jections against the Style and Propriety of the infpir'd Authors; and the Reason of their Impudence was not only Wickedness, but want of Genius, Languages and Reading, to enter into their awful Beauties, to difcern the exalted Sublimity of their Sense, and relifh the heavenly Graces of their Expreffion. Juft fo it has been obferv'd, that a Smattering in Philofophy, and a flender Acquaintance with the wonderful Works of Nature, difposes little Pretenders to talk faucily, and profanely cavil against the Providence and Majefty of its omnipotent Author while Men of regular Study, of found and piercing Judgment, have difcover'd and admir'd innumerable Footfteps and bright Characters of Divine Wisdom and Goodness in every Part of the World: They have equally advanced in Knowledge and Devotion; and the more they understood of the Heavens and the Earth, the more they have ador'd that infinite Being,

who

;

who is the Creator and Supporter of the whole Frame. I need beg no Pardon of the good Reader for this Digreffion; but now pafs on directly to fhew fome of the Excellencies of those

true Claffics, that Men of Tafte in all Ages and Nations have fo eagerly studied, and unanimously admir'd.

§. I. THE Ancients (of whom we fpeak) had good natural Parts, and applied them right; they understood their own Strength, and were Mafters of the Subject they undertook; they had a rich Genius carefully cultivated: In their Writings you have Nature without Wildnefs, and Art without Oftentation. For 'tis vain to talk of Nature and Genius, without Care and diligent Application to refine and improve 'em. The fineft Paradife will run wild, and lofe both its Pleasure and Usefulness without a skilful Hand conftantly to tend and prune it. Tho' these generous Spirits were inspir'd with the Love of true Praise,

and

and had a modeft Affurance of their own Abilities; yet they were not fo felf-fufficient, as to imagine their first Thoughts were above their own Review and Correction, or their last above the Judgment of their Friends. They fubmitted their Compofitions to the Cenfure of private Perfons and public Affemblies. They review'd, alter'd and polish'd, 'till they had good Hopes they could prefent the World with a finifh'd Piece. And fo great and happy was their Judgment, that they understood when they had done well, and knew the critical Seafon of laying afide the File.

be

For as thofe excellent Maflers Pliny and Quintilian obferve, there may an Intemperance in Correction; when an ingenious Man has fuch an Excess of Modefty and faulty Diftruft of himfelf, that he wears off fome of the neceffary and ornamental Parts of his Discourse, instead of polishing the rough, and taking off the fuperfluous.

Thefe

These immortal Wits did not prepofterously refolve firft to be Authors, and then immediately fall to writing without Study and Experience; but took care to furnish themselves with Knowledge by clofe Thought, select Converfation and Reading; and to gain all the Information and Light that was necessary to qualify 'em to do Juftice to their Subject. Then, after they had begun to write, they did not hurry on their Pen with Speed and Impatience to appear in the View of the World; but they took Time and Pains to give every Part of their Difcourfe all poffible Strength and Ornament, and to make the whole Compofition uniform and beautiful. They wifely confider'd, that Productions which come before their due. Time into the World, are feldom perfect or long-liv'd; and that an Author who defigns to write for Pofterity, as well as the prefent Generation, cannot study a Work with too deep Care and refolute Industry.

Varus tells us of his incomparable Friend Virgil, that he compos'd but very few Verfes in a Day. That confummate Philofopher, Critic, and Poet, regarded the Value, not Number of his Lines; and never thought too much Pains could be bestowed on a Poem, that he might reasonably expect would be the Wonder of all Ages, and laft out the whole Duration of Time. Quintilian affures us, that Salluft wrote with abundance of Deliberation and prudent Caution; and indeed that fully appears from his complete and exquifite Writings. Demofthenes labour'd Night and Day, outwatch'd the poor Mechanic in Athens, (that was forc'd to perpetual Drudgery to support himself and his Family) till he had acquir'd fuch a Maftery in his noble Profeffion, fuch a rational and over-ruling Vehemence, fuch a perfect Habit of nervous and convincing Eloquence, as enabled him to defy the strongest Oppofition, and to triumph over Envy and Time.

Plato,