kindly Infection. It is often adminiftred by Chamber-Maids, Valets, or any the moft ignorant Domestick; it being one peculiar Excellence of this my Oil, that 'tis moft prevalent, the more unfkilful the Perfon is or appears who applies it. It is abfolutely neceffary for Ladies to take a Dose of it just before they 'take Coach to go a visiting. с 6 BUT I offend the Publick, as Horace faid, when I trefpafs on any of your Time. 'Give me leave then, Mr. Ironfide, to make you a Present of a Drachm or two of my Oil; though I have Cause to fear my Prefcriptions will not have the Effect upon you "I could wifh: Therefore I do not endeavour 'to bribe you Favour by the Present of my Oil, but wholly depend upon your Publick Spirit and Generofity; which, I hope, 'will recommend to the World the useful Endeavours of, SIR, in my Your most obedient, most faithful, most devoted, moft bumble Servant and Admirer, GNATH O. ** Beware of Counterfeits, for such are ⚫ abroad. N. B. N. B. I TEACH the Arcana of my Art at reasonable Rates to Gentlemen of the Uni'verfities, who defire to be qualified for writing Dedications; and to young Lovers and Fortune-hunters, to be paid at the Day of Marriage. I inftruct Perfons of bright Ca'pacities to flatter others, and thofe of the 'meaneft to flatter themselves. • I was the first Inventor of Pocket LookingGlaffes. N° 12 Wednesday, March 25. Vel quia nil rectum, nifi quod placuit fibi, ducunt : IMITATE D. Hor. Ep. 1. 1. 2. v. 84, You'd think no Fools difgrac'd the former Reign, W HEN a Poem makes its firft Appearance in the World, I have always observed, that it gives Employment to a greater number of Criticks, than any other kind of Writing. Whether it be that most Men, at fome time of their Lives, have try'd F 3 their their Talent that way, and thereby think they have a Right to judge; or whether they imagine, that their making fhrewd Obfervations upon the Polite Arts, gives them a pretty Figure; or whether there may not be fome Jealoufy and Caution in beftowing Applause upon thofe who write chiefly for Fame. Whatever the Reasons be, we find few difcouraged by the Delicacy and Danger of fuch an Undertaking. I THINK it certain that most Men are naturally not only capable of being pleased with that which raises agreeable Pictures in the Fancy, but willing alfo to own it. But then there are many, who, by falfe Applications of fome Rules ill understood, or out of Deference to Men whofe Opinions they value, have formed to themselves certain Schemes and Systems of Satisfaction, and will not be pleafed out of their own way. Thefe are not Criticks themfelves, but Readers of Criticks, who, without the Labour of perufing Authors, are able to give their Characters in general; and know just as much of the feveral Species of Poetry, as those who read Books of Geography do of the Genius of this or that People or Nation. These Gentlemen deliver their Opinions fententiously, and in general Terms; to which it being impoffible readily to frame complete Anfwers, they have often the Satisfaction of leaving the Board in Triumph. As young Perfons, and particularly the Ladies, are liable to be led afide by thefe Tyrants in Wit, I fshall examine two two or three of the many Stratagems they use, and fubjoin fuch Precautions as may hinder candid Readers from being deceived thereby. THE first I fhall take notice of is an Objection commonly offered, viz. That fuch a Poem bath indeed fome good Lines in it, but it is not a regular Piece. This for the most part: is urged by those whofe Knowledge is drawn from fome famous French Criticks, who have written upon the Epic Poem, the Drama, and the great kinds of Poetry, which cannot fubfist without great Regularity; but ought by no means to be required in Odes, Epiftles, Panegyricks, and the like, which naturally admit of greater Liberties. The Enthusiasm in Odes, and the Freedom of Epiftles, is rarely disputed: But I have often heard the Poems upon Publick Occafions written in Heroick Verfe, which I choose to call Panegyricks, feverely cenfured upon this Account; the Reafon whereof I cannot guess, unless it be, that because they are written in the fame kind of Numbers and Spirit as an Epic Poem, they ought therefore to have the fame Regularity. Now an Epic Poem confifting chiefly in Narration, it is neceffary that the Incidents should be related in the fame . Order that they are fuppofed to have been tranfacted. But in Works of the abovementioned kind, there is no more Reason that such Order should be observed, than that an Oration should be as methodical as an History. I think it fufficient that the great Hints, fug F 4 gefted gefted from the Subject, be fo disposed, that the first may naturally prepare the Reader for what follows, and fo on: and that their Places cannot be changed without Disadvantage to the whole. I will add further, that fometimes gentle Deviations, fometimes bold and even abrupt Digreffions, where the Dignity of the Subject feems to give the Impulfe, are Proofs of a noble Genius; as winding about and returning artfully to the main Defign, are Marks of Addrefs and Dexterity. ANOTHER Artifice made use of by Pretenders to Criticism, as an Infinuation, That all that is good is borrowed from the Ancients. This is very common in the Mouths of Pedants, and perhaps in their Hearts too; but is often urged by Men of no great Learning, for Reafons very obvious. Now Nature being still the fame, it is impoffible for any Modern Writer to paint her otherwife than the Ancients have done. If, for Example, I was to defcribe the General's Horfe at the Battle of Blenheim, as my Fancy reprefented such a noble Beast, and that Defcription should refemble what Virgil hath drawn for the Horse of his Hero, it would be almoft as ill-natured to urge that I had ftollen my Defcription from Virgil, as to reproach the Duke of Marlborough for fighting only like Æneas. All that the most exquifite Judgment can perform is, out of that great Variety of Circumstances, wherein natural Objects may be confidered, to felect |