have opposers; and this was perhaps what he most desired, having, from nature, a mind better pleased with the struggle than the victory.

Henry St. John, Lord Viscount Bolingbroke, was born in the year 1672, at Battersea, in Surrey, at a seat that had been in the possession of his ancestors for ages before. His family was of the first rank, equally conspicuous for its antiquity, dignity, and large possessions. It is found to trace its origin as high as Adam de Port, Baron of Basing, in Hampshire, before the Conquest; and in a succession of ages, to have produced warriors, patriots, and statesmen, some of whom were conspicuous for their loyalty, and others for their defending the rights of the people. His grandfather, Sir Walter St. John, of Battersea, marrying one of the daughters of Lord Chief Justice St. John, who, as all

perhaps, the absurdity of the first lectures he received might have given him that contempt for all religions which he might have justly conceived against one. Indeed no task can be more mortifying than what he was condemned to undergo: "I was obliged," says he, in one place, "while yet a boy, to read over the commentaries of Dr. Manton, whose pride it was to have made a hundred and nineteen sermons on the hundred and nineteenth psalm." Dr. Manton and his sermons were not likely to prevail much on one who was, perhaps, the most sharp-sighted in the world at discovering the absurdities of others, however he might have been guilty of establishing many of his own.

But these dreary institutions were of no very long continuance; as soon as it was fit to take him out of the hands of the women, he was sent to Eton school, and removed thence to Christ-church college in Oxford. His genius and understanding were seen and admired in both these seminaries, but his love of pleasure had so much the ascendency, that he seemed contented rather with the consciousness of his own great powers than their exertion. However, his friends, and those who knew him most intimately, were thoroughly sensible of the extent of his mind; and when he left the

« AnteriorContinua »